NaturalCures are as traditional in Japan as rice and Sumo-wrestling!

 In Japan we have practiced Kanpo Yaku, (natural medicine or naturalcures), for over 3000 years. As a culture we have infused many home remedies and healthy living practices into everyday life.  Meal plans, spiritual pursuits and exercise are part of a typical Japanese lifestyle. Here, eastern medicine or naturalcures are as accepted as western style medicine. These practices are so infused into our culture that many recieve their health giving benefits without even thinking about it.

The typical Japanese will walk or ride a bicycle on a daily basis for short trips to the market or to the train station which is what most use to go to work and for other daily activities. Once at the station they will walk up and down stairs to the train platform and to their office from the train station or  to the bicycle parking area to ride back home after work.

Typicals meals are wild deep sea fish, rice, seasonal vegetables, tofu and miso soup. All are healthy choices and typical of a Japanese meal. We tend to put as much emphasis on arrangement, beauty and ambiance as on food choices.

We also eat using many small bowls and dishes so that at one time there is never a big amount of any one food on the table. The idea is you can get more any time, but in smaller amounts so it cuts down on over eating. One of our traditional sayings and practices is "harahachibunme" which means eat until you are 80% full.

Meat is enjoyed, but as a side dish with the other things as the center pieces. This is opposite of many western countries where meat and potatoes are the center of the meal with vegetables as a side dish.

I was shocked to learn from my American husband that a common diet in the U.S. is to skip all but one or two meals a day to loose weight. This is the very diet our Sumo Wrestlers use to get so fat. That`s right... the typical American diet to loose weight is the typical Sumo Wrestlers diet to get Fat!

Many have made the false assumption that Asians are slim and more healthy because of genetic factors. Any Japanese person who has gone abroad to live and adapted a western diet can tell you that they gained weight and began to suffer many of the same ills as a typical westerner.

Anyone who has ever watched a Sumo competition can see that when we eat only one or two meals a day and those are full of high calorie foods, (which is what a Sumo wrestler does),  we get fat like any other person.

So what this all means for you and me and the world is that there are some simple practices that can and will increase health, energy, longer life spans and a healthy weight. Japan has followed many of these practices for over 3000 years.

But like all modern industrialized countries, we are beginning to move away from the old traditions and into contemporary ways of living. We have a McDonalds or Wendy`s every few city blocks. Krispy Kreme is wildly poplular here; and lets not forget about Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dominoes Pizza and Baskin Robbins 31 flavors.

Japanese like all people of the world have their share of bad habits. Many drink alcohol on a regular basis, smoking is still a cultural norm and long work hours are typical.

The more we move away from our old ways, the more we see increasing incidents of things like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Many of our healthy traditions have helped keep us the healthiest country on the planet despite our bad habits, but the more we move away from our traditions the more we see the effects of bad health.

When we think of naturalcures we often think of some exotic herb or rare plant or food and these are indeed important naturalcures.
In recent years Japan has used the rigors of western science to study the numerous plants, herbs, minerals and sea based materials used in Chinese or Eastern medicine, (the most extensive use of natural-cures in the world).

 Traditional, (TCM), and Classic,(CCM), Chinese medicine literally uses hundreds or perhaps even thousands of plants, herbs, minerals and sea materials for their medicimal uses. Using science, the Japanese have isolated the 200 - 300 most useful and powerful of these. We will introduce you to many of those herbs, minerals and sea materials and how to use them.

In addition to the above... natualcures are often as simple as developing good daily habits. Learning and using some of Japan`s cultural habits can help bring you to a state of health just as it has for Japan as a nation.

The nutrition in healthy food choices, eating more slowly and 4 or 5 times a day in smaller amounts are important natural-cures. Daily meditation and prayer, stretching and deep breathing are also important activities to increase health.

Learning to increase physical activity such as walking or riding a bicycle by incorporating them into daily living is another great natural-cure to improve health, well-being and to reduce stress and it`s related illness`s. Spiritual pursuits, developing good realtionships with family and friends are additional important naturalcures.

You don`t have to eat tofu to be healthy, but learning some of the practices of the Japanese and other healthy cultures can get you back to a state of health. You can make healthy choices and still enjoy the things you do and the things you eat.

I hope you will join our community here and allow me to be your guide to naturalcures and Japanese health secrets.


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