Global Food Customs: Time-Honored Practices to Experiment with At Your Kitchen
In the quest for a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, many are turning to age-old nutrition practices from around the world. These rituals, rooted in tradition and scientifically backed, offer a holistic approach to well-being, focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods, adaptogenic herbs, mindful eating, and cleansing or balancing traditions.
The Mediterranean Diet: A Balanced Lifestyle
The Mediterranean diet, centred around enjoying meals in a communal, relaxed setting and consuming fresh, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and lean proteins, has been associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Improving Gut Health with Fermented Foods
Fermented foods, such as kimchi, are packed with probiotics, fibre, and antioxidants that contribute to good gut health and immunity. Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish made of fermented vegetables, is particularly beneficial, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and promoting healthy weight management.
Nutrient-Rich Superfoods from Around the Globe
Maca from the Andes
Rich in B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential amino acids, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium, maca supports energy metabolism, improves physical endurance, regulates hormones for reproductive health, strengthens immunity, combats oxidative stress, and promotes mental clarity and stress reduction.
Maitake and Chaga Mushrooms
Maitake and Chaga mushrooms, revered in Japan and Russia for their longevity and vitality, support cardiovascular and metabolic health while balancing cholesterol and blood sugar. Both mushrooms function as adaptogens, helping regulate stress responses.
Ayurvedic Cleansing and Diet
Rooted in Ayurveda, traditional dietary and cleansing practices after age 50 aim to boost digestion and balance the body’s doshas, thereby supporting healthy aging and vitality. Ayurvedic foods and rituals often emphasize digestive health as foundational to overall vitality.
Flaxseed Oil
Used medicinally for thousands of years, flaxseed oil is rich in dietary fiber and alpha-linolenic acid (plant-based omega-3 fatty acid). It supports digestion, reduces inflammation, regulates blood sugar levels, and promotes heart and brain health, contributing to overall vitality.
Mindful Eating Practices
Hara Hachi Bu
The Japanese tradition of eating mindfully is called Hara Hachi Bu, encouraging individuals to eat until they are 80% full. This practice, deeply embedded in Okinawan diet and lifestyle, is often cited as a key factor in their extraordinary longevity.
Nordic Nutrition
Nordic nutrition, centred on fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, pickled herring, and yogurt, promotes gut health. To try Nordic nutrition at home, start by adding fermented foods to your meals, such as making your own sauerkraut, pickling vegetables, or incorporating kefir or yogurt into your breakfast.
Chinese Herbal Teas
Chinese herbal teas are a medicinal approach to hydration, using a variety of herbs and plants to promote health and wellness. Chinese herbal teas are often brewed from a combination of herbs, each with specific health benefits. Examples include ginseng, chrysanthemum, and jasmine.
Incorporating these ancient nutrition rituals into modern life can bring a wealth of benefits, from improved digestion and boosted metabolism to reduced risk of illness and enhanced mental well-being. By focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods, mindful eating, and traditional practices, we can strive for a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
- The Mediterranean diet, centred around whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and lean proteins, is associated with lower risks of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
- Fermented foods, such as kimchi, packed with probiotics, fibre, and antioxidants, offer good gut health, immunity, reduced risk of gastrointestinal diseases, and healthy weight management.
- Maca, rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids, supports energy metabolism, physical endurance, hormonal balance, immunity, stress reduction, and mental clarity.
- Maitake and Chaga mushrooms, revered for their health benefits, support cardiovascular, metabolic health, and stress regulation.
- Ayurvedic cleansing and diet practices after age 50 are centered on boosting digestion and balancing the body’s doshas for healthy aging and vitality.
- Flaxseed oil, rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, supports digestion, reduces inflammation, regulates blood sugar levels, and promotes heart and brain health.
- Hara Hachi Bu, the Japanese tradition of eating mindfully, encourages individuals to eat until they are 80% full, contributing to longevity.
- Chinese herbal teas, brewed from a combination of herbs, promote health and wellness, and are commonly used as a medicinal approach to hydration.
