Saturnalia
Saturnalia was ancient Roman Holiday when social norms were suspended and roles were reversed. Masters would invite their slaves to eat with them, and sometimes even serve them food.
In the philosophy of medicine it was always to crucial to understand what is a function of an organ. How an organ or even bacteria in our guts serve us- the masters. It was never asked what we the “Masters” do for our cells, our bacteria or the environment around us. It was assumed to be self-evident. Without us the masters, who organize everything the bacteria in our body will starve and die. So a good master was a master that was not hungry.
Who is a good master today, when the endemic hunger and malnutrition is replaced with endemic obesity and diabetis?
Food was such a scarce resource that we developed festivities around having food and sharing it. Strangely today after Thanksgiving and Christmas feast our health is worse than it was a week before. Perhaps, as ancient Romans, we should have festivities where we serve our slaves- the cells and bacteria in our body. But instead of serving them food we should ask first what do they need. Do they need us seating at the table for a half, if our jobs are seating at the desk for the whole day? I would speculate that if purpose of a holiday is to be something different from a regular day then we should mind the difference. Here is a simple Saturnalia guide
If you seat at work all week- do not seat during holidays.
If you stress about things all week – do not stress during holidays.
If you stare at the screen all week, do not stare at a screen during holidays.
If you work physically during the week try not to cut your grass during holidays.
If you feel you overeat during the week try to fast during holiday