Macrobiotic?
Posted by NessaRata on May 29, 2007 · Member since Mar 2007 · 241 posts
I know this might sound silly, but what is a macrobiotic lifestyle? I sometimes see books about it in the bookstore and I was wondering what the purpose of macrobiotic living is (it may also be becuase I don't know what it is! :D)
I've heard there is a certain lifestyle and also a certain diet, but what does it do to help the body and/or soul? If anyone has any answers, it would help! Thanks a bunch!
The macrobiotic diet emphasizes whole, local food as the key to health. The macrobiotic diet reminds me of the vegan diet with the exception that macrobiotics eat fish. Otherwise they eat grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds - which pretty much describes my diet. I don't think they have any cooking restrictions like the raw food diet.
I don't think they have any cooking restrictions like the raw food diet.
I think they do. I think they emphasize cooked foods over raw foods, but I could be wrong. I also think a macrobiotic diet is based on ying and yang, balancing opposite foods. I never looked more into it because it seemed very complex.
I was thinking that there was a restriction on foods in the nightshade family, as well. No peppers, tomatoes, etc. Could very easily be wrong, though.
Strict vegetarianism is a diet, veganism is a life view. Macrobiotics is a life view, also. Veganna's post reminded me of that. Their diet is low fat and high fiber, so it's touted as being good for certain cancers. Eating is a bit Buddhist. They chew slowly. I think they have to chew until there is nothing left to chew. I suppose this helps more nutrients be bioavailable.
I thank you all so much! I was so confused by the whole thing but now everything is a bit clearer, although it does sound very complex and I feel it would probably take me forever to pick meals that would go with the seasons and yin and yang! :)
Thanks! :)
There are a few intro books on macro that are good.
I was macro for almost a year. Not all macro folks eat fish... some are also vegan (I was).
The emphasis is on balanced foods, lots of brown rice!, lots of veggies, including sea vegetables, no dairy, local foods as much as possible. Organic as much as possible. Oh, and the chewing too!
They do avoid nightshades (tomato, potato, chiles, eggplant....). It's because some people believe nightshades contain some trace toxins that are bad for you. I have to say I did feel better generally when I limited the nightshades. But that's what also did me in... I can't go without chiles! And I love tomatoes too.
On the other hand it's not a diet with severe "restrictions"... it's more like suggestions about what's healthiest. It's almost all for health reasons (and spiritual for some), which is why it's not puritanical.
Really I found that, other than some people eating fish and the nightshades, it was really similar to vegan, especially people who go vegan mostly for health reasons. I still do short brown rice fasts every once in a while (only eat brown rice for a while, maybe with a little miso), when I'm feeling clogged up. It does make me feel better.
the ying and yang talk reminds me of a book that I'm reading about longevity...it tells you all the foods that you should have and the lifestyle that you should keep up with to surpass the normal life expectency. Its actually really interesting and focuses a lot of being a vegetarian. that you don't need milk products, little or no meat, some fishes but to eat everything that lowest on the food chain...aka being an omnivore. I don't have it on me at the moment but i would definitely suggest it to anyone interested.
Yeah, and if you assign genders to yin and yang, like most macros do, then you end up gendering all your foods! ::)
I guess part of it came from the way some people in the 60s and 70s had philosophies of "nature" and what's "natural" that included lots of heterosexist stuff.
... I guess macro is better for people more into butch-femme. :)