Korean post partum nutrition

[Guest guest]

My Taekwondo Grandmaster took my family to dinner today. During the

traditional Korean meal, I commented on the delicious wakame relish

(but then I commented on everything positively and need no more food

for days now <g>). He went on to tell me that in Korea, when a woman

gives birth, she is to eat only a special soup for one week. This

soup has much seaweed, some sliced meat, onion, garlic, and such in a

bone broth. She may have it with steamed rice on the side.

Apparently, this soup is for the woman's benefit and helps to reduce

the uterus size after birth and bring about recovery in general. Just

thought I'd pass this bit of tradition on fwiw. Kwanchangnim is very

traditional in all things and lived in Korea from birth until circa

1968. He teaches the Korean martial art of Taekwondo to those of us

fortunate enough to receive his training.

He also has a dilemma with garlic. Koreans eat lots of fresh raw

garlic and hot peppers (chiles) with traditional meals. But in

America, people stand back from the smell of someone who reeks of such

good nutrition. So his wife, very lovely lady that she is, makes for

him a special ferment of sliced garlic in vinegar with salt and sugar

(?) which sits out unrefrigerated for two years. By then, the garlic

smell is gone.

I love my Taekwondo family!

http://www.wonparktkd.com/

Deanna