Macrobiotic Diet

The meaning of macrobiotics are great bios i.e. life. In the ancient Greek language, macrobiotic means the way of longevity. This term has been used by many authors in describing longevity teachings from the Far East. This world is used by medical practitioners to teach patients and other human beings to live within the limits of the nature and close to the nature. This is to signify the day-to-day living in close harmony with nature, eat simple but balanced diet and still be active in old age. It is believed that a Japanese educator George Ohsava cured himself by adopting simple natural life by eating brown rice, miso soup and sea vegetables. In Chinese philosophy yin and yang govern all aspect of human life. Yin is outward force of expansion while yang is inward force to produce contraction. In the concept of macrobiotic, the forces of yin and yang must be balanced to achieve good health. Therefore, macrobiotic diet concentrates on achieving harmony between yin and yang. Thus foods are also divided into yin and yang, keeping in view their tastes, properties, and effects on the human body. The foods too have been classified in to two groups of grains and vegetables and they have the least yin and yang qualities. Thus in macrobiotic diet these foods easily maintain a balance with in the natural order of life. The foods that are on the extreme side of yin or yang are to be avoided. It is generally recommended that any diet be adopted gradually.

Foods recommended in macrobiotic diet are explained below:
Whole Grains: Food affects our health, wellbeing and happiness. Whole foods, such as brown rice, are central to a macrobiotic diet. Whole grains consist of brown rice, barley, oats, corn, whole wheat and buckwheat. These foods should consist of about 50 to 60 percent of the food consumed and are considered to be the most balanced foods in yin or yang.

Vegetables: These should be fresh and comprise 25 to 30 percent of your daily intake. Highly recommended vegetables are cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, collards, turnips, mustard greens, onion, pumpkin, butter squash and acorn squash. Vegetables to be eaten twice or thrice a week are celery, lettuce, mushrooms snow peas and iceberg. Best result is achieved to lightly steam these vegetables with sesame or corn oil. Some vegetables, such as tomatos and eggplant, are to be avoided or used sparingly.

Beans and sea vegetables should be about 5 to 10 percent of your daily diet. Recommendations are for chickpeas, lentils, tofu and adzuki beans. Sea vegetables, which are rich in minerals that are fit for consumption, are wakame, kombu, nori and hijiki.

Soups and broths should be 5 to 10 percent of you daily food consumption. Soups made from vegetables, beans and soybean paste are recommended. Few weekly servings of nuts, seeds and fish are recommended. Fluid intake be adjusted depending upon thirst and drinking water should be purified. Foods processed with artificial colors and flavors or preserved with artificial preservatives should be avoided. Fresh vegetables and other material should be used. Most recommended is that food be grown organically. Microwave oven should not be used to prepare foods and rice should not be cooked in pressure cooker.

Eat the food in a relaxed manner, slowly and chew the foods completely. Some reports say that medical conditions improved dramatically with macrobiotic diets.
In a study of pancreatic cancer patients put on macrobiotic diet, which is low in fat, high in fiber, and rich in vegetables and soy products. These showed improved conditions in diseases. Moreover, this diet contained dietary elements to reduce risks of cancer and hear disease. These food items are recommended for reducing the risk of heart disease. Living within the natural order means eating only what is necessary.

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