This article offers 7 time-tested habits of healthy eating according
to traditional Chinese dietary therapy - habits that YOU can incorporate
into your daily life starting NOW. While some of these habits or
principles may contradict what you've learnt or been told consider this -
traditional Chinese dietary therapy has developed and been refined and
trial-and-error tested on literally millions of people over at least
2500 years. Simply put, what works is still in use today - what doesn't
was discarded long ago. You don't need to be Chinese or even eat Chinese
food. So, start applying some or all of these habits before your next
meal and see for yourself.
7 Habits of Healthy Eating
1. Eat at fixed, regular times:
Your body likes and responds to regularity, not just in mealtimes, but
sleeping and working too. If you doubt this, next time you take a long
trip notice what it does to your eating, sleeping and bowel habits. For
optimum health and vitality it's important to establish and maintain
regular meal times, sleep times and bowel movements.
2. Eat mainly cooked foods:
According to Chinese dietary therapy your meals should primarily be
cooked and eaten warm. Raw vegetables and fruits, when eaten excessively,
cool and weaken your digestive system, causing such problems as
bloating, watery stools and lack of energy. Cooking is regarded in
Chinese dietary therapy as a kind of pre-digestion process that makes it
easier for digestion to occur. Cold, raw foods on the other hand
require more digestive power to break them down. Suitable cooking
methods are steaming and stir-frying as they cook quickly and lightly
while still retaining nutrients.
3. Eat slowly, chew well:
Digestion begins in your mouth - eating slowly and chewing food
thoroughly before swallowing ensures smooth, complete digestion. Also,
don't eat when angry or emotionally upset as it greatly impairs
digestion - wait till you calm down, or skip the meal entirely.
4. Don't overeat:
Be kind to your digestive organs and bowels and stop eating when you
are 70-75% full. Overeating impairs your stomach and intestines causing
indigestion, bloating, sluggishness, constipation, putrefaction, gas,
weight gain and other problems.
5. Don't drink cold drinks: Consuming cold drinks especially iced ones
at any time, but particularly with food, is very bad for digestion. The
digestive process requires heat to break down what you eat and drink.
Cold is, by nature, slowing and contracting - therefore cold drinks, and
very cold foods like ice cream, slow and impede digestion, causing
digestive upsets, abdominal pain and discomfort. Instead, drink warm
water or green tea. Warm-hot water helps flush out toxins and green tea
prepares your digestive system for food. Drink a cup of green tea 10-20
minutes before you eat - this is particularly beneficial if you know
you'll be eating heavy foods like meat, or fried foods. Drinking green
tea after meals also benefits digestion.
6. After meals take a slow walk: Whenever you leave a restaurant in China the staff thank you for coming then say, "man zou", meaning, "walk slowly". A slow, leisurely
stroll after meals for 10-20 minutes facilitates digestion and nutrient
absorption. Rubbing your abdomen with one palm on the other in slow
circles around your belly button in the direction of your colon also
helps digestion. This is also an excellent preventative and remedy for
digestive disorders. Do it while standing still, or while taking a slow,
leisurely stroll.
7. Do the Ab Lift: If you're looking to
lose weight, exercise before breakfast. As you haven't eaten for maybe
10-12 hours, your body relies on its fat stores for energy. One exercise
that is highly recommended before meals, and especially before
breakfast, is the Abdominal Lift. It's easy to do and takes a couple of
minutes only. Basically, it involves using your abdominal muscles to
lift your abdomen up and towards your spine, and holding, then gently
releasing it. The Ab Lift can also be done an hour after meals to help
digestion, absorption and elimination.