The ultimate want of every person is Happiness. A person becomes happy when his wants are fulfilled. So, you can become happy very easily, if your wants are less and simpler. Thus, the formula for happiness is to live a SIMPLE LIFE

• How to lead a simple life ?

Life becomes simple if you follow the 3 main principles :

1. Do your duty sincerely - this can be as a son, student, brother, husband, father or as a citizen of your locality, State or Country.
2. Do your duty in the name of God. This is called ISWARARPANA BUDHI . When you introduce spiritualism, the work becomes YOGA . Duty thus becomes KARMA YOGA.
3. Whatever you receive, accept it as a Prasada from God. This is called PRASADA BUDHI. We never analyse the quality and quantity of a Prasada.

Thus, we should do all karmas as NISHKAMYA - that is, without expecting any specific return. Return is decided by God. If we develop this quality ghradually in our day to day life, we can be more and more happy.

• Spiritualism - the best tool for happiness.

We are only toys in the hands of God. Have full faith in Him. He will do only good to you. Absolute faith in God will give you mental peace. You will be able to face success and failure equally well, without losing mental balance.

• How to become spiritual ?

Spiritualism comes from Satva Guna or satvic mind. The satvic mind encourages creative thinking and positive outlook. This gives clarity, inspiration and motivation. A frustrated mind will lead to failure and downfall.

• What makes the mind Satvic ?

You get the gunas based on the food you take. Satvic foods will give satvic guna. Similarly, rajasic foods - rajasic guna and tamasic foods - tamasic guna. Fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, cereals etc. constitute satvic foods. Hot and pungent items like spices, garlic etc. are rajasic foods. Liquor, tobacco, meat etc. are tamasic foods. For happiness, one should take more satvic foods, less rajasic foods and no tamasic foods.

• Importance of good health !

Taking satvic foods alone will not make a person healthy. The body should be fit enough to digest and assimilate the food properly. Also, the body should eliminate the wastes regularly. For this, all the organs of the body should function efficiently and in harmony. This is possible only when the health is good.

• How to keep the body healthy ?

For good health, good food is a must. The food you take should provide all the nutrients required for the body. The Pancha Maha Bhuthas - space, air, fire, water and earth - are common to our universe, nature, body, food and herbal medicines. So, we have to live in harmony with nature. The local weather and season will give a guideline to our food, dress, daily routine etc.

• What is nutritious food ?

Vegetables and fruits make positive food. Negative foods are cereals, milk etc. For good health, one should take 75% of positive food and 25% of negative food. The total food should provide all the 6 tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungeent and astringent. If the 6 tastes are balanced, the 3 doshas - vata, pitha and kapha - also will be balanced. This will keep the body healthy.

• Mantra for good health !

We have seen that the food you take should provide all the 6 tastes. Our normal food contains all the tastes except the bitter one. So, the mantra for good health is to include bitter vegetables in our daily intake.

GO FOR BITTER VEGETABLES DAILY

• List of bitter vegetables
  

English name	Tamil name	Hindi name	Botanical name
Bitter Gourd	Pavakkai	Karela	Momordica charantia Linn.
white radish	Mullangi	Mooli	Raphanus
Turkey berry	Sundakkai		Solanum torvum
Black nightshade	Manathakkali & leaves	Makoy	Solanum nigrum
Plantain stem	Vaazhai thandu	kele ka dhana
Sesbania sesban	Agathi keerai	Mar	Sesbania grandiflora
Drumstick leaves	Murungakkai  & leaves	Sahijan	Moringa oleifera

• Recent findings !
  

Health benefits & Bitter flavours

Healing Power of Bitter Vegetables

Choose your Diet

The bitter truth : Eat your vegetables

Vegetables for Bitter or for worse ?

Bitter is better

Access to Asian vegetables

Food is the best medicine