Hei friends,
Hope all you are doing well...
Good health is a valuable asset to man. It is a great treasure. It bestows happiness and prosperity. Health is essential to happiness. Health is not merely absence of disease. It includes the full development of physical, mental and spiritual powers of a man. Health is a condition of physical and mental well-being: a normal state of body and mind in which all parts and organs perform their functions regularly, easily and satisfactorily and are free from disease, pain and weakness. A person who is endowed with good health, digests his food well, sleeps soundly and does his daily work satisfactorily. He is ever joyful and energetic. You should have a clear idea of what disease is and how it is caused. Only then will you be able to prevent a disease. Diseases can be averted if you understand the biological laws which govern life, the rules of health and hygiene and the importance of cleanliness. A general knowledge of the laws of health would help considerably in preventing sickness and death and improving the health of the people.
Many people make themselves ill by eating too much and by not eating the right thing at the right time. What are the ordinary things around you which help to keep you in good health? They are the Sun, fresh air and pure water. Sunlight helps growth and gives vigour. Breathe pure air, bask in the Sun, eat good nutritious wholesome food, drink pure water and observe cleanliness; you will possess a high standard of health, vim, vigour and vitality.
Good health is your greatest asset. Without good health you cannot achieve anything. Without good health you cannot do any public service. Without good health you cannot pray and meditate. Without good health you cannot do Asanas and Pranayamas. This is the reason why scriptures declare that this body is a boat to cross this ocean of Samsara with, an instrument for doing virtuous deeds and attaining Moksha. That is the reason why in Charaka Samhita you will find: "Arogyam Moolam Uttamam—Health is the best thing in this world."
May you all possess good health and vitality by observing the rules of health and hygiene and by the study of the science of sanitation and preventive medicine!
In
~ Swami Sivananda