Hara Hachi Bu
Hara Hachi Bu is a cultural concept of eating only until you’re 80 percent full in Japan. Of course, you can’t really know when you’ve reached the 80-percent full mark, but the message is simple: Don’t stuff yourself. Further evidence is a 2006 National Institute on Aging study, which showed that a low-calorie diet decreased DNA damage – thought to be a result of increased sirtuin (a protein produced in cells) activity.
How to put this in practice? First, we’ll phrase it calorie-reduction; next here are a few suggestions:
- Eat more slowly. It takes around 15 minutes for your stomach (it’s true!) to signal your brain that you’re full. Always make sure to take a sip of whatever beverage you’re drinking in between each bite to help slow you down.
- Never feel you have to finish every morsel on your plate.
- Look at your portions and cut off anything beyond the size of your palm and save it for another meal.
- Use smaller plates.
- Hydrate well – thirst is often misinterpreted as hunger.
- Refuse 2nd helpings.
- Snack. Healthfully, that is. Nuts, fruit, etc.
