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Food culture and religion

June 22, 2021

We got to see yesterday that culture dictates the type of food eaten by a particular set of people of the same ethnic grouping and we also said that we cannot talk culture without talking about food. Interesting the angle that we are looking at today is line with food now being a sole factor in the identification of a group or an entire nation with emphasis on religion. I am a Christian, and in particular a catholic and the one thing that is widely known in connection to food is that we consume alot of beer and pork. That in itself is an identification.

The role of food in cultural practices and religious beliefs is one that is complex and is very varied among communities. Understanding the role of food in cultural and religious practices is important as a sign of respect and response to the needs of that community. If you happen to be in a profession like mine where we attend to people’s dietary needs, you don’t want to be caught off guard recommending a type of food that is a taboo in one’s culture however nutritious it maybe. For example, pork is a good source of high biological proteins that are very beneficial for someone’s health, but according to the religious cultural practices of Muslims this cannot be consumed. Recommending this will certainly be an insult to someone practicing that faith. People practicing the Hindu religion do not eat meat or anything that involves taking life, so it is important that you do not assume someone’s religious practices and beliefs, if in doubt, it does not hurt to ask. You may find that the restrictions could go as far as the utensils used. Detailed below are some of the dietary practices of some religions;

Christianity

The various faiths of Christianity include Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The regulations governing food and drink differ from one to the next, including some faiths that don’t advocate any restrictions. Individuals may choose to forgo alcohol and may choose whether or not to eat meat.

Some of the food beliefs and practices may include:

Some Catholic and Orthodox Christians observe several feasts and fast days during the year. For example, during lent, the practice is that the faithful fast or avoid red meat on Fridays, if one must eat meat then it should be white meat like fish.
Most Protestants observe only Easter and Christmas as feast days and don’t follow ritualised fasting.
The ritual of communion is regularly celebrated by many Christians and this involves eating bread and drinking wine (or substitutes) to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Some Christians don’t drink alcohol at all. These include many members of the Salvation Army and other Protestant churches like the Pentecostals.
Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists also avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Many Seventh Day Adventists don’t eat meat or dairy products. Those that do eat meat don’t eat pork.
Self-denial (of food), or fasting, is sometimes considered to be ‘praying with the body’. It is believed to improve spiritual discipline by overcoming the sensations of the physical world and focusing on prayer and spiritual growth. It may also be used by some Christians as a way of connecting with those people around the world who regularly face starvation or malnutrition.

Islam

Moderation in all things (including eating and dietary habits) is central in Islam. When done according to the way of Allah, daily acts like eating are considered a form of worship.

Muslims eat halal (lawful) foods, which include fruit, vegetables and eggs. Any meat and meat products they consume must be from a halal slaughtered animal, this includes the person who has done the slaughtering too. Milk and dairy foods are halal, cheese may be halal depending on ingredients. Haram (prohibited) foods on the other hand include pork, crustaceans, blood, non-halal animal-derived additives such as gelatin or suet, alcohol and any foods containing alcohol as an ingredient.

Fasting is required during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims must refrain from consuming food, liquids between sunrise and sunset. However some individuals are exempt from fasting, like the pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating women, children under 12 years, older people and chronically or acutely ill people.

Judaism

Food forms such an integral part of a practicing Jew with Jewish ‘food laws’ dating as back as more than 3000 years. These laws contribute to a formal code of behaviour that reinforces the identity of this community. Judaism requires that food is kosher, meaning the food must meet the standards of kashrut. Kashrut refers to the laws pertaining to food in the Jewish religion, and Kosher means that a food is ‘fit’ or permitted.

The only types of meats acceptable are cattle and game that have cloven hooves and chews curd. Sheep, cattle and goats may be eaten as they meet the requirement, whereas pigs cannot be eaten as, although they have cloven hooves, they do not chew curd. After slaughter, forbidden blood, veins and certain fats must be removed.

Chicken, turkey, goose and duck can be eaten, but other birds are forbidden. Eggs from kosher birds can be eaten as long as they do not contain blood.

Dairy products from kosher animals may be eaten, although meat and dairy cannot be eaten together. There are rules forbidding the mixing and consumption of dairy products with meats. The law requiring the separation of meat and dairy products is strict that it includes the need for separation of utensils used and bread should not contain dairy products. Only fish with scales may be eaten and shellfish is forbidden. Fruit and vegetables may be eaten.

Buddhism

Buddhists avoid harming any living thing therefore killing animals for food is wrong. As a result, many Buddhists are vegetarians. It is believed that Buddha cycled through various animal forms before attaining the form of a human being in his multiple lives on Earth so killing of animals is forbidden. Buddhism proposes that violence or pain inflicted
on others will rebound on you, hence some Buddhists believe that a contributing cause of human aggression is violence against animals.

Hinduism

Hindu dietary customs are based in the belief that the body is composed of fire, water, air and earth, and that the food you eat can either balance these elements or throw them out of balance. Hindus believe that all living things have a soul, and strongly believe in the concept of reincarnation, making Hindus reluctant to kill any living creature, therefore majority of Hindus are lacto-vegetarian (avoiding meat and eggs), although some may eat lamb, chicken or fish. Beef is always avoided because the cow is considered a holy animal, but dairy products are eaten. Animal-derived fats like lard and dripping are not permitted.

I do not know what religious affiliation you belong to but you will be surprised that there are dietary laws that are pertained in there, each having a significance in the upholding of your faith. You may want to find out.

Culture, Nutrition

What is culture without food?

June 21, 2021

Would you agree with me that among many things, culture plays a big part on what features on your menu many a time? Probably we all know that the primary role of food is survival but beyond that food has a very significant role that it plays in the lives of human beings. Food is a pivot for unification across cultures and generations. Have you ever sat down and wondered what the food you eat everyday can tell you about where you come from? Have you ever wondered why people from different parts of the world eat different types of food? Or do you ever ask yourself why certain foods or culinary traditions are so important to your culture? These questions should by now indicate to you how there is more of a connection between food and culture than you may think. Food is considered to be multidimensional, something that shapes us, our identities, and our cultures and in the end, our society. Just as different clothes signify different things, for example the white coat for a doctor, the uniform of a police officer or army personnel, food too transmits a meaning.

Growing up, our mother used to always cook on special days, and by special days I mean the Christmas and Easter celebrations of this world. She was the main chef that day and no amount of convincing would make her relent no matter how tired she would be. Everyone who knew our home knew that the menu when she cooked would not miss to have millet bread (kalo) and boiled meat with mushrooms (always cooked in a special pot). This is something that was handed over generations down and this is one of the major foods in my culture (I am a munyoro from the Western part of Uganda), so there is no celebration without this. Be sure I will also pass it down, generations to come.

Food is often used as a means of retaining cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods with the areas in which families live and where their ancestors originated influencing food likes and dislikes. It is these food preferences that result in patterns of food choices within a cultural or regional group. In many countries, a case we see in Uganda too where rural urban migration is the order of the day, people find a way of maintaining and preserving culture by opening up native food business in the major towns. Here in Kampala there are specific places you will be directed to if you are looking for your cultural food. For example; Those that are coming from the Northern part of this country can find their ethnic food in places like Namayiba bus park and those from the central region can find theirs in places like Luwombo restaurant. People drive miles and miles looking for a connection to their origin through food. We also witness that during celebrations like traditional weddings, it becomes a showcase of culture not only in the wedding rituals but through the food served as well.

The meaning of food is an exploration of culture through food. What we consume, how we acquire it, who prepares it, who’s at the table, and who eats first is a form of communication that it has a rich cultural base. Beyond merely nourishing the body, what we eat and with whom we eat can inspire and strengthen the bonds between individuals, communities, and even countries, so we cannot talk culture without talking about food. This week I will attempt to highlight these and more aspects about food and cultures. I hope to interact with you and learn from you as well.

Lifestyle

Humans Vs Technology

June 18, 2021

A friend of mine recently wrote a blog wondering whether technology will ever replace humans and this is me attempting to give my thoughts about it.

Everywhere you turn these days, as we have been meant to understand this whole week, there’s alot of talk also on automation replacing humans. It is no doubt that technology is surely advancing at a rapid rate, and the fear of technology taking over humans is very eminent. I still believe there are things that will still need the human touch for sure. Let us take a case in point, the emotion element of a human. I pray and hope we will not turn to technology for this, ever. I cannot imagine having to go to a wired device to find emotional solace. While a machine can perform a given task, often more efficiently than we can, it is my belief that it lacks the artistry in the activity. That is uniquely a human ability to cater to the needs of the individual. Whereas the protocol may suggest one approach, a person who is good at their job understands when to adjust and the subtleties that are required. Not everything will be done by technology.

The other day we talked about Artificial Intelligence making us free from doing repetitive work, making it safer to do our job, I still think it is not smart enough to do creative work and innovate, after all it needs a programmer who is a human to do all that. If I were to ask you, would you want to enter an operating room and be left plugged to machines to carry out an operation or would you want to see humans in there with you? I guess the latter sounds more comfortable than the former.

Could we talk spiritual for a bit now, how does technology replace the givers of our spiritual nourishment? This is one area I feel is the pivot for life and there is no where in this world that we see ourselves turning to technology for spiritual nourishment unless we are worshiping idols; and the second Commandment forbids worship of man-made things that represent false gods. So again, there there is no way technology will replace humans.

It goes without mention that technology is and continues to have so many benefits however replacing humans, that I do not think so. Maybe working alongside sounds more like it. I still want to interact with a smiling human at the reception desk, want to be served by a handsome waiter, I want to sit in church and look at the preacher speak to me, feel the touch of a doctor when am not well or even the hands of a masseuse at the spa. Humans are here for a long long time I will say.

Lifestyle

Are you afraid?

June 17, 2021

You will be your own boss, work from anywhere or at anytime, be incharge of your work schedule, escape work drama, take any day off, e.t.c, are some of the things promised when you choose to go the route of self employment and have your own business. I am surprised no one talks about the fear of starting a business especially if you are transitioning from a job where you have enjoyed a steady paycheck. I was in this place not many months ago and boy O! boy, it is dauting. The fear alone is not of this world. Fear is a natural, powerful and primitive human emotion that alerts us to the presence of danger or the threat of harm, whether that danger is physical or psychological. Sometimes the fear stems from real threats, but it can also originate from imagined dangers; thinking about it, my fears for starting a business are mostly from the imagined dangers. If you are in the same league with me, I am here to ‘shame’ these fears so that we can get ahead of them and tap into the unending promises we have been given.

Where do I start

This is the first and arguably the biggest fear of starting a business. There is a way ideas flow in the beginning and everything seems possible. You picture yourself an instant billionaire once you begin, then that evil small voice starts to read for you everything that could possibly go wrong. The changing of goal posts becomes a ping pong, switching the business ideas from here and there. This place is very scary but not the end for sure. It is rocky in the beginning but the brain finally settles on one that you think you can mostly handle, majorly in the line of your passion. For the time being, don’t panic, your mind is just going through a process.

Are you crazy!

Call it being radical if you like but it takes alot of courage to leave a sure paycheck at the end of the month and decide to swim in the turbid waters of self employment where there is no guarantee. Matter of fact many people will confirm your craziness and it just makes the fear worse. Are you crazy? Maybe you are, but you will be crazier if you never take a risk and work for someone else for the rest of your life. Risk is part of the whole package believe me but the way to fight the fear is to step out on a limb, believe in your talents and convince others to believe in them, too. It won’t be easy, but it is not impossible either. Accept your craziness and then appreciate that it’s the crazy ones who end up making a difference in the world at the end of the day.

Will I get all the funding?

There will be a few people who have all the funds that they require to start a business but very many will tell you start with what you have. When you wait out to get all that you need, you may never begin at all or the money can find other things to do. Steady process building might be the best option that you have and build your way up. Remember a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Breaking even

Breaking even in business is one sure fear that one cannot avoid. You think of when you will begin to enjoy the fruits of your business, when you will have gone through the necessary mistakes and now have a grip on the way your business is running. If you are still confused about what ‘breaking even’ means, it simply means that point at which the total revenue equals the total costs or expenses, in other words, at this point you have no profit or loss. This point gives the business owner a clear idea of how much needs to be achieved to avoid a loss and make a profit. For some businesses this comes quick, for others it even never comes, so the thought of it can be torture. If you invest in your business and don’t see an immediate return, keep working my friend. Should you quit before you earn a profit, you’ll never earn a profit. Get as much help in navigating your business and it should be okay.

What other fears do you have starting a business? Let us shame these fears and kick them out of our way.

Nutrition

Technology switching up nutritional care.

June 16, 2021

I started off this week talking about the new digital age or call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution which is changing almost everything in the world including how food is perceived, purchased, and used by the consumer. The dietetics industry is rapidly evolving too with the new digital age and the technology available to nutritionists and dieticians is undoubtedly accelerating the pace of this change. Is it just me but each passing day we get to learn about a new app, smart tool, software platform/ website offering to their consumers and healthcare professionals some kind of way of keeping in touch more so in these times when it is safer to stay many meters away from each other.

Talking of the changes technology has laid out for us in regards to food being perceived, purchased and used, the Internet of Things (one of the technologies I mentioned used by the Fourth Industrial Revolution) has more than 15 billion devices connected, enabling people to order groceries online from the supermarket, order food online, customize meal plans, and get countless recipes all by a single click on the phone. Now more than ever it is easy to track workouts, log in food and get personalized nutrition services with the aid of technology. The Internet has become a very powerful tool in Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). Medical nutrition therapy includes determining individuals’ specific nutritional needs based on their medical status and disseminating this information to them in a manner that enables understanding and adherence to the goals they set with other health care providers.

Personal wearable devices like smart watches have gained alot of popularity lately tracking levels of energy expenditure and other aspects of health, which in turn can provide device-supported advice about dietary needs if they are connected to their smartphones/devices. All this information is helping dieticians have easier ways of collecting continuous biometric data required to make good nutrition interventions for their clients. This also reduces client’s burden of having to provide more accurate, consistent data for a variety of health measures. In dietary analysis, the use of mobile phones to record dietary intake and photograph food prior to consumption is becoming an effective method compared to the recall methods that we have been using, making a more accurate dietary assessment.

This technology I am talking about goes far beyond using social media platforms used as a marketing vehicle to support the practice and brands of dieticians. Technology can fundamentally reshape the way both dieticians and recipients of nutrition based services relate. To my fellow colleagues in the profession, recognizing the importance of emerging technologies for nutrition science will be the corner stone for your practice especially in these changing times.

Here are a few emerging technologies you can take advantage of;

There are kitchen gadgets nutritionists/dietitians can offer clients like smart scales and smart plates that can obtain information which is automatically uploaded to an electronic portal. This will improve adherence and compliance to meal plans, and also make it easier than ever to measure progress.
There are lots of free electronic resources (apps, websites, and more) with credible educational materials that you can recommend to your clients to support a healthy lifestyle.
Nutritionists/dietitians can leverage “gamification apps” to create healthy competitions in workplace settings to encourage healthy living thereby promoting corporate wellness.
Nutrition providers can connect with their clients in between appointments through online food journals, messaging apps, and client-provider portals, like HealthifyMe many of these found on play store and google play. This promotes continuity of care in between appointments and building closer relationships with nutrition providers and clients which translates to more adherence to recommendations.
Nutrition providers can make use of practice management software to reduce the time spent on back-office tasks like scheduling, billing and charting, thereby increasing time spent seeing clients and building business.

Technology is sure flipping everything in the world for the better part mostly. When used properly, technology is making patient care more efficient and effective. We encourage everyone to think about how they can include technology in their care. For patient care service providers, learn how technology can help streamline your services while saving you time and money?