by Jose Juan Gutierrez

Created on: August 15, 2011

The macrobiotic diet originates from an ancient oriental philosophy which incorporates the idea of the yin and yang (opposite energies that are complementary). The diet consists principally or brown rice, other whole grains (wheat, oats, corn, rye), and a variety of vegetables. The term macrobiotics comes from the Greek macro (great) and bios (life), meaning great life. Macrobiotics was first introduce in Europe by a Japanese teacher named George Ohsawa, who claimed to have cured himself from tuberculosis by following a diet of brown rice, soup, and vegetables.

The macrobiotic diet designates two energies to foods (yin; outward energy, and yang; inward energy) which even though they´re opposite energies, are complementary at the same time, meaning that they need each other to attain a harmonious balance. Many supporters of macrobiotics affirm that a variety of diseases occur in the body due to an imbalance of yin and yang and that a macrobiotic diet aids at restoring this imbalance.

Macrobiotics considers foods such as fruit juice, milk, cream, alcohol, and sugar as yin, while eggs, poultry, meat, cheeses, and fish are yang. The macrobiotic diet comprises foods that fall in the middle of the classification of yin and yang, including brown rice, whole grains, beans, fish, nuts, and vegetables, meaning that they are neutral, not too much yin nor yang.

According to macrobiotics, people should ingest foods that are native to their environment to avoid illnesses derived from climate adaptation. These foods should be changed according to the season, for example, foods are to be cooler, lighter, and less cooked during spring and summer, while in autumn and winter these foods will require more cooking due to less abundant energy in the form of sunlight.

Macrobiotics is believed to significantly reduce the risk of diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and a variety of cancers, besides its holistic approach, macrobiotics integrates these beliefs to daily life in general. The philosophy of macrobiotics recommends following not only a neutral balanced diet, but a balanced lifestyle, as well. The benefits of a macrobiotic diet, in addition to preventing diseases include slowing down the aging process.

Appropriate lifestyle practices include chewing food thoroughly to aid digestion and absorption of nutrients; ingesting two to three meals a day and refraining from taking any meal three hours before bedtime; taking frequent baths as needed; practicing therapies, such as yoga, meditation therapy, martial arts, or dancing; spending a considerable quantity of time outdoors and walking for at least thirty minutes daily; maintaining fresh air circulation in the house and improving the content of oxygen by placing a variety of green plants throughout the house.

Scientific studies in Europe and the United States have demonstrated that following a strict macrobiotic diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies in calcium, iron, zinc, ascorbic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, amino acids, and protein. Resulting in weight loss. It is recommended to change to a macrobiotic diet gradually until reaching adaptation to the new diet. Always consult your health care provider if considering a macrobiotic diet.

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