Indian traditional food habits and lifestyle best suited for health: Kailash Vijayvargiya

Bhopal: Science & Technology Minister Shri Kailash Vijayvargiya has said that Indian traditional food habits and lifestyle are best suited for health. The more we are moving away from this lifestyle and nature, the more diseases are gripping us. Shri Vijayvargiya was addressing a workshop on problems arising due to vitamin D deficiency here today. Noted experts of the country also expressed their views at the workshop.

Shri Vijayvargiya said that malnutrition is a matter of concern for entire Aisa. Earlier, its main cause used to be poverty, but now this problem has become common in well-to-do families also due to adverse change in food habits and lifestyle. He said that our ancestors had taught us manners of rising early in the morning, offering water to sun, have a glimpse of sun, Surya Namaskar etc. due to which we did not suffer vitamin D deficiency and maintained sound health. He laid emphasis on the need of scientific study on benefits of traditional food habits and lifestyle and promote them. He said that the State Government will chalk out a strategy for vitamin D and other vitamin fortifications.
Expert from Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon Dr. Ambreesh Mithhal gave very interesting and useful information about vitamin D. He said that despite being a vitamin, it is not a vitamin. Vitamin D works like hormone in the body. It enters stomach with food and enters the skin through sunrays. Lack of vitamin D is largely responsible for cancer, heart diseases, TB and several other diseases. He said that vitamins children receive between the age of 10 and 18 years suffices for their health lifelong. He advised children to drink milk and play in the sun. He said that people suffering orthopaedic problems require minimum 30 nanogram and general people 20 nanogram of vitamin D. Dr. Mithhal laid emphasis on fortification of edible oils, food stuff etc. with vitamin D.
Dr. Ranjan Shankar of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition said that malnutrition is a world-wide problem. He lauded Madhya Pradesh government for undertaking special efforts for removing malnutrition. He stressed the need to remove malnutrition through joint efforts by the government, market and voluntary organisations. He also lauded initiative to fortify flour in Madhya Pradesh.
Advisor to Union Bio-technology Department Dr. Rajesh Kumar and Sushri Tanya of UNICEF also spoke on the occasion. Director General Madhya Pradesh Council for Science and Technology Prof. Pramod Verma delivered the welcome address and threw light on the workshop’s objectives