Macrobiotics - A Guide for the Perplexed

— No spices, chemical seasonings or processed table salt.

— No coffee or black tea.

— Avoid flesh and dairy foods except for occasional fish and game birds.

— No refined flour products, yeasted foods or foods containing baking soda.

— All foods must be chewed thoroughly (at least 30 times – preferably more).

— Cook over a gas or wood fire. Electricity creates chaotic energy patterns, and microwaves are considered a “brazen death trap”.

— Avoid plastic coated cookware like Teflon; use earthenware, glass, cast iron, or stainless.

Macrobiotic teachers usually recommend a gradual transition to macrobiotic eating, rather than the cold-turkey approach. Viewed from the standard North American diet perspective, macrobiotics seems pretty austere. I know it did to me back in 1987. Macro people are sometimes accused of being preoccupied, even obsessed, with food. However, in another sense macrobiotics is freedom from the tyranny of food. You grow beyond eating to merely satisfy appetite, and ideally make your food choices from a higher level of judgment. Food is no longer part of a system of rewards and punishments, desire and guilt; it is just your food, which you eat with gratitude.

Macrobiotics enjoys a remarkable anecdotal history of curing various illnesses, including cancer. Mr. Kushi has developed specific healing diets for various diseases. It is best to consult a certified macrobiotic teacher.

In this short article, it's impossible to touch more than lightly on non-dietary aspects of macrobiotic philosophy. The objective is to achieve balance and harmony in all areas of life. General lifestyle suggestions include:

— Maintain an active spiritual focus with daily prayer and meditation in accordance with one's own religious beliefs.

— Cultivate appreciation for nature and the beauty of creation. Try to be environmentally responsible.

— Make loving, harmonious, family relationships a priority.

— Be grateful for difficulties; remember that “what has a front has a back”, and “the bigger the front, the bigger the back”.

— Be good-humored, joyous, alert and appreciative.

— Learn a form of exercise, martial art, or massage to help strengthen and balance energy flows in your body.

— Develop an appreciation of fine art and quality music. Learn to express your own artistic and creative talents.

— If possible, work at an enjoyable and fulfilling vocation rather than chasing after material wealth.

— Learn new things continually. Read as much and as widely as possible. Become actively knowledgeable about things that affect you rather than passively taking them for granted. Have a vision and a dream, and work to fulfill it. 

Reading List

There are literally hundreds of books about macrobiotics. Here is a selection that I consider particularly good.

Zen Macrobiotics by George Ohsawa (1965, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation) Ohsawa's problematically misnamed first English-language book. Should be read in conjunction with later works by Kushi, Aihara, and others.

The Book Of Judgment by George Ohsawa (1980, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation) Comprehensive exposition of macrobiotic philosophy.

The Book Of Macrobiotics by Michio Kushi with Alex Jack (1986, Japan Publications) Comprehensive macrobiotic theory according to Kushi.

Macrobiotic Dietary Recommendations by Michio and Aveline Kushi (1982, Pamphlet) Basic diet primer.

Basic Macrobiotics by Herman Aihara (1985, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation) The California perspective.

Acid and Alkaline by Herman Aihara (1986, Goerge Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation) Macrobiotics and Western theory compared.

Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin (1986, Ballantine) Ms. Colbin studied with George Ohsawa in the 60s. This isn't a macrobiotic book, but some may find the approach more accessible.

The Cure Is In The Kitchen by Sherry A. Rogers, M.D. (1992, Prestige Publishing) The macrobiotic book for environmentally ill people especially.

The First Macrobiotic Cookbook Revised Edition (1985, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation) This is George Ohsawa's Zen Cookery updated.

Complete Guide To Macrobiotic Cooking by Aveline Kushi (1985, Japan Publications)

Charles W. Moore is a freelance writer who lives in Nova Scotia.