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How unique Eastern dietary practices quickly improved my life in great ways

Writer's picture: Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RDStaci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD


Source: Jakub Kapusnak from Unsplash
Source: Jakub Kapusnak from Unsplash

I've always enjoyed Asian cuisine. As a child, I loved anything rice and noodle related. When I started graduate school, New York City’s vast offerings introduced me to Asian cuisine from Pad Se Eww to Stir-fried chicken and tofu. Once I started dating my husband in 2007, he introduced me to Indian cuisine like curries and tandoori chicken.


Our food adventures continued after we married. From Vietnamese pho and vermicelli noodles with fish sauce to Korean sundubu and short ribs, we tried it all. But my Asian cuisine journey didn't truly flourish until it intersected with my health journey. After years of health challenges related to digestion and fertility, my acupuncturist at the time recommended a Chinese medicine warming diet to help manage my digestive symptoms, alleviate my chronic diarrhea, and in turn improve my chances of conception.


Korean chicken ginseng porridge
Korean chicken ginseng porridge

In this article of the Eastern Medicine blog series, I will teach you about the role Eastern dietary practices played in my health journey, the health benefits of certain Asian dietary practices, and how you can add these practices to your daily routine today. Let's get started.


Eastern dietary practices and my health journey

After my second failed IVF cycle in May of 2024, I decided to kick my healthy lifestyle up a few notches. Besides adding in a running routine and acupuncture, I took my acupuncturist's advice and started a Chinese medicine warming diet. She said that by avoiding cold foods and drinks, and replacing them with room temperature or warm foods and drinks, that it would aid my digestion and help reduce diarrhea, which could be impacting my fertility. I decided it couldn't hurt to try this new method of eating.


I switched out my cereal and fruit breakfast with steamed rice and chicken sausage, had low-sodium soup for lunch, and prepared baked or grilled protein with veggies and rice or potatoes for dinner. Within weeks of starting this routine, along with taking Chinese medicine herbal medicines for digestion, my diarrhea was pretty much resolved.


Now, I'm not sure if the change in temperature of the foods and drinks I consumed had anything to do with my improvement in digestion. However, this way of eating did make me feel better, and I did notice a relapse of digestive symptoms when I strayed from this way of eating.


Fast forward to October of 2024, me and my husband travelled on a long-awaited trip to visit a friend of mine in South Korea. I put away my tracker and enjoyed whatever food looked good to me. In Seoul, we enjoyed breakfasts like world-renowned chicken ginseng porridge from Seowonjuk and ox bone soup from a cozy, local restaurant. For lunch, we had foods like bibimbap and dumplings, while for dinner we tried late-night favorites like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes with fish cakes), fried chicken feet (insanely spicy!), Korean fried chicken (hands down the best fried chicken I have ever had, and I've had a lot of Southern US cooking), and Korean beef stew.


The latter half of our trip was visiting Jeju, where my friend and her parents and dog lived. There we


Galbi tang from Michelin-rated Nampo Myeonok
Galbi tang from Michelin-rated Nampo Myeonok

enjoyed homemade Japchae her mom made for breakfast one morning with a beautiful spread of fresh fruits and yogurt. Meanwhile, dinner meals consisted of cutlassfish, Korean black pork, and a casual dinner outside of the unique 7-11 store we found near our hotel, chock full of delicious Korean food offerings.


Even though I didn't worry about portion sizes during this 10-day long trip, and I tried famous snacks like honey butter chips, my digestion held up with few issues and I maintained my weight. It might have been all the walking we did, but I also attribute it to the naturally nutrient-dense foods available in Korea for every meal of the day.


What research says about the benefits of Eastern dietary practices


Statistics show that the United States ranks #10 in the world for obesity rates, while the Asian countries whose cuisine is mentioned in this article, have much lower rates:



You may notice from statistics that China currently has the highest rate of diabetes as of 2021 statistics. It's important to note though that researchers have found that this is due to adoption of the Western diet by many parts of the country as well as the large aging population. It's clear from research on the traditional Chinese, South East Asian, and Korean diets that those who consume the un-Westernized versions of such cuisines experience many health benefits. Let's look a little closer at this research.


Traditional South East Asian diet

A 2024 study reports that those who follow a South East Asian Mediterranean-style diet had a lower likelihood of developing obesity and diabetes as compared to the general population. This dietary style consisted of:

  • higher intake of vegetables

  • whole grain intake

  • healthy fat intake from olive oil, nuts, and fish

  • lower intake of animal proteins like chicken or beef, for example

  • intake of beans and legumes

  • moderate alcohol intake


A vibrant bowl of Indian yellow curry garnished with fresh cilantro, sliced green chili, and aromatic spices, complemented with a side of warm naan.
A vibrant bowl of Indian yellow curry garnished with fresh cilantro, sliced green chili, and aromatic spices, complemented with a side of warm naan.

Examples of foods on this type of meal plan may include lean proteins, mostly fish, cooked in dry cooking methods or steamed with herbs and spices like cilantro, turmeric, ginger, garlic, mint, basil, or chili. Side dishes may include rice, rice noodles, flatbreads, and broths or soups along with plant-based foods like spinach, root vegetables like sweet potatoes, and legumes like peas, beans, and lentils.


Traditional Japanese diet


Research shows that those who consume the traditional Japanese diet, also known as Washoku, have greater longevity. This diet consists of a high intake of fish and soybean products, low intake of animal fat and meat, rice, plant-based side dishes, soup, and pickled vegetables as well as using umami to enhance


Grilled yakitori skewers served alongside fresh edamame beans, capturing the essence of Japanese cuisine.
Grilled yakitori skewers served alongside fresh edamame beans, capturing the essence of Japanese cuisine.


the compliance to such a lean protein, low salt, and lower calorie diet. This umami, which primarily comes from monosodium glutamate, or MSG, which unlike popular belief, is safe at low doses and may even help reduce sodium levels in the diet when replacing table salt.


Examples of traditional Japanese meals may include recipes with sushi or curry rice, miso soup, fish and seafood, and sides like vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed, and shellfish.


Traditional Korean diet


A 2024 randomized, controlled diet shows that a Korean diet high in plant foods, low in calories and animal fat, and high in one-carbon nutrients like choline, folate, and vitamin B12, can enhance the synthesis of DNA in a way that can help convey health effects. Other studies show that a common condiment in Korea called kimchi, or spicy pickled cabbage, can help improve serum lipid profiles. This is likely due to its probiotic and postbiotic qualities that help stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the gut.


A tray of colorful Korean kimbap, neatly sliced and served with a side of spicy kimchi, ready to be enjoyed.
A tray of colorful Korean kimbap, neatly sliced and served with a side of spicy kimchi, ready to be enjoyed.

Furthermore, a 2024 animal study shows preliminary evidence that the famous spicy Korean condiment called gochujang may have an anti-hypertensive effect when it replaces table salt in the diet. Researchers suggest that this protective benefit of gochujang, which is made of fermented soybean, red pepper powder, glutinous rice, and salt, is due to its positive impact on the gut microbiome, although more studies need to be done.


Experts suggest that to reap the health benefits of a Korean diet, one should be sure to balance out the high carbohydrate staples like white rice with adequate proteins and healthy fats.


Traditional Chinese diet


Studies show that the traditional Chinese diet (TCD) is inversely linked with obesity risk and weight gain, which means it helps reduce the risk of these factors. This diet traditionally consists of white rice, spinach, Bok choy, cabbage, fish, seafood, pork, pork products, as well as wheat and wheat products.


A 2024 study found that those who had a plant-based and whole grain-based TCD had a lower risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cognitive impairment, and depressive symptoms as compared to other diets including the westernized diet. Not to mention that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shows promise to reduce heart disease risk factors as well. But we'll talk more about TCM in the next blog post in this Eastern medicine series.





A 2024 study shows that the health benefits of the TCD likely stem from compounds like dietary fiber, the antioxidant polyphenols, as well as the polysaccharides found in foods consumed in this diet. Chinese medicine dietary practices work to balance energy and digestion by balancing yin and yang, hot and cold, as well as balancing acidic and alkaline forming food concepts. TCM suggests that when someone is out of balance with these concepts, that they develop a dampness that can lead to an increased risk of weight gain, loss of energy, and poor digestion, among other things.


To reduce "heat" in the body and in turn reduce dampness, TCM experts suggest to reduce intake of foods like red meat, alcohol, and caffeine. Instead, people with dampness are encouraged to consume warming and neutral foods like:


  • Certain herbs and spices like cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, turmeric, cloves, and peppers

  • Proteins like chicken, shrimp, lobster, herring, mackerel, and tofu

  • Whole grains like rice and oats

  • Vegetables like sweet potato, onion, lentil, squash, yam, Shiitake mushroom,

  • Nuts like walnut, chestnut, pistachio, and fennel seed


How to apply Eastern dietary practices to your daily routine


I know this is a lot of information, and you may not know where to start when adding traditional Asian dietary practices to your daily routine. That is why I have compiled a list of tips below to help you get started.


  • Add healthy Asian foods to your diet instead of taking away foods from your diet. This will help you to feel less restricted and more likely to keep making healthy changes.

  • Try one new healthy Asian food or meal to your diet each week. This could be as simple as adding miso soup or ox bone broth, both found at your local Asian grocery store or online, to your meal starters or with a cup of steamed rice for breakfast.

  • Try one healthy Asian condiment each month and experiment with it. For example, you might want to get a bottle of gochujang and try to with proteins, veggies, or whole grain foods to see where you enjoy it. Try new recipes that include the condiment to help easily and deliciously incorporate it into your dietary routine.

  • Consult with a certified Chinese medicine practitioner for guidance on what TCM diet is right for you and your current symptoms. You can find that some acupuncturists also have TCM education and licensure as may doctors in holistic medical practices. They can teach you the basics of what TCM dietary practices may help improve your health status.


Bottom line on Eastern dietary practices


There is no doubt from the research that traditional Eastern dietary practices can provide many health benefits, especially if used in conjunction with a balanced, healthy lifestyle. It may seem intimidating to try new foods and recipes at first, but you will soon discover, as I did, that expanding your palate into different ethnic food practices can not only flavor your plate, but also greatly improve your overall health.


References:

Statistics:

  1. https://data.worldobesity.org/rankings/

  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK581940/table/ch3.t4/

  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468266724002500

    South East Asian diet:

  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10204148/

    Japanese diet:

  5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5852749/

  6. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26896583.2024.2415202

  7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384932526_The_science_behind_monosodium_glutamate_Flavor_modulation_food_palatability_and_potential_health_effects

  8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831324000553

    Korean diet:

  9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38867083/

  10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38771355/

  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38726141/

  12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8150376/

  13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11314304/

  14. https://journalofethnicfoods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42779-023-00172-9

  15. https://journalofethnicfoods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42779-024-00232-8

    Chinese diet:

  16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452296/

  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39397510/

  18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38583735/

  19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39391468/

  20. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667142524000903

  21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296307/

  22. https://www.nuhs.edu/weight-loss-tips-from-a-traditional-chinese-medicine-expert/

  23. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/knowing-which-foods-warm-body-such-ginger-or-cool-like

  24. https://wuchifoundation.org/documents/TRA05_Chinese_Food_Energetics.pdf

  25. https://chineseacupunctureprinceton.com/health-lifestyle/

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