Macrobiotic diet basics Tùy chọn

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Macrobiotic diet basics [by Linda Wemhoff]
pg.1 Introduction
pg.2 Seven Components
pg.3 Foods Categories
pg.4 Expansive/Contractive
pg.5 Nature's flow
pg.6 Acid/ Alkaline
pg.7 Menu planning
pg.8 A few reminders
pg.9 Unique foods

Macrobiotic diet basics,
Page 1 of 9

Welcome!
The purpose of this site is to introduce basic Macrobiotic diet principles, recipes and menu planning.

I hope you enjoy it!

Topics include:
· Seven Essential Components of a Macrobiotic diet and where to find them;
· Expansive and Contractive Forces;
· The Five Element Theory;
· The Theory of Acid and Alkaline;
· How to organize a menu plan;
· Recipes and seasonal menu plans;
These are only brief explanations that invite you to study further.

My sincerest thanks to the many teachers who shared their knowledge over the years, including Karen Acuff in Sweden who taught me how to incorporate the Five Elements into a delicious menu plan, and to Lisa Ahbel for her encouragement and ideas.

I hope this website supports you on your path towards health and vitality. Please remember to chew well, exercise regularly, drink pure water, have compassion and be grateful for every experience.

Happy Cooking!
Linda
~
Cooking For Health and Vitality
The Seven Essential Components
Beginning with the basics, we see that according to Western Nutritional Theory, the human body needs seven components for health and vitality: carbohydrates, proteins, fats/oils, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and water.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body.

Simple carbohydrates (commonly referred to as simple sugars) include white sugar, honey, corn syrup, and fructose. Simple sugars are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. This quick absorption might give a burst of energy, but it's often followed by an energy 'crash'. Over time, the demand for insulin -the hormone that regulates blood sugar balance- can stress the pancreas. Insulin is also known as the 'fat storage hormone' so the consumption of sugar, demanding the release of insulin, has been linked to obesity.

Complex carbohydrates are found in whole grains and vegetables. These are absorbed slowly into the bloodstream, giving the body consistent energy and not stressing the pancreas with immediate demands for insulin.

Proteins form the major solid matter of our muscles, organs, glands, bones, teeth, skin, nails, and hair. Protein, in fact, is necessary for the building and repairing of all body tissues. Proteins are made up of twenty-two building blocks called amino acids. Nine amino acids are called 'essential' because the body can not produce them. They must be absorbed from food.

Next: Our nutritional needs
(Proteins continued)
Macrobiotic diet basics,
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Seven Essential Components (continued from Home Page)

Animal proteins have all of the essential amino acids. However, besides the very controversial issues of how commercial animals are fed antibiotics and steroids, mass-produced under questionable conditions and environmentally inefficient as a food source, excess animal protein can cause the body to become over-acidic and commercially-grown meat is often high in saturated fats. Over-acidity and saturated fats can contribute to health challenges. If you do choose to eat animal proteins, please balance the acidity with alkaline-producing foods and choose organic, grass-fed animals from a company that has a conscience about their farming methods.

Plant proteins have different combinations of amino acids which, when combined (i.e. grains and beans), complement each other and are considered 'complete' proteins. These complementary proteins do not necessarily have to be combined at the same meal because the body stores amino acids and then draws upon these reserves/pools to make the protein complete. In excess, plant proteins can make the body over-acidic so they also need to be eaten in balance with alkaline-producing foods.

Fats and Oils act as major structural components in the membranes which surround the body's trillions of cells. They are an important source of energy for the body and have important functions in the building and maintenance of healthy cells. Fats and Oils are separated into two main classifications:

Saturated fats are found mostly in animal products. These fats tend to stick together and deposit within the cells, organs, and arteries. If eaten in excess, this clumping of saturated fats can cause numerous health problems.

Unsaturated fats are found mostly in nuts and seeds and vegetables (i.e. corn, olives). These fats are fluid in the body. They allow the molecules within the cell membranes to make and break contact with one another as they fulfill their important chemical and transport functions. Excess intake of these unsaturated fats, however, can also cause health problems.

Minerals regulate the acid-alkaline balance, the hormonal activity, the enzymatic activity, the electrical movement in the nervous system, and the oxygen transport in the body. They are also necessary for developing and maintaining the bones, teeth, muscles, and all body parts. Minerals cannot be made by the body so they must be obtained from foods.

Vitamins are responsible for the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. They are also responsible for building body tissues and for cellular energy exchanges. It's very important to eat a wide variety of foods to get adequate amounts of all vitamins.

Enzymes regulate the chemical activities in all living organisms. They do this by accelerating, stimulating or catalyzing some change in another substance. They are necessary for the breakdown, digestion and assimilation of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Enzymes are found in fresh foods and in pickled foods (raw foods that have been preserved with salt and not pasteurized). Microwaving, cooking and irradiating can destroy the enzymes in food.

Water is vital to all the body functions, including movement, digestion and temperature regulation. Eighty percent of our body weight is water! It is essential for metabolic functions, the transport and burning of fat and the elimination of toxins from the body. It's important to use the purest water available for drinking, cooking and bathing to prevent the absorption of pesticide residues, heavy metals (including lead from old plumbing) and chlorine and fluoride.

Next: Finding the essential seven components in the foods we eat?

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The Seven Essential Components are found in these Food Categories:
Carbohydrates - whole grains, beans, vegetables, seeds, fruits;
Proteins - beans, bean products, fish, seeds, nuts, meat, eggs, dairy;
Fats and oils - cooking oils, nut butters, nuts, seeds, butter, animal foods;
Minerals - salts, sea vegetables, vegetables, fish, meat;
Vitamins - vegetables, fruits, sea vegetables;
Enzymes - fermented foods, raw vegetables and fruits;
Water - spring water, vegetables, fruits;

According to recent studies from archeologists, anthropologists, and comparative anatomists, for thousands of years, human beings ate mostly vegetable foods including wild grains, roots, beans, nuts, tubers, fruits and wild game. The vegetables grew in mineral-rich soil in harmony with the growing seasons and the wild game was very lean (with eight to ten times less fat than modern domesticated animals). The ratio of vegetable quality foods to animal foods was three-to-one and disease was rarely caused by diet.

We see these vegetable-based diets in the traditional diets of many cultures. For example:
· Asia - rice, aduki and soybean products, vegetables and fish;
· Latin America - corn, beans, vegetables and chicken;
· Middle East - cous cous, Hummus (chickpeas) vegetables and lamb;
· Northern Europe: wheat, barley, kasha, split peas, pickled vegetables and salted fish;
· North America: wild rice, corn, baked beans, vegetables and fish.
The percentage of deaths linked to these traditional vegetable-based diets is still relatively low.

However, in the United States, especially since the Industrial Revolution, the ratio of vegetables to animal foods has reversed, now being one to three. Instead of following a whole foods, vegetable-based diet, our food choices are dominated by: fast food restaurants that focus on animal meats; huge commercial growing farms that use pesticides and depleted soils; over-processed grains that have few nutrients and no fiber; and excess dairy products and sugar. The ratio of vegetables to animal foods is one to three, and hundreds of diseases are casually linked to this modern diet.

The traditional vegetable-based diets are recognized and encouraged by national and international health organizations as the most health supporting, because they are high in nutrients and fiber and low in fat.

When choosing a whole foods diet, it's very important to consider the quality of the food. It's important to choose organic foods to get the most nutrients, to support the organic farmers, and to not support the use of pesticides because of the negative effects on the body, wildlife and the environment.


A Partial List of the Foods in Each Category:
Organic Whole grains and whole grain products:
Whole grains are 'live' foods with active enzymes that enable the grain to sprout if it is soaked in water. Compared to processed grains, which are often refined and bleached by chemicals, whole grains are rich in complex carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

Grains: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, spelt, sweet rice, teff, wheat, wild rice;
Grain products: fu, mochi, seitan, whole-grain bread and pasta;


Organic Beans and Bean Products:
In general, the body requires more carbohydrates than proteins because carbohydrates are used for daily activity and protein is used for maintenance. This ratio, however, is dependent upon one's level of activity, age, climate, health condition, body 'goals' and other factors so it must be determined individually.

Beans: adukis, black-eyed peas, black turtles, black soybeans, garbonzos, great northerns, kidneys, lentils, limas, navies, pintos, split peas;

Bean products: miso, natto, soy products, tempeh, tofu;

Organic Nuts and Seeds:
Excellent sources of protein and fat, nuts and seeds are plentiful. When un-shelled they are easy to store for a long time. Once shelled, however, they are susceptible to rancidity if left at room temperature unless preserved with salt or shoyu.

Nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts;
Seeds: pumpkins, sesames, sunflowers, flax;

Organic Sea Vegetables and Land Vegetables:
Rich in minerals, trace elements, vitamins and fiber, sea and land vegetables build bones and muscles, nourish the skin, cleanse and revitalize the body.

Sea Vegetables: agar agar, arame, dulse, fresh-water algae, hiziki, kombu, mekabu, nori, sea palm, wakame;

Land Vegetables:
· roots: burdock, carrot, daikon, jinenjo, lotus, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga;
· ground rounds: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, squash;
· leafy greens: bok choy, collards, kale, lettuces, leeks, spinach, sprouts, mustard greens, chard, lettuces, radicchio, arugula, frisee, mizuna;
Organic Fruits:
An important source of vitamins and water and enzymes, the use of fruit as a food source depends upon what is growing in the local area in season.
· Temperate climate: apples, apricots, berries, cherries, melons, peaches, pears, plums;
· Tropical climate: bananas, grapefruit, mangoes, oranges, papayas, pineapples;
Knowing that the food components necessary for health are available in a whole foods diet, how do we adapt the diet to meet personal health conditions, activities for the day and climate variables? I've found it wonderfully helpful to understand and use the distinctions of the Expansive (Yin) and Contractive (Yang) forces found everywhere in Nature.
Next: Expansive or Contractive? Yin and Yang
Macrobiotic diet basics,
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Expansive or Contractive?

Energy is the Life Force in the universe and seen everywhere in nature. In Chinese it's called 'chi', in Japanese it's 'ki', and in Hindu it's 'prahna'. In the West we describe it as electromagnetic charge, vibration, or bio-energy.

We experience this energy most clearly in its manifestations of its two opposties: Contractive forces and Expansive forces, i.e. hot and cold, active and relaxed, night and day. Distinguishing these forces around us and within us, helps us 'use' this energy.

Characteristics of opposing yet complimentary forces:
YANG ContractiveHot/Warmingsmallernear the equatorSummermore heatmore saltmore pressuremore timesodiumgrow below soilmost fish, sea veg'sextreme: salts and meatsstews/baking/pressure cookingfocused and concentratedextreme: "tight"/stressed YIN ExpansiveCold/Coolinglargernear the polesWinterless heatless saltless pressureless timepotassiumgrow above soilwhole grains, vegetables, temperate fruitsextreme: tropical fruit, sugars and chemicals;fresh and rawfoodscreative andrelaxedextreme: forgetful/unable to complete projects
In cooking, we use this awareness to determine which whole foods are prepared for a balanced strong meal.
For example, the hot/warm (Yang) temperatures of Summer are balanced by light cooking, fruits and raw vegetables (Yin). In the cold Winter (Yin) we pressure cook and bake (Yang).
Maybe a more dramatic example is the heat in tropical climates (Yang) being balanced by the watery fruits (Yin) that grow there. Tropical fruits support the expansion of pores to keep the body cool. If tropical fruits (Yin) are eaten in a Winter climate (Yin), the person often feels too cold (Yin).
Similarly, the people living near the freezing North Pole (Yin) eat mostly animal foods (Yang) to stay warm and 'contracted'. If someone is living in a hot (Yang) climate and they eat a lot of animal protein (Yang) they might find themselves too 'contracted' and uptight (Yang).

If someone is very 'tight' and stressed (Yang) and not able to relax (Yin)...better to eat a diet focusing on whole grains, vegetables and fruits (Yin) to balance rather than a diet high in salty meats (Yang).

Or if someone is too 'spacey' and forgetful (Yin)....they can balance by eating more grounding root vegetables and whole grains and fish (Yang) rather than sugar and fruit juices (Yin).

This understanding is also very helpful when it comes to health challenges. If a person wakes up with expanded swollen glands (Yin) in the throat....it's better to eat a 'contractive' miso soup (Yang) to balance rather than tropical fruit (Yin).

Through these simple examples we can see how understanding the energetics of food can have a very dramatic effect on health, vitality and behavior.
All food is either contractive or expansive in its effect.

The goal is to become familiar with these different energy classifications so we can 'use food' to support our health and vitality.

Foods are classified according to:
1. how the food grows (including speed and direction);
2. where the food grows (in northern or southern climates);
3. the sodium - potassium content;
4. the effect the food has on the body;
The classification of a food is relative to other food categories and to foods within its own category. For example, within the category of nuts, Brazil nuts are more 'expansive' than hazelnuts; buckwheat is more 'contracted than barley; watermelons are more 'expansive ' than berries.

The following list will give you a basic idea of the classifications. In general, foods chosen from the middle of the list (fish to temperate fruits) are appropriate for a person living in a temperate climate in good health. To maintain balance, the foods near the extremes are used in very small portions (sea salt) or avoided (chemicals,drugs).


Next: After studying nature's opposites, we now look at how nature flows between these opposites

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How nature flows between opposites.

The study of this flow, called The Five Element Theory, is 5,000 years old in Oriental Medicine. The elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Tree.

Five Element Theory

Imagine the following Five elements moving clockwise around a circle with FIRE at 12, SOIL at 2, METAL at 5, WATER at 7 pm and TREE at 10.

The elements support eachother in the clockwise direction and control eachother in the following star-shaped pattern: water douses fire, fire bends metal, metal cuts tree, tree break up soil, soil holds water.

(The following categories of the Five Elements contain only a few examples of the foods and elements in each category.)

FIRE
Taste: Bitter Foods: Bitter greens, Kale, Collards), toasted seeds
Organs: Heart/Small Intestine
Season/Color: Red/Summer
Energy direction: Outward
Cooking Method: Stir fry, Dry Roasting

SOIL
Taste: Sweet
Foods: Winter Squash, Sweeteners
Organs: Stomach/Spleen, Pancreas
Season/Color: Early Autumn/Orange
Energy direction: Downward
Cooking Method: Boiling

METAL
Taste: Sharp or Pungent
Foods: Ginger, Garlic, Mustard, raw Onion
Organs: Lungs/Large Intestine
Season/Color: Late Autumn/White
Energy Direction: Inward
Cooking Method: Pressure Cooking/Baking

WATER
Taste: Salty
Foods: Sea Vegetables, Beans
Organs: Kidneys/Bladder/Sexual
Season/Color: Winter/Blue, Black, Deep Purple
Energy Direction: Floating
Cooking Method: Pickling

TREE
Taste: Sour
Foods: Sprouts, Lemons, Sauerkraut, Vinegars
Organs: Liver/Gallbladder
Season/Color: Spring/Green
Energy direction: Upward
Cooking Method: Steaming
The significance for us in cooking and health is:
1. Each of these tastes is found on the tongue, so if each is found in the meal, the meal will be satisfying. (For example: Rice with Dulse sprinkle, Fish with Ginger, Winter Squash, Kale, Sauerkraut).
2. Each of these tastes influences a different organ system in the body so foods from each category need to be eaten every day to nourish all of the organs.
3. If a certain organ needs support, you can make extra sure you eat the healthy foods in that category.
4. There are supportive and unsupportive foods for each category:
Unsupportive Foods in each category:
Fire - cigarettes
Soil - white sugar
Metal - baked white flour products
Water - iodized salt
Tree - alcohol
For example, if someone is having a problem with constipation (Metal - Large Intestine) they would want to stay away from baked white flour products. If someone wants to quite smoking (Fire) if they eat more bitter leafy greens it'll probably help. If someone is having problems with their blood sugar balance- insulin and the pancreas, (Soil), they should avoid refined sugars.
Can you 'taste' the taste?
All foods would be classified in one of these elements but only certain ones are used for the distinct 'taste' of the category. Can you 'taste' the different tastes as you think about each category?

Bitter: leafy green vegetables: kale, collards, broccoli, parsley, brussel sprouts, chicory, dandelion greens, endive, mustard greens, cucumber, chard.

Sweet: yellow-orange vegetables: cooked carrots; winter squash (acorn, butternut, buttercup, delicata, hokkaido) sweet corn, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, yams.

Sharp or Pungent: ginger, garlic, mustard, watercress, raw red and white radish, scallions, onions, leeks, horseradish.

Salty: sea salt, miso, shoyu, tamari, umeboshi plum, salty condiments, and sea vegetables.

Sour: vinegars (rice, umeboshi, hato mugi, apple), sauerkraut, sour pickles, lemons and limes.

When cooking, it's very important to season with the 'salt' first. Once the salt amount is correct, (ie. miso in a miso soup) then you season with the ginger or other flavorings. If not enough salt is used, the other flavorings won't show up. If too much salt is added, the other flavorings might overpower the dish and you might need to add something to balance it. Check the chart....ie. if a dish is too bitter, add something sweet or sharp to balance the bitter.
Next: The Acid and Alkaline effect of foods on the body
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The Theory of Acid and Alkaline

Research shows that people who are sick usually have an acidic blood condition. This can lead us to believe that the delicate balance of the acidity or alkalinity of our blood plays a critical role in our health and vitality. Blood is rarely too alkaline because the modern diet focuses on acid-forming proteins and most bodily functions create acid in the body.

We naturally balance this acidity/alkalinity in the body by breathing. The breath removes acids from the body before they can build up and cause pain, inflammation or dis-ease. However, if we're not exercising and breathing deeply on a regular basis, and if we eat an overly-acidic diet, the acids build up and the body tries to balance on its own or the body creates a dis-ease.

The answer is in understanding which foods have an acidic effect and which foods have an alkaline effect and balancing them from the get-go.

The following chart by Herman Aihara categorizes foods in both Acid/Alkaline and Yin/Yang categories. This is a shortened version of the list and it is not to scale. Some of these foods are not recommended in a daily diet but they are listed for demonstration purposes.
Yin Acidmost chemicals and drugssugarbeernuts and nut butterscooking oilsbeanspasta //////// Yin Alkalinewinespicescoffeetropical fruitstemperate fruitsleafy vegetablesround vegetablesseeds
________Dairy Products________
Yang Acidgrainsfishmeateggs /////// Yang Alkalinekuzumillet/quinoa/teffroot vegetablessea vegetablesmiso/tamarisalt
As you can see, the foods we eat in a whole foods diet are found in each of these categories. The important piece is to know how to balance each food category, ie. acid grains and proteins are balanced with alkaline vegetables, sea vegetables, and 'salt' condiments.

A problem with the Standard American diet, is there isn't an understanding of this balancing. If there is balancing, it's usually balancing with extremes, ie. too much red meat with too much wine, or too many sugary pastries with too much coffee, or too much coffee with too many eggs. Each of these extreme foods can have negative effects in the body, physically or emotionally.

So, we maintain the balance in our diets by:
1) accenting either a grain or a protein at a meal with a lot of vegetables;
2) chewing well - saliva is very alkaline-forming so chewing every bite 20-40 times is ideal;
3) breathing deeply throughout the day;
4) exercising regularly to actively move the acids out of the body.
5) not eating a lot of dairy products. Although dairy products are both alkaline (calcium) and acidic (protein), when eaten in excess, they tend to cause stagnation in the body.
Sweet dairy products like ice cream can possibly stagnate in the breasts and salty dairy products can possibly stagnate in the reproductive organs.

Now, putting it all together....

Next: How to Organize a Menu Plan and Cooking Tips
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Menu Planning
The components of a complete menu include:
· Grain
· Protein
· Sea Vegetable
· Vegetables:
long cooked
short cooked/raw
· Pickles
· Dessert (optional)
To get an idea of this structure that incorporates the Seven Components, the Food Categories, the Expansive and Contractive Forces, the Five Element Theory, and Acid and Alkaline, here are four menu suggestions for the different seasons. Can you feel how each menu feels appropriate for the season? (Note the 5 tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and sharp and the three textures: creamy, crunchy and chewy.)

Summer:
G: Polenta with fresh Corn (sweet)
P: Creamy Red Lentils (bitter & creamy)
S: Arame with Sunflower Seeds & Chives (salty, sharp & chewy)
V: Fresh Salad with Carrot flowers
P: Quickly-pressed Chinese Cabbage, Red Radish & lemon (sour)
D: Mulberry Kanten

Autumn:
G: Broiled Millet Squash Loaf (sweet)
P: Deep Fried Seitan Steaks with Mushroom/Basil Gravy (crunchy & creamy)
S: Hiziki with Mustard & Scallions (salty & sharp & chewy)
V: Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage (sweet & sour)
Collard Greens (bitter)
P: Takuan pickle (salty)
D: Dried Fruit Compote

Winter:
G:Rice (chewy)
P: Fried Fish with Ginger (crunchy & sharp)
S: Shio Kombu (salty)
V: Sweet and Sour Red Beets (sweet & sour)
Kale with creamy dressing (bitter & sour)
P: Takuan pickle (salty)
D: Winter Squash pudding

Spring:
G: Hato Mugi Barley (sweet & chewy)
P: Sauteed Tofu with Peas & Ginger (sharp)
S: Dulse Condiment with Chives (salty)
V: Fresh Lettuce and Wild Greens (bitter & crunchy) with Carrot Flowers, Cucumbers, Sunflower Seeds & dressing
P: Pickled Red Radishes (sharp & sour)
D: Lemon Pudding (sour & creamy)
Next: A few reminders
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A few reminders:

1) Clean and organize your kitchen before and while you cook. Tie your hair back and wear a clean apron.

2) Leave your worries behind and stay focused on preparing strong food with the intention of nourishing your loved ones. Please remember - when cutting your vegetables, guide the knife against the knuckles of the opposite hand, imagining you are holding a golf ball in that opposite hand.

3) When planning the menu, decide on the protein first and build the menu around that.

4) If preparing fish, it's unnecessary to prepare a sea vegetable as both are high in minerals.

5) Do you have something Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty and Sharp in the menu plan? Very simply ....usually the vegetables are sweet (i.e. squash), the salad dressing is sour, the leafy greens are bitter, the sea vegetable is salty and the protein is sharp (i.e.. fish with ginger or mustard...or a stew seasoned with ginger).

6) Sometimes the long-cooked vegetables are combined with the protein in a stew.

7) The leafy greens can be either steamed, quickly boiled, pressed or raw....depending on the weather.

8) The pickle might be a long-term pickle, a quick pickle, or an organic, un-pasteurized store-bought pickle.

9) Usually if preparing a whole grain, a fruit based dessert is prepared because two grains at the same meal would be too acidic.

10) Dessert is ideally eaten after the kitchen is cleaned....maybe a walk has been taken so the fruit dessert doesn't upset the grain/protein digestion.

11) Please begin the meal with some sort of prayer, acknowledgment of gratefulness, or a moment of intention.

12) Chewing and no stress at the table please.

13) Everything in moderation. The human body's ability to adapt and repair is truly miraculous. We need to eat basic healthy food and drink clean water and enjoy meals and laughter with friends...no matter what they're serving. Just 'bless it' and chew well!

Next: Unique foods

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Unique Foods:

Burdock root: a root vegetable rich in minerals that promotes physical vitality.

Chives and scallions: helpful for a soar throat when simmered in water for 5 minutes. Drink as a tea and eat the greens.

Daikon radish: a root vegetable that helps break up fats in the body. When grated and eaten raw, it breaks up new fats as in tempura. When dried it breaks up fats deep in the body.

Dandelion: a root that can be harvested from your unsprayed yard, it revitalizes and strengthens the stomach and intestines. The bitter taste also nourishes the heart and small intestine.

Gomashio: made from sesame seeds and sea salt, it neutralizes acidity and relieves tiredness. It also strengthens the nervous and immune systems.

Jinenjo: a root vegetable that increases vitality and nourishes lubrication in the body. It is useful for anemia and general tiredness.

Mugwort mochi: Sweet rice that has been combined with the herb mugwort and pounded into mochi. This food is useful for pregnant and nursing mothers and conditions of anemia. Sweet rice is higher in protein and fat than regular brown rice.

Pearled barley: a whole grain that helps discharge animal quality proteins and fats. Found in home remedy books: for appendicitis - eat as a soft gruel; for yang tumors such as warts or moles caused by the excessive use of animal proteins and fats - eat every day and as tea.

Sea vegetables: nourish and alkalinize the body with the high mineral content; purify the body by removing heavy metals; and dissolve fat and mucus deposits.

Shoyu, miso, tamari: contain living enzymes and stimulate the secretion of digestive liquids; neutralize extremes of acid and alkaline; contain amino acids which supplement the amino acids found in whole grains; and strengthen the immune system.

Tekka: a condiment made from root vegetables and miso that is rich in minerals; strengthens weak blood; helps cure asthma and diarrhea; and can relieve migraine headaches caused from consumption of 'expansive' foods.

Ume-sho-ban: An umeboshi, shoyu, bancha tea concentrate added to hot water that is helpful in the case of stomach troubles, tiredness, anemia, weak blood, and headaches caused by excessive consumption of expansive foods. It is extremely alkalinizing for the body.

White Sugar: strongly not recommended because it weakens the body by:
1) causing over acidity. The body neutralizes acidic-causing sugar by using mineral reserves of calcium and magnesium from the bones;
2) "robbing" the body of B vitamins that are needed for calcium absorption;
3) blocking the absorption of magnesium which is necessary for the 'fixing' of calcium in the body;
4) weakening the immune system by neutralizing white blood cells. In one study it was found a healthy white blood cell can kill 14 bacteria. But after 6 tsp. of white sugar it could only kill 5 bacteria and after 18 tsp. only 2 bacteria. With the U.S.A. , Great Britain, and Switzerland averaging 50 kilos of sugar consumed each year, this study might show a link to the high rate of infectious diseases, AIDS, and other immune system related illnesses;
5) weakening the ability of neurons to transmit effectively;
6) stressing the pancreas because of its continuous demands for insulin'
7) contributing to obesity by demanding the secretion of insulin which is considered the 'fat storage hormone'.
Next: Back to Macrobiotic diet basics, Page 1