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CREATING HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS
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cause stress and require us to fight or take flight (through its sympathetic component), and in normal circumstances when we are required to rest and digest (through its parasympathetic component).
The PNS consists of sensory neurons running from stimulus receptors that inform the CNS of the stimuli. Motor neurons then run from the CNS to the muscles and glandscalled effectors--that take necessary action.
For preservation of health, it is imperative that these nervous systems remain balanced. If the sympathetic component becomes overactive, it breeds an egoistic feeling. The overactive parasympathetic component breeds inferiority complex. Their imbalance gives rise to various mental illnesses. The knowledge of vital energy (pranas) is very relevant in this context. There are three pathways (nadis) through which vital energy flows: ida, pingla and sushumna.
The main function of ida is to provide rest, peace and orderliness of the mind. The function of pingla is to stimulate activity. The function of sushumna is to establish contact with the inner consciousness. For a regulated life, it is imperative that all three channels remain open and in equilibrium. Any imbalance in the pranic flow can cause a physical or mental disorder.
BIOCHEMICAL BALANCE Health depends primarily on two major factors: adequate nutrition and efficient elimination. Our well-being improves through correct nutrition, which leads to biochemical changes that promote emotional balance and lift the spirit.
Crass commercialization has taken a toll on nutrition. The mass marketing efforts by food conglomerates, whose main interest is profit, compounded by misinformation by conventional healthcare institutions and their affiliates, make it difficult to differentiate between life-giving,
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