Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 11, 1 November 1996 — Traditional teaching for today's living [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Traditional teaching for today's living

by Claire Hughes, Nutritionist Department of Health Nutrition Branch

^ -'W " The Hawaiian culture taught to the small ehilel many secrets of maintaining halanee and disciphne in all aspects of daily life, and increased the degree of understanding of these cultural principles as

the children grew. It was at family mealtimes that we learned about keeping a balanee in our food, and making bodies strong and healthy. Eating etiquette was never as formalized as in the writings of Emily Post. However, the traditions were consistent. We learned appropriate table behaviors by watching elders, Us-

tenmg to their explanations of the value of the foods we ate, and quite often, under the gentle guidance of an

older child. Dining at a Hawaiian table was a comforting experience, filled with a sense of belonging to a wonderful 'ohana and feehng a sense of reverence for the process of eating the gifts of the earth and gods. Those childhood memories differ greatly from today's fast eating of quickly prepared foods. The traditional diet is

quite different from today's food choices. Many Hawaiians and friends, however, are rediscovering the wonders of the traditional diet. As blood pressure and blood sugar levels drop and a balance between the food and body begins to return, they learn how food really does support the healing of bodies. Traditional Hawaiian diet programs on Maui, Kaua'i and O'ahu remind us of

one of the cultural secrets of maintaining personal balance and discipline. It is a truly wonderful experience to be

part of the unveihng and relearning of our traditional practices and belieff We are fortunate to descend from such an enliehtened. beautiful

and kind culture. Lessons in maintaining a healthy balance in our daily dietary practices ean be drawn from the latest scientific information as well. One of the newer programs of the federal Nahonal Cancer Institute (NCI) is the "Five A Day"

program. This program was first launched in Cahfornia in 1985. Health improvements there were measurable, so the NCI and the Produce

for Better Health Foundation (PBH) have given states many incentives to teach how to reduce the chances of cancer and heart disease. The "Five A Day" procram has a simole and

positive message ... "Eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables every day, as part of a healthy diet."

Increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables to at least five servings daily is as easy as counting 1,2,3, 4, 5. Half a papaya, a medi-um-sized apple, orange or banana counts as a serving. So does a glass

of 1 00% juice, or one-half eup of raw or cooked vegetables. One eup of raw leafy vegetables is a serving. Two and a half cups a day

of fruits and vegetables will significantly lower your risk of heart disease and eancer. Eating large amounts of vegetables daily is very Hawaiian. It has been estimated that a healthy Hawaiian adult in ancient

times probably ate two cups of cooked greens, sweet potatoes, and at least a pound of poi

daily. Breadfruit and yams were other choices in the traditional diet. Clearly most ancient Hawaiians would have eaten nearly double the amount of vegetables

every day that the Five A Day" program suggests. Why not count up your daily servings and see how you are doing?

Traditional Hawaiian diet programs on Maui, Kaua'i and O'ahu remind us of one of the eultural secrets of maintaining personal halanee and discipline.

Eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables every day, as part of a healthy diet.

Eating large amounts of vegetables daily is very Hawaiian.