Health in the East vs the West
The way people in the West view health is vastly different than the way people in the East do. Here are some general differences:
Exercise:
West:
Exercise 3-5x a week. Going to the gym and lifting weights is good for your body. A good mix of high intensity and low intensity workouts is healthy.
East:
Keep an active lifestyle, but don’t overdo yourself. Walk after meals to help digestion. Work out or play sports, but not too much.
Sleep:
West:
Sleep 7-8 hours a night. There isn’t much talk (although a little, but you have to look hard for it) about when you sleep.
East:
Sleep at or before 10pm, that way you get a deeper sleep. Try to take a nap after lunch or sometime during the day to recharge. Don’t sleep too much.
Diet:
West:
The West speaks in general terms. Don’t eat too much. Eat a balanced diet. Don’t eat wheat. Don’t eat meat. Eat meat. Eat wheat. Don’t eat carbohydrates. Eat carbohydrates. Eat fruit and vegetables.
East:
The East talks about diet in specific terms and believes that each individual food has a different affect on the body. Eat well in the morning, enough at lunch, and less at dinner. Don’t eat spicy foods when stressed or breaking out with acne. Eat light foods when you’re sick (Light = porridge and dishes without too much flavoring. Heavy = heavily flavored dishes, spicy dishes, and high calorie foods). Eat garlic with seafood.
Basically the West thinks of things in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals, while the East thinks of things based on their energy (hot, cold, warm, cool, neutral).
Sickness:
West:
Take the right medicine for the right symptoms. Get rest. Drink lots of water.
East:
Make life adjustments (diet, sleep, exercise, stress) based on your body’s current imbalance. Eat foods that help the current imbalance; if you have heat symptoms (feel hot, red tongue, high blood pressure, constipation); you should eat cooling foods such as apples, lettuce, and drink soymilk. Get rest. Drink lots of water.
I don’t believe that either way is better, but a balanced perspective is probably better than only adopting one or the other. You can think of a diet in two ways: avoid unhealthy food types, and then balance your energy consumption with what’s left over.
There are a lot more things that constitute a healthy life in the Eastern belief system, such as acupuncture, fire cupping, massage, herbal tea, and herbal medicine; however, those are just icing on the cake. What makes the real difference is what you do on a daily basis.
When it comes to your health, don’t limit yourself to one belief system. See what other people are doing and look into it. See what’s right for you.
Related posts:
- 10 Reasons Why Eating Vegan in China is NOT Easy
- When in Rome… do’s and don’ts.
- Backpacking through China, part 2
- Collective Culture and Majority Thinking
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