In plain words
When the heart in our body beats once, the blood makes a journey of 12,000 miles. Eating food beyond measure makes the body heavy. As the body grows heavier, the strain on the heart increases and it grows weak. So, to protect our health, we must first of all keep our food and ways of living under control.
Today they worship Gaṇapati with garika grass. How did this begin? Once Pārvatī and Parameśvara were playing dice and set Nandi as their judge. Every time, Nandi kept nodding as though Īśvara had won. Pārvatī grew angry. Thinking that Nandi was acting with a partial mind: “Nandi! May you waste away with indigestion!” she cursed him. Then Nandi: “Mother! I did not do this out of malice or by plotting. I acted with justice alone. Īśvara's saṅkalpa is a saṅkalpa hard as diamond. Through the power of His own saṅkalpa alone Īśvara kept winning. There is no fault of mine in this at all. Forgive me and tell me the way to be freed from the curse,” he prayed. Then Pārvatī calmed down: “Nandi! On Bhādrapada Caturthī, offer to Vināyaka a thing you are fond of. Your illness will be cured,” she said. Nandi worshipped Vināyaka with garika grass and was freed from his illness. The worship of Vināyaka gives the blessing of health to all.
Those who keep pet dogs know this well: every week, when you let those dogs loose on a grassy field, they look for white garika grass and eat it. For it cures indigestion.
Bad qualities alone are why man's lifespan wanes!
Man today misuses his mind, his course, his standing and his wealth, and through that he is wasting away the power within him. He nurses desire, anger and greed and falls prey to sorrow. From a tender age he goes on increasing his desires.