Thai cultural engagement ceremony with monks

Inside the World of Monastic Cooking Traditions: Simple, Sacred, and Sustainable

When modern people learn of the spiritual and religious undertone of monastic cooking traditions, they usually encounter surprises. Contemporary culinary practices and diets differ significantly from those found in the kitchens and dining halls of monasteries globally.  Monastic cooking reflects centuries-old practices of not just asceticism, but also culinary minimalism. However, these traditions have outlived…

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Side view a cup of tea bowls of colorful sweets next to the plate of an appetizing cupcake with cream and a cup of tea on the table

How Sugar Hijacks Your Brain — And Why You Keep Craving It

A breakdown of the dopamine-sugar-brain interplay is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of how sugar affects the brain. There are very few food components that stimulate the brain as effectively as sugar does. Metering its consumption may be the key to improving your cognitive ability and self-regulating certain habits.  By default, our body is designed…

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Is Intermittent Fasting Worth the Weight?

Intermittent Fasting: What the Latest Science Really Says About Skipping Meals

Intermittent fasting benefits are probably a subject that influences your daily life choices, particularly if one of the following is true about you. One, you are a biohacking apologist and student of someone like Joe Dispenza, or two, you’re someone given to practices of an ancient religion. However, beyond the affirmations of sentiments and out-of-body…

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Common food preservatives used to kill pathogens in food affect beneficial bacteria as well, threatening the gut microbiome

10 Common Food Additives You Should Know About (And What They Do)

The Industrial Revolution brought mass-produced, processed foods and some of today’s common food additives. Some people ubiquitously see monosodium glutamate (MSG) on food labels, but can’t tell what it is. Fret not if you fall in this category, because you’re not alone.  Today, most commercially processed foods contain additives. This makes it necessary to understand,…

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