Eat What Your Grandparents Ate
Our ancestors lived long and healthy lives by cultivating traditional crops without chemicals and consuming nourishing forest roots, a practice many now wish to revive.
By Manu Digal · Kandhamal
Responds to — loss of traditional foodways and health decline
We remember a time when our grandfathers and great-grandfathers lived for a very long time, some even to 100 years. Their bodies were pure, and their health was strong. They consumed traditional crops like Kangu, Kueri, and Kusala millets, along with ragi, kodo, and urad dal. They also ate nourishing forest-grown roots and cultivated vegetables without any fertilizer, relying on the land's natural bounty.
These practices kept them well. Even when they faced illness, they had powerful traditional remedies, like 'hada pahada' or 'anga sher,' which could bring healing. Now, many of us find ourselves in a difficult state, and even modern hospitals sometimes can't help us get well. We see a decline in health and well-being as we've moved away from these ancestral ways.
We truly wish to live like our ancestors again, cultivating our food without chemicals and embracing the diet that brought them such good health and longevity. We believe reviving these traditional crops and farming methods is key to a healthier future for our community.
The recipe
Reintroduce traditional millets and crops, cultivate without chemical fertilizers, and embrace forest-grown foods for health and longevity.
Traditional farmingIndigenous cropsNatural healthAncestral wisdomFood sovereignty
