Ravindra Prasad is a big name in Silicon Valley and worldwide, thanks to his multiple backgrounds in Transcendental Meditation and the Art of Living. He had an amazingly successful stint with the Art of Living founded by Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji as Chairman, Managing Trustee globetrotting as a Corporate Guru and Trainer. Now, he has completely left behind the earlier trodden paths to venture into wellness being. As a Business Consultant of Weefa (Weefa Wellness Solutions Private Limited), he is making strides in the food market with the sole aim of consuming food as medicine. He has already treaded a long way so far in this direction, but the journey looks to be too long. Here, in a freewheeling interaction, he looks back makes introspection and explains his vision forward.
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| image source: newsweek.com |
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: You have been associated with alternative systems to Allopathy for curing and healing ailments. Can you recall your journey in this direction?
Ravindra Prasad: Actually, this is a very good subject to talk about which is close to my heart and I am very passionately working for 27 years. Basically, what I have realized and you all will also agree that nature has prepared our body with such a mechanism that it also has the mechanism to rectify if there is a problem. The body has all the prerequisite facilities, that’s why about 50-100 years back the naati vaidyas’ (traditional therapists’ by practice) just touching the pulse was able to treat with some herbs. Otherwise, we have not seen people going to hospitals. I remember my parents never went to hospitals, never hospitalized. There used to be only one government hospital in villages and people used to go either for injuries or deliveries but definitely not for admissions…
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| Ravindra Prasad |
…Food becoming medicines: When the body has a very good mechanism, the Pancha Bhootas, i.e. water, earth, ether, fire and air are giving energy to our body through food, water air and all that. This has made a difference in our lives while we have seen the same among our ancestors. Then I started helping people in my own way wherever I have my own contacts, telling them how food can become medicine to you. That’s how it worked earlier. And now so-called Nutritionists have come, some are traditionally qualified and match whatever I have been talking about. In fact, we have been doing wonderful work and just with food most of the diseases can be reversed. If required, we can supplement with Ayurveda products and that doesn’t mean that Allopathic is not required. Allopathic is required only in times of emergencies…
Q: How did you come to the conclusion that a good diet and good food are alone enough for healthy living?
Ravindra Prasad: In 2006, I had also become Diabetic and I thought why should I go for Allopathic medicines. So, I personally started trying on myself and in a month’s time, I could overcome Allopathic medicines. I started some physical exercises and with a little bit of support from Ayurveda, I could manage on my own. I realized that more than that mind plays a major role, which is my background as Chairman and Managing Trustee of Art of Living (AoL), Corporate Teacher, training people across the globe, where the mind comes into the picture in healing the body. Of course, food and air we breathe also come into the picture. This, we have seen and have a lot of testimonies and personally I am an example of that.
Q: How was the journey, when you started and the way forward, if you can track it back?
Ravindra Prasad: From day one, I am telling you, the moment you give an opportunity the body is prepared to take care of it. What happens is, if you give some Allopathic medicine body says okay whereas Ayurveda and traditional medicines go to the root cause. Allopathic drugs not only suppress further and in the process damage, but other parts like you can also see among Diabetic patients developing Blood Pressure, Kidney problems, Heart problems, Obesity… so many things follow one after the other…
…Food becomes medicine in Ayurveda: But if you go by Ayurveda and other natural remedies, food becomes medicine for you. But, there is also a technique and only if you follow it, foods turn out to be medicine. Food needs to be treated in a different way to experience it as medicine.
Q: Why do you think people will change their food patterns hoping for better health?
Ravindra Prasad: Science gives us very small and short knowledge whereas experience has altogether a different story to unravel. Take our forefathers’ for instance; there was no stress, no hotels, no fast food, no hospitals; that’s how they lived. I have taken them as testimonials.
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| image source: businesstoday.in |
Q: Do you mean to say that their lifestyle mattered much when it came to leading a normal but healthy life?
Ravindra Prasad: If people want to do some research, they have done it. For example, I will talk a little about the air that we breathe and the food we have, where a scientific study is done. But overall, even the doctors more authentic doctors we call are not ready to accept these facts except people like Padmavibhushan Dr BM Hegde. But many people dislike him because he is a threat to their profession. My own known doctors criticize that he is abnormal! He is a famous cardiologist and he has authenticated the way in which I am telling people and helping people to treat…
…Dr BM Hegde stood up and saluted! In fact, when I went and met him at his residence in his native place Mangaluru to seek his blessings, he stood up and saluted, proclaiming-“I am with you. I am your Brand Ambassador, use me wherever you want”. My strength is such people who have supported me and testimonials…
…Diabetics should eat Jackfruit and mangoes: Many people hesitate to believe; For example, they advise Diabetics don’t eat Jackfruits and don’t eat Mangoes. But, my Nutritionist says the moment you eat Jackfruits and the moment you eat Mangoes, the sugar levels will drop! And it has been scientifically proven. But they have threatened the doctors against advocating so. However, my Nutritionist says; to eat, eat and eat Jackfruit and Mangoes whenever you get them as the sugar level will drop after consuming them. Enough experiments have been done by taking fructose and regular sugar to prove the point…
…Food full of Chemicals and Pesticides: since I am talking about organic, most of the fruits, vegetables and groceries available in the market have chemicals and pesticides in abundance! That’s the main reason, in spite of consuming food you develop several ailments. Secondly, the food doesn’t inherit the qualities it should naturally have and instead is loaded with chemicals and fertilizers. As a result, one starts taking slow poison bereft of any health benefits and imbibed with a series of diseases. That’s how I started promoting chemical-free, pesticide-free and organically grown groceries, vegetables and fruits.
Q: But what about statistics of people consuming organic foodstuffs and leading a healthy life?
Ravindra Prasad: Yes yes, I can introduce you to my Nutritionist. Generally, what happens is good things don’t come up and the media don’t cover them! I can tell you hundreds of people who are benefitted from my Nutritionist. She gives group consultations to 4-5 people only and is booked for months together. She follows up with them religiously and ensures that whatever health problems people are facing are out of them and there is any number of testimonials available to substantiate our claims.
-Manohar Yadavatti
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