Health While in Japan

by Melissa Villarreal 

Although we are all young (either physically or at heart), everyone on JET is of an age where they should start thinking about their health. For some JETs this may be the first time they will have lived by themselves and for other it might be the first time they saw dried squid and seaweed at the supermarket before. It is easy to fall into the trap of bad health and bad nutrition while in Japan, but retaining good health in Japan not only makes your experience here even better, it also is an effective way to release stress and combat the effects of cultural shock (which is a continual battle) in Japan.

Food

One of the best ways to maintain your health is watching what you eat. Almost all JETs at some point fall into the trap of poor nutrition. This could be for various reasons, including not having the foods you usually eat on hand (including ones used to maintain your normal diet-vegetarianism, etc.), feeling intimidated by the Japanese supermarket and eating McDonalds or KFC every day, eating the same foods all the time (i.e. spaghetti five days a week), eating out every night, and just not having enough time to cook something for yourself. Even though our JET paycheck gives us more than enough money to eat out every night, it is not recommended. Restaurant food tends to be loaded with fat and chemicals and supermarket food tends to have a lot of preservatives. A healthy diet should include (in decreasing order) grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, protein, dairy/calcium, and fat/sweets. How you take your protein and dairy/calcium will depend on your dietary preferences. Japanese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest, and it is quite healthy; however, many "new" foods such as tempura, tonkatsu, croquette, etc. are less so. Also, Japanese sweets are some of the best, and the number of foreigners who get hooked on Pocky and other Japanese snack food is quite large. Consider yourself warned.

One way to start cooking your own food is to just start. Experimenting can lead to new and tasty creations, and even simple, home-cooked foods can be healthier and more satisfying than eating out. Another good idea is to buy a Japanese cookbook. Cookbooks (in English) can be bought in Kinokuniya or ordered on Amazon.co.jp. This will help you try all that new food in the supermarket and even help you find some new favorite recipes. However, there are times when you want a taste of home, and sometimes the best way to have this is to cook that food yourself. You can gather recipes from some of your favorite foods on the web or have them sent to you from family and friends. Various foreign foods can be bought at Mejiya in Furomachi (Niigata City), online (see link section), and at some supermarkets throughout Niigata. For those with little time, cutting up ingredients beforehand on the weekends can be a big help. Also, making food in bulk and freezing it/eating it throughout the week is another option. If you ever get tired of eating the same old food, throw a potluck party and try the culinary sampling of your friends.

Exercise

What you use to fuel your body is an important aspect to health, and so is exercise. Sure, you may walk 20-30 minutes to get to school (and in the summer you might even sweat doing so), but doing some sort of aerobic exercise regularly will not only help you retain health, release stress, and gain more confidence, but it might also help you retain your figure, especially after that last nomikai you had. There are a variety of ways you can work out in Niigata. Popular ones include joining the local gym, running, joining one of the clubs at school, participating in a class (Kendo, aerobics, etc.), and yoga. If you are interested in joining a particular club or are wondering where the local gyms are located, try asking a co-worker, friend, or fellow JET member.

Sleep

Another very important aspect to retaining good health in Japan is sleep. Sleep is a wonderful thing and will make your day go by more smoothly, make you less irritable, and help you have a good day in general. Upon first arriving in Japan (and perhaps after a visit home), your body will crave sleep, and it is important to give your body rest during this time. Although part of the reason is due to jetlag, dealing with a new culture and a "foreign" language forces you to use more energy than you would normally use back home. Try not to be too hard on yourself and let your body rest during this time. However, if you find that you are having significant sleeping problems or disturbances, it might be a sign of some major stress in your life. If you continue to have sleeping problems for some time, call one of your PAs.

Mental Health

Mental and physical health are inter-related, and when one deteriorates, the other tends to decline as well. There are many ways that one's mental health can decrease in Japan. Some find dealing with their new culture stressful, others deal with living by themselves for the first time, and others might have a mixture of the above along with other stressors. Some physical and emotional signs of stress in your life may include difficulty falling or staying asleep, constantly feeling tired, feeling anxious, criticizing the people and things around you, and getting annoyed over little things.

There are many ways to help relieve some of the stress in your life. One of the most useful is staying in good physical condition by eating well, exercising, and getting plenty of rest. Others include contacting family and friends, going out and trying new things, exploring new areas, hanging out with and visiting people, doing something that you usually find enjoyable, practicing your faith or spirituality, and whatever coping methods have worked for you in the past. If you find that the coping methods are not working or that you have significant changes in your eating or sleeping patterns, prolonged depression, a need to consume alcohol, self-destructive behavior, or that your behavior interferes with work, you should contact your PA or another counseling service.

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