Gandhi and Health

“Our bodies are gardens, we are its gardeners.” We are the sole cultivators of health in the gardens of life which are embodied in the form of our flesh and bones. Today, as we remember the father of the nation, we only pay homage to the long battle he fought against our colonizers. Not only did he devise plans to fight our colonizers but also to fight the issues of improper hygiene, illness and improper health. The human race is the most advanced race in the universe, yet we seem to neglect the importance of health. We indulge in all activities which might, knowingly or unknowingly, cause harm to our health. This is because, man fails to recognize his purpose in life. For time immemorial, man has been running behind wealth, prosperity and power. At the cost of the negligence towards health, the common man completely trusts the skillful doctors of the society.

Gandhiji referred to health as matter of body ease in his book ‘The Key to Health’. The body of a healthy human should be able to perform daily activities while being in a state of ease. He believed in the complete functioning of the mind and senses. It is often said that a sound mind exists only in a sound body. This completely supports the fact that a healthy body leads to healthy ideas which will surely lead to one’s mental, social and economic development. In his book, Gandhiji refers to five elements in the universe which are of utmost importance to the human body. This comprises of water, earth, vacancy, light and air. Human body is a complex machinery set together in perfect harmony during its very inception. Human body is as vast as the universe. Health seems to be of tertiary importance to the modern man. It is of prime importance that the human race starts taking appropriate measures to focus on their health. Gandhiji has rightfully said that the body is the only wealth of a human. The human is body is comparable to the ground. The ground on the outside is full of dirt and dust. As you dig it, you are ought to find precious gems and stones. Likewise, a human body is made out of dirt. It depends on the individual if he wants to turn his body into a state of optimum health.

After reading Gandhiji’s books, ‘The Key to Health’ and ‘My Experiments with the Truth”, I have concluded that a healthy individual is only prevalent if he follows the ideologies which Gandhi set a long time ago. As we go about celebrating his 150th birth anniversary, let’s take a moment to appreciate his thoughts on the subject of health. Gandhiji, in his books, exclaims that air is one of the most important substances needed for human survival. It takes us just minutes before we die of asphyxiation in the absence of air. Gandhiji believed that breathing is the most important activity that humans conduct throughout the air. Even though breathing is required for survival, Gandhiji points out that it is usually neglected. He also points out that Yogasanas are the best way to help the air flow and maintain a healthy respiratory tract. Modern studies show that yoga is beneficial in many conditions and can be used for therapeutic purposes. It is of utmost importance to wash one’s nose, the same way one rinses their mouth every day.