The Ancient Hawaiians were fit. Their diet may have been one of the best in the world. It was a simple, high starch, high fiber, low saturated fat, low sodium and low cholesterol diet.
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Wetland Taro Click on photo to view larger |
They were farmers, fishermen, hunters, and gatherers who enjoyed a diversity of foods. For example, they planted and irrigated taro patches, and ate their staple starch food, poi, made from pounded wetland taro root (one of the most nutritious carbohydrates known); cultivated crops such as yams, arrowroot, or breadfruit; hunted birds and pigs; gathered vines, ferns, herbs and medicinal plants from the forest; practiced both net and deep sea fishing; harvested shrimp, picked seaweed, and collected shellfish. Their main sources of protein were fish, squid, limpet, crab and other seafood including the green turtle "hono". They also ate chicken, and birds. The main leafy vegetables were taro tops (lū‘au), and edible plants such as tree fern and fan palm. Seasonings came from kukui nut, seaweed, ho'io fern and salt. They preserved food with sea salt and most foods were eaten fresh. For beverages, Hawaiians drank fresh water, coconut water, and 'awa - known as kava elsewhere in Polynesia - a slightly narcotic drink made from the 'awa root.
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Hawaiian pink snapper "Opakapaka" with Tahitian lime Click on photo to view larger |
If you abuse your body, you abuse your spirit and mind. Being healthy means being physically, mentally and spiritually in lōkahi or harmony.
Naturally I like to eat well being a cook, and I enjoy experimenting with foods that are new to me. I like my red meat, but I eat it in moderation. I concentrate on eating a balanced diet, similar to the food choices of the ancestral approach to eating. In other words not mindlessly mimicking the diets of our Paleolithic ancestors, rather being mindful of ancient dietary ways, then I make food choices that are based on health risks and consequences of the foods of our modern world.
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"Local Food" – Chicken Katsu with Sauce, Mac Salad and Two Scoops of Rice, over 900 calories in one meal, not counting a beverage. Click on photo to view larger |
Today 34.7 percent of native Hawaiians are obese. Among Hawaii’s racial groups, Hawaiians have the highest rates of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, accidents and suicides. Life expectancy for Native Hawaiians is 6.2 years lower than the state average of 79.7 years old.
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Most Obese States Chart courtesy of the Calorielab.com Click on chart to view larger |
This year however, Hawaii was rated the second least obese state next to Colorado who were rated the least obese state for the fifth consecutive year. The most obese state for the ninth consecutive year is Mississippi (see chart for other states). All this says to me is that this whole country is really out of shape, including me, but then who would trust a skinny chef.
It should be noted that the average lifespan in the Paleolithic era was about 35 years, but life in the wild can be challenging, especially without modern day indoor plumbing. Aloha, eat healthy, live longer!
Note: If you are interested in more in-depth, and practical information on the Paleo Diet, check out this great website called nomnompaleo.com, written by Michelle Tam, a San Francisco foodie. This website, started in 2010, and now gets 100,000 hits a day according to CBS news this morning.
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