Classical Wisdom Speaks The Ancient Secrets to a Healthy Diet
Oct 9, 2025
Claire Bubb, an Assistant Professor at NYU and author of How to Eat Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers, delves into ancient dietary practices. She explores how Greeks and Romans meticulously crafted their diets, linking food choices to health. Discover the significance of starting meals with sharp foods and ending with sweets, as well as the importance of seasonal eating. Bubb highlights the fascinating interplay of culture, medical opinions, and personal health, offering timeless insights for modern living.
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Health Requires Active Maintenance
- Ancient dietetics treated health as active maintenance, not passive luck.
- Claire Bubb emphasizes listening to your body and adapting food and exercise daily.
Food Shapes The Body's Material State
- Ancient medical thinking held food's qualities directly altered the body's substance.
- Doctors argued eaten material replenishes bodily 'juices', so food properties matter for health.
Diet As Moral Practice
- Philosophers advised restrictive, simple diets to cultivate self-control and moral virtue.
- This moral framing often conflicted with doctors' practical, health-focused dietary advice.
