02/07/2026
🌿 Know Your Eco System (KYES)
Most of our health is shaped by three important factors...
🥗 The Food We Eat
🌿 The Environment We Live In
🚶 The Lifestyle We Follow
Every day, we publish a short story that explains how these three factors influence our health through simple, real-life experiences.
Together, let's learn, live healthier, and build a more sustainable future.
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Human Body - The Most Amazing Machine
Saturday mornings were always cheerful in Raghavan's house.
The aroma of fresh idlis drifted from the kitchen while Lakshmi prepared coconut chutney. Nithya arranged the breakfast plates, and little Aarna walked around carrying her favourite teddy bear, pretending she was helping everyone.
Vihaan had already finished breakfast.
He stood near the window watching two sparrows hopping along the compound wall.
One bird suddenly flew away.
The other followed almost immediately.
Vihaan watched them disappear into the blue sky.
Grandpa Raghavan joined him with a warm cup of filter coffee.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Vihaan didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he took a deep breath.
Then another.
Finally he looked up.
"Grandpa..."
"Hmm?"
"Who tells us to breathe?"
Grandpa smiled.
"What made you ask that?"
"I was watching the birds. They fly without forgetting. I breathe without remembering. Even when I'm sleeping, I keep breathing. Who reminds me?"
Grandpa looked delighted.
"That," he said, "is one of the best questions anyone can ask."
By then, Karthik had finished breakfast and joined them.
"What are you two discussing so seriously?"
"Vihaan wants to know who reminds us to breathe."
Karthik laughed gently.
"That's a wonderful question."
Vihaan looked from his father to his grandfather.
"So...who is it?"
Grandpa pointed towards Vihaan's chest.
"Does your heart ask your permission before beating?"
"No."
"Do your lungs ask permission before breathing?"
"No."
"Does your stomach ask permission before digesting breakfast?"
Vihaan giggled.
"No!"
Grandpa nodded.
"That's because your body is far more intelligent than any machine humans have ever built."
Vihaan frowned.
"More intelligent than a robot?"
"Much more."
"More than a supercomputer?"
"Even more."
Now everyone in the room had become curious.
Lakshmi came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her towel.
"What are we comparing with supercomputers today?"
"The human body," Grandpa replied.
Lakshmi smiled knowingly.
"That's a comparison the human body will always win."
Grandpa continued.
"Imagine buying the most advanced robot in the world."
"It will need electricity."
"It will need maintenance."
"It may stop working."
"It cannot repair itself."
"It cannot grow."
"It cannot feel happiness."
"It cannot dream."
"It cannot love."
Vihaan nodded after each sentence.
"But your body..."
Grandpa gently touched Vihaan's shoulder.
"...started as a tiny single cell."
"It grew into trillions of living cells."
"It repairs cuts."
"It fights germs."
"It learns."
"It remembers."
"It laughs."
"It cries."
"And every second..."
Grandpa paused dramatically.
"...it performs millions of jobs without asking you to think about them."
Vihaan's eyes became wide.
"Millions?"
Karthik added,
"While we're talking now, your lungs are taking in air."
"Your heart is pumping blood."
"Your brain is listening."
"Your ears are hearing."
"Your eyes are seeing."
"Your stomach is digesting breakfast."
"And thousands of tiny messages are travelling throughout your body."
Vihaan looked at himself.
"I didn't do any of that!"
"Exactly," said Grandpa.
"Your body is doing it for you."
Aarna suddenly joined the conversation.
"My teddy doesn't breathe."
Everyone laughed.
"No," Lakshmi smiled.
"Because Teddy is only a toy."
Vihaan hugged his little sister.
"I'm glad we're not toys."
Grandpa chuckled.
"Nature has given each one of us something far more precious than the world's most expensive machine."
"The human body."
He looked at both grandchildren.
"The funny thing is..."
"We spend years learning how to use phones..."
"...computers..."
"...televisions..."
"...cars..."
"But many people never spend even one hour trying to understand the amazing body they have lived in since the day they were born."
The room became quiet.
Not because anyone was sad.
Because everyone was thinking.
After a few moments, Vihaan smiled.
"Grandpa..."
"Yes?"
"I think my body deserves a user manual."
Grandpa laughed heartily.
"I couldn't agree more."
He looked around at the family.
"That is exactly the journey we're going to begin."
"A journey to discover the most amazing living ecosystem in the world."
"Our own body."
Vihaan took another deep breath.
This time...
He noticed it.
For the very first time in his life.
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📖 To be continued... Chapter 2
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© 2026 K Jaishankar All Rights Reserved.
The Know Your Eco System (KYES) series, including all stories, characters, illustrations, concepts, designs, educational content, and associated creative works, is the intellectual property of K Jaishankar
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, translated, modified, distributed, or used in any form without prior written permission from the copyright holder.