Transcript chapter13
People of the Balkans
and the
Middle East
Chapter 13
Cultural Perspective
Balkan Nations
Greece
Albania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Montenegro
Serbia
◦ Kosovo
◦ Vojvodina
Macedonia
Croatia
Slovenia
Bulgaria
Romania
Middle East
Bahrain
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Oman
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
Cultural Perspective
Temperate in
climate and suited
to agriculture
Aridity limits
cultivation
Greek and Turkish
influences
throughout
Very diverse in
religious affiliation
History of People of the Balkans in
US
Greek immigrants
came in late 1800s
and early 1900s and
then after WWII
◦ Early immigrants
came to America for
economic
opportunities
◦ 1940s after a civil war
and then in 1967 after
a military coup
History of People of the Balkans
in US
Croatians came in 1850-60s to
southern and western regions of US
◦ Oyster fisheries of the Mississippi
◦ Fruit horticulture in northern California
Serbs were unskilled laborers who
obtained industrial jobs in the
northeast
Immigration for both increased after
WWII
History of People of the Balkans
in US
Slovenians arrived between 1880 and
WWI but many listed as Austrians
◦ Farmers seeking economic opportunity
◦ Settled in Midwest with self-sustaining
ethnic communities
History of People of the Middle
East in US
Statistics are inexact
Until 1900s all were called “Egyptians”
Later termed “Syrians” or “Turks from
Asia”
Early Arab immigrants came at the turn
of the 20th century for economic
opportunity
Most Christians from Lebanon and Syria
Settled in the Midwest and New England
More came after WWII
◦ Many Palestinian Christians fleeing Israel
Current Demographics and
Socioeconomic Status: Balkans
NYC has largest concentration of
Greek Americans
◦ Unemployment rates are low
◦ Families living below poverty is below
average
Croatians and Serbs were originally in
mining regions of the Midwest
Slovenians in Ohio
◦ Incomes close to the US average
Current Demographics and
Socioeconomic Status: Balkans
Bosnian refugees came in the early
1990s seeking refuge from ethnic
cleansing
Left homeland suddenly
Most Muslim and live in Bosnian Muslim
neighborhoods
◦ St. Louis
Strong work ethic
Lack of English skills or credentialing
difficulties
Average income is low
Current Demographics &Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
Demographic data problematic
One of the fastest growing ethnic
groups in America
◦ Most are now Muslim
◦ From 15% in 1970 to 73% in 2000
◦ Appear to prefer to be called “Arab” as
opposed to national affiliation
1/3 have settled in CA, NY, and MI
◦ Detroit has largest concentration of
Muslims
Current Demographics &Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
Many are entrepreneurs
High school graduation rate exceeds
US average
College graduation rate exceeds US
average
Median family income above average
◦ Lebanese and Syrian below average
Poverty rates are high for some
◦ “Arabs” and Iraqis
Current Demographics & Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
Iranian Americans and Turkish Americans do
well with income, education
Immigration from Israel began in the 1950s
after independence of the nation
◦ Jewish Israelis settled in established Jewish
communities
◦ Arab Israelis settle in urban areas with other
Arabs
◦ Come for educational and professional
opportunities
◦ Some due to political unrest
◦ Average earnings and education are above the
US norm
Worldview: Religion – People of
the Balkans
Greeks and Greek Americans
◦ Greek Eastern Orthodox Church
Serbs
◦ Serbian Orthodox Autonomous Church
Croatians and Slovenians
◦ Devout Roman Catholics
Some Slovenians are Protestants
◦ Windish
Bosnian Croats were Catholic
Bosnian Serbs followed the Eastern Orthodox
Recent Bosnian refugees are Sunni Muslims
Worldview: Religion – Middle
Easterners
Early Arab immigrants were Christian
◦ Eastern Orthodox
Egyptian Coptic Church
Recent immigrants follow Islam
◦ Sunni Muslims
Friday Sabbath has been moved to Sunday
◦ Iranians
Shi’ite Muslims and other religious minorities
Baha’i Faith is a Muslim offshoot that renounced ties to
Islam
◦ Turkish Americans are Sunni Muslims
Israeli Americans typically Jewish
Worldview: Family - Balkans
Greeks strongly patriarchal
◦ Unquestioned authority with numerous
responsibilities
◦ Women focus on home, family, church
Croatian and Serbian families patriarchal
◦ Extended families the norm
Bosnians did maintain extended family
homes but this has changed
◦ Men and women both work but women retain
responsibility for the home
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
Arab families have a strong patriarchal
family whose honor must be
maintained
◦ Demand conformity and subordination
◦ In turn family is protected
◦ Can identify with family status
Extended family members live in
single home or a family compound
◦ Exception in Egyptians who live
traditionally in nuclear family groups
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
Men and women are equal but with different
roles and responsibilities
Children are valued
Men obligated to provide economic security
for children
Women are to socialize them including the
preservation of religious and cultural values
Women provide love and comfort in the home
◦ Strong bond between mothers and children
Views in US are changing
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
Marriage contracts often arranged
◦ Many marry cousins
Egyptians and Arab Christians do not
◦ Date after engagement announced
◦ Chastity and modesty of the women
related to family honor
Mother is responsible for daughter’s chastity
◦ Interethnic marriages discouraged
Not Egyptians
Iranians and Turks similar to Arabs
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
Israelis live in nuclear families
◦ Rural settlement cooperatives in Israel
called kibbutzim where families live and
work communally
◦ Children raised by age-level
◦ Community meals
◦ Homes typically patriarchal but women
are well-educated and many employed
◦ Ethnic identity preserved by enrolling their
children in religious training and other
activities
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
Physical fitness essential to good
health
Necessary for development of
character
For Greeks
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Eating a good diet
Relaxation
Adequate sleep
Keeping a positive attitude
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
Most care provided by mothers or
grandmothers
Many kept an herbal pharmacy for
therapeutic teas
Cupping includes blood-letting
More severe conditions by midwives
and bonesetters
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
Belief in “evil eye” prevalent
◦ From envy
Causes accidents and illness
Wear garlic, blue amulets with eye in
the center
When receiving a compliment will spit
two or three times to keep harm away
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Cleanliness, diet, keeping warm and
dry maintain health
May believe wind or air cause illness
◦ Lebanese Muslims believe women are
especially vulnerable to wind after
childbirth
Avoid showers and baths
◦ Babies vulnerable through the umbilicus
Wrap babies stomach with band called zunaad
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Iranians practice traditional humoral
medicine
◦ Hot and cold only
◦ People are born with a physiological
temperament
Women colder than men
Younger people hotter than older people
Influenced by diet, climate, geographical
location, certain conditions
◦ Sickness can be caused by too many hot
items or too many cold items
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Iranians also concerned about how much
blood they have
◦ Thinness, weakness, irritability, lethargy,
headaches, excessive bleeding from injuries,
etc.
Narahati is term used for feelings of
physical and emotional discomfort
◦ Usually private and nonverbal
Naharati qalb (heart distress) is fluttering
of the heart from strong expression of
anger or sadness
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Long-standing tradition of home health
Folk remedies common
◦ Use ko’hl
Dark powder from antimony used in cosmetics
Herbal remedies prevalent
◦ Yarrow for diabetes
◦ Khella for kidney disorders
Palestinians use traditional remedies
as food and medicine
◦ Mallow as a laxative, etc.
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Cupping to cure chronic leg pain, paralysis,
headaches, obesity
Wasm or cauterization
◦ Heated rod places symbolic burn marks on a
patient
Below anus for diarrhea
◦ Burns then treated with herbal poultices
Evil eye is feared
Mental illness may be possession by the devil
Place health in the hands of God
Illness may be seen as punishment from God
Biomedicine well established
Traditional Food Habits
Origins of dishes
unknown
Wheat, olives,
dates
Sheep
Rice, chickpeas,
lemons
Traditional Food Habits
Significant differences due to dietary
restrictions and proximity to other
cuisines
Pork popular in Christian populations
that neighbor Europe but not in Christian
areas in Greece where lamb is preferred
as in the Middle East
Alcoholic beverages banned for Muslims
but widely consumed in Turkey possibly
because of proximity to Russia
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Loaves and
flatbreads
◦ Pita or pocket bread
◦ Lavash or cracker
bread
Wheat doughs to
make pies and
turnovers
◦ Phyllo or filo
◦ Makes savory pies or
desserts
Baklava or paklava
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Burghul or bulgur
◦ Cracked whole wheat steamed and crushed
◦ Tabouli
Rice
◦ Pilaf or pilav
◦ In Iran called polo and has a crunchy crust
◦ Basmati, a fragrant rice
Many legumes
◦ Ground chickpeas for hummus
◦ Fava beans in pita bread with raw vegetables
Falafel
◦ Lentils
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Many vegetables
Popular cooking method is called yiachni
Eggplant is most popular
Thinly sliced cucumber or tomato for salads
Vegetables often stuffed with meat or rice
◦ Moussaka minced lamb, eggplant, onions,
tomato sauce
Stuffed grape or cabbage leaves
Potatoes
Vegetables often eaten raw, mixed together
or preserved
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
The olive
Extremely important in Greek and
Middle Eastern dishes
◦ Stronger flavor
◦ Accompany meal or served as an
appetizer
◦ Source of olive oil
◦ Generally in dishes to be eaten cold
◦ Used to deep fry fish, not other foods
Olives
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Fruits preferred fresh
Used as desserts or snacks
Add fruits to savory dishes
Served dried or as jams or compotes
Slatko is fruit simmered in thick syrup
◦ A Balkan specialty
Fruit juices and syrups often used to
flavor foods
◦ Especially lemon
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Fresh milk not widely consumed
◦ Used in puddings or custards
Dairy products fermented into yogurt
or cheese
◦ Yogurt is a side dish
◦ Cheese made from goat’s, sheep’s, or
camel’s milk
Feta
Numerous others
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Most meat and seafood consumed
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Pork avoided in Muslim countries
Shellfish avoided among observant Jews
Lamb is most widely used meat
Pork is popular in Balkans
Grilling, frying, grinding, stewing
◦ Kabobs
◦ Souvlaki is thin slices of lamb layered onto a
rotisserie, grilled, carved, served
May be made into gyros
Whole roasted lamb/sheep prepared for
special occassions
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Numerous spices and herbs from former
spice trade
Dill, garlic, mint, cardamom, cinnamon,
oregano, parsley, pepper
Sumac is sprinkled on salads
◦ Mixed with thyme to make Arabic seasoning
called za’atar
Verjuice is from unripe lemons and gives
sour taste to dishes
Sesame seeds used frequently
◦ Crushed to make a thick paste called Tahini
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Fruit juice popular
beverage
◦ Fruit syrups or flower
extracts mixed with ice
to make sharbat
(sherbet)
Coffee flavored with
cardamom, lots of
sugar
◦ Turkish or Serbian
coffee
◦ Made in briki
Tea also consumed
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Wine and distilled spirits in the Balkans
◦ Civek – a rosé served throughout Slovenia
◦ Sljivovica - A high-proof brandy made from
plums available in both Serbia and Slovenia.
◦ Retsina - white wine with resinous flavor
◦ Ouzo and arak - anise flavored apertifs
Raki is a Turkish version
◦ Metaxia is orange-flavored brandy
Regional Variations: Balkans
Combine European and Middle
Eastern elements in cooking
Northern nations more influenced by
Europe
◦ Includes Romania
Southern nations more influenced by
the Middle East
◦ Greek is considered Turkish
◦ Includes Albania
Regional Variations: Balkans
Northern Balkans
Pork and veal with German-style
sausages
Pljeskavica are large, thin beef or
lamb patties that are grilled
Potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, wild
mushrooms
◦ May be stuffed with meat and rice
◦ Bell peppers, onions, potatoes, or
cabbage leaves give a Balkan flavor
Regional Variations: Balkans
Fruits are cooler weather
◦ Desserts such as dumplings and strudels,
compotes
Buttermilk frequently consumed
Fresh cheese often combined with herbs
Cream in soups, stews, casseroles
Sour cream or whipped cream tops many
dishes
Treat is a sweet yeast bread rolled with
walnut, butter, cream and egg filling called
potica
◦ With dried fruits or savory
Regional Variations: Middle
Eastern
Three (or five) culinary areas
◦ Greek/Turkish
◦ Iranian
◦ Arabic
Plus
◦ Israeli
◦ North African (Moroccan)
Every region has unique recipes and
cooking methods
Similarity is striking
Regional Variations: Greece and
Turkey
More meat, fish and seafood, cheese, butter
and olive oil
Use flatware instead of fingers
Common dishes
◦ Filo dough with spinach & feta: Spanakopita/
ispanakli
◦ Caviar dip – taramasalata/tarama
◦ Salads with fresh greens, tomato, cucumbers,
olives, lemon juice-olive oil vinaigrette
Greeks like pastries while Turks like fruit
compotes or rich custards and candy
Fasting rules vary drastically between
Eastern Orthodox and Muslim
Regional Variations: Arab
More grains, legumes, and vegetables
National dishes
◦ Kibbeh from cracked wheat, onion, lamb in Syria
and Lebanon
◦ Mansef in Jordan – flatbreads layered with yogurt
and then topped with rice pilaf, lamb or chicken
◦ Ful medames in Egypt - cooked fava beans with
oil, lemon, garlic, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs
Tharid - a casserole of layered flatbread with
meat stew
◦ Reportedly Mohammed’s favorite dish
Regional Variations: Arab
All areas use variety meat
◦ All parts of the animal
◦ Breads, heads, feet, chitterlings are a
specialty
Pacha an Iraqi soup
◦ Sheep heads, stomach, trotters (feet)
served with bread and pickled vegetables
Syrian food is spicier
Regional Variations: Iran
Well suited climates for many fruits and
vegetables
◦ Spinach, pomegranates, saffron
Area dominated during Persian Empire
Trade brought rice, tea, eggplants, citrus,
tamarind, garam marsala (for curry)
Called Persian cuisine
◦ Sophisticated rice dishes and use of fruits for
flavoring
Bread called nan
Regional Variations: Israel
Food and culture probably most varied
Blends Middle Eastern with the many
Jewish immigrant groups
Many adhere to kosher laws of the
Jewish religion
Exploring Global Cuisine:
Romanian Fare
Romania is between the West and East
Food has Turkish and Hungarian
overtones
Also Italian and central Europe
influences
Most Romanians are Eastern Orthodox
Regional discord and shifting boundaries
Influence of Greece, Turkey, Italy,
Armenia and Russia
Exploring Global Cuisine:
Albanian Fare
Poorest areas farmers and shepherds
live on cornmeal bread, cheese and
yogurt with lamb or mutton when
affordable
Vegetables are only pickled as side
dishes
Fruits are only eaten fresh as desserts
or preserves
Always prepared separately and not
mixed
Exploring Global Cuisine:
Moroccan Cooking
Part of the Maghreb, a region of North
Africa
Cooking is Berber in origin
Notable for exquisite seasonings
◦ Spices, herbs, medicinal herbs
Flavored by the preferred fats of the
region
Couscous is a staple
◦ Crushed grains of semolina
Foods eaten with first three fingers of
right hand
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – The Balkans
3 meals per day
Light breakfast
Main meal at midday
◦ Short nap afterwards in hotter climates
May have afternoon visitors for sweets,
coffee, or ouzo
Dinner is lighter and later in the evening
Snacking is prevalent
◦ Mezze are small dishes of various items
widely available from street vendors and
cafes
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Coffee or tea served early about 7 or 8
Then a light meal of bread, cheese, beans,
eggs, olives, jams, yogurt
Lunch is main meal eaten early afternoon
◦ Bread, rice or bulgur, casserole, stew, salad,
desert of fresh fruit or pastry
◦ Dilute yogurt drink or water to drink followed by
sweet tea or coffee
Dinner in early evening is light
◦ Foods similar to those eaten at breakfast, soup
or leftovers from lunch
Served all at once except in Jordan,
Lebanon, Syria where courses are served
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Turkish meals vary slightly
Breakfast is served a little later but is
often substantial
Lunch eaten about noon
Dinner between 6 and 8
◦ Dinner is main meal of the day
Served in courses
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Iranian breakfast includes flat breads
with cheese, whipped cream and jam
Lunch and dinner are similar
◦ Stew often served over rice
Fruit is typical dessert
Yogurt drink or tea as beverages
Dishes served all at once
Eaten communally
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Israel breakfasts are light
◦ Sabbath breakfasts are heartier
Traditional breakfast buffet associated with Kibbutz
life offered at some restaurants
Midday meal is largest
Evening meal is light with cheese,
yogurt, salads, eggs
◦ Eaten at 8 or 9
May serve all at once or in courses
Street stands are popular
Fruit juices, soft drinks, beer are popular
Etiquette
Hospitality is a duty
Family’s status measured by how
guests are treated
Guests are always made to feel welcome
and automatically offered food and drink
Refusal is an insult
Invited guests bring a gift which will be
served
Hospitality offered even in an office
setting
Etiquette
What food and in what order food is
served expresses the recipient’s status
Guests entertained first in a separate
room
Hands washed with scented water
Status based on sex, age, family, social
rank
◦ Honored seat
◦ Best portion served to dignitary or head of
household
◦ Women may eat separately from men
Etiquette
Dining table
◦ Large round metal tray low on a stool or
platform
◦ In Iran, food served on a rug
◦ Western-style dining is found
After the meal, all leave the table,
wash hands, have coffee or tea
Etiquette
Always wash hands before eating
In Muslim areas Allah will be thanked
before and after the meal
3 fingers of the right hand used if forks
and spoons are not offered
◦ NEVER use the left hand to eat or pass
Women should never touch food that is
to be eaten by a Muslim man who is not
her immediate family member
Rice taken from communal bowl and
rolled into ball then dipped into sauce
Etiquette
Lick your fingers
Eating noises express appreciation
Don’t fill your cup but do refill your
neighbors’
Don’t stop eating until everyone else is
finished
Leave a little food on the plate to indicate
you are full
Conversation before and after the meal
Compliment the host and hostess
Special Occasions
Eastern Orthodox Church has many
feast and fast days
Most important Greek holiday is Easter
◦ Red-dyed Easter eggs
◦ Easter bread called lambropsomo decorated
with eggs
◦ Easter soup called mayeritsa made of lamb’s
intestines
◦ Easter cookie called koulourakia
◦ Roast lamb
Also celebrate Greek Independence Day
in US
Special Occasions
Croatians celebrate Easter similar to
the Greeks
Christmas Eve features meal of cod,
stuffed cabbage and sauerkraut
Serbians celebrate Patron Saint’s
Day
◦ Each family honors its self-chosen patron
saint with feasting and dancing
Also celebrate St. Nick’s Feast and St.
Martin’s Feast
Special Occasions
Ramadan
◦ Month Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset
◦ Break the fast with iftar
Dine with relatives and neighbors
Water, odd number of dates, coffee, tea
Then a large meal
◦ Dawn meal is light
Avoid salt as water is not allowed during the
fast
Special Occasions
Eid al-Fitr
◦ Follows end of Ramadan and is a cross
between the feasting of Thanksgiving and
the festivity of Christmas
Eid al-adha
◦ Feast of Sacrifice held with the annual
pilgrimage (Hadj) to Mecca
Special Occasions
In Turkey, Seker Bayram is Eid-al-Fitr
◦ Sugar Festival
◦ Gifts and sweet treats exchanged
10th day of the first lunar month Turks
celebrate the martyrdom of Mohammed’s
grandson and the day Noah was able to
leave the ark
◦ Noah’s pudding (asure) made from fresh and
dried fruits, nuts, legumes
Kurban Bayram is day of remembrance for
when Abraham almost sacrificed his son
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
Special Occasions
Iran’s most significant holiday is
Muharram
◦ Commemorates the martyrdom of
Mohammed’s grandson
Time of communal mourning and
penitence for Shi’ites
Nau Roz is a spring festival with a
special meal and ceremonial table
setting
◦ Seven foods that start with “s”
◦ Then a traditional meal
Special Occasions
Israel observes traditional holidays of the
Jewish calendar
Sabbath is from sunset Friday to sunset
Saturday
◦ All businesses close and work prohibited
Friday meal served on white linen and
serves a traditional cup of wine
All foods on Saturday must be prepared
Friday
Also celebrate Independence Day with
barbecues
Therapeutic Uses of Food
Fresh foods considered best
◦ Canned and frozen may be avoided
Amount of food of special concern
◦ Ample meals prevent illness
◦ Poor appetite is a disease itself
◦ Food deprivation causes illness
Therapeutic Uses of Food
Hot cold shift may cause illness
In Iran:
◦ Too many hot foods may cause a headache,
cured by cold foods
◦ Too many cold foods may cause dizziness,
cured by hot foods
◦ Temperature, not spiciness, causes shift in
body from hot to cold, and vice versa
◦ Digestive system must have time to adjust to
one extreme
◦ Certain conditions are not hot or cold
Therapeutic Uses of Food
Certain food combinations are
damaging to health
◦ Egyptians won’t eat fish with dairy
◦ Others avoid eating sour foods with milk
or legumes with cheese
◦ Iranians won’t consume melon with
yogurt as it causes wind in the stomach
and GI disorders
Therapeutic Uses of Food
Special foods with childbirth
◦ When a woman gives birth to a girl in Iran,
coldness is neutralized with a diet high in hot
foods to ensure a male child in the next
pregnancy
Division between food and medicine blurred
Many foods will have multiple therapeutic
uses
◦ Turnips good for the kidneys and urinary tract
◦ Cauliflower good for the respiratory system
◦ Palestinians consider garlic good for many, many
things
Contemporary Food Habits in the
US: Adaptations of Food Habits
Very little data
available
Assumed that length
of stay correlates with
Americanization of the
diet
Traditional meals
prepared and eaten for
main meal or special
occasions
Religious dietary
practices probably do
not change
significantly
Contemporary Food Habits in the US:
Ingredients and Common Foods
Greeks still use lots of olive oil
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Consumption of beef and pork increased
Consumption of legumes decreased
Consume more milk
Dinner now main meal
Egyptians continue traditional wheat
bread consumption
◦ Intake of legumes, fava beans lower
◦ Snacking and eating out more prevalent
◦ Soft drinks more popular
Meal Composition and Cycle
Greeks maintain traditional meal patterns
◦ Main meal is now dinner in the evening
Recipes adapted to be less time consuming,
to include fewer fats and spices
Assume that Americans of Croat, Serbian
and Slovenian heritage are similar
Many Arab American still eat meal at mid-day
Extended family dine together daily, women
at home cook for other employed women
◦ Egyptians now have main meal as evening
dinner
Nutritional Status: Intake
Traditional diet of nations bordering
the Mediterranean
◦ Low in saturated fats
◦ High in monounsaturated fats
◦ High in omega-3 fatty acids
Lowered risk of CVD and cancer
Diet is becoming more westernized
Role of alcohol consumption not fully
understood
Nutritional Status: Intake
Obesity rates for Greeks
◦ 50% for women, 75% for men
Lebanese young adults eating fewer
fruits, vegetables, legumes
◦ Eating more meat, sugar, soft drinks,
alcoholic beverages
Bosnian immigrants need counseling
for diet and exercise
◦ Dental problems and alcohol abuse
◦ Hypertensive disease in refugees
Nutritional Status: Intake
Arab men in Arabian Peninsula
◦ Metabolic syndrome
High prevalence of undiagnosed
problems
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Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
Insulin resistance
Low HDL
Tendency towards abdominal obesity
Nutritional Status: Intake
US Arab research shows similar
trends
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Obesity and central obesity
High blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic syndrome
Low HDL
Leading cancer deaths in Arab
Americans are lung, colorectal and
breast
Nutritional Status: Intake
Effects of Ramadan fasting
◦ No significant changes in body weight
◦ Increases in uric acid blood level noted
May correlate with high rates of kidney stones
and angina pectoris
◦ Pregnant women without medical risk
factors can probably safely go through
Ramadan
◦ Immigrant women fast on average more
days than those born in the US
Nutritional Status: Intake
Exclusive breastfeeding rates very high
◦ Strong social network of support
◦ Turkish women nurse sons longer than
daughters as breast milk believed to increase
strength
Celiac disease considered primary cause
of diarrhea in Iran
◦ May contribute to iron deficiency,
malnutrition, rickets, short stature in children
◦ Thalassemia syndrome may be prevalent
Counseling
Cultural differences contribute to
considerable discomfort and irritation
between health care practitioners and
Middle Eastern clients
Language and communication problems
may be significant
Body language and general atmosphere
as important as words
Misunderstandings are common
High context relationship that is time
consuming and intensive
Counseling
Get to know each other before
discussing business
◦ Ethnic background, socioeconomic status,
religious affiliation, etc.
Coffee or tea offered establishes a warm
and hospitable atmosphere
Direct eye contact expected
Personal space further with strangers
Greeks may smile when angry
Head nods may be opposite of what is
expected
Counseling
Touching between same sex frequent
Touching between opposite sex
prohibited
No extended eye contact between
opposite sex
Left hand not used for ANY social
purpose including passing things
Wait for them to extend their hand in
greeting
Counseling
Proper posture shows respect
Do not cross legs, point with foot, or
show sole of shoe
In Turkey, stand when an elder enters
the room
May be more receptive to verbal
information than written
Allow for questions about family,
general interests, etc., at beginning of
interaction
Counseling
Speak kindly, soft, respectfully
Keep options to a minimum
Family members may insist on
participating in all conversations
Value biomedicine
Have respect for authority figures
May be hesitant to answer questions
or give answers to please provider
Counseling
Provider may have to assess and give
advice without much input from client
Privacy strongly protected
Confidentiality concerns
Suspicion about questions regarding
religion or socioeconomics
Shame about certain conditions may
cause noncompliance in public
◦ Diabetes associated with impotence,
infertility
Counseling
May expect provider to make
decisions for them
Female health care providers may
have problems due to gender
May believe the more intrusive the
procedure the more effective
Poor prognosis discussed first with
family
◦ Only God can make final decision about
death
Counseling
Muslim client may feel most
comfortable with providers of same
gender
Bosnian clients may not understand
importance of taking prescribed
medicines
◦ May use traditional therapies
Counseling
Concerns with therapeutic ingredients
in home remedies
◦ Ko’hl used on umbilical cords of
newborns is high in lead
◦ Foxglove used by some Iranians is where
main ingredient in digitalis comes from
May need to pray during medical visit
◦ Don’t walk in front of them while praying
◦ No talking
Cultural Controversy:
Is Coffee Beneficial to Health?
Still suspect in
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Bladder cancer
Spontaneous abortion
Impaired fetal growth
May aggravate some GI disorders
These groups most susceptible to
adverse effects:
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People with hypertension
Children
Elderly
Pregnant women
Cultural Controversy:
Is Coffee Beneficial to Health?
Coffee does not cause GI disorders,
cardiovascular conditions, or cancer
Coffee may reduce the risk of
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Metabolic syndrome
Coronary heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Several cancers
Rheumatoid arthritis
Possibly Alzheimer’s disease