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Today’s Word: flush

Today’s Word: flush

September 30, 2017 =========

☆  flush  洗い流す

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If you flush a part of your body, you clean it or make it healthier by using a large amount of liquid to get rid of dirt or harmful substances. It is very similar in meaning to our word, “cleanse” from the other day.

Here are some sentence examples for you:

Flush your eye with clean cold water for at least 5 minutes.
Drinking a lot of water is an ideal way to flush the kidneys out.
Try increasing your daily fiber as this is a good way to flush out the body quickly.
Massage can be a great way to flush toxins from your lymph areas.

Can you use flush inRead more about Today’s Word: flush[…]

Today’s Word: reduce

Today’s Word: reduce

September 29, 2017 =========

☆  reduce  減らす

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You might not be interested in cleansing your body to the extent that you would go on a fast and not eat for a few days. However, reducing certain foods and substances (rather than completely eliminating them) can also be beneficial to the body. Reducing foods and drinks that have a negative effect on your body can help you build a better body from the inside.

Just like the quote for this week, but Robert Ulrich:

A healthy outside starts from the inside.

What do you think of this idea? Is it important to reduce things that negatively impact us and our bodies, so that we can build aRead more about Today’s Word: reduce[…]

Today’s Word: cleanse

Today’s Word: cleanse

September 28, 2017 =========

☆  cleanse  洗浄する

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Usually, we use the verb cleanse to talk about removing something dirty or unpleasant from a place, a person, or an organization. When you cleanse your liver for example, you make it free from toxins that you may have stored in your liver. After eliminating wine from my diet, I thought I would crave it, but I found out that the body is able to cleanse itself of the addictive parts of wine within 24 to 48 hours, so I never really felt like I wanted it.

People who smoke and then give up, find that their bodies start to naturally cleanse itself of tobacco toxins almostRead more about Today’s Word: cleanse[…]

Today’s Word: eliminate

Today’s Word: eliminate

September 27, 2017 =========

☆  eliminate  排泄する

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Yesterday I mentioned that when I have a stomachache I try to find the cause of it. If I find that a certain food makes me feel sick or unwell after eating, I eliminate it from my diet. If it’s a food I love, then after eliminating it for a while, I try to eat it again – if I have the same reaction, then sadly, I have to eliminate that food completely, or put up with feeling sick!

Recently I noticed that wine was giving me an allergic reaction and making me feel sick. So, I tried to find organic wines that didn’t have Sulphur inRead more about Today’s Word: eliminate[…]

Today’s Word: feel sick

Today’s Word: feel sick

September 26, 2017 =========

☆  feel sick  気分が悪い

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This week’s Q&A is “What do you do when you feel sick?” Some of the answers are, cleanse and detox, reduce alcohol and caffeine. For me, depending on what kind of sick feeling it is, I do different things. Often if I have a headache and feel sick, it’s just a reminder that I need more water or food! If I have a glass of water and eat a small snack, I usually feel better soon afterwards.

If I feel sick due to a stomachache, I try to think about what I ate and find the cause of the stomach pain. If I can’t find aRead more about Today’s Word: feel sick[…]

Today’s Word: crave

Today’s Word: crave

September 25, 2017 =========

☆  crave  切望する

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If you crave something, you want it very much. Most of the time when we use crave, we are talking about food, but it can also be used for other things. For example, you might say that you are craving fresh air after being stuck in a train for a long ride home! Or someone might be craving love, if they are feeling lonely.

However, mostly it’s used for foods, or additive things, like craving a cigarette, or an alcoholic drink, or sugar! I often find myself craving sugary foods, like chocolate! How about you? Is there a food that you often crave? What is it? DoRead more about Today’s Word: crave[…]

Today’s Word: cholesterol

Today’s Word: cholesterol

September 24, 2017 =========

☆  cholesterol  コレステロール

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I’m interested to know why today’s word is in Katakana, and not a Japanese word. Do you know why? I always thought that Katakana words were borrowed from other languages, and an equivalent word didn’t exist in Japanese. Is that true for this word? If so, does that mean that cholesterol is actually a Western problem??

If so, why aren’t we all eating a traditional Japanese diet, and avoiding the heart disease problems related to high levels of bad cholesterol? I could find some research about Japanese cholesterol levels compared to other countries, but none of them were recent. They were from the 80’s and 90’s andRead more about Today’s Word: cholesterol[…]

Today’s Word: mood swing

Today’s Word: mood swing

September 23, 2017 =========

☆  mood swing  気分の変動

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A mood swing is an extreme or rapid change of mood. For example, you might be feeling happy one minute, and then suddenly, you notice a big change in your mood – a mood swing – and you are very angry or unhappy. The most common thing about mood swings, is that there seems to be no reason for it.

When it is just a small mood swing, for example if it is a mood swing due to the ups and downs of everyday life, feeling happy, then sad, energetic, then tired, there is nothing to worry about, this is all normal. Sometimes our diet canRead more about Today’s Word: mood swing[…]

Today’s Word: nutrient

Today’s Word: nutrient

September 22, 2017 =========

☆  nutrient   栄養物

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Do you know what an essential nutrient is? It is one that the body cannot create on its own, or cannot create enough of, so we must get these nutrients from our food. These essential nutrients are necessary for our bodies to function properly. Do you know what the six essential nutrients are? They are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water.

I found it interesting that carbohydrates are listed as essential because there are so many diets and experts that say a low-carb diet is best for us. However, it also seems that carbs are the main energy source for our brains… this might explain whyRead more about Today’s Word: nutrient[…]

Today’s Word: variety

Today’s Word: variety

September 21, 2017 =========

☆  variety   種類

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One thing we do have in Australia, even though I don’t think we really have any “delicacies” as I said yesterday, is variety. There is so much variety in the types of food you can eat here, due to the high level of immigration. You can get good old British fish and chips to eat at the beach, or you can walk to the café next door and have Mexican food.

Recently, vegan restaurants have been increasing, so there is a lot more meat-free variety available too. I think Japan has a lot of variety, nowadays, too, but when I first came to Japan (back in theRead more about Today’s Word: variety[…]

Today’s Word: delicacy

Today’s Word: delicacy

September 20, 2017 =========

☆  delicacy  珍味

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A delicacy is a rare or expensive food that is considered especially nice to eat. I think that Japan is a country filled with delicacies, don’t you? The food that you can eat at when you travel to local areas are always so impressive. I just love the fact that most areas of Japan have their local delicacy… and when you eat it at that location, it always tastes so much better than if you bought it at a supermarket and ate it at home!

One disappointing thing about Australia is that we don’t tend to have this kind of local delicacy culture. As there are soRead more about Today’s Word: delicacy[…]

Today’s Word: practice

Today’s Word: practice

September 19, 2017 =========

☆  practice  習慣

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When I was in high school we had a subject called “Home Economics” which was once a week, and we practiced things like sewing and cooking, and skills related to running a household. Boys and girls took part in this class, no discrimination! Unfortunately, as we were all teenagers, no one really cared about cooking or sewing, so I don’t think we learned much!

All I really remember from the class is practicing to make toast! Unbelievably, a lot of people managed to burn their toast, and the kitchen room smelled like it was on fire! We obviously needed more practice! Do Japanese school have this kindRead more about Today’s Word: practice[…]

Today’s Word: concoction

Today’s Word: concoction

September 18, 2017 =========

☆  concoction  調合

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A concoction is something that has been made out of several things mixed together. So for example, your breakfast might be a “concoction of yogurt, oats, and apples, with honey.” One good thing about making a “concoction” for your dinner (or breakfast or lunch!) is that you can just throw together the ingredients that you have, there’s no need to go out and buy more.

If you search on the Internet, you’ll find lots of cooking sites devoted to helping you make concoctions out of what you have in your pantry. This also means, that you are generally eating fresh, in-season ingredients, which is always much healthier,Read more about Today’s Word: concoction[…]

Today’s Word: canned

Today’s Word: canned

September 17, 2017 =========

☆  canned  缶詰の

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It’s interesting, but as with anything health-related, you can find “experts” who say canned foods are good to eat, and “experts” who say we shouldn’t eat canned foods, and instead choose fresh or frozen.

When canned foods are made, they are processed, sealed in the can, then heated to kill bacteria and to prevent the food from going bad. Interestingly, there are some foods that become even better for us after they have been canned. For example, apparently, when tomatoes and corn are heated they release more antioxidants, so eating canned tomatoes or canned corn can be a good source of antioxidants.

How about in Japan? Are cannedRead more about Today’s Word: canned[…]

Today’s Word: dried

Today’s Word: dried

September 16, 2017 =========

☆  dried  干した

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A few years ago, I got very interested in preparing my own dried foods, such as fruit and vegetables that my kids could eat as snacks. I decided that if I made my own, they’d be healthier than the shop-bought ones. So, I got all the books and bought some camping nets that are usually meant for drying dishes, but can also be used to dry foods.

And then summer started. And we had rain, and more rain, and unbelievably even more rain! It was the wettest summer in a long time – and I only got to have dried apples once! Just one day, when theRead more about Today’s Word: dried[…]

Today’s Word: fermented

Today’s Word: fermented

September 15, 2017 =========

☆  fermented  発酵した

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Recently, in Australia, there has been a huge boom in the fermented foods industry, and there are a lot of new experts and gurus telling us that fermented foods are the best way to heal our gut, and if we can heal our gut, then we can live a long and healthy life.

One of the biggest recommendations is to drink “Konbucha” and so if you go to health food stores and even some cafes, you can find bottles of Konbucha for sale… it is *nothing* like the kombucha I used to drink in Japan! It’s so strange, in order to sell it to the western world,Read more about Today’s Word: fermented[…]

Today’s Word: well-balanced

Today’s Word: well-balanced

September 14, 2017 =========

☆  well-balanced  バランスのとれた

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I always thought I ate quite healthily, and a good mix of all the recommended five food groups. In Australia, unfortunately, we don’t have the “ningen-doc” system that you have in Japan, so if you want to check your health, you need to be proactive about it, and ask your doctor to do it.

So, I did and the blood tests showed my iron as a bit too low. My doctor recommended eating more red meat. Now, I’m not a vegetarian, but I also try not to eat a lot of meat. I think that too much meat is not really a well-balanced diet. My doctor recommendedRead more about Today’s Word: well-balanced[…]

Today’s Word: bland

Today’s Word: bland

September 13, 2017 =========

☆  bland  さっぱりとした

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Food that is bland has very little flavor. This is definitely an insulting thing to say to someone who has cooked you a meal, so be careful! If the chef asks you what you think of the food, it’s probably best not to say, “It’s a little bland.” or “It’s too bland for my taste.” Unless your job is working as a food critic, this is a word that you should only use when you are talking with people who didn’t cook the food!

Another thing to be aware of with this word, is the spelling! If you get your “r” and “l” mixed up then you’llRead more about Today’s Word: bland[…]

Today’s Word: scrumptious

Today’s Word: scrumptious

September 12, 2017 =========

☆  scrumptious  とても美味しい

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Scrumptious is an informal word for “delicious”. Something that is scrumptious, either looks or tastes extremely good. When learning an informal word, it is a good chance to learn words with similar meaning. Obviously, you can learn the formal word, which as I said, is “delicious.” However, if you check your dictionary, you might find other informal words you might like to add to your vocabulary. For example:

appetizing
delectable
mouthwatering
succulent
yummy

Do you know any other words that you could add to your scrumptious list?

Bye,

Chris

Today’s Word: fragrant

Today’s Word: fragrant

September 11, 2017 =========

☆  fragrant  よい香りの

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Something that is fragrant has a pleasant, sweet smell. You might think this word is mostly used for flowers, or things like essential oils, however foods and fruits, and of course herbs can all be very fragrant too.

In Australia, if you are trying to sell your house, the agent will often recommend that you bake bread or cookies, on the day when the house is open for buyers to come and look at it. The fragrant smell of freshly baked bread is one of the most potent smells for western people! The smell can help sell your house, because people are attracted to the smell ofRead more about Today’s Word: fragrant[…]

Today’s Word: provide

Today’s Word: provide

September 10, 2017    =========

☆  provide  提供する

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If you provide something that someone needs or wants, you give it to them or make it available to them. Similar to enriching foods that we talked about earlier in the week, often food producers include additives in foods to maintain the food’s nutritional value. These additives are supposed to provide nutrients, and can help the food stay fresh for longer.

Even though these additives may provide benefits, I still think it is better to get these nutrients and benefits from unprocessed foods. What do you think? Do you agree? Are processed foods popular in Japan? In Australian supermarkets, most of the things you can buyRead more about Today’s Word: provide[…]

Today’s Word: combine

Today’s Word: combine

September 9, 2017   =========

☆  combine  混ぜる

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Have you ever heard the saying, “You can’t out train a bad diet”? It means that no matter how much exercise you do, if you are eating a poor diet every day, then you will never be truly healthy. In other words, you can really only reach your fitness goals by combining a healthy diet with exercise. A healthy diet is key, but on its own, it’s still not enough, you need to exercise too.

True health comes from combining good eating habits and good exercise habits. Is this a common idea in Japan too? I love running and exercising, but I’m not sure my eatingRead more about Today’s Word: combine[…]

Today’s Word: repair

Today’s Word: repair

September 8, 2017      =========

☆  repair  治療する

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We usually use “repair” to talk about things, but you can also use it to talk about body parts – especially if you do a sport where injuries are common. For example, in running, you might say that you are “taking time off from running to wait for my knee injury to repair itself.” Other examples are:

The doctor suggested surgery to help repair my torn ligament.
The best method to repair damaged muscles is the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate.
Given my age, it might take longer for my injury to repair itself.
By eating the right foods, you can help your body repair itself.

Take note,Read more about Today’s Word: repair[…]

Today’s Word: boost

Today’s Word: boost

September 7, 2017 =========

☆  boost  引き上げる

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There are a few different ways to use “boost” but today’s example is that you can boost or increase, or improve something. For example, the useful phrase example, is “I need to boost my metabolism.” In other words, the person wants to increase or raise their metabolism.

If you do a search for ways to boost metabolism, there are quite a few results! There’s even a book that is called 100 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism. Obviously, it is a topic that many people want to know more about. One of the main ways is to move more – so if you are doing a jobRead more about Today’s Word: boost[…]

Today’s Word: enrich

Today’s Word: enrich

September 6, 2017 =========

☆  enrich  栄養価を高める

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When you enrich something you improve its quality, usually by adding something to it. These days, in Australia, so many foods have been enriched with various nutrients to make them “better for us” that I really wonder if it’s true. In Australia, the most common foods that are enriched are things like bread and milk.

The crazy thing is that the foods lose vitamins during food processing, so they are enriched with the vitamins that they originally had, but then lost when it was made – so for example, turning wheat into flour loses vitamins and nutrients, so the bread needs to be enriched with these lostRead more about Today’s Word: enrich[…]

Today’s Word: waft

Today’s Word: waft

September 5, 2017 =========

☆  waft  漂う

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If a smell wafts through the air, it moves gently through the air. So, for example, when you walk past a bakery, the smell of freshly baked goods might waft through the doors to the street pulling you in to the store buy the donuts… What? That doesn’t happen to you? Must just be me then. Ha ha 🙂

It’s amazing how smells can affect us, sometimes in the morning as I head to work, the freshly ground coffee bean smell wafts through the air from the café, and even though I have already had a coffee, I find myself “needing” another one!

What smells affect you? DoRead more about Today’s Word: waft[…]

Today’s Word: influence

Today’s Word: influence

September 4, 2017 =========

☆  influence  影響を与える

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Another great quote this week, this time by Deepak Chopra, “The way you eat can influence your life by 30 to 50 years.” That is a bold statement, don’t you think? I guess most people think that eating better could influence their life by a few years, but 30 to 50 years is a long time!!

Do you agree? Do you think it is possible to eat in such a healthy way that it influences your life and health so much that you live for an extra 30 or so years? Or do you think he is saying it influences your life, not so much in theRead more about Today’s Word: influence[…]

Today’s Word: withdrawal

Today’s Word: withdrawal

September 3, 2017     =========

☆  withdrawal  禁断症状

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Withdrawal is the period of time during which you feel ill after you stop taking something, such as a drug, that you were addicted to. In fact, it doesn’t have to be an illegal drug, it could be things that we don’t really consider drugs, such as caffeine, alcohol, or even carbohydrates!!

Have you ever tried to quit carbohydrates? If you stop eating them altogether, in the first few days it is common to have flu-like symptoms, such as body aches, headaches, nasal congestion, sore throat, and even nausea! That’s a pretty tough withdrawal! It might be better just to reduce carbs, rather than cut themRead more about Today’s Word: withdrawal[…]

Today’s Word: good health

Today’s Word: good health

September 2, 2017      =========

☆  good health  健康

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What does “good health” mean to you? Yesterday I introduced the quote from Buddha, about it being our duty to keep ourselves in good health, but I guess that might mean something different to everyone, right? It’s a bit ambiguous, like the word, “rich” or “happy” – everyone has their own definition or meaning for these words.

For me, good health means being able to run and exercise easily, and being at a weight that is not over- or underweight for my body. Good health means not getting sick and being able to recover naturally, if I do get sick, without needing medicine or toRead more about Today’s Word: good health[…]

Today’s Word: duty

Today’s Word: duty

September 1, 2017     =========

☆  duty  義務

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This month we are looking at the topic of eating healthy and living long. Sounds good to me! In fact, the quote this week is from Buddha, saying, “To keep the body in good health is a duty.” What do you think of this idea? I love it! I really think that we have to keep ourselves in good health – not just for our own enjoyment of life and general happiness, but for those around us too.

I can’t remember if I told you or not, but back in January, my mother got very sick – from not eating well – and we actually spentRead more about Today’s Word: duty[…]