What Is a Macrobiotic Diet? The Benefits and Potential Dangers of This Healing Diet
Macrobiotics
Introduced to the West by the Japanese philosopher, George Ohsawa, the macrobiotic diet has become popular in America as a healing diet for cancer. Macrobiotic means ’long life.’ It is not only a diet, but a philosophy and way of life. It is approaching food with the goal of finding harmony with the universe, balancing yin and yang, and therefore reaching a state of optimum health. What we eat should be pure, natural, and balanced. The environment we cook in should be peaceful; the tools we cook with should be organic - woods, metals, ceramic, and glass as opposed to synthetic materials that may leach toxins into our food.
What is in a macrobiotic diet? Fifty to sixty percent of the food consumed should be whole grains - brown rice, oats, rye, amaranth, barley, whole wheat, and corn. Whole grains are considered to be the most balanced foods in terms of yin and yang. Thirty percent of the diet should be vegetables, which are either raw, or sauteed in olive or sesame oil, baked, or steamed. Carrots, sweet potatoes, the cruciferous vegetables, and dark leafy greens should be eaten on a daily basis, while nightshade vegetables should be avoided. Five to ten percent should be beans and sea greens, and another ten percent should be soups, such as miso. Nuts, fish, soy, fruit, fertile eggs, and vegetable oils are also included occasionally. Healing foods, such as shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms, green tea, kukicha, and umeboshi plums can be eaten on a regular basis. Meat, dairy, white sugar, fried foods, and processed foods should not be consumed at all.
There are other rules of this dietary regiment, such as only eating organic, locally grown produce, chewing food well, abstaining from microwaves and electric heat, and only using whole herbs as nutritional supplements, although the diet should be modified to fit the individual’s needs. There are potential dangers as well when the rules become too stringent.
Being Aware of Potential Nutritional Deficiencies
When poorly planned, there are a number of health concerns with choosing this healing diet, namely, nutritional deficiencies. On a base level, what is a macrobiotic diet but a vegan diet (except for two or three servings of fish per week) with restrictions on fruit and vegetable varieties, as well as supplements? Calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin A, iron, zinc, and essential fatty acids, all of which are mostly found in animal products, are difficult to find. Also, this diet can be very low in fat and protein, if enough nuts, beans, and fish are not consumed. In this way, there are dangers of a macrobiotic diet, especially for people who need adequate nutrition, such as children, pregnant and nursing mothers, and people with illness.
The Health Benefits
Despite potential risks, there are boundless health benefits. A macrobiotic diet is low in fat, high in fiber, antioxidants, and cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens. This is probably why it is known as an alternative healing treatment for cancer. Although there are few clinical trials supporting the direct link between macrobiotics and healing, there are many individual people who have claimed that following this type of lifestyle has at least helped cure their cancer.
One of the foundations of macrobiotics is balance, and balance is the key to heath. The diet tries to create an equilibrium in the body between yin and yang, and also between acidic and alkaline forces. The typical American diet tends to be high in acid-forming foods, leaving our bodies unbalanced, and more prone to disease. This dietary philosophy attempts to remedy this problem.
Also, with so many whole grains, this diet is very high in the B-complex vitamins, which the body needs for a number of functions, including mental-well-being and energy production. Sometimes neurological disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are due to a deficiency of b-complex vitamins.
Under the right conditions, starting a macrobiotic diet can potentially do wonders for your health. It is a purifying, healing, natural diet. However, because the range of acceptable foods are limited, it is important to utilize what variety there is- eating not only grains, but also plenty of sea greens, mushrooms, soy, and nuts. Perhaps most importantly, to avoid the dangers, make the diet work for you and your own lifestyle.
Sources:
World’s Healthiest Foods
Page, Linda. “Healthy Healing: A Guide to Self-Healing for Everyone.” Eleventh Edition (Traditional Wisdom, 2003).
photo credit: Macrosaveslives
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