The Japanese have an expression that reminds them to eat lightly, known as Hara Hachi Bu. Literally translated, it means eat until your belly is 8 parts full. Ohsawa often spoke of Vivero Parvo, to only eat the minimum required to sustain good health. This practice is a traditional human one and remains the practice of indigenous people today as outlined in two recent books: The Blue Zones by Dan Buttner and 50 Secrets of the World’s Longest Living People by Sally Beare. By all accounts, the key to a long healthy life may be a slightly empty stomach.
As a child, I was always intrigued when my Italian grandmother would sit down to eat. She ate small dollops of food from her plate, very slowly, but seem to enjoy the experience immensely. She told us she didn’t need much food to feel satisfied. Nonna lived a vibrant, healthy happy life till age 99, despite her daily diet of chicken, refined bread and ice cream. I have also noticed that some Americans have adopted the same practice of eating the Standard American Diet in small quantities. They are practicing Hara Hachi Bu without knowing it and will probably fare better than their well-fed friends.
There has also been an enormous body of scientific research that touts the benefits of a caloric-restrictive diet. These recent studies have essentially confirmed the macrobiotic principle of Vivero Parvo. Study after study show that caloric-restrictive diets have extended the lives of rats by 40%. In a Time magazine article, “How To Live To 100 Years,” focused on a 2009 University of Wisconsin study that concluded “that caloric restriction seemed to extend the lives of humanlike rhesus monkeys as well. The hungry primates fell victim to diabetes, heart and brain disease and cancer much less frequently than their well-fed counterparts did. Finally, in 2011, studies done at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reported that human beings who cut their food intake by 25% extend their lifetime further than those who are well-fed. While living a long life is certainly attractive to most, limiting food may not only extend life, it will certainly improve the quality of it.
In the Blue Zones, scientists have located places in the world where people live long healthy lives. These zones are in:
Okinawa (Japan)
Sardinia (Italy)
Loma Linda, CA (USA)
Nicoya (Costa Rica)
Ikaria (Greece).
Butner has compiled a list of habits that many in these zones share (not to suggest that food is the only factor), one of them being the practice of slightly under-eating. Beare has also noted that the longest-living, most vibrant people on earth, never overeat. They deliberately moderate the quantity of food they consume at every meal.
As modern Americans, we love to overeat, for a variety of reasons both physical and emotional. It has become a national pastime, practiced regularly with vim and vigor. We feast throughout the day and night. We spend the day snacking in between meals. It has become part of our American culture to overdo.
When we overeat, a process begins, which if left unchecked, may spiral out of control and may be difficult to reverse. Overeating causes the muscles of the stomach to be stretched to accommodate the excess of food. Since it takes more quantity of food to satisfy a larger stomach, we need more food to feel that same feeling of fullness. As you continue to overeat, the muscles continue to stretch more, you continue to eat more to fill this cavity. This endless cycle explains why most people have trouble losing weight.
When we eat until we feel full, we have already eaten too much. According to Susan Dopart, registered dietician, it takes up to 20 minutes AFTER we eat before we experience the feeling of fullness. By the time we feel stomach pressure, we are past the 80% stage. By limiting our consumption while we are still slightly hungry, we avoid feeling bloated afterwards. In addition, Dopart states that “it takes sometimes 15-20 meals to rest the muscle memory of the stomach to get used to less food and people need to trust that that will happen. Most are used to eating until full, which is past satiation and which keeps weight on.” I sense that for most Americans, the signal to the brain that tells us to stop eating has been short-circuited over time. The mindful practice of controlling your intake can help repair or restore this process.
When we practice Hara Hachi Bu, we put less stress on our digestive organs. The benefits include:
* Increased energy, stamina and endurance
* Improved intestinal functioning
Better sleep
Improved memory
* Weight loss
* Improved appreciation for the deliciousness of food
*Overall improvement in life quality
How To Start
The best place to begin in your Hara Hachi Bu practice is to be conscious of the quantity of food you are accustomed to. Take time to think and evaluate. Many macrobiotic people tend to overeat or eat until full, but justify it because they are eating vegetables and grains. I have witnessed mountains of food, enough to feed at least 3 people, piled high on the plate of a single person having lunch. I have rarely seen someone eat sparsely, unless they are ill. If you eat until full or overeat, cut back slightly at first and chew your food more thoroughly. Chewing will help you feel more satisfied with a smaller amount of food.
You can usually feel a small but noticeable difference within one day. This should help encourage you to continue down this path the next day. What you will soon discover is that you need less and less food to feel satisfied. You will actually feel more satisfied as a result. I have noticed that it also helps me to prepare a small plate of food, reminding myself that I am not having seconds. I have also noticed that while it may be difficult to get up from the table while I am still slightly hungry, I soon lose this feeling and a feeling of contentment takes it’s place soon after. It has become a most delightful experience and rewarding practice.
Hara Hachi Bu Beyond Food
We can utilize the practice of Hara Hachi Bu in other aspects of our lives. Having less stuff in our possession makes it easier to navigate and enjoy this life. Maybe the less stuff we have, the more fun we have. Many years ago, a friend seemed to understand this concept quite well. Whenever he would travel, Bob would give away his possessions to his friends and would feel better as a direct result. He likened it to the pleasure one experiences after emptying one’s bowels.
Most presenters and lecturers would also do good to limit themselves when speaking in front of an audience. In Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds advises that “no matter how much time you are given, never go overtime and in fact finish a bit before your allotted time is up. The problem with most presentations is that they are too long, not too short. Performers, for example know that the trick is to leave the stage while the audience still loves you and don’t want you to go, not after they have had enough and are “full” of you.” Hopefully, this article doesn’t leave you feeling full, but hungry for less.
Buttner, Dan, The Blue Zones, Washington, D.C., 2008. Print.
Beare, Sally, 50 Secrets of The World’s Longest Living People, New York, 2003. Print.
Dopart, Susan M.S., R.D. and Jeffrey M Batchelor, A Recipe for Life by The Doctor’s Dietician,
Santa Monica, 2009. Print.
Reynolds, Garr, Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery 2nd Edition, Berkeley, 2012. Print.
Walsh, Brian, Health Checkup: How to Live 100 Years,http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1963392_1963366_1963381,00.html, February 11, 2010.