Typhoon and Rice

Ben and I were planning on going to Shibuya today. Our host family warned us that it was going to be very windy, and that there were warnings on the TV, but we figured, it couldn't be worse than Boulder, and decided to take our chances. We made it all the way to the train station near the house, where we saw in giant writing. "DUE TO THE TYPHOON, TRAINS WILL BE RUNNING ON ON A REDUCED SCHEDULE, WORKERS ARE ADVISED TO RETURN HOME." I was more afraid due to the fact that the trains were running on a reduced schedule than of the fact that their was a typhoon. I haven't yet seen a train more than a minute late, so the idea of a reduced schedule set off all kinds of warning bells in my head. We decided to return home. Even though it was only about noon, there were a ton of people already returning home for the day. Our host family was relieved to see that we hadn't ventured into Tokyo, injuries have already been reported in the city. Saitama is expected to be one of the safest areas in Japan today, because it is neither costal nor mountainous, so no need to worry about us. Ben and I will instead pack and read driving laws. (We're getting our car tomorrow).

White Rice!

At home rice is seen as a filler food, and the idea of eating a plain bowl of rice as a side dish seems just plain boring. That is what I thought before coming here. I will still admit that rice still tastes pretty boring to me, but I now truly see its worth. I have a pansy stomach, it is almost always upset. But since I've moved here, my stomach has stopped hurting, and I think it is largely influenced my new increased consumption of rice. When asked about rice, most Japanese people will tell you that it balances your food for digestion, and that because it is so easy on your stomach it is important to eat at every meal. I think they are right. My stomach has never felt better. There are of course many other elements that play a part in my new wonderful stomach health, but for now, give rice a second chance, your stomach might just thank you. 

Appendix...

If you are interested in the fruits of my highly biased research, check out what I've found. I love researching. 

In general research tends to show that overall rice is not good for you. It is nutritionally void, high in calories, and increases your risks of diabetes. The pros are, it is very easy to digest, it is hypoallergenic, and it is very filling.

This is from a diet site, it succinctly states the pros to eating white rice.

Asian diet for weight loss

This article is just plain cool:

What you eat can affect your genes.

For every serving of rice eaten per day your risk of type II diabetes goes up 11%, unless you match your increased consumption with increased exercise.

Think twice about rice, new studies advise