070119 Control your eating by applying Paretos’ law, Hara Hachi Bu and other techniques 1/2

070119 Control your eating by applying Paretos’ law, Hara Hachi Bu and other techniques 1/2

Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist living in the late 1800’s, discovered that eighty percent of the land in Italy was owned by twenty percent of the citizens. Briefly, Pareto’s law states that eighty percent of the resultant effects come from twenty percent of the involved parts. In the case of food it’s that piece of pie or cake that is calling your name after you’re already full. That’s the twenty percent you don’t really need to eat.

This law seemingly applies to many facets of everyday life, including eating. In Okinawa they have adapted a similar concept into their eating habits by leaving twenty percent of the food on their plate. Called Hara Hachi Bu this traditional eating plan places a heavy emphasis on fruits, whole grains, soy foods, fish and vegetables.

The health benefits of not eating twenty percent of the food are decreased heart disease rates along with stroke and diabetes levels that are lower than in the U.S. With obesity epidemic in our culture it stands to reason that by not eating 100% of the food on the plate we would lower these risks.