WHEN I told Deepak Chopra that I wanted to talk to him about food and wine, and his eating and drinking habits, he looked at me incredulously. I mean, here he was, the internationally renowned surgeon of the soul, arguably the world�s most expensive public speaker, the poet-prophet of alternative medicines and lifestyles, and I wanted nothing more than to know what he ate and drank!

He was in Bombay for a day to lecture an elite and uppercrust audience of socialites, personalities from the fields of art, culture and entertainment, captains of industry and politicians, on the mysteries of the body, mind and soul. I was invited to meet and interview the great physician and author before the lecture. And I had chosen not to talk about his ideas and logic that had earned him devoted fans worldwide and approximately $15 million yearly, but on his tastes.

Incredulity changed to amusement as he realised that I was serious about my subject, and I could quite understand and sympathise with his feelings. In the US of A, people more emotionally bankrupt than me got down on their hands and knees for an appointment with him at his Chopra Centre for Well Being in La Jolla, California. And here I was, frittering away an exclusive one-to-one meeting with him by talking about food.

What�s eating you is more important than what you eat,� Deepak Chopra told me deadpan, hitting the philosophical note rightaway. My heart sank. This was not what I had in mind. But he continued talking. �If you want to know whether I propagate vegetarianism only, then I don�t. I prefer vegetarian food, no doubt, but I must tell you that the most fanatical vegetarians have not been protected against heart attacks!�

What was his approach to food, I pressed ahead dauntless. �Listen to your body,� the guru of mind-body medicine urged. �Do my food gauge test. Put your hands on your tummy and visualise a gauge from 0 to 10. From 0 to 2 you are starving and at 9 to 10, you are stuffed. Don�t sit down to eat until you are at 3, and stop eating when you are at 7. Get acquainted with the healer within you.�

Did that mean he ate and drank everything... but in limitation, I asked Deepak Chopra. He gave me a dangerous look. �I am against nothing and I am for nothing,� he answered. �My personal habits have changed. I was once a very heavy meat eater. And between the ages of 17 and 35, I drank more than what any other man could have drank in a life time.�

What about now, I jogged him along. �Now I prefer vegetarian food. Perhaps, sometimes, a little seafood. I eat consciously. I am alert to what happens in my body. I celebrate the experience of eating. I am sensitive to signals of pleasure and taste. I think more important than what you eat is your attitude towards food and drink.�

What were his drinking habits like then, I asked, mindful that he had refused to share even a cup of coffee with me during the interview. �Earlier they were scotch and wine, mostly,� Deepak Chopra said. �Now I make my own cognac... in the brain!� But seriously, I persisted. And he sighed. �Two glasses of red wine. It reduces the incidence of heart disease, studies have shown in France and Italy. But for me this is not medicinal. It�s my lifestyle. If I enjoy it, I advocate it.�

Given his lifestyle, and his treating the mind and body intersection to reverse the ageing process, what kind of cuisine did he find most suitable to his kind of practice? �Indian vegetarian, mostly,� he said. �And occasionally, Italian and Mexican. The kitchen is the heart and soul of the Chopra Centre for Well Being, a place where intent is considered as nourishing as food. Every meal is a prayer, a way to prepare guests� minds and bodies for days or weeks of meditation and healing.�

According to Deepak Chopra, ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Sanskrit science of life, considers nutrition sacred. But people were only familiar with ayurveda�s physical component, which is yoga. Organically grown whole foods prepared and eaten with a loving attitude are the fundamentals of an ayurvedic meal.

Traditionally, ayurvedic cooking is also vegetarian Indian cuisine. But the Chopra Centre for Well Being believes ayurvedic principles can be applied easily to meat as well. �Incorporating ayurvedic cooking into your life will restore your body to optimum health,� the good doctor now told me. �Designing your right meal plan, however, takes some preparation. But it can be done.�

How, I inquired, anxious to know what the Chopra Centre for Well Being could prescribe for me sitting here in Bombay. Deepak Chopra looked at me narrowly, then said: �According to ayurveda, each of us inherits three mind/body types called doshas. The three doshas - Vatta, Pitta, Kapha - all exist in each person, with one predominant. Knowing yours will guide you to foods that support your metabolism and ease digestion.�

So what was his body type like, and how did it guide him to foods that complemented his lifestyle, I asked. Deepak Chopra ignored the first part of my question. �I like my food to contain the six tastes of ayurveda, that is sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. Each has a subtle effect on mood.

In balance, sweetness promotes happiness. Out of balance, sweetness creates inertia. The right amount of saltiness can be grounding; too much can promote a rigid mind. Sour tastes promote digestion and stimulate circulation. Bitter tastes are lacking in our diets. Pungency enlivens passion, but can lead to recklessness. Finally there is the elusive quality of astringency, which ayurveda believes promotes a no-nonsense approach to life.�

If there was a message he had to give the Indian foodie and gourmet, what would it be, I asked Deepak Chopra finally. And he replied, without any thought, �Don�t fret too much about being vegetarian or non-vegetarian. How you feel about eating meat is important, though red meats are avoidable in general, and the less animal fat you eat the better off you will be.

The sad joke in India, however, is that vegetarian food is often more unhealthy than meat! Look at your politicians who all claim to be vegetarians, look at their pot-bellies! So learn not to be dogmatic about taste. Change your mind set. Don�t worry about diets, follow what is good for you. And avoid eating anything out of a can. Or which has a label. You understand?�

From Deepak Chopra�s Kitchen