Diet for your mind

Diet for your mind

By Captain Vinod Nair

Nowadays, almost everyone I meet is health conscious! Even the biggest and most popular food brands are reshaping their offerings to be healthy. It wasn't always like this. Till recently, most people indulged their taste buds to the hilt. Having paid the price for that kind of indulgence, most of us are now careful of what goes into our system.

Use poor cooking oil, and see your face break out. Eat fatty foods, and watch your inches expand. There are clearly foods to avoid and foods that are recommended. In short, our external self is purely a reflection of our internal self. This rule holds true for thoughts as well.
As important as the foods we put into our bodies, are the thoughts we put into our minds. Like foods, there are clearly thoughts to avoid and thoughts to embrace.

Here are some thoughts to avoid: Thoughts of bitterness, hatred, despair, fear, worry, doubt, greed and self-loathing. A constant diet of these killer thoughts will destroy us long before cholesterol or fat.

Thoughts to embrace would include: intelligent analysis, positivity, belief, faith, happiness, peace and fulfilment.

How we fill our minds will shape our lives. So fill your mind only with that which is healthy, and harmonious. Watch your diet, rid your mind of all that is destructive and fill it with that which is good and peaceful. That is the way of patience and courage, love and contentment, peace and kindness.

Our thoughts shape our actions so we inevitably become how and what we think. Your past thoughts have brought you where you are today.

Even as you read this, today's thoughts are shaping your tomorrow. Fill your mind with healthy and happy thoughts.

By Captain Vinod Nair
(first published by TOI's idiva)