Tag: Cultural practices

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 80% of people in developing countries like the Philippines depend on traditional medicine for primary health care, but modern products like Gatorade have also become deeply integrated into home remedies. This practice raises the question: why do Filipinos drink Gatorade when sick, and what is the science behind it?

An estimated 600 million people worldwide consume some form of betel nut, with supari being one of the most popular variations. This traditional preparation is deeply embedded in the social and cultural fabric of South and Southeast Asia, but its composition and health implications are often misunderstood.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, livestock and fisheries contribute a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. The debate around the simple question, "Is it okay to be a non-vegetarian?" is far from simple, encompassing a wide range of deeply personal, cultural, ethical, and scientific considerations.

According to a meta-analysis, individuals who report pica, the eating of non-nutritive substances, are 2.35 times more likely to also be anemic. A craving for soil, or geophagia, is a specific form of pica, and its origins are surprisingly complex, spanning physiological and psychological factors.

According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, the simple act of eating with your hands is believed to balance the body's five elements and aid digestion. This might explain why you instinctively feel like eating with your hands, as it taps into a deeply ingrained, sensory, and mindful connection with your food that goes beyond mere cultural tradition.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, pica is an eating disorder characterized by the persistent ingestion of non-nutritive, non-food substances. Within this classification, eating stones, or lithophagia, is a specific and potentially dangerous form that can stem from complex medical and psychological factors.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, Pakistan is the world's fourth-largest dairy producer, with an average per-person consumption of 27.7kg in 2025. This high consumption reflects a deep integration of milk into diets globally, but raises the question: why do people drink so much milk?

Studies in Pakistan have revealed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, with some reports showing that up to 73% of the adult population suffers from it, despite abundant sunshine. This widespread issue, particularly affecting women and children, is driven by a complex interplay of cultural norms, dietary habits, and lifestyle factors.

According to a 2017 study from South Africa, over half of pregnant women surveyed reported engaging in geophagy, the practice of eating soil or clay, often believing there are health benefits of eating mitti. However, medical experts and toxicologists warn that this practice carries significant dangers that far outweigh any perceived advantages.

Over 600 million people worldwide chew areca or betel nut, making it the fourth most used psychoactive substance. Many people in South Asia and Southeast Asia use the terms interchangeably, but it's important to understand the nuance of the linguistic relationship and how different preparations affect health. The key difference is linguistic: "supari" is the Hindi and Marathi term for the "betel nut" (or areca nut).