The idea, or philosophy, is as old as civilization itself. The idea is that our diet will influence how we feel,- our health, our well-being. Modern symptom-conscious society, however, has gotten away from that idea and the common belief is that if there are no symptoms manifested, there is no sickness. But people are moving back to those beliefs as the macrobiotic lifestyle is becoming more prevalent. People are more interested in natural holistic approaches.

Macrobiotics can be described as being "the search for longevity, or health". Although it originated in Japan in the early 1900s, modern teachers have revived the idea of macrobiotics when the philosophy was introduced in the United States in the 1960s.

Macrobiotics is the way of life according to nature. A life based on a harmonious relation of people and their environment, which means the diet. Everything we do is influenced by our diet - our physical health, our mental health, respect for the environment. Food is more than just fuel. It's something we have to respect.

Although the macrobiotic diet does not really exclude any foods from its repertoire, the human body is designed for certain foods. Throughout history, humans have kept a few staples as part of their diet - whole cereal grains, fresh vegetables, beans, in some cases sea vegetables, in some cases fish, fruits, nuts, seeds and certain fermented foods among others. The macrobiotic diet, therefore, focuses on those natural staple items, plus soyfoods such as tofu and miso, a fermented food made of soybeans, barley or other grains.Depending on climate and personal needs, a moderate amount of animal food can be consumed along with these staple foods. The smaller the animal. the better, The wilder the species the better.

Some of the foods recommended on the macrobiotic diet are actually processed food. Many of these traditionally processed natural foods have been known for their health benefits. There are, for instance, documented health benefits of miso. It makes the blood better, eliminates fats, neutralizes toxins, boosts protein use and can eliminate harmful effects of environmental pollutants. By paying attention to the benefits of naturally processed, traditional foods such as miso, shitake mushrooms, umeboshi plums and others, and including these foods on a daily basis, we can create our own health. As soon as we start implementing the macrobiotic diet in our own life, things start to get better.

Health is each person's responsibility and it constitutes more than simply not having a disease. Eating a macrobiotic diet is a practical way to take responsibility for our life and the environment. In this society, we have a very limited view of what it means to be healthy. We are happy with the fact that we do not show symptoms. The macrobiotic perspective is that sickness is a progression, and that before symptoms arise, you are already ill. You can be sick before showing symptoms because you're not leading a healthy lifestyle. You are preparing yourself for future illness. If you don't change your way of life, your condition will progress to what we call a disease. The reverse, research has shown, is also true. If you are sick -- diabetes, arthritis, cancer, allergies, etc. -- following the proper diet can heal and, in some instances, reverse that illness. People think of macrobiotics as a healing method now. There are many books written about how the diet and lifestyle have reversed the effects of cancer.

The teachings of Macrobiotics help us rediscover what health really is. It means taking a larger view. It's a transformation. You transform your way of looking at things, your diet, your way of life.

Source: Macrobiotics Center of Cleveland

Francois Roland has been involved in macrobiotics and natural healing for over twenty years. He is a graduate of the Kushi Institute of Boston and of the Cambridge Institute of Acupuncture. While studying in Boston, he worked as an assistant in a holistic medical office and as a macrobiotic counseling assistant at the office of Michio Kushi. He also owned and operated a natural foods restaurant for four years. For the last 15 years, he has taught classes and offered services in Cleveland and surrounding communities.