Macrobiotic Diet
There is so much in the external world which affects our lives: litter, smog, pollution of the water and in-ground, noisy upstairs neighbors; that it’s a wonder we don’t take more care for what we ourselves put inside our body. From amphetamines and steroids to drugs and alcohol and cigarettes to soda and candy to a host of other ‘bad’ things we all do all the time, there is stunning wonder to the type, volume, and scope of things we all do to our detriment.
For followers of macrobiotics and the macrobiotic diet, they believe that food and food quality plays a larger role in our lives than is popularly thought. Health, well being, and happiness are all played out across the stage of our lives and that the more natural the food; the more traditional the preparation, the better for us.
Macrobiotic diets consists of food which is locally and/or organically grown such as grains, cereals, vegetables, fruit, seaweed, and soy products. According to one of the early proponents of the macrobiotic diet, there were ten diets in the system which varied in proportions and food types; the best one of these diets consisted virtually entirely of cereals and allowed almost no beverages.
A sample macrobiotic diet may have 50-60% whole grains, 30% vegetables, 5% soups, along with a small amount of beans, nuts, seeds, fruit, or fish.
Perhaps the most important factor in the macrobiotic diet is the yin and yang; equal and opposite; that strive for balance and harmony in the natural and physical surroundings which the macrobiotic lifestyle is a huge proponent of.
Just as there are positives there are negatives. Fans of the diet say things like macrobiotic diets can cure cancer, cataracts, and aid following major operations like colonic irrigation. But don’t go grab your grocery bag just yet; dangers of macrobiotic diets for we Westerners especially who were brought up on Coca Puffs and TV dinners could be the shock to the system in the lack of trans fats and other things which are bad but which our body has gotten used to.
If anything, try the macrobiotic diet for a little bit and then see if it’s worked for you to continue on.