With all of the diets on the market, it’s interesting to learn where some of the theories and associated practices originate. While some people are slurping down cabbage soup or counting their carbs, perhaps you’d like to take a page from the ancient book of dieting. In this article, you will encounter two diets that were followed during ancient times.
Macrobiotic Diet
Following a macrobiotic diet is nothing new, as the practice dates back to ancient times. The diet is based on meals that center on choosing grains as a staple food. The dieter then supplements their meals with other foods, such as vegetables and beans. Highly processed or refined foods are avoided in the macrobiotic diet.
Other highlights of the diet include:
Ӣ Having 50% to 60% of your diet come from whole grains (especially brown rice)
Ӣ 25% to 30% of your diet includes vegetables (and seaweed)
Ӣ Beans make up 5% to 10% of your diet
Ӣ Your diet should contain fish, nuts, seeds, fruits, and miso soup (5% to 20%)
Ӣ Consuming 1 to 2 cups of soup per day made from ingredients allowed in the diet
One of the strange quirks regarding the diet is that some of the leading experts in the field of macrobiotics say that smoking does not cause cancer, but instead, eating non-macrobiotic foods. They actually don’t see anything wrong with smoking. Interestingly, the man responsible for bringing macrobiotics to the United States (Michio Kushi) could serve as an example. After undergoing surgery in 2004, the doctor revealed that although Kushi had smoked for many years, recent X-rays of his lungs were “surprisingly clean.” They were even compared to the lungs of a 20 year old.
Paleolithic Diet
Have you ever wondered what the cavemen ate when they got hungry? How much different was their diet to the kinds of meals we eat today? Early man is believed to have feasted on wild plants and animals during a period of time known as the Paleolithic era. This time period lasted about 2.5 million years and ended around 10,000 years ago ”“ when people started to make advancements in the field of agriculture. Those who stand by the diet say that Paleolithic men did not suffer from diseases that are commonplace in modern times. They believe that following in the same line of their dietary choices could put an end to getting sick.
If you were to follow the Paleolithic diet during modern times, you’d add lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts to your meal plan. You will not be eating legumes, grains, dairy products, salt, refined sugar and processed oils.
For more interesting diets of the past, read the article titled, “Diets with Biblical Ties” to learn how people have interpreted religious texts to create a way of eating that incorporates religion, prayer and healthier living.