Nurture Human Nutrition- Three Facets of Wellness

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

A moral quote says: "It is not the Earth but the human race that is under peril"-in some context, may be global warming, melting of ice on Himalayas, cloud bursts and related floods in sub-Himalayan region, earth quakes, environmental pollution, use of chemical pesticides, sedentary life styles, outburst of several new diseases and ailments, rise of medical bills and what not. While analyzing Human Wellness - that being very broad based and difficult to consolidate, the three facets namely, Mental wellness, Physical wellness and Nutritional wellness have been identified by the author as major components for smoother understanding. Having done that, to 'NURTURE HUMAN NUTRITION' is placed as a central theme in support of the overall well-being.

While examining the day-to-day issues that need to be tackled in our pursuit of the well-being, the most common components of daily life - touching upon a wider range of age groups have been covered with related notes and semi-scientific information for purpose of making it 'Easy to Understand and Adopt' to the possible extent while, at the same time, protecting the core issues of the information provided.

Well then, these components have been linked to our affinity with the NATURE (covering Mother Earth and Environment) that we are blessed with. While proposing that we can find an easy solace (read mental wellness) when we live nearer to the Nature and breath with the Environment, we keep ourselves fit (read physical wellness) when we shun the sedentary lifestyle that has intruded into our life in these modern times. And, Nutritional Wellness is inevitable to facilitate steady supply of energy (the positive energy) required for our life activities.

The three facets of wellness, have then been linked to the concept of 'Oota from Your Own Thota (vegetables from our own garden) to be practiced as Kitchen Gardening so as to propose a practical model for adoption in daily life. As a token of narration few plant species suited for kitchen gardening are also covered to strengthen the readability (as numerous other examples are easily accessible otherwise also).

Born on January 04, 1952 at Bailhongal in Belgaum district of Karnataka in a middle-class family of Freedom Fighters, Dr Ulhas Damodar Bongale completed his earlier education in the native place, and continued college and post-graduation at Hubli and Dharwad. He obtained his PhD in Botany (with algae as specialization subject) from Karnatak University in 1977. This was followed by undertaking a job in a rather unrelated specialization - namely in Sericulture by joining Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute at Mysore under the Central Silk Board. In the meantime, after serving the parent Department at Karnatak University Dharwad as PG Lecturer in Botany for five years, joined the Karnataka State Sericulture Reseach & Development Institute at Thalaghattapura in Bengaluru and served there for 25 years as Division Chief (Moriculture) and as Director: Scientist-F, before retiring at superannuation in January 2012. While developing his specialization in the field of mulberry and silkworm nutrition, soil fertility management, mulberry physiology and related fields, he has guided for eight Ph Ds, and apart from over 200 research papers (published in national and international level research journals), has authored a few books, and several technical articles, booklets, brochures etc., both in Kannada and English.

Apart from his close, active association with social and religious organizations as office bearer, he has recently formed a "POUSHTIK SANGHA" - an NGO for promotion of natural resource management, kitchen gardening and related issues of larger societal implication. With that background concern for overall societal welfare, the current book on Human Wellness has been authored based on compilation of various reports, notes and other tit-bits of information collected over a period of several years.

Having identified with specialized academic fields throughout my career of about 40 years - graduated with Algae as a research subject, and subsequently specialized in the field of Sericulture in the R & D based career of 30 years - with several publications covering research papers, technical articles, books, booklets, brochures etc, apart from guidance for eight Ph Ds in the field of Sericulture - I always cherished a desire to reach a wider readership base at least later in my career. That is the reason I readily agreed to the request from Karnataka Historical Research Society, Dharwad offering to bring out the publications.

Well, having agreed to contribute a book, I spent some time for a suitable topic, and finally chose 'Human Wellness'. That being a very broad and intrinsic subject, searching through the literature that had piled-up in my collection over the years, helped me add the 'Three Facets' to the main topic. Having said that, I would like to repeat and reiterate that I do not claim an authority or proprietorship on any of the contents of this book. Readers and all others concerned would hence appreciate it as a compilation of the information collected, which otherwise would be available as original material in different sources elsewhere authored by various experts.

The three facets of human wellness (as identified by me in the present context) - Mental, Physical and Nutritional - are themselves very intricate subjects. They also have great affinity with the NATURE (covering Mother Earth and Environment) we are blessed with. We can find an easy solace (read mental wellness) when we live nearer to the Nature and breath with the Environment. We keep ourselves fit (read physical wellness) when we shun the sedentary lifestyle that has intruded in to our life in these modern times. And, nutritional wellness is inevitable to facilitate steady supply of energy (the positive energy) required for our life activities. These three facets of human wellness together go well to NURTURE HUMAN NUTRITION.

As I have understood that the concept of 'Oota From Your Own Thota' (vegetables from our own garden) facilitates to integrate the three facets of wellness, I have tried to dwell upon this topic in the form of Kitchen Gardening, in a limited possible way since I would like to cover it in a little more exhaustive way separately elsewhere under a different framework. A few plant species suited for kitchen gardening are also covered as a token.

I may be pardoned for any lapses in this compilation format, in which I have not been able to quote each and every reference though I have attempted to mention a few references at some places.

In any case, readers would be wiser to use the information presented in this book for reference and seek advice from the experts pertaining to all the three facets while trying to adopt them in daily life as a routine practice.

I am delighted to thank Dr Madhumati Shivapuji for her persistence as also helping me with the cover page design, and the authorities of the Karnataka Historical Research Society for choosing to ask me for a suitable material for publication under the Centenary Celebrations of the Society. I also thank the printers for their efforts, and also all my well-wishers for the good will bestowed upon me over all these years.

I would fail in my gesture if I don't put on record the blessings showered by my Late parents and all other elders, and thank others in the family fraternity for their support.