10 Lessons I’m Taking Home from Japan

10 Lessons I’m Taking Home from Japan

Reflections on nutrition, lifestyle and aging well

Travel can give us a chance to step outside our routines and see everyday life with fresh eyes. My trip to Japan did just that. As a clinical nutritionist, it inspired me to reflect on how we eat, how we move and how we make space to enjoy life. It also reminded me that caring for our health can happen in small, everyday moments.

Here are 10 lessons I’m taking home and ideas you might enjoy bringing into your own life:

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

2. Think about balance and variety.

Japan has inspired me to look at how different foods come together in a meal. A source of protein, some vegetables and a satisfying grain and healthy fats can be a simple starting point. It’s an approach I often discuss with clients and one I want to keep making time for myself. A few ways include a balanced bowl, stir fry, smoothie, savoury breakfast or sheet pan meal.

3. Give vegetables more attention.

I’m coming home with renewed enthusiasm for making vegetables an enjoyable part of the meal. Different textures, flavours and preparations can make familiar ingredients feel interesting again. Even one new vegetable dish can freshen up a weekly routine. Such as mushrooms, leafy greens, daikon radish, Japanese eggplant. Try them sauteed or in soups or bowls.

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

1. Make meals worth pausing for.

One takeaway from my trip is to give mealtimes more attention. At home, it’s easy to eat while answering emails or planning the next thing. I’m reminding myself to sit down, put distractions aside and enjoy what’s on my plate. See Sign 😉

Marsha Fenwick, C.N.P.  R.R.T.