There is another thing about the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw which pleases the author. That is that when he eats, he eats with gusto. It must be because of his good health that he has such good digestion. When Sayadaw has to go on trips within the country or abroad, it disturbs his sleep. His eating, though, remains unaffected. The author has been abroad once with Sayadaw and on many trips with him within the country. I have never seen his eating affected. The author, on the other hand, had a poor appetite due to insufficient sleep countless times. Even when I'm at my own place and not travelling, my appetite gets spoiled. Sayadaw's digestion is very different. We must have different kamma. Our health sense or the wisdom care for one's life, you might say, is different, too. Sayadaw studies [indigenous] Myanmar medicine as well as Western medicine. They say Sayadaw's father and grandfather had a good understanding of Myanmar medicine. Sayadaw must be his father's son.

I heard one practitioner of Myanmar medicine say, "Sayadaw really has a good grasp of Myanmar medical knowledge. Even I, a practitioner, really have a hard time answering the questions Sayadaw asks about Myanmar medicine. I don't dare underestimate Sayadaw's knowledge of Myanmar medicine."

Sayadaw has a habit of giving people instruction on which nutrients in food and drink are suitable for them. He once told the author, "Sticky rice, durian fruit, coconut, and shrimp agree with you, U Dhammika. Eat those."

Did he say sun type or moon type, cold food or hot food, number one or number two? I don't really understand it all. The practitioner Sayadaw depends on, Nelawizzwa Seya U Kyaw Min, even explained number one and number two to me, but I didn't retain it. I didn't listen carefully, so I didn't understand clearly. I was not very interested, you might say. U Kyaw Min finally wrote down the nutrients I am to eat and those I am not to and gave it to me.

A lady once spoke to me about it. Her name is Daw Sein Sit Phyu. She is the wife of U Kyaw Kyaw, who translates for Sayadaw when he gives Dhamma talks and interviews. She said that they were following the diet laid down by Sayadaw and U Kyaw Min. The effect on their health was evident and large.

"Why don't you the food which is suitable to you?" she said. She believed in it since she had experienced it first hand. It's not uncommon to have disbelief before one experiences the benefit of that dietary wisdom personally.

Though I've lived in Yangon for many years, being from upcountry, I don't really eat a lot of the Yangon specialty, fish sauce. I don't really like it that much. The northerners just eat 'beans'. Just as Southerners eat fish sauce from the time when they

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