You will be surprised to know that a common food that is consumed in large quantities all over the country is considered fancy by this Indian monk who, most probably, has outlived several oldest living individuals in the world.
Meet Swami Sivananda, the recipient of one of the highest civilian awards of the country, the Padma Shri, who claims to be born on 8 August 1896.
A vegetarian by food choice, Swami Sivananda leads a disciplined life where yoga and healthy food plays a central role. In 2022, when he was conferred the Padma Shri, the yoga guru prostrated before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President.
While Swami Sivananda’s age is debatable as the claims of his birth year have not been verified yet, his lifestyle is inspiring. If his age claims are verified he could be the oldest man alive till date. Reports say he has submitted documents to the Guinness Book of Records.
He prefers eating rice and lentils and considers fruits and milk fancy. He abstains from consuming fruits and milk. “I lead a simple and disciplined life. I eat very simply — only boiled food without oil or spices, rice and boiled daal (lentil stew) with a couple of green chilies,” he had told AFP back in 2016.
Though considered a healthy food, milk can be harmful to health for several reasons. Many people are lactose intolerant, leading to bloating, diarrhea, and digestive discomfort. Excessive milk consumption has been linked to acne, inflammation, and an increased risk of certain cancers due to hormones and growth factors. High dairy intake may also contribute to heart disease due to saturated fats and raise cholesterol levels.
Swami Sivananda wakes up at 3am everyday and for the longest time of his life taught yoga on the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi. Waking up early in the morning has several health benefits. It aligns the mind and body to function properly and exposes the body to the morning sunlight which helps in the synthesis of vitamin D, an essential vitamin required for several biological processes.
As per reports, Swami Sivananda was born in Sylhet District of Bengal Presidency of British India (present-day Sylhet Division of Bangladesh). He lost his parents at the age of 6 and then travelled to Varanasi. He mastered yoga and meditation from Guru Omkarananda.