Let’s eat and drink but where is the limit?
Posted on January 29th, 2012
Dr Hector PereraƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ London
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Holidays came fast, faster than I thought; my thoughts turn not only to gifts and holidays but more importantly, foods and drinks. When I say holidays, for me, there is no better place other than back homeSri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Actually I need a tonne of baggage allowance in the plane to take something for everyone but how much do I get? Although I am a Buddhist, any festival is also the time of year where most of us get together in groups, be it friends or family, to share in celebration just for eating, a little drink or two and dancing.
Holiday and cooking?
When you go for a short holiday, who has the time to cook? If you would prefer someone else to do the cooking when you are at home, there are plenty of eating out places everywhere.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I think this happened quite recently, the buffets where you can eat as much as you like for a small price. Now far too many local people also visit these places on regular basis that means very likely they do not cook at home. I was wondering, no more home cooking, just takeaways and buffets? What a change, what is next? No wonder, no more ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-kussi ammas and appusƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, they all gone toDubai?
My driver said, these kinds of buffets are quite popular in all small towns such as in Mt Lavinia, Kohuwala and Dehiwala. May be even Gampaha, my home town also would be invaded by these eating out places.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Think before we eat and drink?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sometimes we think the right and wrong of what we eat and drink, only after a while, are we slow to think, I do not know exactly why? When you see the food, the temptation is so high to eat, find excuses in the mind to eat and eat again. Why do we change the attitude when we come across some delicious food such as roasted chicken or cooked lamb or pork curry?
We heard about the cholesterol in red meat also about saturated fats in them then further we heard that they cause cardiovascular disorders, with all that, we still love these food excessively, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we? The sign says, eat as much as you like for one price. I am not blaming about eating but where is the limit? Sometimes you gulp a whole glass of whisky in one shot, no time to think? You might say it is the fault of other people around you, the friends and relatives either influence or force you to drink. Also might say that music brings the mood to dance then to summon the Dutch courage to take the hand of a beautiful young lady to dance.
I am sure that you might give never ending excuses for your own behaviour, so lost your control? Eat while you eat and drink but think only later, why is that? Is this a mind over matter problem? One cannot understand how much sugar, fat, oil and salt are consumed in one meal. What about alcohol, sometimes you lost count.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Walking encyclopaedias
What do the doctors say, sorry, you might say, not always remember? I am sure we cannot be walking encyclopaedias. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You get far too many advices donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t eat this and that, sometimes say a little red wine is good, just a little glass of wine, no more. I am sure they are all perfectly correct but the question is why do we realise all these only much later? When you are in good company of friends and relatives, you are in a good sprit to treat them in good eating out places and to keep company, you just eat and drink, sometimes smoke. Never think about the good or bad side of over eating, drinking and smoking, why is that?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Any comments, perera6@hotmail.co.uk
January 30th, 2012 at 10:23 am
I will drink to that!
January 31st, 2012 at 11:34 am
Our thanks to Dr Perera for this article. As in everything to do with our five senses, it is better by far to exercise Caution than be Sorry later for ill health.
Regarding meat dishes, I wish to say that I have tasted delicious mock meat burghers in the west, made from soy protein or tvp. By cooking with raw papaw (for the protein enzyme papain), shredding the tvp further, and adding vegetarian based flavoring (advertised on the Net), salt and other condiments, we can produce meat like burghers which are delicious and yet healthy.