Most People in Japan are Slender!

I just came back from the trip of a lifetime: a week in Japan, sponsored by the Japanese Society for Home Hemodialysis. I gave three talks. The first was for the Conference of the Japanese Society for Home Hemodialysis in Shizuoka. The second, for a group of young nephrologists at Kyoto University, and the third was for the staff of the Sakai Rumi Clinic in Kobe, Japan.

Linda with a Group of Young Nephrologists at
the Golden Temple in Kyoto, Japan

My first observation - arriving at the Tokyo Airport (Narita), and heading for Shizuoka by way of the Shinkansen ("bullet train") was, "These people really move!" They walk with purpose; the trains are never late.

The food was fabulous. I ate sashimi (raw fish) for the first time, though I doubt it will become a regular part of my diet. The tempura was extraordinary. Normally, I don't have eye contact with my food as I did with the little tempura'd fish. And I did eat a tiny squid! I thought it was a baby, but was reassured that it was a full-grown adult.

The food was fresh, beautiful, and quite filling. Dessert? One night, it was a scoop of sesame ice cream the size of a golf ball. Another night, fresh melon with three perfect fresh strawberries.

So, all along, we've been stressing exercise and portion control. The Japanese people I met had it all figured out.

Remember, we're all in this together.
Linda Gromko, MD