Dr. Sivaraman's writings have had a profound influence on my life these past few years. Ever since I read his Aaraam thinai back in 2014, my approach towards food and health has undergone a positive change. I look forward to reading his books every time they get released. The latest one added to my collection is "Inna naarpadhu iniyavai naarpadhu". As the title suggests, the focus of this book is towards health in our 40s. He looks at health from a much broader, holistic perspective as always - food, physical activity, relationships, mental wellness, acceptance, love and more.
He starts off with this warning - naarpadhu kannasandhaal noyaLiaakum vayadhu. He goes onto elaborate on the struggles and challenges faced by those who are in their 40s presently and how their struggles are far different from the previous generations' 40s.
What I admire about his writing are his language skills that make a strong impact and an easy connect with the reader. Anecdotes, popular phrases, examples from Tamil literature, poetry and movies help convey the message more interestingly. I'm glad I took the time to devour his words slowly by reading just 1-2 chapters a day. It is not a book to brush through.
He has touched upon health ailments that most people in their 40s typically encounter - diabetes, blood pressure, menopause, andropause, high cholesterol, obesity, abdominal fat etc. The recommendations he has shared related to food habits, walk, yoga, pranayama, music, dance etc are easy to understand and follow.
"Anna karandiyil ini yaarukkum soru parimaaradheergal. Sotru karandi tablespoonaaga maarattum" => This was more in the context of weight loss and for people with conditions like diabetes. His stance on millets and indigenous rice varieties still holds true for people who want to maintain their health.
The chapter where he talks about the influence of FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) on one's health was hard-hitting.
"Indha aiymboothangal seidha mudhal aniyaayam nammai edharkaagavum nadakkavidaamal somberi aakiyadhu dhaan"
I couldn't control my laughter when I read this line in the context of how AI and ML are playing a role in our health these days.
"Artificial intelligence nangu poshaakkaga valara indha big data dhaan sathumaavu kanji"
I have underlined so many such hard-hitting, beautiful lines throughout the book. Not possible to list them all here. Highly recommend you check out this book if you are nearing your 40s or in your 40s. Even if his health perspectives don't resonate with you, his language skills will keep you hooked onto this book.