Rinad Minvaleev, a lecturer at the University of St. Petersburg, physiologist, devoted his scientific career to the study of traditional methods of healing and superpowers of the human body.
He claims that firewalking is available to everyone, but sun-eating is nothing more than an ordinary deception. The MK in Samara correspondent attended the seminar of Rinad Minvaleev and talked with a physiologist about a healthy lifestyle and techniques for achieving skills that are fantastic for the “uninitiated”..
Rinad Sultanovich, the topic of your seminar is “Human superpowers”. What are "superpowers" and which ones are real? And where does "superpower" end and fiction begin?
- In fact, there is no mysticism or great mystery in this. Superpossibilities, one way or another, imply the presence of real opportunities, and there is no "over" without their complete absence. In other words, each person either has a certain ability or does not. In yoga, this is called the concept of "siddha".
For example, if a person owns mathematics to the extent of at least a complete university mathematics, he has a real siddha - knowledge of mathematics. This siddha is not possessed by many, therefore, unlike the rest, he can apply this siddha. Superpossibility occurs when an individual works hard in a particular direction.
Can you name a vivid example of such a superpower?
- It is worth distinguishing real things from deception. Specifically at this seminar, we exposed those "super-possibilities" that contradict the elementary laws of natural science. For example, prano-eating (feeding with solar energy) and other similar violations of the first law of conservation of energy. Purely scientifically, prano-eating is unrealistic, it is a deception or some form of madness. There is no interest for science here.
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All claims that prano-eaters feed only on energy are refuted by an encounter with another prano-eater in a supermarket with two bags of groceries. But some skills that are presented as superpowers, on the contrary, are not a violation of these laws and are quite real.
For example, firewalking. There is a certain pattern behind this phenomenon, namely the ability of the human body to quickly remove heat from the foot, if there is no violation of blood flow. To do this, a person must have a state of courage, an absence of fear, which gives good peripheral blood flow, sufficient to remove heat. But if he gets scared when he walks over the coals, the blood will immediately leave the limbs, and the tissues will be defenseless from heat.
That is, firewalking is quite logically explained by physiology?
- Even more like physics.
Have you started doing yoga and physiology long ago?
- Yoga - back in Soviet times. At first he used special literature. Then he went further: he translated the book "Physiological Aspects of Yoga". Her scientific translation was my first publication on a dissertation topic. The theme of the work was "Poses of the Body", although, of course, the word "asana" (yoga posture) did not sound there at all. So I defended myself as a candidate of biological sciences.
Can yoga be harmful to a person?
- This happens if he does not listen to his body and overloads it in order to achieve a quick result. For example, a person is standing on his head, and the body gives him a signal: don't. And he thinks: “If I’m idle for half an hour like this, I’ll get younger,” and goes against his body. And then the probability of injury is high. In principle, as in any physical work on oneself.
Do you think it is necessary to introduce yoga as a component of physical education in schools and universities?
- I personally do this at St. Petersburg University, except for teaching special disciplines. Hatha yoga health programs are included in the educational course of St. Petersburg State University as one of the types of physical education. Of course, I am not involved in schools, but, for example, in India it is an integral part of physical education at school. I think it would be helpful.
Photo: samara.mk.ru
A healthy lifestyle also depends on nutrition. What are the typical mistakes people make when choosing food?
- The worst mistake a person can make is trying to lose weight through restricting food, and not through physical activity. You need to move more, and the main emphasis should be on movement.
But what about the system of proper nutrition?
- The system of proper nutrition: "everything is useful that got into the mouth."
Tell me, is vegetarianism harmful or beneficial?
- There are no complaints about lacto-ovegetarianism, since there is no shortage of protein. And veganism, especially a raw food diet, can easily be harmful. There are many claims and side effects for humans.
What about diets?
- There is a different concept of diets. In the concept in which they exist now, diets, as a rule, have little basis. But if a person still brought himself to a state of obesity, he needs some kind of restrictions. In this case, you can and even need to contact a nutritionist. Because with obesity, disorders in the body accumulate.
Does the food system somehow affect a person?
- Well, of course: he has eaten and is happy … At first glance, there may not be a direct connection, but with an improper diet, it is quite possible to earn depression. It is no accident that they say: "Lean facial expression."
A modern person is often sick. What is the best way to be treated and not get sick?
- There is a simple Russian proverb: "Lie down and sleep, get up and be healthy." The most important principle of maintaining health and treatment is precisely sleep. Even the main element of Soviet antiinfluenza, diphenhydramine, gave a long, good sleep, albeit with medication. The man fell asleep and recovered the next morning. And everything else, including immunity, is a separate big topic.
Ekaterina Mayakovskaya
