As any foreigner will observe, Türkiye is kind of a health-obsessed nation. The folks right here are likely to eat seasonally with an emphasis on recent produce and fermented meals and there’s a lengthy legacy of medicinal teas and treatments as evident at any farmers’ markets. This ought to come as no shock as Hippocrates, thought of the founding father of recent medication, was born and died simply kilometers away from Türkiye’s shoreline.
What I infer is that the Turks might certainly know one of the best practices to remain wholesome. Fact or fiction, there are some peculiarities surrounding well being that Turks are obsessed with that will merely be misplaced in translation for foreigners.
Therefore, here’s a information to among the quirks the Turks have surrounding well being that will appear peculiar to these from different cultures.
Breezes are dangerous
This is the time of yr when up to now, viral movies have made their option to the net depicting wherever from passive-aggressive to full-on arguments in transportation the place one passenger opens the window to get air, whereas one other instantly runs to close it. This is as a result of most Turks have an aversion to being in direct contact with a breeze or a fan as they consider it’s going to end in them catching the dying of chilly and particularly if they’ve damaged a sweat beforehand.
The upside of that is that nearly each outside institution can have a pile of pashmina-like shawls obtainable for his or her patrons ought to anybody begin to really feel chilly.
AC even worse
Many a Turkish-foreign coupling can attest to the truth that probably the most primary splits of opinions can encompass an air conditioner. The identical may be stated for these overseas gym-goers in Türkiye. This is as a result of, along with breezes, Turks even have a definite distaste for air conditioners.
While they might be proper as there are instances of Legionnaires illness surfacing on account of the comforting equipment, the remark that air conditioners may cause facial paralysis is simply thrown round manner too typically for consolation. Therefore, many gyms gained’t even flip the air conditioner on and when putting in the equipment they have an inclination to situate it in a nook the place it’s going to come into the least quantity of direct contact with the people it’s meant to chill down.
Sitting on stones
While the nation is laden with beautiful stonework buildings, partitions and platforms, Turks refuse to sit down on them. According to a number of warnings acquired up to now, sitting on a stone is perceived to trigger urinary, ovarian and intestinal points. Similarly, virtually each seaside in Türkiye is roofed with plastic solar loungers in order that no one has to truly lay on the sand. Coming from California and Los Angeles at that, this has at all times been a conundrum for me as a result of I don’t assume I ever sunbathed on a lounger on the seaside, these have been reserved solely for poolside conditions.
Instead, the seaside is the place you’ll lay out your towel immediately on the sand and whereas that is practically inconceivable to do these days in Türkiye, it was undoubtedly a serious a part of the entire seaside expertise personally whereas rising up.
Slippers, vital private objects
I don’t assume I even owned a pair of slippers earlier than residing in Türkiye. However, right here it’s undoubtedly a vital merchandise. So a lot in order that households will even have spare slippers obtainable for friends. There are additionally seaside slippers and slippers to put on at residence, that are each distinctly completely different.
This custom is especially as a result of, in Türkiye, one would by no means enter a house with out taking their footwear off. If there may be any takeaway from this text, it ought to be this. Always, I repeat, slippers or not, at all times take your footwear off on the door while you arrive at an individual’s abode. Similarly, ought to your bag or any piece of clothes hit the ground, the very first thing anybody will do is instantly decide it up for you. While I now definitely abide by these cleanliness guidelines, simply to provide perspective and whereas fairly an excessive instance maybe, my highschool in Santa Monica had a “shoes optional” coverage.
No chilly treats in winter
This is one wholesome custom I’ve admittedly not gotten the cling of, however Turks don’t devour ice cream, lemonade or chilly water in winter. In most conditions when one orders water they may even be requested in the event that they would favor chilly or room temperature water, which is simply not a factor in my native U.S. In truth, many people nonetheless yearn for tall glasses crammed with ice cubes for our sodas at any time of the yr, alas most eateries gained’t even have ice obtainable within the colder season months. I consider the idea is that chilly drinks trigger a sore throat, nonetheless, I should have constructed up some immunity to that because it actually has by no means occurred to me personally.
No moist hair, swimsuits
Turks will even by no means go away the house with moist hair within the winter months that’s for positive. While this may increasingly make good sense, one customized I don’t perceive is the necessity to change swimsuits after each dip within the sea or a pool. There should be purpose for the apply, which I initially assumed was merely for folks to disclose their completely different summer time kinds as a result of it’s undoubtedly a steadfast apply for well being considerations comparable to getting an upset abdomen or some type of inside an infection I consider.
Nonetheless, when the seaside golf equipment this summer time resemble the style runways of Paris, know that they’re placing on the most well liked present on the town to remain wholesome and to not showcase.
No garlic, onions in public
While not essentially spurred by well being considerations, a peculiar trait of Turks is to decide on to not partake in something that features onions or garlic ought to they’ve some type of social engagement following. Perhaps that is simply good sense and is definitely kinder to these they plan to breathe upon, I had by no means heard of the idea earlier than arriving in Türkiye, a rustic which apparently sufficient has onions and garlic in practically each dish ready.
This is simply to clear the air for any misunderstandings as as to if your Turkish companion has an aversion to garlic or onions or if they’re merely abstaining on your personal profit, by which case you would possibly need to do the identical, I suppose.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
