KALAPALO BRAZIL
strive for moderation.

On route to live with the Kalapalo, sparse meals and long days were starting to get to Richard and me. We felt that we were distracted from all the incredible surroundings by our hunger. We vowed that once we entered the tribe, we would not think about or seek out food: we promised each other that we would not eat unless offered.  Wow did we pick the wrong tribe to try this! In Kalapalo culture, as opposed to almost every other tribe we visited, meals were self-serve.

For four days, while struggling with one of the hottest locations and hardest sports, Richard and I ate nothing. The first day was the hardest, but after the initial 24 hours we acclimatized fairly well. On the fifth day, our host parents started to get concerned that they hadn’t seen us eat and they finally explained to us their meal traditions. The experience demonstrated to me how much we Americans over consume and how little we actually need. In fact, by consuming more than we need, the energy expended to digest the excess food begins to require even more energy and therefore food. It’s a vicious cycle that leads to an unhealthy lifestyle and lethargy.

This didn’t teach me to just eat only as much food as I need. The experience brought home the virtue of true moderation, for example, only buying things that I will actually use.  Once we consume or involve ourselves in more than we should, the excess impacts our lives much more than we think it will.  Ask anyone with a blackberry!