A Story of Unhealthy, Careless and Lazy Indians
India prides in Vedas, Spirituality, and yoga. One would assume that people would have the fundamental health parameters in place. At least in places where poverty is not an issue. But the story is something totally different.
Not only are we Indians lazy, unhealthy, stupid, careless and prone to diseases; but we have no idea on how to even improve our situation. Compare ourselves with Europeans or Americans who have embraced Yoga because it helps them improve their health. We ARE the origin of yoga, but how many even practice it everyday? Despite Baba Ramdev! If Ramdev had not been there, probably these statistics may have been even worse.
An HT C-FORE Survey done in 10 cities, shows an absolutely shocking situation in India. For example, 14 out of 20 Indians in these 10 cities do NOT eat enough fruits and vegetables. One would obviously wonder, that in a land that was so overwhelmingly vegetarian just a generation back, what the heck are we Indians eating?
With prosperity comes the shift in many societies to non-vegetarian diet. And the Multi-National Food product companies have perfected the art of dishing out unhealthy non-vegetarian food. Whether its McD or KFC, these companies have propagated nothing but bad health. As British TV chef Jamie Oliver showed on TV shows how these companies have led to amazing levels of bad health in US. Indians feel proud to follow Americans into the ditch!
If we are a society with such low income and alarming levels of mal-nutrition in majority of the country due to poverty as we have in rural areas and many urban centers, then is promoting non-vegetarian diet not simply criminal?!
Look at the drain on the resources – specially water.
1 Kg of:
Grain-fed beef > 100,000 liters of water,
Raising broiler chickens > 3,500 liters of water
Soybean production > 2,000 liters
Rice > 1,912;
Wheat > 900; and
Potatoes > 500 liters
Potatoes – a staple diet for many poor farmers requires 7 times lesser water than chicken eaten by the wealthy in India. For the rich who pride in their wealth, it might seem fine. But they forget that they – and their coming generations will live in the same country. And if this country gets denuded of water – as it is quickly getting to be, even they cannot remain untouched!
But that is a different story. The real story is of the unhealthy habits of Indians. The way they choose to live with complete careless standards. This table below shows the shocking statistics.
