Having shared his experiences through a workshop on Natural Living, at an event organised by Mother Earth Environmental Consciousness Society (MEECONS) in Vizag, Minimalist and Naturalist Shailender speaks with Yo! Vizag on how to have a healthy lifestyle.

Dressed in a white dhoti, sporting a turban and a long beard, Shailender resembles a yogi. So, it comes as a surprise to know that he is a Computer Science Engineer with five years of experience in the IT industry. While working for different IT companies, he realised his calling and quit his job. I stayed at Sai Geetha Ashram for ten years and learned the essence of natural living. Ive been practising a chemical-free lifestyle, says Shailender.

One doesnt have to be a yogi in order to lead a life in coherence with nature. By making little alterations in ones daily routine, one can live life the natural way, even in urban spaces, he further adds. Here are some insights from Shailender.

Milk and milk products:

Milk is best avoided as per Shailender. However, if it is an essential part of your diet, then boil the milk over a small flame for a long time before consuming it. Buttermilk is always better than milk. To avoid milk tea and to get sufficient minerals, calcium and anti-oxidants, Shailender suggests the recipe of herbal tea. Moringa (50%), pudina, tulasi, curry leaves (25%) all leaves should be dried in the shade and then kept for an hour in the sun covered with a cloth. They should then be crushed and stored in a bottle. While preparing the tea, add one spoon of these crushed leaves to boiling water and allow it to infuse. After an hour, filter it, add jaggery, saindava lavanam, and lemon juice, and consume it.

Cooking utensils:

Use earthen pots, iron tavas and brass vessels. Avoid pressure cooker, aluminium and non-stick cookware.

Water for consumption:

The drinking water supplied to homes is treated with chlorine and fluorine. We can consume that directly, and our body also adapts to it and does its own detoxification. However, it is better to keep water in the open for a minimum time of one hour to 24 hours. This ensures that water imbibes the energy of the sun, moon, and stars. For maximum benefits, he suggests taking a container, adding chilliginjalu and moringa seeds, vattiveru (Chrysopogon zizanioides) and pasupu kommu (turmeric). So while, vattiveru gives minerals, turmeric works as an antiseptic. The pot should be covered with a cloth. Natural filtration takes place, minerals are added, and chlorine goes away. We store the water in a pot, put a copper coin in it and consume, shares Shailender.

Clothes we wear:

Synthetic clothes block the skin pores harming us. Also, when disposed of, these wont decompose easily, becoming a major threat to the environment. Cotton, therefore, is much recommended. Now, with BT cotton harming the environment, one should stick to organic cotton options.

Preventing cancer:

Due to depleting oxygen in cells, a person is prone to getting cancer. One way to prevent this disease is by avoiding acidic food. Humans these days cannot sustain only on fruits, and the food that we cook is acidic. Eating some raw food daily can help maintain balance, Shailender shares.

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Living the natural way: Naturalist Shailender speaks on healthy lifestyle - Yo Vizag