IF DIGESTED, FOOD YOU TAKE KNOWING THE MEASURE ; AND IT IS THE WAY TO CARRY THE BODY LONG IN HEALTH.
What happens if the food is not digested ? It becomes a dangerous poison and makes further intake also poisonous. What is the measure in eating ? Measure in eating is determined by the strength of one's gastric fire. That should be known as the proper measure of food which, when taken, is digested in due time without impairing one's health.
In view of this, sali rice, sastika rice, green gram, common quail, grey partridge, antelope, rabbit, and such other articles of food, though light by nature need to be taken in measure.
Similarly pastry, sugarcane juice, milk, til, black gram, the flesh of aquatic and wetland animals and other similar articles of food, though heavy by nature are also to be taken in measure.
However, from the above classification, one should not conclude that heaviness of lightness in an articles of food is mentioned without reason. The light articles contain predominance of the qualities of air and fire.
The others, the heavy ones, contain more of the properties of earth and water. Consequently, the light articles are stimulative of the gastric fire owing to their innate quality and are considered to be the least harmful even if they are eaten to a surfeit.
On the other hand, the heavy articles are by nature non-stimulative of the gastric fire owing to their dissimilar nature.
A surfei-meal of them is markedly harmful unless the gastric fire is increased by hard exercise.
Thus the measure in food depends upon the strength of the gastric fire.
It is not that the quantity of a substance does not count.
From the point of view of quantity, it is laid dov/n that heavy articles should be taken in one-third or one half measures of the full meal ; while even light articles should not be taken in excess and should accord with the strength of the gastric fire. The measured diet not only does not impair one's health but positively promotes one's strength, complexion, health and life,