<p>In his inimitable style, Shakespeare makes Hamlet exclaim, ‘What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculty; in form and moving, how express and admirable; in action, how like an angel…’ There is great truth in these words, but more often than not, we are unaware of it in our day to day dealings.</p>.<p>We recognise this only when we lose these precious faculties. We <br>use the body giving it little thought or care.</p>.<p>The Buddha subjected his body to extreme ascetic self-mortification and nearly died. He then realised that weakening the boy hindered mental clarity. It led him to adopt the ‘Middle Path’ that cared for the body’s basic needs to attain a calm and focused mind.</p>.<p>Sadly, even today there are those who believe that torturing the body can bring satisfaction and closeness to the Divine.</p>.<p>The human body is a reservoir of wonders. To list a few facts – it is composed of roughly 100 trillion cells. It is more advanced than any computer. It has a heart that beats approximately three billion times in a lifetime and has 60,000 miles of blood vessels. It has systems that constantly regenerate. To quote one example, 2.5 million red blood cells are produced every second. The nose can remember 50,000 different scents. The intestines, if stretched out, could cover a three-storied building. </p>.<p>The brain, an amazing organ, is the director of our actions, but it is the body that carries out its commands. When the body turns uncooperative, then the brain is close to being non-functional.</p>.<p>This is why we should take good care of our bodies. Nutritious food, exercise and a good outlook on Life is a must. We ignore these at our own peril. One was aghast to hear of an MBBS aspirant who cut off his foot to join the ranks of the disabled and win admission into a college. They say that it is only when the well runs dry that we realise the value of water. Likewise, it is only when we lose our physical abilities, that we understand the value of the body. We should keep in mind that it is no crime to nourish the body, for only a healthy body can sustain a healthy mind.</p><p>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH)</p>
<p>In his inimitable style, Shakespeare makes Hamlet exclaim, ‘What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculty; in form and moving, how express and admirable; in action, how like an angel…’ There is great truth in these words, but more often than not, we are unaware of it in our day to day dealings.</p>.<p>We recognise this only when we lose these precious faculties. We <br>use the body giving it little thought or care.</p>.<p>The Buddha subjected his body to extreme ascetic self-mortification and nearly died. He then realised that weakening the boy hindered mental clarity. It led him to adopt the ‘Middle Path’ that cared for the body’s basic needs to attain a calm and focused mind.</p>.<p>Sadly, even today there are those who believe that torturing the body can bring satisfaction and closeness to the Divine.</p>.<p>The human body is a reservoir of wonders. To list a few facts – it is composed of roughly 100 trillion cells. It is more advanced than any computer. It has a heart that beats approximately three billion times in a lifetime and has 60,000 miles of blood vessels. It has systems that constantly regenerate. To quote one example, 2.5 million red blood cells are produced every second. The nose can remember 50,000 different scents. The intestines, if stretched out, could cover a three-storied building. </p>.<p>The brain, an amazing organ, is the director of our actions, but it is the body that carries out its commands. When the body turns uncooperative, then the brain is close to being non-functional.</p>.<p>This is why we should take good care of our bodies. Nutritious food, exercise and a good outlook on Life is a must. We ignore these at our own peril. One was aghast to hear of an MBBS aspirant who cut off his foot to join the ranks of the disabled and win admission into a college. They say that it is only when the well runs dry that we realise the value of water. Likewise, it is only when we lose our physical abilities, that we understand the value of the body. We should keep in mind that it is no crime to nourish the body, for only a healthy body can sustain a healthy mind.</p><p>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH)</p>
