The reason I got back to Hansik

I was a meat-lover. Not a day went by without having a meat dish. Skipping meat dishes does not feel like the right way to wrap up the day. Mostly when I was a regular gym-goer, I chose meat dishes for dinner to increase my protein intake. Sometimes I suffered indigestion and bloating, but I never questioned my diet. I thought that the problem was overeating, not my diet. As I grew older, a meat-based diet gave me more trouble than happiness. I often felt tired and drowsy after a meal. I couldn't go to bed early or have a good night sleep because of bloating. At worst, I didn't feel good the next morning, like I had a hangover. Nevertheless, I never stopped enjoying fulfilling meat dishes. It was silly to eat meat, regret, and repeat.

The other day, I came across a documentary about the plant-based diets. It covered elite athletes who maintain plant-based diets to improve their chance of winning. According to the film, blood circulation is hindered after eating meat. Our muscles need oxygen and nutrients when we exercise, which the blood transports. If blood circulation is interrupted, it affects agility, strength, and stamina. On the other hand, a plant-based diet cleans the blood. We already know that patients with metabolic syndrome, heart or arterial diseases should avoid meat and eat greener. (Even though I agreed with the core message of the film, it was a shame that a few representative experiments covered in the film were not scientifically designed).

Perhaps I was also experiencing the side effects of a meat-based diet. I wanted to start a vegan diet; however, preparing healthy vegan dishes was challenging. It seemed difficult to get the right amount of protein, vitamin B12, and other nutrients through vegan dishes. Vegan dishes are often bland. To prepare tasty and nutritious dishes, I had to invest a lot more time. Also, sticking to a vegan diet limits options when dining out. In the film, the athletes were fully supported and had personal chefs and dietitians, but I don't have those resources. After a few nights of trial and error, I just decided to get back to Hansik. Hansik refers to Korean food that consists of a bowl of rice, soup, and a variety of side dishes. Fresh vegetables are the side dishes' main ingredients. Overall, meat and vegetables are well-balanced in Hansik, and the cooking process doesn't often include frying in oil. Even though I am Korean, I have long been enjoying one main dish—usually meat—as a meal. Now I am focusing on increasing my intake of vegetables using traditional Hansik. Right after I changed my diet, I felt more healthy and fit.

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어휘 및 표현 정리
indigestion / ˌin-(ˌ)dī-ˈjes-chən, -ˈjesh- /
bloat / ˈblōt /
drowsy / ˈdrau̇-zē

meet / ˈmēt
meat / ˈmēt

oxygen / ˈäk-si-jən / 악시전
agility / ə-ˈji-lə-tē
experiment / ik-ˈsper-ə-mənt / 익스페러먼트
representitive / ˌre-pri-ˈzen-tə-tiv / 레프리-

bowl / ˈbōl
bowel / ˈbau̇(-ə)l

metabolic / ˌme-tə-ˈbä-lik

not a day went by without 매일 -을 해야 한다. -없이는 하루도 지나지 않는다.
meat dish 고기 반찬, 고기로 만든 음식
wrap up the day 하루를 마루리하다
at worst 최악의 경우에는
stamina 체력(지구력)