Read the passage given below:
Food And Stress
1. We are what we eat. The type of food we eat has both immediate and long-term effect on us, at all the three levels - the body, the mind and the spirit. Food which is tamasik (i.e. stale or leftover) in nature is bound to generate stress as it tends to upset the normal functioning of the human body. Fresheners should be avoided. Taking piping hot tea or milk or steaming hot food, whenever available, must be preferred. Excessive use of condiments also disturbs one’s usually calm attitude. Further, it is a mistaken belief that smoking or drinking, even in moderation, relieves stress. Simple meals with one or two food items, rather than too many lavish dishes, are advisable. Thus, vegetarian diet is preferable. Although it is customary to serve fruits with food, it is not the right thing to do. This is because different kinds of digestive secretions are produced by the stomach for variant foods. Mixing up too many varieties of food items at one meal creates problems for the digestive system. In fact, anyone type of fruit, preferably taken in the morning, is better.
2. On an average, we eat almost three to four times the quantity of food than we actually need. A lot of body’s energy is used up for digesting the excess food. It is said that after a particular level of food intake, the food actually eats one up. It is always good to eat a little less than your ‘full-stomach’ capacity. Besides, never eat food unless you are really hungry. Having dinner at 8 or 9 pm after a heavy snack at 5 or 6 pm in the evening is asking for trouble. In fact, skipping an odd meal is always good if the stomach is upset. There are varying views on the benefits of fasting, but we will not discuss them here. However, giving a break to one’s stomach, at least once a week, by having only fruit or milk, etc. may be worth trying.
3. While a little bit of water taken with meals is all right, drinking 30 to 60 ml much water with food is not advisable. Water, taken an hour or so before or after meals, is good for digestion. One’s diet must be balanced with all the required nutrients for a healthy living. Also remember, excess of everything is bad. Related to the problem of stress, excessive intake of salt is definitely bad. Too much of sugar, fried food and chillies are not good either. Over indulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste / type of food generates rajasik (aggressive) or at worst, tamasik (dull) tendencies. An even more important aspect of the relationship between food and stress lies not so much in what or how much we eat but how the food is taken. For example, food eaten in great hurry or in a state of anger or any other negative state of mind is bound to induce stress. How the food is served is also very important. Not only the presentation, cutlery, crockery, etc. play a role, the love and affection with which the food is served is also significant.
4. Finding faults with food while it is being eaten is the worst habit. It is better not to eat the food you do not like, rather than finding fault with it. It is good to have regular food habits. Workaholics who’ do not find time to eat food at proper mealtimes invite stomach ulcers. One must try to enjoy one’s food, and therefore, eating at the so-called lunch / dinner meetings is highly inadvisable. Every morsel of food should be enjoyed with a totally peaceful state of mind. Food and discussions should not be mixed. There are accepted ways to ‘charge’ the food we eat. Prayer is perhaps ‘the best method for energizing the food and it will do some definite additional good at no extra cost.
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer ANY TEN of the questions given below:
Question. How does tamasik food influence the person?
(a) Generates stress
(b) Makes a person energetic
(c) Generates large amount of energy
(d) Makes a person bold
Answer: A
Question. Why does the writer say that we eat almost three to four times the quantity of food than we actually need?
(a) Digestive system takes too much time.
(b) Excessive intake of food takes a lot of body’s energy to digest it.
(c) Food sustains the body.
(d) It makes the person healthy.
Answer: B
Question. What generates rajasik and Tamasik tendencies?
(a) Over indulgence of fried food
(b) Too much use of spicy food
(c) Over indulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste
(d) Excess of everything
Answer: C
Question. Where does the root cause of stress generated by food lie in?
(a) How much we eat
(b) What we eat
(c) How the food is taken
(d) Irregular food habits
Answer: C
Question. What does ‘induce’ mean?
(a) Reduce
(b) Cause
(c) Aggressive
(d) Intake
Answer: B
Question. A mistaken belief of people is that ..................... relieves stress.
Answer: smoking and drinking even in moderation
Question. Why are fruits combined with food not advised?
Answer: To digest every food item, different kinds of digestive secretions are produced by stomach. So mixing up food and fruits creates problems for the digestive system.
Question. How should water be consumed with food?
Answer: A little bit of water taken with food is allowed. However, having water one hour before or after meal helps in digestion.
Question. What is the important aspect of relationship between food and stress?
Answer: Stress is induced if food is taken in a hurry or in a state of anger. Serving of food with affection plays a significant role in the reduction of stress.
Question. What could be the negative impact of missing meals on workaholics?
Answer: For workaholics, missing meals may cause stomach ulcers.
Question. Why should we not talk with our family members or friends while eating together?
Answer: While eating we should not talk with one another because it disturbs us enjoying the real taste of the food.
Question. Which word in para 4 means ‘persons often busy in their work’?
Answer: Workaholics
| CBSE Class 12 English Note Making Passage |