As a non-nutritionist, just wanted to chime in on my experience as I'm starting to eat rice again. I definitely notice that it's taking my body some time to getting used to the rice intake. Might be the bread that I'm also eating so it's hard to say. Perhaps I'd have to do a 30 day test with just cutting bread and pasta to see if there are any significant changes. Appreciate all the comments on this one 🤙
Did you know progesterone levels drop in men and women after our 20s? Low progesterone can increase blood pressure. They have bio-identical progesterone cream you can buy online. Pro-gest from Emerita is very clean, and reputable and has been around for a long time. It has no side effects because it's progesterone and not progestin like what's prescribed. I hope that you're open minded enough to try it. It has helped me tremendously. E mālama pono!
Just want to pipe in--I got diagnosed with hypertension at 19. i am 55 now. It runs in my family. Mine can't be controlled by diet and lifestyle change alone, I have been through the wringer. Don't think it is an "old" person's problem in fact, more young people have it but dont' know. Everyone is different. But since you had hypertension or signs of it, definitely take note if you have a bad headache for a couple of days, or nausau but not like throwing up. Stress, of course is a big one. But if you ever get a prescription, make sure they give you the inexpensive ones--all the big stores offer them for under 5 bucks. and take as prescribed.
@@HelloFromHawaii Funny story I was at my doctor’s visit with my husband in tow. The doctor is actually our family doctor so we can basically talk about each other in front of him. So I told the doctor that I’m concerned about my husband’s weight. Then my husband chimed in “well what about you, you eat a lot of rice!”. So our doctor replied “well Bill…do you see a lot of fat Asian? Maybe you should start eating rice.” LOL 😆
I am a local boy, Hawaiian Japanese. I gave up rice, Which was for me like giving up water, after learning that the rice sold in Hawaii today was same from ancient Japan, but something else. What happened was amazing. I lost 216 pounds during "shutdown." For the first time in my 60 year life, I'm normal and free from diabetes, high blood pressure, skin disorders, white hair and man boobs after losing 26 inches from my waist. I now wear the same size pants I wore in 4th grade. For me, the modern day foods that are ultra processed was not good for me at all. I am a child of the Pacific basin and the original foods from 400 years ago is what I needed to become normal.
So you are saying just by giving up rice you lost all that weight? That's hard to believe. If rice was the culprit of obesity all the asians in Japan and China would be overweight but the majority of them are at their ideal weight. I tried the carnivore diet but didn't lose any weight but instead started to get massive cramping so I quit.
@@Insomniac-c7e the original rice that was brought over in the 1800s from Japan was so different than today's western modernization that took the nutrients out and just left the components that causes obesity. Western culture has changed and created a recipe for obesity, heart, disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's And other related issues due to insulin resistance. Just 400 years ago cultures of the Pacific basin did not experience any of the medical conditions I have listed. But thanks to the invasion of western cultures - We now suffer, globally. One other thing, people who have not lived for more than half a century with a BMI over 55 will have zero levels of understanding, and should be quiet.
@@masterep3576 So the people in Japan and China are still eating original rice? I think the reason for our health problems is all the processed fake foods that are calorie dense and overeating of those types of foods. The obesity rise coincides with the advent of highly processed foods.
Healthline has an interesting article about cooling/freezing rice and other starches before consuming them called Cooling Some Foods After Cooking Increases Their Resistant Starch If you cool/freeze white rice and reheat it later, it has a much lower impact on blood sugar levels than if you consume it right after cooking it.
Apparently, the suggestion is to not reheat rice more than 140 degrees F. By not exceeding 140 degrees, you are not converting the starch from resistant back to non-resistant.
@@kevinp8108 This is not just for rice, similar results occur when cooling/freezing potatoes, pasta and bread before warming them again for consumption.
I was prediabetic. I reduced my carb intake with less rice, bread, pasta and increased my workouts in the gym and notice I loss weight, normal A1C levels, and no longer prediabetic. It is a wakeup call for me to get my health together.
@@carlosdavilajr4784 its only been about a month now, maybe two but I find that brown rice really does depend on brand on whether it tastes decent, how much water they'll absorb, etc.
Industrial seed oil is what causes insulin resistance. Dr. Chris Knobbe shows data where the animals become quickly insulin resistant and diabetic in a dose response fashion consuming the same amount of calories but increasing amounts of seed oil. Omega 6 oxides both outside and inside the body and damages the beta cells of the pancreas and insulin receptors on the cell surface. YTvid: "Dr. Chris Knobbe - 'Diseases of Civilization: Are Seed Oil Excesses the Unifying Mechanism?'"
Tried many diets after having a serious digestive issue along with pre diabetes. I finally ended up on carnivore the majority beef with eggs ,butter , olive oil . . No processed food . My health both physically and mentally is amazing only eat a small amount . My energy and clarity is the highest it’s ever been . The other benefit was loss of pain that I thought was a normal for all my previous injuries along with the aging effect 0 pain level now.
04:02 That one grain of rice. My Mom grew up in Japan during WW2. I still remember back in the 70's when I made a bowl of rice for lunch and put shoyu on top of it. My Mom told me that was all she had to eat. Didn't ask for how long that lasted. That thought instilled in me how fortunate that we live where we are vs any other nation. Outstanding presentations!
The struggle is real. Mad props for the self discipline and the openness to the emotional and energetic self awareness. The sensation of hunger at night for me when I experimented with intermittent fasting and cutting back on rice worsened my insomnia. I now time my kanak attack at nights. Moderation is key obviously, and individual unique factors really do factor into a tailored approach (with the obvious disclaimer of helpful guidance with medical or nutritional professional, da kine yada yada fine print of course). But for reals: rice truly feels is like a warm hug.
Good for you for sticking to it! My doctor used to tell me don’t eat white things. If you were to try it again, try replacing your white rice with half as much brown rice, which is nice and chewy. Or really any other whole grain. It’s very different, of course, but I got to like it. Congratulations. A whole month. Wow.
Wow Chris! My wife just sent me this since I'm struggling and started my journey not eating sugar. And you're right.. Def eating healthier is something we can control. Awesome for not eating rice, bread, and pasta. That's tough. Much props to you!
Mahalo for sharing! I tried that in Japan, where we have the best rice in the world. Was tough.. Eating rice again, but like you, my portions are way smaller. Dropped 20 pounds. Aloha from Yokohama, Japan🤙🏽
Yes, the rice is good in Japan and that would be tough to cut out. However, with all the walking we've done in Japan in the past, I've usually lost weight.
In Japan, I noticed that people typically have rice with every meal, but the amount of rice is limited to one modest sized bowl. In the US, rice consumption appears to be 2 to 3 times what is eaten in Japan. People will start with a larger serving and also have a second helping.
I'm amazed that people in Japan eat so little rice compared to what we eat in Hawaii. They must think we're starving based on the amount of rice we consume.
Starches & Carbs... - When in Japan, often in restaurants, they provide you a bowl that's about one scoop of rice. So even though they allow you to get more rice, usually everyone makes do with that one bowl full. - French Fry-Free February: Almost every year, I do without eating french fries during the entire month of February. Mainly is to cut back on eating starches/carbs, although I found that I use that time also to reaffirm my ability to break habits. If I can do without something I like, even if for a short time, then I possibly can resist being addicted to anything. Which in recent years, I found that I'm not as addicted to things as I once were. - Cutting back: When you can, reduce the amount of rice you eat in your plate lunch to one scoop; instead of the two...that's a reduction of 50%; take that as a victory. - Zero carbs: If you are home and/or an environment that you can control your meal prep, then eliminate the carbs completely. Like cooking spam at home, eat it like a snack and you won't need to have it like a meal with rice. You still quench your spam appetite, although you can address your hunger by drinking a glass of water first. - Guilt: If you are in an environment where eating starches/carbs is virtually unavoidable, don't put your self into a corner. I know you were on your self-challenge to do so. Although in the future, give yourself a break, just don't indulge...there is a difference. Guilt is so tied into New Year's Resolutions, they become so unrealistic that no one can stick to them. Make your goals realistic & attainable, then you can achieve them without the pressure of guilt. - Weight loss: judge your achievements by how your clothes feels on you, and your medical lab reports, not the weight scale. Wince mucsle is heavier than fat, if you start to workout and begin losing fat weight, it may not be reflected on the scale, so that might discourage you. Although if your pants and shirts feel looser, and your medical lab report show that negative aspects are bieng reduced, then you are on the right track...stick with it, and change it up once in a while, this is to trick you body.
I've always wondered why the Japanese restaurants in Japan have those small bowls of rice. For me, being from Hawaii, I want to pile the rice on, but they limit the rice, even by bringing out the small rice pot to be shared on the table. Interesting how different we view rice here.
@@HelloFromHawaii I'm Sansei (third generation), so when you look at all those Ojisan and Obasan (grandfather and grandmother) eating rice with every meal, they had a limitation on how much rice they would consume per meal, it was pretty much just that one bowl. And they used to work outdoors in long hours, so they pretty much burned off whatever they would eat. As a paradigm, in Hawaii, we're so used to having (and consuming) two scoops of rice with every plate lunch. If the eateries aren't going to change, then we have to cut back to at least 50%...just a thought.
As an Asian, not having rice is very tough … rice is not only a filler but also very essential carb source. I know that I can substitute rice with potatoes, it’s not the same. Rice has a very unique flavor that goes with certain oriental food. It’s like eating Dim Sum with potatoes.. it just don’t work for me.. Anyhow, rice is a carb component that I don’t think that I can go without for a month..my hats off to you..Look forward to more of your future everyday life events in Hawaii..Aloha from the Bay Area..!
Why sub rice for potatoes? I dont think it is healthier. I am Asian too. We can just eat less rice and limit it to once a day. I cant go without rice for more than a few days. 😂
@@nesadcruz7840 in Irish mostly, I mean most family from there. My husband is 4th generation Hawaii so we eat sticky rice and I am now a rice snob like he is. The Irish lasted the starving times with potato and a little milk/butter for decades. You all may like the English so much your flag is full of imitation, but the Irish not so much. They promised to leave in 1920 and still haven’t. The grains taken and shipped to England. The land taken and just given a small plot to live on. The potato thanks to South America preserved us. As it didn’t need too much room to get enough to feed a family. Genocidal when there was no crop. 25% died. 25% left. Some converted to get fed. Still plenty of food on the Island mind you. Just sent away. I get very low in potassium when I do have rice too often during the week. I have to be careful not to do rice too often or add bananas to my meal plan. The potato is nutritious because it is so complete a food. Especially if you eat the skin. White sticky rice would be less if you compare on a chart. Don’t know about brown rice. Rice can be stored longer than potatoes. Thankfully people in most places can eat both.
U can get essential carbs from vege.. Rice is a filler but not essential.. u won't die or get weak without rice.. Rice us more cultural.. im filipino American..i cut my rice. Am 56.. But im so cut and shredded. My relatives make fun of me because I eat adobo with salad.. ...and i don't eat much red meat...i eat alot fish, chicken.....but baked or bbq....not fried in seed oil....so every one,, , no excuses!!!!
I stopped eating rice, all forms of carbohydrates, and sugar. I had withdrawal symptoms during the first 2 weeks, like irritable and unable to sleep. After that ,I dont miss rice, carbs, and sugar. Ive been doing this for 6 months now, and lost 35 pounds without exercise.
Are you still doing it? I tried carnivore diet and did feel the mental clarity but I started to get massive cramps so I quit. Also I didn't really lose weight on that diet but then again I am not obese but skinny fat.
Like you, growing up in Hawaii meant white rice was a daily given for me. I always consumed a larger than average amount when available. In fact, my University of Hawaii nickname eluded to that fact. As a bachelor on the mainland, my Panasonic rice cooker proved to be my most utilized appliance by a wide margin. It was plugged in and clicked on every night without fail, as I preferred freshly steamed rice to leftovers. Face it, a little meat or main dish with a ton of rice goes a long way, both in the stomach and financially. Then about fifteen years ago, my GP noted that I needed to change my eating habits due to blood sugar levels approaching the pre-diabetic threshold. Well, that was it. I basically stopped consuming white rice then and there. Honestly, I could not believe how easy it was for me. Yes, like you, finding a lower-carb calorie replacement was initially a challenge, but other healthier carbs and vegetables eventually filled the gap. No longer do I buy the heavy bags of rice from Costco, and my rice cooker can go many, many months between uses nowadays. Poor guy must be really feeling neglected. Yes, as mentioned, I still have carbs, and on a daily basis. However, they are slower in converting to sugar in the blood stream. Besides, there is a place for carbohydrates in our diets. Being smarter about them is the key. Today, my A1-C is at a great level, and I take it as a personal challenge to see how low I can drive it without going on a carb-free menu. Do I have white rice on rare occasions? Oh yeah, when I travel back to Hawaii to see my parents for a week once or twice a year, it is there every night. But it is no longer the full plate (that's how I used to measure if I had enough), but just enough for a taste with every forkful of main dish. I hope your doctor never tells you that cutting back on carbs is a necessity, but take heart if it should come to that point - cutting out white rice is not so big a deal as your mind is making it now. Thank you for another enjoyable video!
@@GNMi79 Good catch! I need to perform better at proofreading. And, of course, my mistake is so apparent now. As for the folks, in their old age, they too are watching their blood sugar levels. However, they still allow themselves a limited amount daily. Nothing close to the quantity I ate daily.
Mahalo for sharing. It's great that you were able to cut out rice after so many years of eating it. I hope that I never have to cut it out because of health reasons, which is why I'm trying to make small changes now. I want to be able to enjoy Hawaii food for the rest of my life. Might just have to eat mini size instead of regular and replace rice with other alternatives.
I don’t eat rice for months no red meat only chicken pork and fish. Breakfast is 2 eggs in a soup mix with onions garlic tomatoes bell pepper maybe spinach. I also exercise 1.5 hours per day at age 74. Feel good
My husband is diabetic. His A1c went from 7.0 to 4.5 just by cutting out rice, bread and potatoes. It’s been five years now and he is 60 lbs lighter, and takes no medication. Diet controlled only. His A1c remains around 4.5!! Good luck to you. 😎
When my husband went carnivore he cut out all carbs. Well he missed bread in any shape or form, soda drinks etc. Spanish rice, my pasta dishes. He had withdrawals like crazy. The first two weeks I thought he throw the towel in. But he didn't. He seen weight loss but doesn't want to weugh himself and that is okay because you can see he lost it. Plus his blood pressure is much better. He no longer snores like a roaring train.
Good for you for pushing yourself to eat healthier! My doctor said my A1C was borderline. That was my push to eat a low carb diet. I was already exercising so it was all diet. Definitely a struggle for the first 3 months or so. But now after 3 years, I eat carbs every once in a while, but a very small percentage. I think it is definitely easier on the mainland. When I go back home, I definitely am unable to avoid it.
I grew up in Hawaii and absolutely rice with every meal. I’m now 50 and was diagnosed pre-diabetic with hypertension two years ago. I cut rice out of my diet (along with other carbs and added sugar) and I’m much better now. Rice is now a treat (along with Mac salad). I miss it but everything in moderation. Not three meals a day.
As senior citizen I know what you aent thru , best advice I can give you did the smart thing & recognized how bad rice is to, I know sounds like hierarchy but as we age our diet & lifestyle must also change, for the sake of our family. Next thing to do is discuss with your doctor your options BEFORE you get sick. Its going to be difficult but well worth it. You're halfway there by recognizing your prehypertension condition. Good luck😊
I was thinking about following-up with my doctor just to check my health. As I'm entering middle age, I'm hoping that I don't run into the common health issues that many people have.
Have you tried cauliflower rice (Costco)? It’s not the same but it’s close enough if you want to reduce your carb intake without changing your diet drastically. Also, refrigerating any carbs overnight increases the resistance of the starch (lowers glycemic index) in cooked potatoes, pasta, beans, and rice. There’s also Miracle Noodle which makes pasta and rice from low carb konjac. Even doing a 50/50 ratio (rice & cauliflower rice) made a difference in my blood sugar. Good luck.
Your improvements in digestion may be due to eating more vegetables than less rice. Try to keep up with more fruits/vegetables and reduce rice, maybe even do hapa rice too. Can try experiment with the ratios if brown rice is tough for you.
The struggle is real, even for us mainlanders (cutting carbs, that is). I am trying to lower my carbs and when I do eat them, trying to choose whole carbs/less processed. I have to have some kind of carbs, or I get very grumpy! I like brown rice, so that was an easy change for me to make. I wish more restaurants would offer it. I eat oatmeal in the morning and air-popped popcorn for snack. I might eat a salad for lunch and a baked potato or baked sweet potato and some protein for dinner. If I have too much bread, pasta, or rice at lunch, my blood sugar takes a nose-dive and I'm falling asleep by 3 pm!
Good for you for trying to make small changes. I also wish more places offered brown rice. Hard to pick that option too when they charge extra, but I understand.
Try brown rice, Chris. I used to have rice with my udon and saimen in the distant past. Serious Japanese drinkers (nonbei) believed that since Sake was made from rice, it was a substitute for a meal. Kampai.
I live in Hawaii too and was eating a lot of rice. I was getting pre-diabetic so I went low carb last October. One thing I can recommend if you try again is to make sure you get electrolytes to have on hand. It will help when you hit the no energy wall. That musubi looks great though. The thing I miss most is sushi. I am going to have to take a cheat day for my birthday.
i'm a big believer in walking on the treadmill on an incline. before you know it, you're doing 5 miles per day at a 4.0 incline in a period of 60 minutes. i did that 5-7 days per week and lost 50 lbs in a year w/out really dieting at all, i just naturally began to want smaller portions as i got fitter. the transformation was unreal. got rid of ole dough boy. i recom the NordicTrack Commercial 1750, but i don't know if they ship to HI. mine's been collecting dust here in FL because i have 3/4 acre that is a full body workout to maintain, lol.
Mahalo for sharing. I like the idea of just increasing moderate exercise like walking. It's how we lost weight the last time we were in Japan. We ate a lot, but we walked a lot too.
Wow, brings back a memory from a couple of years ago. My blood sugar creeped past 100 on a check up, and doctor said that's borderline diabetes if it remains constant. So, for the next 6 months until my next check-up, I went totally keto. It was not only no rice, but breads, potatoes, pastries, pasta, sugar.... Now thankfully, I'm actually not really a rice person (my Asian membership card is in jeopardy), but when you go totally without, you develop cravings. But, I stuck to it. On my next check-up, I had lost 10 lbs. and my blood sugar dropped from 102 to 66. My doctor was amazed! I told him what I did, but also that I did not think I could sustain it for the rest of my life. He said the key is moderation, and the reason why so many diets fail is that you deny yourself completely. You can have rice, just not every day, 3 meals a day!
Dang I bet that musubi was heaven! Good job on watching your diet and also not going extreme either. I’ve noticed I had to also add salads to my diet since the constant rice can slow digestion. Thanks for validating that for me!
Rice is totally not necessary! As someone of Chinese ethnicity myself, I grew up in it as well. However, for fitness reasons, awhile back, I decided to cut back on it completely. I ended up feeling sluggish, and even skinny fat! Now I just eat a moderate amount, and feel better than ever. A bit of carbs is still necessary!
Great video update. Gave up eating white rice and switched to brown rice and my sugar levels has improved dramatically. I eat white rice only occasionally 😊❤.
As someone who eats Keto (no carbs), if you do a cold turkey no-carb diet, you probably need electrolytes. Otherwise you'll get major energy level issues, headaches, sleeping problems etc. I usually have to supplement with potassium, sodium & magnesium. They actually call it the keto flu. Ketosis really burns electrolytes, so if you don't supplement you'll feel those massive energy issues. When we visit Hawaii, I'll eat a bit of rice, but the white rice as a side is always too much! As a Canadian, its not a staple in the diet, so it seems different to eat plain white rice!
I too am from Hawaii and eat rice ( but not everyday).. I do eat the white rice/brown rice mix at home and only eat white rice w/a Spam, eggs and rice plate at a restaurant in town before I work my 4th day in a row and/or maybe just a musubi or 2 ( not weekly tho, maybe 2x/month).. it does help that I walk everywhere here in Hilo and both my jobs are physical , standing on your feet, walking around the whole shift, etc...
I am so impressed with your honesty in temporarily giving up rice. Especially your feeling that we are "conditioned" to eat a certain amount of rice in a meal. I am a child of the islands living on the mainland so rice is not so easily available. It's what we grew up on and we don't question it until you start having old age kine issues.
We have a RD in our family. We all have to eat brown rice (you get used to it eventually) but the reason you're hungry and have low energy is the lack of protein. Also, I'm sure you know diabetes is epidemic on the islands. Hawaiian food is extra salty which also shoots blood pressure up. I suggest you try again with the assistance of a dietitian. Most insurance pays for one consultation if you are at risk. Don't give up. Just take a different track.
I told my nutritionist that I do not want to give up rice when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She told me I don’t have to but just watch the potion and balance my meal. I went back to eating small bowl of rice (like how I used to in Japan) and smaller portions of any carbs. And I made sure I ear lots of vegetables and protein with it so I’m not hungry. The food chart the nutritionist gave me was very helpful. Most of all I was so happy I could still eat rice 🍙😊
Refined carbs are a key factor in hypertension. Doctors are slowly starting to realize that hypertension is an early sign of insulin resistance. If reducing or eliminating them, you really do need to increase fat and protein (which won’t raise insulin levels). It’s vital. There aren’t really “healthier carbs” especially when it comes to starches. The body turns all carbs to glucose, which requires insulin. There’s just “less bad” carbs. But your body really needs the fats and protein (there is actually no nutritional requirement for carbs because our bodies can do without)
Rice is such a staple. I remember being able to cook rice when I was a kid. It was something I could get started before my mom got home from work. And honestly, the aroma of fresh cooked rice is comforting and nostalgic. Thing is, being pre-diabetic, I have to turn the dial down on rice and noodles and other carbs. Those meat and salad meals you showed are very familiar. Once in a while I will enjoy some rice or go out for wonton noodle soup, and of course the old favorite, ramen noodles are still comfort food. I just have to be very intermittent with them. PS, I still have my National brand rice cooker that must be 40 years old and works fine, and yes, I can cook rice in a pot😊
Try adding 'ulu to your diet. It is a plentiful starch in Hawaii and so nutritious. I try to pick up a couple every farmers market in season and freeze some steamed 'ulu to get through the off season. It is much lower GI and very high in minerals and nutrients. You can even make 'ulu musubi (just fry the slabs jn the shoyu with your filling then wrap). Its great as home fries with egg or sausage in the morning.
I have been on a modified carnivore/keto diet for about a month. It sucks because my food options are very limited. The pros are my weight immediately dropped, my cravings for food dropped, my desire to eat bread/rice/potatoes dropped and I have more muscle and can fit into my pants again. It’s insane.
Braddah, I went through a very similar cross roads on my health journey. I'm one of those got a food scale to see exactly what I was eating. Eh, pretty much EVERYTHING I was eating was over "2 servings." This meant if serving on something was 175 cal I actually ate 350 cal! So I looked up. Serving of rice and brah, I was eating waaaaaaaay more than what many eat in the course of the day. For me, I'm now having it once, sometimes twice, a day AND only 100-150g of cooked rice. Eh and you'd be surprised how much 100g of rice stretches when you make into fried rice? Plenty!😂🤙🏻 Good episode. Keep em coming!
Side note, I just got back from a factory visit in China. I ran across a few colleagues who also have been cutting out or cutting down on rice. And funny thing it is they don't even come close to volume of rice we eat as local Hawaii people!
That's great that you're actually counting and using a food scale. I'm pretty sure two scoops rice in a plate lunch is too much, but it's what we grew up with. Just gotta replace one scoop with greens.
Good job Chris, it’s tough not eating rice. I have put on some weight lately so I have trimmed down a lot on my rice intake from a full bowl to maybe a quarter. It’s not hard, just got used to it by eating more fish and chicken.
Great experiment. Cutting the amount of rice going forward is a wonderful idea. Especially since you don’t exercise, managing your caloric intake is key.
Being from the Midwest, I never understood how people had to have rice. My family will have fried rice with Chinese food but that is about it. When I order take out and they give me a couple of containers of white rice, I throw it out. But it is all about what you grew up eating. For us, potatoes or pasta with dinner is what you will see on our table. Breakfast has toast and lunch is usually a sandwich with bread. I don’t remember having rice as a child except as a filler in stuffed cabbage. To me personally, white rice has no flavor and you must add sauce or gravy. I am glad that you have decided to eat healthier and are able to incorporate rice into that equation.
Brown organic high quality rice is better..not taste or wallet wise, but substituting it half the time with white works for me. Same with organic brown or sourdough bread instead of just wheat or white..I did it for my blood pressure as well lol. Happy for you! Humble servings and quality is key imo! Just realizing you don’t HAVE to have the rice all the time is great!
If you are pre-hypertensive, you might also want to consider checking the amount of sodium you are consuming in one day. I was shocked to learn that it is recommended that adults consume only 2,300 mgs. or less sodium daily. That is nearly 1 teaspoon. My guess is, if you are eating out often or buying convenience foods, you may be far over the daily recommended intake of sodium, which very much can impact hypertension. Most American diets are very high in sodium.
Absolutely, yes! Table salt is so bad for us but how do we know any better? We eat what we're given without being told that, over time, it's going to start giving us health problems. Table salt is another one of those "white" ultra processed foods that are making us sick, along with white sugar, flour, and rice. Not sure if you realize it but table salt kills your tastebuds. That is why we sometimes need to add more and more. The best kind of salt is REAL salt or CELTIC salt. They don't harm your body like table salt does. It's 100% natural and loaded with trace minerals (Real Salt has something lime 60 trace minerals and Celtic salt has 80 if I remember correctly. They won't raise your blood pressure, doesn't kill your taste buds, and has a very very slight sweetness to it. I add a small pinch to my bottled water when I go for walks in the heat of LV because of the huge benefit of the natural occurring electrolytes from the minerals. No more Power Aides or Gatorades needed (and that cuts sugar consumption down too). We have got to get back to the basics and eat more naturally because the FDA isn't looking out for us anymore. They're making us sicker; all in the name of making more money.
I'm from Guam and I noticed when I'm in other Asian countries like Japan or Korea, they give you a bowl of rice which is like 1 scoop of rice for a meal. But on Guam and In Hawaii, there's the culture of 2 large scoops of rice. This is probably a big contributor to obesity in the islands. Yes, asians eat rice, but like 1/2 the amount that we do. Plus they walk around alot while we drive our cars.
Glad u made the change to reduce the rice intake. + u did it “cold Turkey” as well. Yes,,ur body went into “shock” . Awesome! Sometimes it takes something else to trigger the change in the diet. Eat more stir fry dishes.. plenty prep-work but it’s Ono! Try “Konyaku” noodle thats a great sub for rice. (It’s in sukiyaki) that is zero carbs.
Blood sugar is even more dangerous. Rice & noodles hijacked my blood sugar. I quit eating white rice back in the mid 2003 . I found out Black Rice & Bamboo Green Rice is much better on blood sugar & has low glycemic index. It breaks down much slower & not dangerous. Bamboo brand is grown in Hawaii. It’s sometimes hard to find. It comes in green bag with a Panda bear on the package. Walmart carries it sometimes. I moved to Big Island & it’s even harder to find unless it sells out fast. I like Black rice chewy texture. Filipino’s make a desert out of it with sweetened condensed milk wrapped in banana leaf. I forgot the name but it’s good. Yes, having worked in medicine most of my life, I learned the hard way. Rice can do awful things on lab results. I watched many patients who struggled with diet changes. If you want to keep toes, feet, legs or limbs pay attention to what you eat & take action before it’s too late. We can’t regenerate limbs. Take good care of what you have & be good to your pancreas. Type 2 Diabetes is no fun if you end up with it. Dietitian/Nutrition Specialist portion out 1/3 Cup as a rule. Yes change the type of rice you eat, your body will thank you.
I'm 10+ years away from white rice. I have much more energy, sleep better and my stomach is just in better shape. I have never liked white rice since a child but was force to eat it. I'm 49 now and have never been in better shape.
Funny coming across this video , think the universe is listening. I eat rice every day also ,good thing I don’t have bread in the house . Since the start Covid my son and I have gone through 880lbs of rice . We just bought another 50 pounds and made fun of ourselves and thought about quitting for 30 days also. Thanks for sharing this video.
I have rice three or four times a week but only a scoop to scoop and a half. Tough to do with eating rice most of my life…67 years young. Blood pressure still holding steady in the 125-127. BP was a bit higher when I are almost 2+ scoops rice almost every day for one or two meals. Miss having plenty of rice but didn’t want ohana to miss me. Want to be seen-not viewed, so had to adjust the whole diet and limit meals with rice. Mahalo for sharing your candid video of what it’s like to cutout rice from meals. Keep up the great videos.
Yea, baby steps reductions of rice with meals should be a bit more tolerable. It was super tough learning to have meals with reduced rice portions. As difficult as it was, I knew it would be a drastic diet shift for me to go through but I had to do it for my health…but most importantly I wanted to ensure I’d be around to watch and enjoy time with my ohana, especially the grand children and great grand children. How much did your BP drop, if you like share.
Yea it does get tough to cut out rice here in Hawaii because it is everywhere. I usually do keto/low carb when I do a cut and the first week is usually tough because I need to meal prep and my body is transitioning on using fat instead of carbs for energy. This is the time you usually feel sick because of the change of energy source from glucose to fat. I usually take tons of electrolytes during this period and it helps with the headaches and general irritable feeling. Usually when I get over the "keto flu", things gets so much better especially with my overall mood, energy levels, bloodwork, etc. I do wish there were more low carb options here though.
I don't think it's the rice that causes hypertension, it's what you eat with the rice. Hawaii food is high in sodium. You can eat brown rice instead of white rice if you want more fiber in your diet. When I go to Zippys when I'm in town, I will eat chili with brown rice for the fiber.
Again, I'm not a nutritionist, but I assumed that eating less rice and other processed carbs would have a positive impact on my health. Agree that the high sodium foods we eat here don't help either. Hard to give up Spam, though.
Rice is not bad in fact it can be a very nutritious food, but it’s important not to overdo it. I’m south Asian from India and this is definitely tough. South Asians have increased risk of hypertension and diabetes as well.
I always wondered about how land seems lower in particular areas of McCully until recently finding a viewmaster of Honolulu with vast rice patties circa 1900.
It would've been interesting if you did bloodwork to show the difference. Also, I just came back from a two week trip to Japan. I found it hard to eat "healthy" in Japan. Not too many places serve a big salad as a meal. Combini food tastes great but has a lot of preservatives. Japan has a lot of deep fried foods. I ate mostly sushi since to me it's the most whole food. Yakiniku was good too. Keep up the great work.
I’m diabetic I eat bread Ezekiel flourless n sugar free then I ate rice substitutes konjac rice or rice pilaf ,or cauliflower rice sometimes quinoa,. In the morning I always has oatmeal mix with cinnamon powder, dates , cocoa powder, chia. I walk everyday. My grandma is 90 yrs old and my mother is 70 yrs old they eat 1 cup rice everyday but never get sick. But always healthy . Just eat moderately small portion works. It’s not the rice it’s the pasta, noodles, pastries and bread that causing us to get fat and sick. It’s the processed food n sweet like sugar
Do you know ‘why’ you couldn’t eat those foods like you used to? I know myself that I can’t do a lot of instant noodles (bag, cup, bowl) because the salt triggers my migraines. Same thing with fish sauce and too much soy sauce :/
My mom legs was so sore, she couldnt figure it out. Took blood test, she had high blood, higj cholesterol, and diabetes. My mom isnt fat and is always active (housekeeping job, and always doing something when shes off). She had to cut her rice & coffee! Mind you, she eats plenty veggies, fish, never a fan of desserts. She drank plenty hot coffee and can eat 2cups rice per meal lols. She cut it, and everything was better. She did lose more weight but her blood pressure etc went back to normal, and her soreness was gone. She has rice now, but just dinner time, and cut her coffee in the morning, 1 cup. Everything is still normal.
I said to myself,I’ll stop eating rice until can go to Japan again. I also ate more protein and stopped ultra processed foods. Blood labs massively improved, my fatty liver was gone. 612 days later, that first onigiri in Tokyo was OIISHII! I rarely eat rice anymore, only rare occasions if i want some with a poke bowl and I ask for half of the usual serving.
I could live the rest of my life without rice and be happy as a clam. It's not a food we eat on a regular basis. Now peanut butter--that's a different story!
I give you credit for trying, I know I can't lol. I've cut back on the volume a little but there's no way I could cut it all out, especially if it's Japanese rice.
Born and raised in Hawaii, but I was never a rice eater....always preferred potatoes or bread (the odd one in my family). However, there are some dishes/foods that just go with rice (like chili & rice). Moderation/ portion control is key. 😅
You didn't mention losing weight in the 30 days without rice and carbs. I stopped eating rice for 2 years in 2019 and lost 30 lbs! Along with no rice, I kept my carbs very low. The pounds just kept coming off. When I did eat carbs I loaded my plate with vegetables and salad to cancel out the carbs (cauliflower rice is amazing! Just season it with whatever you would regular rice). Fast forward to this year, and I've reintroduced rice back into my life and have now regained 12 lbs! And that's just half a cup cooked rice 2-3 times a week. There are 6 teaspoons of sugar in 1 cup of rice. It's the way starch[carbs] turns into sugar. These are "hidden sugars" because nutrition labels often read no sugars. People struggling with weight become discouraged because they know they're eating healthier but not losing. You talked about hypertension but pre-diabetes is also a big problem because of all the hidden sugars in everyday foods. The only book to buy is The Skinny Gut Diet. Because of this book I know I can always lose the 12 lbs again, easy. When I'm ready to give up the weekly total cup and a half cooked rice, that is.
You're a brave man for taking on that challenge, Chris! That is a Herculean feat for anyone in Hawaii, since everything is served with rice, and it's such a cultural thing to eat lots of rice and not waste any food. I was just there for about 3 weeks, and I caught myself leaving some rice on my plate uneaten towards the end of the trip, because I was getting a Bhudda belly that I wasn't exactly pleased with. For me, what you did would be comparable to me not eating any pasta for 30 days. I hope you can use what you learned from this experiment to make some healthy changes in moderation.🤙
Yeah, it was tough, but I'm glad I tried it. Learned a lot. And as I've gotten older, I've learned that it's okay to leave some food on the plate, especially with the large portions in Hawaii. 🤙
I tried High Carb Low Fat for 6 months and lowered my elevated cholesterol levels to normal. I’m 5’8” and went from 180 pounds to 140 pounds. I ate mainly rice or pasta, fruits and some vegetables. No meat, fish or seafood. Fat was under 20 grams a day which was not easy. I felt fine. In the end doctors were happy with the lowered cholesterol and weight loss but not happy with lack of protein intake. It seems you can never win!
Asian here. Grew up always with rice..lots of white rice. Try brown rice! Dress your carbs with fiber! Will reduce the glucose spikes. Lastly, try water fasting.. will change your food consciousness completely. Start short, go easy but lots that your own body will teach you! One of the best things I did in my life! 71 and genki!
40 isnt young. Many start seeing raised blood pressure around this time or even earlier like mid 30s. Take it as a warning. If you take the right measures you dont need to go on meds and can avoid future problems.
I don't think it's a problem in Hawaii but to all Japanese Descendants, please make sure you eat fish on a regular basis. Specifically, "AO-ZAKANA" meaning "blue" skinned fish like SANMA, SABA, AJI, IWASHI, MAGURO (i.e. Pacific Saury, Mackerel, Sardines, Tuna, etc) Or you can take supplements with DHA & EPA. We know from many countless medical studies in Japan that Japanese people are prone to dementia, Alzheimer, or brain/cognitive related medical issues at old age, when there is a severe deficiency of fish in the diet. And DASHI taken from KONBU, KATSUO, or SHIITAKE also helps the brain function. (Basically, an overly American/European diet doesn't suit Japanese genetics.) FYI, this applies to Japanese dogs too. Japanese dog were bred as hunting dogs and grew up eating fish for tens of thousand of years. They most likely came over during the last Ice Age and were domesticated. Which is why all Japanese dog breeds are double-coated like Siberian Huskies.
I quit wheat in 2012. When I did, I lost 45 pounds in six months. The substitute was gluten-free bread, which I still use today. When I pass through Hawai'i between Japan and America, what I found is that when I eat *your* rice, I get really constipated. Some days, I was like three days in Hawai'i all plugged up. Frankly, I am surprised that any of you there can eat the rice at all, and that it doesn't turn into a giant cork in your intestines. I finally learned to bring Japanese diuretics with me if I was going to eat the musubi.
Blood sugar level can affect why you were hungry too. Some folks have eaten their protein, vegetables then carbs last. Not going to work if you're a loco moco lover though
Eating a low carb diet is much harder than going the keto route since a low carb diet will spike your insulin production at times and will make you crave more carbs like crazy. However, in your case, your elevated blood pressure might be more contributed to your higher cortisol levels attributed to a stressful lifestyle. If you find your blood pressure higher in the mornings than the rest of the day, it’s likely cortisol levels. The kicker is that cortisol levels can be effectively controlled with more restful sleep, but that’s also a luxury for you because of the keikis.
I can do without bread, potatoes or pasta (pasta is questionable 😂), but NOT rice. I’m from Honolulu originally, but have lived on the mainland for 35 years. Your will power is much stronger than mine. I would have caved by the second week.
Making small changes is easier than trying to go cold turkey, It just amplifies the cravings. However, you are right, that if you make a major change, you do have to give some thought to what you replace it with. I am surprised you did not lose weight. Most people would, replacing rice at 206 calories a cup with salad which is practically nothing unless you loaded up the dressing at 73 calories and ounce, that could easily exceed the calories of rice. Your digestion would improve just because of the increase in fiber. Local plate lunches usually have 3 carb, 2 scoops rice and mac salad, More than 3 oz of protein, gravy which is fat and carbs, and very little in the way of vegetables unless you order stew or stir fry. A mini plate would be about 800 calories. A regular plate would be enough calories for a day if you were on a restricted diet. 800-1500 calories on average. that outpaces the McDonald's big breakfast that clocks in around 1350 calories without a drink.
Where I live, most people eat potatoes pretty heavily and not much rice. My nephew is staying here and I'm shocked at how much potatoes he eats. One guy I know from Louisiana told me that they eat much more rice there and not much potatoes. For myself, I lived out of the area for some years and eat more rice than is usual around here, but not the six to twelve cups of rice I used to eat each week.
When I was younger and living on my own, I used to eat at least one cup of rice per day. Sometimes two cups on the weekends. These days I'm down to one scoop of rice per day.
@@HelloFromHawaii About 1990, I was having a lot of trouble digesting meats and became something of a vegetarian for a couple of years. During those two years, I averaged between one and two cups of rice per day. After two years, I was able to gradually reintroduce meat into my diet and the problem has not reoccurred. I still ate quite a bit of rice until the last couple of years. I have an old comet rice steamer that I really liked, but it is pretty worn out now. It cost something like 75 cents postage and two proof of purchase tags from comet rice packages. I got one of those electric rice steamers but it's just not the same. My rice consumption has gone way down.
An interesting video...out of the normal, but as usual with HFH, insightful and thought-provoking. The trick is balance and moderation using the 50% vegetables + 25% carbs +25% protein formula. Avoiding carbs (and sugar) completely is not something a doctor would recommend so this experiment was rather extreme. Many people go 50% carbs (rice) because it's filling. The reason why we pile on the rice is because the main component is often salty. Most processed foods like Spam musubi are loaded with salt and sugar because they hit the pleasure center of the brain and sell products. I don't know when teriyaki sauce started being added to musubi which I never knew growing up. It's true that as you get older your tastes change and you become more sensitive, not only to foods and seasonings, but also to annoying habits of other people like noise (nyuk nyuk!). As a final rice factoid, in a multicourse gourmet kaiseki meal consisting of up to 10 small courses, a small bowl of high-quality koshihikari rice comes at the very end of the meal with miso soup and Japanese pickles, followed by fruit. As you go through each course, you learn to appreciate the flavor of each dish without the need for rice. You also savor the flavor of the rice, which before I moved to Japan, I never knew how delicious rice on its own could be. Now I can easily tell the difference between low and top-shelf rice.
I didn't eliminate all carbs during this time, but had to find others ways to get them for energy. I'm sure cutting out salty foods would also have helped in the past month too.
As a non-nutritionist, just wanted to chime in on my experience as I'm starting to eat rice again. I definitely notice that it's taking my body some time to getting used to the rice intake. Might be the bread that I'm also eating so it's hard to say. Perhaps I'd have to do a 30 day test with just cutting bread and pasta to see if there are any significant changes. Appreciate all the comments on this one 🤙
You never said if your blood pressure improved or not at the end of the 30 days.
Did you know progesterone levels drop in men and women after our 20s? Low progesterone can increase blood pressure. They have bio-identical progesterone cream you can buy online. Pro-gest from Emerita is very clean, and reputable and has been around for a long time.
It has no side effects because it's progesterone and not progestin like what's prescribed.
I hope that you're open minded enough to try it.
It has helped me tremendously.
E mālama pono!
Just want to pipe in--I got diagnosed with hypertension at 19. i am 55 now. It runs in my family. Mine can't be controlled by diet and lifestyle change alone, I have been through the wringer. Don't think it is an "old" person's problem in fact, more young people have it but dont' know. Everyone is different. But since you had hypertension or signs of it, definitely take note if you have a bad headache for a couple of days, or nausau but not like throwing up. Stress, of course is a big one. But if you ever get a prescription, make sure they give you the inexpensive ones--all the big stores offer them for under 5 bucks. and take as prescribed.
@@HelloFromHawaii
Funny story I was at my doctor’s visit with my husband in tow. The doctor is actually our family doctor so we can basically talk about each other in front of him. So I told the doctor that I’m concerned about my husband’s weight. Then my husband chimed in “well what about you, you eat a lot of rice!”. So our doctor replied “well Bill…do you see a lot of fat Asian? Maybe you should start eating rice.” LOL 😆
I am a local boy, Hawaiian Japanese. I gave up rice, Which was for me like giving up water, after learning that the rice sold in Hawaii today was same from ancient Japan, but something else.
What happened was amazing. I lost 216 pounds during "shutdown."
For the first time in my 60 year life, I'm normal and free from diabetes, high blood pressure, skin disorders, white hair and man boobs after losing 26 inches from my waist. I now wear the same size pants I wore in 4th grade.
For me, the modern day foods that are ultra processed was not good for me at all. I am a child of the Pacific basin and the original foods from 400 years ago is what I needed to become normal.
What types of food are you currently eating, that help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?
That’s awesome! congratulations, man, wish you a long & healthy life.
So you are saying just by giving up rice you lost all that weight? That's hard to believe. If rice was the culprit of obesity all the asians in Japan and China would be overweight but the majority of them are at their ideal weight. I tried the carnivore diet but didn't lose any weight but instead started to get massive cramping so I quit.
@@Insomniac-c7e the original rice that was brought over in the 1800s from Japan was so different than today's western modernization that took the nutrients out and just left the components that causes obesity.
Western culture has changed and created a recipe for obesity, heart, disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's
And other related issues due to insulin resistance.
Just 400 years ago cultures of the Pacific basin did not experience any of the medical conditions I have listed. But thanks to the invasion of western cultures - We now suffer, globally.
One other thing, people who have not lived for more than half a century with a BMI over 55 will have zero levels of understanding, and should be quiet.
@@masterep3576 So the people in Japan and China are still eating original rice? I think the reason for our health problems is all the processed fake foods that are calorie dense and overeating of those types of foods. The obesity rise coincides with the advent of highly processed foods.
Healthline has an interesting article about cooling/freezing rice and other starches before consuming them called Cooling Some Foods After Cooking Increases Their Resistant Starch
If you cool/freeze white rice and reheat it later, it has a much lower impact on blood sugar levels than if you consume it right after cooking it.
Mahalo for sharing. Maybe it's something we can try.
Apparently, the suggestion is to not reheat rice more than 140 degrees F. By not exceeding 140 degrees, you are not converting the starch from resistant back to non-resistant.
I heard about that but I wasn't sure what the technique was for it
If you add two tablespoon of coconut oil for every cup of rice, the healthy fat from the coconut oil helps lower the impact on blood sugar even more.
@@kevinp8108 This is not just for rice, similar results occur when cooling/freezing potatoes, pasta and bread before warming them again for consumption.
I was prediabetic. I reduced my carb intake with less rice, bread, pasta and increased my workouts in the gym and notice I loss weight, normal A1C levels, and no longer prediabetic. It is a wakeup call for me to get my health together.
Awesome that you made those changes. 🤙
I had to switch to brown rice. Plain white rice practically makes me sick now.
@@anthonybird546 brown rice is good too. Had today for lunch. How long have you been sticking to brown rice?
@@carlosdavilajr4784 its only been about a month now, maybe two but I find that brown rice really does depend on brand on whether it tastes decent, how much water they'll absorb, etc.
Industrial seed oil is what causes insulin resistance. Dr. Chris Knobbe shows data where the animals become quickly insulin resistant and diabetic in a dose response fashion consuming the same amount of calories but increasing amounts of seed oil. Omega 6 oxides both outside and inside the body and damages the beta cells of the pancreas and insulin receptors on the cell surface. YTvid: "Dr. Chris Knobbe - 'Diseases of Civilization: Are Seed Oil Excesses the Unifying Mechanism?'"
Tried many diets after having a serious digestive issue along with pre diabetes. I finally ended up on carnivore the majority beef with eggs ,butter , olive oil . . No processed food . My health both physically and mentally is amazing only eat a small amount . My energy and clarity is the highest it’s ever been . The other benefit was loss of pain that I thought was a normal for all my previous injuries along with the aging effect 0 pain level now.
04:02 That one grain of rice.
My Mom grew up in Japan during WW2. I still remember back in the 70's when I made a bowl of rice for lunch and put shoyu on top of it. My Mom told me that was all she had to eat. Didn't ask for how long that lasted.
That thought instilled in me how fortunate that we live where we are vs any other nation.
Outstanding presentations!
I used to eat tamago rice a lot when I was a kid. Rice, egg, and shoyu. So good. 🤙
@@HelloFromHawaii I did too, but only the yolk over HOT rice. Luv your vids
The struggle is real. Mad props for the self discipline and the openness to the emotional and energetic self awareness. The sensation of hunger at night for me when I experimented with intermittent fasting and cutting back on rice worsened my insomnia. I now time my kanak attack at nights. Moderation is key obviously, and individual unique factors really do factor into a tailored approach (with the obvious disclaimer of helpful guidance with medical or nutritional professional, da kine yada yada fine print of course). But for reals: rice truly feels is like a warm hug.
I tried the 16-8 fasting for a while. It worked for me, but it was hard in the mornings. When I was doing it, I think I dropped about 10-12 pounds.
Good for you for sticking to it! My doctor used to tell me don’t eat white things. If you were to try it again, try replacing your white rice with half as much brown rice, which is nice and chewy. Or really any other whole grain. It’s very different, of course, but I got to like it. Congratulations. A whole month. Wow.
Brown rice might be a good alternative. My dad used to make half and half when we were younger.
Brown rice is worse. A lot of us diabetics wearing cgm know. It doesn’t matter what color of the rice is . Carbs is carbs.
Wow Chris! My wife just sent me this since I'm struggling and started my journey not eating sugar. And you're right.. Def eating healthier is something we can control. Awesome for not eating rice, bread, and pasta. That's tough. Much props to you!
Not eating sugar would be tough for me, especially with birthdays and holidays. Props to you for sticking it out. 🤙
Mahalo for sharing! I tried that in Japan, where we have the best rice in the world. Was tough.. Eating rice again, but like you, my portions are way smaller. Dropped 20 pounds. Aloha from Yokohama, Japan🤙🏽
Yes, the rice is good in Japan and that would be tough to cut out. However, with all the walking we've done in Japan in the past, I've usually lost weight.
If you put rice in the fridge overnight it becomes 'starch resistant'. The carbs don't add to insulin spking.
In Japan, I noticed that people typically have rice with every meal, but the amount of rice is limited to one modest sized bowl. In the US, rice consumption appears to be 2 to 3 times what is eaten in Japan. People will start with a larger serving and also have a second helping.
I'm amazed that people in Japan eat so little rice compared to what we eat in Hawaii. They must think we're starving based on the amount of rice we consume.
Starches & Carbs...
- When in Japan, often in restaurants, they provide you a bowl that's about one scoop of rice. So even though they allow you to get more rice, usually everyone makes do with that one bowl full.
- French Fry-Free February: Almost every year, I do without eating french fries during the entire month of February. Mainly is to cut back on eating starches/carbs, although I found that I use that time also to reaffirm my ability to break habits. If I can do without something I like, even if for a short time, then I possibly can resist being addicted to anything. Which in recent years, I found that I'm not as addicted to things as I once were.
- Cutting back: When you can, reduce the amount of rice you eat in your plate lunch to one scoop; instead of the two...that's a reduction of 50%; take that as a victory.
- Zero carbs: If you are home and/or an environment that you can control your meal prep, then eliminate the carbs completely. Like cooking spam at home, eat it like a snack and you won't need to have it like a meal with rice. You still quench your spam appetite, although you can address your hunger by drinking a glass of water first.
- Guilt: If you are in an environment where eating starches/carbs is virtually unavoidable, don't put your self into a corner. I know you were on your self-challenge to do so. Although in the future, give yourself a break, just don't indulge...there is a difference. Guilt is so tied into New Year's Resolutions, they become so unrealistic that no one can stick to them. Make your goals realistic & attainable, then you can achieve them without the pressure of guilt.
- Weight loss: judge your achievements by how your clothes feels on you, and your medical lab reports, not the weight scale. Wince mucsle is heavier than fat, if you start to workout and begin losing fat weight, it may not be reflected on the scale, so that might discourage you. Although if your pants and shirts feel looser, and your medical lab report show that negative aspects are bieng reduced, then you are on the right track...stick with it, and change it up once in a while, this is to trick you body.
I've always wondered why the Japanese restaurants in Japan have those small bowls of rice. For me, being from Hawaii, I want to pile the rice on, but they limit the rice, even by bringing out the small rice pot to be shared on the table. Interesting how different we view rice here.
@@HelloFromHawaii I'm Sansei (third generation), so when you look at all those Ojisan and Obasan (grandfather and grandmother) eating rice with every meal, they had a limitation on how much rice they would consume per meal, it was pretty much just that one bowl. And they used to work outdoors in long hours, so they pretty much burned off whatever they would eat.
As a paradigm, in Hawaii, we're so used to having (and consuming) two scoops of rice with every plate lunch. If the eateries aren't going to change, then we have to cut back to at least 50%...just a thought.
As an Asian, not having rice is very tough … rice is not only a filler but also very essential carb source. I know that I can substitute rice with potatoes, it’s not the same. Rice has a very unique flavor that goes with certain oriental food. It’s like eating Dim Sum with potatoes.. it just don’t work for me.. Anyhow, rice is a carb component that I don’t think that I can go without for a month..my hats off to you..Look forward to more of your future everyday life events in Hawaii..Aloha from the Bay Area..!
I don't think I could substitute potatoes for rice for very long. I tried in Colorado, but that didn't last for more than a few weeks.
Why sub rice for potatoes? I dont think it is healthier. I am Asian too. We can just eat less rice and limit it to once a day. I cant go without rice for more than a few days. 😂
@@nesadcruz7840 potato is one of the most complete foods you can find on planet Earth.
@@nesadcruz7840 in Irish mostly, I mean most family from there. My husband is 4th generation Hawaii so we eat sticky rice and I am now a rice snob like he is. The Irish lasted the starving times with potato and a little milk/butter for decades. You all may like the English so much your flag is full of imitation, but the Irish not so much. They promised to leave in 1920 and still haven’t. The grains taken and shipped to England. The land taken and just given a small plot to live on. The potato thanks to South America preserved us. As it didn’t need too much room to get enough to feed a family. Genocidal when there was no crop. 25% died. 25% left. Some converted to get fed. Still plenty of food on the Island mind you. Just sent away. I get very low in potassium when I do have rice too often during the week. I have to be careful not to do rice too often or add bananas to my meal plan. The potato is nutritious because it is so complete a food. Especially if you eat the skin. White sticky rice would be less if you compare on a chart. Don’t know about brown rice. Rice can be stored longer than potatoes. Thankfully people in most places can eat both.
U can get essential carbs from vege.. Rice is a filler but not essential.. u won't die or get weak without rice.. Rice us more cultural.. im filipino American..i cut my rice. Am 56..
But im so cut and shredded. My relatives make fun of me because I eat adobo with salad.. ...and i don't eat much red meat...i eat alot fish, chicken.....but baked or bbq....not fried in seed oil....so every one,, , no excuses!!!!
I stopped eating rice, all forms of carbohydrates, and sugar. I had withdrawal symptoms during the first 2 weeks, like irritable and unable to sleep. After that ,I dont miss rice, carbs, and sugar. Ive been doing this for 6 months now, and lost 35 pounds without exercise.
Are you still doing it? I tried carnivore diet and did feel the mental clarity but I started to get massive cramps so I quit. Also I didn't really lose weight on that diet but then again I am not obese but skinny fat.
Like you, growing up in Hawaii meant white rice was a daily given for me. I always consumed a larger than average amount when available. In fact, my University of Hawaii nickname eluded to that fact. As a bachelor on the mainland, my Panasonic rice cooker proved to be my most utilized appliance by a wide margin. It was plugged in and clicked on every night without fail, as I preferred freshly steamed rice to leftovers. Face it, a little meat or main dish with a ton of rice goes a long way, both in the stomach and financially.
Then about fifteen years ago, my GP noted that I needed to change my eating habits due to blood sugar levels approaching the pre-diabetic threshold. Well, that was it. I basically stopped consuming white rice then and there. Honestly, I could not believe how easy it was for me. Yes, like you, finding a lower-carb calorie replacement was initially a challenge, but other healthier carbs and vegetables eventually filled the gap. No longer do I buy the heavy bags of rice from Costco, and my rice cooker can go many, many months between uses nowadays. Poor guy must be really feeling neglected.
Yes, as mentioned, I still have carbs, and on a daily basis. However, they are slower in converting to sugar in the blood stream. Besides, there is a place for carbohydrates in our diets. Being smarter about them is the key. Today, my A1-C is at a great level, and I take it as a personal challenge to see how low I can drive it without going on a carb-free menu. Do I have white rice on rare occasions? Oh yeah, when I travel back to Hawaii to see my parents for a week once or twice a year, it is there every night. But it is no longer the full plate (that's how I used to measure if I had enough), but just enough for a taste with every forkful of main dish.
I hope your doctor never tells you that cutting back on carbs is a necessity, but take heart if it should come to that point - cutting out white rice is not so big a deal as your mind is making it now. Thank you for another enjoyable video!
@@GNMi79 Good catch! I need to perform better at proofreading. And, of course, my mistake is so apparent now.
As for the folks, in their old age, they too are watching their blood sugar levels. However, they still allow themselves a limited amount daily. Nothing close to the quantity I ate daily.
Mahalo for sharing. It's great that you were able to cut out rice after so many years of eating it. I hope that I never have to cut it out because of health reasons, which is why I'm trying to make small changes now. I want to be able to enjoy Hawaii food for the rest of my life. Might just have to eat mini size instead of regular and replace rice with other alternatives.
I don’t eat rice for months no red meat only chicken pork and fish. Breakfast is 2 eggs in a soup mix with onions garlic tomatoes bell pepper maybe spinach. I also exercise 1.5 hours per day at age 74. Feel good
My husband is diabetic. His A1c went from 7.0 to 4.5 just by cutting out rice, bread and potatoes. It’s been five years now and he is 60 lbs lighter, and takes no medication. Diet controlled only. His A1c remains around 4.5!! Good luck to you. 😎
When my husband went carnivore he cut out all carbs. Well he missed bread in any shape or form, soda drinks etc. Spanish rice, my pasta dishes. He had withdrawals like crazy. The first two weeks I thought he throw the towel in. But he didn't. He seen weight loss but doesn't want to weugh himself and that is okay because you can see he lost it. Plus his blood pressure is much better. He no longer snores like a roaring train.
Good for you for pushing yourself to eat healthier! My doctor said my A1C was borderline. That was my push to eat a low carb diet. I was already exercising so it was all diet. Definitely a struggle for the first 3 months or so. But now after 3 years, I eat carbs every once in a while, but a very small percentage. I think it is definitely easier on the mainland. When I go back home, I definitely am unable to avoid it.
Congrats on the progress. Three years strong is great 🤙
I grew up in Hawaii and absolutely rice with every meal. I’m now 50 and was diagnosed pre-diabetic with hypertension two years ago. I cut rice out of my diet (along with other carbs and added sugar) and I’m much better now. Rice is now a treat (along with Mac salad). I miss it but everything in moderation. Not three meals a day.
As senior citizen I know what you aent thru , best advice I can give you did the smart thing & recognized how bad rice is to, I know sounds like hierarchy but as we age our diet & lifestyle must also change, for the sake of our family. Next thing to do is discuss with your doctor your options BEFORE you get sick. Its going to be difficult but well worth it. You're halfway there by recognizing your prehypertension condition. Good luck😊
I was thinking about following-up with my doctor just to check my health. As I'm entering middle age, I'm hoping that I don't run into the common health issues that many people have.
Good choice!
Have you tried cauliflower rice (Costco)? It’s not the same but it’s close enough if you want to reduce your carb intake without changing your diet drastically. Also, refrigerating any carbs overnight increases the resistance of the starch (lowers glycemic index) in cooked potatoes, pasta, beans, and rice. There’s also Miracle Noodle which makes pasta and rice from low carb konjac. Even doing a 50/50 ratio (rice & cauliflower rice) made a difference in my blood sugar. Good luck.
Mahalo for the suggestion. I'll have to ask my wife if Costco here has it. 🤙
Your improvements in digestion may be due to eating more vegetables than less rice. Try to keep up with more fruits/vegetables and reduce rice, maybe even do hapa rice too. Can try experiment with the ratios if brown rice is tough for you.
The struggle is real, even for us mainlanders (cutting carbs, that is). I am trying to lower my carbs and when I do eat them, trying to choose whole carbs/less processed. I have to have some kind of carbs, or I get very grumpy! I like brown rice, so that was an easy change for me to make. I wish more restaurants would offer it. I eat oatmeal in the morning and air-popped popcorn for snack. I might eat a salad for lunch and a baked potato or baked sweet potato and some protein for dinner. If I have too much bread, pasta, or rice at lunch, my blood sugar takes a nose-dive and I'm falling asleep by 3 pm!
Good for you for trying to make small changes. I also wish more places offered brown rice. Hard to pick that option too when they charge extra, but I understand.
Try brown rice, Chris. I used to have rice with my udon and saimen in the distant past. Serious Japanese drinkers (nonbei) believed that since Sake was made from rice, it was a substitute for a meal. Kampai.
I've tried brown rice in the past. Currently, we're trying a rice and quinoa mix.
Brown rice has arsenic…avoid it
I live in Hawaii too and was eating a lot of rice. I was getting pre-diabetic so I went low carb last October. One thing I can recommend if you try again is to make sure you get electrolytes to have on hand. It will help when you hit the no energy wall.
That musubi looks great though. The thing I miss most is sushi. I am going to have to take a cheat day for my birthday.
Mahalo for sharing. Great idea on the electrolytes. The nuts weren't kicking in fast enough.
i'm a big believer in walking on the treadmill on an incline. before you know it, you're doing 5 miles per day at a 4.0 incline in a period of 60 minutes. i did that 5-7 days per week and lost 50 lbs in a year w/out really dieting at all, i just naturally began to want smaller portions as i got fitter. the transformation was unreal. got rid of ole dough boy. i recom the NordicTrack Commercial 1750, but i don't know if they ship to HI. mine's been collecting dust here in FL because i have 3/4 acre that is a full body workout to maintain, lol.
Mahalo for sharing. I like the idea of just increasing moderate exercise like walking. It's how we lost weight the last time we were in Japan. We ate a lot, but we walked a lot too.
Wow, brings back a memory from a couple of years ago. My blood sugar creeped past 100 on a check up, and doctor said that's borderline diabetes if it remains constant. So, for the next 6 months until my next check-up, I went totally keto. It was not only no rice, but breads, potatoes, pastries, pasta, sugar.... Now thankfully, I'm actually not really a rice person (my Asian membership card is in jeopardy), but when you go totally without, you develop cravings. But, I stuck to it. On my next check-up, I had lost 10 lbs. and my blood sugar dropped from 102 to 66. My doctor was amazed! I told him what I did, but also that I did not think I could sustain it for the rest of my life. He said the key is moderation, and the reason why so many diets fail is that you deny yourself completely. You can have rice, just not every day, 3 meals a day!
Good advice from. Your Dr. Moderation in everything & is everything.
Great advice on moderation. I've been cutting back on rice. It's a nice balance.
Dang I bet that musubi was heaven! Good job on watching your diet and also not going extreme either. I’ve noticed I had to also add salads to my diet since the constant rice can slow digestion. Thanks for validating that for me!
Rice is totally not necessary! As someone of Chinese ethnicity myself, I grew up in it as well.
However, for fitness reasons, awhile back, I decided to cut back on it completely. I ended up feeling sluggish, and even skinny fat!
Now I just eat a moderate amount, and feel better than ever. A bit of carbs is still necessary!
If I recall, when I moved back to Oahu, I went keto and rice/sticky rice had the highest glycemic index. Just by giving it up, I lost 50 pounds. 🍚
50 pounds is a lot. Good for you 🤙
How much did you weigh before you gave up rice? Obese people can lose a lot of weight fast if they cut back on their calorie intake.
@@Insomniac-c7e right around 225 pounds.
Great video update. Gave up eating white rice and switched to brown rice and my sugar levels has improved dramatically. I eat white rice only occasionally 😊❤.
Great switch. Glad your sugar levels have gotten better 🤙
As someone who eats Keto (no carbs), if you do a cold turkey no-carb diet, you probably need electrolytes. Otherwise you'll get major energy level issues, headaches, sleeping problems etc. I usually have to supplement with potassium, sodium & magnesium. They actually call it the keto flu. Ketosis really burns electrolytes, so if you don't supplement you'll feel those massive energy issues.
When we visit Hawaii, I'll eat a bit of rice, but the white rice as a side is always too much! As a Canadian, its not a staple in the diet, so it seems different to eat plain white rice!
Mahalo for the suggestions 🤙
I too am from Hawaii and eat rice ( but not everyday).. I do eat the white rice/brown rice mix at home and only eat white rice w/a Spam, eggs and rice plate at a restaurant in town before I work my 4th day in a row and/or maybe just a musubi or 2 ( not weekly tho, maybe 2x/month).. it does help that I walk everywhere here in Hilo and both my jobs are physical , standing on your feet, walking around the whole shift, etc...
That's good that you include walking in your daily routine. I think that helps.
I am so impressed with your honesty in temporarily giving up rice. Especially your feeling that we are "conditioned" to eat a certain amount of rice in a meal. I am a child of the islands living on the mainland so rice is not so easily available. It's what we grew up on and we don't question it until you start having old age kine issues.
We have a RD in our family. We all have to eat brown rice (you get used to it eventually) but the reason you're hungry and have low energy is the lack of protein. Also, I'm sure you know diabetes is epidemic on the islands. Hawaiian food is extra salty which also shoots blood pressure up. I suggest you try again with the assistance of a dietitian. Most insurance pays for one consultation if you are at risk. Don't give up. Just take a different track.
Mahalo for the suggestions. I'll look into a consult with a nutritionist. 🤙
I told my nutritionist that I do not want to give up rice when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She told me I don’t have to but just watch the potion and balance my meal. I went back to eating small bowl of rice (like how I used to in Japan) and smaller portions of any carbs. And I made sure I ear lots of vegetables and protein with it so I’m not hungry.
The food chart the nutritionist gave me was very helpful. Most of all I was so happy I could still eat rice 🍙😊
Refined carbs are a key factor in hypertension. Doctors are slowly starting to realize that hypertension is an early sign of insulin resistance. If reducing or eliminating them, you really do need to increase fat and protein (which won’t raise insulin levels). It’s vital. There aren’t really “healthier carbs” especially when it comes to starches. The body turns all carbs to glucose, which requires insulin. There’s just “less bad” carbs. But your body really needs the fats and protein (there is actually no nutritional requirement for carbs because our bodies can do without)
Rice is such a staple. I remember being able to cook rice when I was a kid. It was something I could get started before my mom got home from work. And honestly, the aroma of fresh cooked rice is comforting and nostalgic.
Thing is, being pre-diabetic, I have to turn the dial down on rice and noodles and other carbs. Those meat and salad meals you showed are very familiar. Once in a while I will enjoy some rice or go out for wonton noodle soup, and of course the old favorite, ramen noodles are still comfort food. I just have to be very intermittent with them.
PS, I still have my National brand rice cooker that must be 40 years old and works fine, and yes, I can cook rice in a pot😊
Mahalo for sharing. Amazing that you can cook rice in a pot. I tried, but too hard when I grew up with a rice cooker. 🤙
Try adding 'ulu to your diet. It is a plentiful starch in Hawaii and so nutritious. I try to pick up a couple every farmers market in season and freeze some steamed 'ulu to get through the off season. It is much lower GI and very high in minerals and nutrients. You can even make 'ulu musubi (just fry the slabs jn the shoyu with your filling then wrap). Its great as home fries with egg or sausage in the morning.
I have been on a modified carnivore/keto diet for about a month. It sucks because my food options are very limited. The pros are my weight immediately dropped, my cravings for food dropped, my desire to eat bread/rice/potatoes dropped and I have more muscle and can fit into my pants again. It’s insane.
Great changes 🤙
@@HelloFromHawaii Thank you!
Braddah, I went through a very similar cross roads on my health journey. I'm one of those got a food scale to see exactly what I was eating. Eh, pretty much EVERYTHING I was eating was over "2 servings." This meant if serving on something was 175 cal I actually ate 350 cal! So I looked up. Serving of rice and brah, I was eating waaaaaaaay more than what many eat in the course of the day. For me, I'm now having it once, sometimes twice, a day AND only 100-150g of cooked rice. Eh and you'd be surprised how much 100g of rice stretches when you make into fried rice? Plenty!😂🤙🏻
Good episode. Keep em coming!
Side note, I just got back from a factory visit in China. I ran across a few colleagues who also have been cutting out or cutting down on rice. And funny thing it is they don't even come close to volume of rice we eat as local Hawaii people!
That's great that you're actually counting and using a food scale. I'm pretty sure two scoops rice in a plate lunch is too much, but it's what we grew up with. Just gotta replace one scoop with greens.
Processed rice (white rice) also raise your blood glucose levels as well, a concern that many people have.
Yeah, I think it's why I used to feel the ups and downs after eating. I noticed that I didn't feel that as much when I replaced rice with salad.
@@HelloFromHawaii Love rice, but a big cause of Pre-diabetes symptoms...
Good job Chris, it’s tough not eating rice. I have put on some weight lately so I have trimmed down a lot on my rice intake from a full bowl to maybe a quarter. It’s not hard, just got used to it by eating more fish and chicken.
Quarter bowl of rice is a good amount. 🤙
Great experiment. Cutting the amount of rice going forward is a wonderful idea. Especially since you don’t exercise, managing your caloric intake is key.
Being from the Midwest, I never understood how people had to have rice. My family will have fried rice with Chinese food but that is about it. When I order take out and they give me a couple of containers of white rice, I throw it out. But it is all about what you grew up eating. For us, potatoes or pasta with dinner is what you will see on our table. Breakfast has toast and lunch is usually a sandwich with bread. I don’t remember having rice as a child except as a filler in stuffed cabbage. To me personally, white rice has no flavor and you must add sauce or gravy. I am glad that you have decided to eat healthier and are able to incorporate rice into that equation.
Brown organic high quality rice is better..not taste or wallet wise, but substituting it half the time with white works for me. Same with organic brown or sourdough bread instead of just wheat or white..I did it for my blood pressure as well lol. Happy for you! Humble servings and quality is key imo! Just realizing you don’t HAVE to have the rice all the time is great!
If you are pre-hypertensive, you might also want to consider checking the amount of sodium you are consuming in one day. I was shocked to learn that it is recommended that adults consume only 2,300 mgs. or less sodium daily. That is nearly 1 teaspoon. My guess is, if you are eating out often or buying convenience foods, you may be far over the daily recommended intake of sodium, which very much can impact hypertension. Most American diets are very high in sodium.
Yeah, a lot of local foods are high in sodium, such as Spam. Cutting those foods will probably help a lot too.
Absolutely, yes! Table salt is so bad for us but how do we know any better? We eat what we're given without being told that, over time, it's going to start giving us health problems. Table salt is another one of those "white" ultra processed foods that are making us sick, along with white sugar, flour, and rice. Not sure if you realize it but table salt kills your tastebuds. That is why we sometimes need to add more and more. The best kind of salt is REAL salt or CELTIC salt. They don't harm your body like table salt does. It's 100% natural and loaded with trace minerals (Real Salt has something lime 60 trace minerals and Celtic salt has 80 if I remember correctly. They won't raise your blood pressure, doesn't kill your taste buds, and has a very very slight sweetness to it. I add a small pinch to my bottled water when I go for walks in the heat of LV because of the huge benefit of the natural occurring electrolytes from the minerals. No more Power Aides or Gatorades needed (and that cuts sugar consumption down too).
We have got to get back to the basics and eat more naturally because the FDA isn't looking out for us anymore. They're making us sicker; all in the name of making more money.
I'm from Guam and I noticed when I'm in other Asian countries like Japan or Korea, they give you a bowl of rice which is like 1 scoop of rice for a meal. But on Guam and In Hawaii, there's the culture of 2 large scoops of rice. This is probably a big contributor to obesity in the islands. Yes, asians eat rice, but like 1/2 the amount that we do. Plus they walk around alot while we drive our cars.
Mahalo for sharing about Guam. Yes, I noticed that they don't give as much rice in Japan, whereas in Hawaii we get a lot of rice.
Glad u made the change to reduce the rice intake.
+ u did it “cold Turkey” as well. Yes,,ur body went into “shock” . Awesome! Sometimes it takes something else to trigger the change in the diet. Eat more stir fry dishes.. plenty prep-work but it’s Ono! Try “Konyaku” noodle thats a great sub for rice. (It’s in sukiyaki) that is zero carbs.
My wife makes konnyaku sometimes. It's pretty good.🤙
Blood sugar is even more dangerous. Rice & noodles hijacked my blood sugar. I quit eating white rice back in the mid 2003 . I found out Black Rice & Bamboo Green Rice is much better on blood sugar & has low glycemic index. It breaks down much slower & not dangerous. Bamboo brand is grown in Hawaii. It’s sometimes hard to find. It comes in green bag with a Panda bear on the package. Walmart carries it sometimes. I moved to Big Island & it’s even harder to find unless it sells out fast. I like Black rice chewy texture. Filipino’s make a desert out of it with sweetened condensed milk wrapped in banana leaf. I forgot the name but it’s good.
Yes, having worked in medicine most of my life, I learned the hard way. Rice can do awful things on lab results. I watched many patients who struggled with diet changes. If you want to keep toes, feet, legs or limbs pay attention to what you eat & take action before it’s too late. We can’t regenerate limbs. Take good care of what you have & be good to your pancreas. Type 2 Diabetes is no fun if you end up with it. Dietitian/Nutrition Specialist portion out 1/3 Cup as a rule. Yes change the type of rice you eat, your body will thank you.
I'm 10+ years away from white rice. I have much more energy, sleep better and my stomach is just in better shape. I have never liked white rice since a child but was force to eat it. I'm 49 now and have never been in better shape.
Awesome results 🤙
Thanks for sharing
Yes, our body changes and what we ate younger is not possible later. Don't do without just moderate 😂🎉
Funny coming across this video , think the universe is listening. I eat rice every day also ,good thing I don’t have bread in the house . Since the start Covid my son and I have gone through 880lbs of rice . We just bought another 50 pounds and made fun of ourselves and thought about quitting for 30 days also. Thanks for sharing this video.
I have rice three or four times a week but only a scoop to scoop and a half. Tough to do with eating rice most of my life…67 years young. Blood pressure still holding steady in the 125-127. BP was a bit higher when I are almost 2+ scoops rice almost every day for one or two meals. Miss having plenty of rice but didn’t want ohana to miss me. Want to be seen-not viewed, so had to adjust the whole diet and limit meals with rice. Mahalo for sharing your candid video of what it’s like to cutout rice from meals. Keep up the great videos.
That's a great reduction in rice that you've incorporated. I figure if I make small changes now, I won't have to make bigger changes later.
Yea, baby steps reductions of rice with meals should be a bit more tolerable. It was super tough learning to have meals with reduced rice portions. As difficult as it was, I knew it would be a drastic diet shift for me to go through but I had to do it for my health…but most importantly I wanted to ensure I’d be around to watch and enjoy time with my ohana, especially the grand children and great grand children. How much did your BP drop, if you like share.
Appreciate your honesty 👍🏼
awesome post bradah!
🤙
Yea it does get tough to cut out rice here in Hawaii because it is everywhere. I usually do keto/low carb when I do a cut and the first week is usually tough because I need to meal prep and my body is transitioning on using fat instead of carbs for energy. This is the time you usually feel sick because of the change of energy source from glucose to fat. I usually take tons of electrolytes during this period and it helps with the headaches and general irritable feeling. Usually when I get over the "keto flu", things gets so much better especially with my overall mood, energy levels, bloodwork, etc. I do wish there were more low carb options here though.
I don't think it's the rice that causes hypertension, it's what you eat with the rice. Hawaii food is high in sodium. You can eat brown rice instead of white rice if you want more fiber in your diet. When I go to Zippys when I'm in town, I will eat chili with brown rice for the fiber.
Hypertension is associated to insulin sensitivity. So rice and carbs are directly the cause of hypertension. Carnivore diet.
Yes, it's the shoyu that is super high in sodium.
Again, I'm not a nutritionist, but I assumed that eating less rice and other processed carbs would have a positive impact on my health. Agree that the high sodium foods we eat here don't help either. Hard to give up Spam, though.
It literally does carbs make sugars.
Sweet potatoes, you have many varieties in Hawai'i. Okinawa is a Blue Zone.
Always have rice cooker going ready to feed family 24/7 is the culture here!
Rice is not bad in fact it can be a very nutritious food, but it’s important not to overdo it. I’m south Asian from India and this is definitely tough.
South Asians have increased risk of hypertension and diabetes as well.
I always wondered about how land seems lower in particular areas of McCully until recently finding a viewmaster of Honolulu with vast rice patties circa 1900.
It would've been interesting if you did bloodwork to show the difference. Also, I just came back from a two week trip to Japan. I found it hard to eat "healthy" in Japan. Not too many places serve a big salad as a meal. Combini food tastes great but has a lot of preservatives. Japan has a lot of deep fried foods. I ate mostly sushi since to me it's the most whole food. Yakiniku was good too. Keep up the great work.
I’m diabetic I eat bread Ezekiel flourless n sugar free then I ate rice substitutes konjac rice or rice pilaf ,or cauliflower rice sometimes quinoa,. In the morning I always has oatmeal mix with cinnamon powder, dates , cocoa powder, chia. I walk everyday. My grandma is 90 yrs old and my mother is 70 yrs old they eat 1 cup rice everyday but never get sick. But always healthy . Just eat moderately small portion works. It’s not the rice it’s the pasta, noodles, pastries and bread that causing us to get fat and sick. It’s the processed food n sweet like sugar
Great advice on moderate portions. Just can't eat three scoops of rice with my plate lunch 🤙
wonderful to find your channel planning a trip to Hawaii .....
Do you know ‘why’ you couldn’t eat those foods like you used to? I know myself that I can’t do a lot of instant noodles (bag, cup, bowl) because the salt triggers my migraines. Same thing with fish sauce and too much soy sauce :/
My mom legs was so sore, she couldnt figure it out. Took blood test, she had high blood, higj cholesterol, and diabetes. My mom isnt fat and is always active (housekeeping job, and always doing something when shes off). She had to cut her rice & coffee! Mind you, she eats plenty veggies, fish, never a fan of desserts. She drank plenty hot coffee and can eat 2cups rice per meal lols. She cut it, and everything was better. She did lose more weight but her blood pressure etc went back to normal, and her soreness was gone. She has rice now, but just dinner time, and cut her coffee in the morning, 1 cup. Everything is still normal.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm sure if I took a blood test I'd find similar results. I think cutting back from salty foods will also help me.
Don't eat it every meal, but definitely need a little rice...white rice! Gave up sodas and fruit juices last 2 years or so....got healthier!
Giving up soda and juice is huge. I drink soda occasionally. Mostly Coke Zero.
I said to myself,I’ll stop eating rice until can go to Japan again. I also ate more protein and stopped ultra processed foods. Blood labs massively improved, my fatty liver was gone. 612 days later, that first onigiri in Tokyo was OIISHII! I rarely eat rice anymore, only rare occasions if i want some with a poke bowl and I ask for half of the usual serving.
I'm sure that must have been the best rice ball you ever had. 😆
I eat rice every 2 weeks - so far it’s working for me🙂
I could live the rest of my life without rice and be happy as a clam. It's not a food we eat on a regular basis. Now peanut butter--that's a different story!
😆
Carbs affect my blood pressure A LOT. And for some reason, even pure sugar seems less harmful than, say, grains (bread/pasta/etc.).
I give you credit for trying, I know I can't lol. I've cut back on the volume a little but there's no way I could cut it all out, especially if it's Japanese rice.
It would be hard for me to cut out Japanese rice. So good 🤙
Born and raised in Hawaii, but I was never a rice eater....always preferred potatoes or bread (the odd one in my family). However, there are some dishes/foods that just go with rice (like chili & rice).
Moderation/ portion control is key. 😅
Working on moderation now. It's been nice eating rice again. Just trying not to eat as much.
Is rice in different countries different? Do Chinese, Japanese and Korean people get diabetes?
You didn't mention losing weight in the 30 days without rice and carbs. I stopped eating rice for 2 years in 2019 and lost 30 lbs! Along with no rice, I kept my carbs very low. The pounds just kept coming off. When I did eat carbs I loaded my plate with vegetables and salad to cancel out the carbs (cauliflower rice is amazing! Just season it with whatever you would regular rice). Fast forward to this year, and I've reintroduced rice back into my life and have now regained 12 lbs! And that's just half a cup cooked rice 2-3 times a week. There are 6 teaspoons of sugar in 1 cup of rice. It's the way starch[carbs] turns into sugar. These are "hidden sugars" because nutrition labels often read no sugars. People struggling with weight become discouraged because they know they're eating healthier but not losing. You talked about hypertension but pre-diabetes is also a big problem because of all the hidden sugars in everyday foods. The only book to buy is The Skinny Gut Diet. Because of this book I know I can always lose the 12 lbs again, easy. When I'm ready to give up the weekly total cup and a half cooked rice, that is.
He did mention weight.
You're a brave man for taking on that challenge, Chris! That is a Herculean feat for anyone in Hawaii, since everything is served with rice, and it's such a cultural thing to eat lots of rice and not waste any food. I was just there for about 3 weeks, and I caught myself leaving some rice on my plate uneaten towards the end of the trip, because I was getting a Bhudda belly that I wasn't exactly pleased with. For me, what you did would be comparable to me not eating any pasta for 30 days. I hope you can use what you learned from this experiment to make some healthy changes in moderation.🤙
Yeah, it was tough, but I'm glad I tried it. Learned a lot. And as I've gotten older, I've learned that it's okay to leave some food on the plate, especially with the large portions in Hawaii. 🤙
Lots of lessons learned here. I am about the same age and while I didn’t skip rice, I had to also have a “humble” serving of rice.
Yeah, I no can pile on the rice like I used to.
I'm moving away from wheat and sugar. Can't give up rice though... that's like half the food here.
😆
I tried High Carb Low Fat for 6 months and lowered my elevated cholesterol levels to normal. I’m 5’8” and went from 180 pounds to 140 pounds. I ate mainly rice or pasta, fruits and some vegetables. No meat, fish or seafood. Fat was under 20 grams a day which was not easy. I felt fine. In the end doctors were happy with the lowered cholesterol and weight loss but not happy with lack of protein intake. It seems you can never win!
Asian here. Grew up always with rice..lots of white rice. Try brown rice! Dress your carbs with fiber! Will reduce the glucose spikes.
Lastly, try water fasting.. will change your food consciousness completely. Start short, go easy but lots that your own body will teach you! One of the best things I did in my life! 71 and genki!
Mahalo for sharing 🤙
40 isnt young. Many start seeing raised blood pressure around this time or even earlier like mid 30s. Take it as a warning. If you take the right measures you dont need to go on meds and can avoid future problems.
I don't think it's a problem in Hawaii but to all Japanese Descendants, please make sure you eat fish on a regular basis. Specifically, "AO-ZAKANA" meaning "blue" skinned fish like SANMA, SABA, AJI, IWASHI, MAGURO (i.e. Pacific Saury, Mackerel, Sardines, Tuna, etc)
Or you can take supplements with DHA & EPA. We know from many countless medical studies in Japan that Japanese people are prone to dementia, Alzheimer, or brain/cognitive related medical issues at old age, when there is a severe deficiency of fish in the diet. And DASHI taken from KONBU, KATSUO, or SHIITAKE also helps the brain function. (Basically, an overly American/European diet doesn't suit Japanese genetics.)
FYI, this applies to Japanese dogs too. Japanese dog were bred as hunting dogs and grew up eating fish for tens of thousand of years. They most likely came over during the last Ice Age and were domesticated. Which is why all Japanese dog breeds are double-coated like Siberian Huskies.
I gave up rice and all plant foods...never felt better and that was several years ago. Healing Humanity for the win!
I haven’t eaten rice for 4 months! It’s awesome, stopped eating sweets too.
I quit wheat in 2012. When I did, I lost 45 pounds in six months. The substitute was gluten-free bread, which I still use today. When I pass through Hawai'i between Japan and America, what I found is that when I eat *your* rice, I get really constipated. Some days, I was like three days in Hawai'i all plugged up. Frankly, I am surprised that any of you there can eat the rice at all, and that it doesn't turn into a giant cork in your intestines. I finally learned to bring Japanese diuretics with me if I was going to eat the musubi.
I'm sure the type of rice and amount we eat isn't great. Adding more vegetables to my diet helped.
Blood sugar level can affect why you were hungry too. Some folks have eaten their protein, vegetables then carbs last. Not going to work if you're a loco moco lover though
Yeah, hard to change, but I'm glad I've made improvements on my diet so far.
Eating a low carb diet is much harder than going the keto route since a low carb diet will spike your insulin production at times and will make you crave more carbs like crazy. However, in your case, your elevated blood pressure might be more contributed to your higher cortisol levels attributed to a stressful lifestyle. If you find your blood pressure higher in the mornings than the rest of the day, it’s likely cortisol levels. The kicker is that cortisol levels can be effectively controlled with more restful sleep, but that’s also a luxury for you because of the keikis.
Yes, I think better sleep would make more of a difference, but it's hard with young kids. Miss those 8 hour sleeps 😄
Like lots of people are suggesting, if you eat rice, you avoid salt. My husband was told to avoid bread and stick to rice because of the salt.
I'll probably look into cutting the salty foods. Hard to give up Spam, though 😅
It's hard for you coz i can sense that you are not prepared yet. You should do some resaerch about the low carb lifestyle😊
I can do without bread, potatoes or pasta (pasta is questionable 😂), but NOT rice. I’m from Honolulu originally, but have lived on the mainland for 35 years. Your will power is much stronger than mine. I would have caved by the second week.
Making small changes is easier than trying to go cold turkey, It just amplifies the cravings. However, you are right, that if you make a major change, you do have to give some thought to what you replace it with. I am surprised you did not lose weight. Most people would, replacing rice at 206 calories a cup with salad which is practically nothing unless you loaded up the dressing at 73 calories and ounce, that could easily exceed the calories of rice. Your digestion would improve just because of the increase in fiber. Local plate lunches usually have 3 carb, 2 scoops rice and mac salad, More than 3 oz of protein, gravy which is fat and carbs, and very little in the way of vegetables unless you order stew or stir fry. A mini plate would be about 800 calories. A regular plate would be enough calories for a day if you were on a restricted diet. 800-1500 calories on average. that outpaces the McDonald's big breakfast that clocks in around 1350 calories without a drink.
I think the lack of weight loss was due to eating salty foods during the holidays of Mother's Day and kid's birthday. Also lack of sleep didn't help.
What I want to know is if more restaurants are providing a brown rice option? It was hard to find sometimes while on vacation in Hawaii. 😅
From what I've seen, not too many places offer brown rice.
Where I live, most people eat potatoes pretty heavily and not much rice. My nephew is staying here and I'm shocked at how much potatoes he eats.
One guy I know from Louisiana told me that they eat much more rice there and not much potatoes.
For myself, I lived out of the area for some years and eat more rice than is usual around here, but not the six to twelve cups of rice I used to eat each week.
When I was younger and living on my own, I used to eat at least one cup of rice per day. Sometimes two cups on the weekends. These days I'm down to one scoop of rice per day.
@@HelloFromHawaii About 1990, I was having a lot of trouble digesting meats and became something of a vegetarian for a couple of years. During those two years, I averaged between one and two cups of rice per day. After two years, I was able to gradually reintroduce meat into my diet and the problem has not reoccurred.
I still ate quite a bit of rice until the last couple of years. I have an old comet rice steamer that I really liked, but it is pretty worn out now. It cost something like 75 cents postage and two proof of purchase tags from comet rice packages.
I got one of those electric rice steamers but it's just not the same. My rice consumption has gone way down.
I had to reduce my carb intake due to illness? It is not fun long term. Thank you for Video. 🌺
yes, reducing rice is very hard. Good job. Every thing is ono with rice.
So what happened to hypertension?
An interesting video...out of the normal, but as usual with HFH, insightful and thought-provoking.
The trick is balance and moderation using the 50% vegetables + 25% carbs +25% protein formula. Avoiding carbs (and sugar) completely is not something a doctor would recommend so this experiment was rather extreme. Many people go 50% carbs (rice) because it's filling. The reason why we pile on the rice is because the main component is often salty. Most processed foods like Spam musubi are loaded with salt and sugar because they hit the pleasure center of the brain and sell products. I don't know when teriyaki sauce started being added to musubi which I never knew growing up.
It's true that as you get older your tastes change and you become more sensitive, not only to foods and seasonings, but also to annoying habits of other people like noise (nyuk nyuk!).
As a final rice factoid, in a multicourse gourmet kaiseki meal consisting of up to 10 small courses, a small bowl of high-quality koshihikari rice comes at the very end of the meal with miso soup and Japanese pickles, followed by fruit. As you go through each course, you learn to appreciate the flavor of each dish without the need for rice. You also savor the flavor of the rice, which before I moved to Japan, I never knew how delicious rice on its own could be. Now I can easily tell the difference between low and top-shelf rice.
I didn't eliminate all carbs during this time, but had to find others ways to get them for energy. I'm sure cutting out salty foods would also have helped in the past month too.