Why I Quit the Macrobiotic Diet

Carl Ferré

he macrobiotic diet didn’t to true macrobiotic practice as train- work for me. I was more faith- ing wheels are to riding a bicycle. Tful than most people I know. Once we know how to ride, we dis- I followed the standard recommen- card the training wheels. If we put dations completely and strictly ex- them back on the bicycle after we cluded foods on the “avoid” list. After know how to ride, they impede rather several years of following a standard than help. It is the same with the stan- macrobiotic approach, however, I had dard macrobiotic diet. We adjust our little energy, couldn’t run, and had choices rather than following blindly several sicknesses. I was left with a once we know how to use macrobiotic perplexing question: Was my condi- principles, and we adjust our choices tion the result of improper practice or rather than blindly following a pre- a diet that doesn’t work? scriptive diet. There I was, holding on to my training wheels (standard macrobiotic The Standard diet) and afraid to let go. When a child Macrobiotic Diet first takes off the training wheels, the My conclusion after years of prac- parents or a friend runs beside for a tice is that the standard macrobiotic distance until the child is confident diet can be very helpful to one’s enough that the adult can let go. In health—or very detrimental. The macrobiotics, this encouragement standard macrobiotic diet is helpful Carl Ferré (holding on to the bicycle) is the job because it is easy to comprehend and avoid changing or seeking qualified of macrobiotic educators, counselors, follow. Foods that are chemicalized help for disorders, blindly believ- and friends. and are overly processed, including ing that continuing to eat from the Rather than continuing to empha- refined sugar, are excluded. Avoiding “approved” list will eventually cure size the standard macrobiotic diet or these foods leads to better health for them. This is what happened to me. the following of someone else’s ad- most people. These people then con- I was convinced I was getting better. vice, we need to encourage people clude that all they have to do to avoid The universe was sending signals that to take off the training wheels and getting sick is to eat foods from the I needed to change, but I stubbornly learn to trust their own judgment. “approved” list and to exclude those held fast to my prescriptive standard Macrobiotic principles are not hard to from the “avoid” list. diet. Another detriment is an overly learn. Each of us has a highly devel- The standard macrobiotic diet unfounded fear of certain foods. oped intuitive power. We just need to can be detrimental when people The standard macrobiotic diet is learn it, to trust it, and to use it.

10 Macrobiotics Today • July/August 2010 Once I quit using the training iPods). As the pace of life speeds up, justments. Some people need lighter wheels (quit the standard macrobiotic people become more active, tense, foods and cooking and other people diet) and learned to use macrobiotic and hardened in their thinking and be- need heavier foods and cooking. And, principles and to trust myself, the fear havior. To help offset this yangizing this can change from day to day, week began to fade. My sicknesses began trend in which life is heavier, busier, to week, month to month, season to to disappear. I continue to follow and more stressful, daily food needs to season, and year to year. macrobiotic principles in my daily be lighter and more relaxing. Hence, dietary and health choices, but I no pressure-cooked brown rice and other longer fear any food from the “avoid” grains, a cornerstone of macrobiotic How Do I Know What’s list. I’m enjoying life without the cooking, is giving way to proportion- Best for Me? training wheels. ately more boiled and steamed grains. This is the question we get asked Couscous, bulgur, oatmeal and other the most. First, learn macrobiotic cracked grains are also used more principles. Second, learn to trust your Cancer Prevention than in the past to impart lighter en- intuition. Third, learn to diminish Diet ergy. Fresh salad, fresh fruit, juice, fear. The cancer prevention diet is oil, sweets, and other lighter, fresher We have been placing the main similar to the standard macrobiotic foods are eaten more frequently than macrobiotic teachings of George diet—both developed by Michio and before. The menus and recipes in this Ohsawa on the back page (39) of each Aveline Kushi. The only difference issue of Macrobiotics Today, begin- between the two is that the cancer ning with the January/February 2010 prevention diet is designed for people issue. Here is a list of those covered who have, or are afraid of, cancer. In “Once I quit using the so far: other words, the training wheels are training wheels (quit the The Order of the Universe applied to a specific condition. The Seven Laws of the Order of One of our readers sent me a quote standard macrobiotic the Universe from the latest edition of Cancer Pre- The Twelve Theorems of the vention Diet by Michio Kushi and diet) and learned to use Unique Principle asked me to comment on the new ad- macrobiotic principles and The Seven Conditions of Health vice for the 21st century. Here is the The Seven Stages of Sickness quote: to trust myself, the fear be- The Seven Stages of Judgment “To take into account ever-chang- ing atmospheric, environmental, and gan to fade. My sicknesses The order of the universe teaches societal conditions, many adjust- began to disappear.” us our origin (where we came from— ments in dietary recommendations, the source of all things). The seven including about one hundred special laws and twelve theorems along with new dishes and drinks, compresses, the conditions or health and stages of and other home care, are incorporated edition reflect this trend.” sickness provide useful tools for liv- in this new edition. These changes, First, I applaud Michio for realiz- ing on earth. The stages of judgment as we explain in the chapters that fol- ing that “major changes in macrobiotic illustrate our “journey” back to our low, have largely been in response to cooking, health care, and healing” are origin, which we never really leave. the accelerating environmental en- needed. His analysis and conclusions The more we realize this connection ergy, and food quality crises. Global are accurate in a general way as far as to our origin, the greater our intuitive warming, pollution, GMOs (geneti- I can see. The main problem I see is ability and the more we can overcome cally modified organisms), cellular the prescriptive nature of the advice. fear. technology, and the decline in food Many of us, based on our personal Trusting intuition can be scary. quality (including an estimated loss conditions and environments, along We are afraid of doing the “wrong” of 25 to 50 percent of nutrients in with an understanding of macrobiotic thing. We think of many “what if…” most common fruits and vegetables) principles, gave up pressure-cooked scenarios. One way to turn this kind have necessitated major changes in brown rice years ago. We also be- of thinking around is to pay greater macrobiotic cooking, health care, and gan eating more fresh salads, fresh attention to how we are really feel- healing. For example, as the world fruits, juices, and so on. Anyone who ing. We listen for that internal voice becomes warmer, technology further is following macrobiotic principles that warns when there is danger and intrudes into our lives (in everything and trusting her or his own judgment encourages when we “know” we are from the Internet to cell phones and has already made the appropriate ad- doing the “right” thing. Developing

Macrobiotics Today • July/August 2010 11 intuition is a huge subject and Julia who began macrobiotic practice in and I plan to write more about it in the 1960s and 1970s) to rectify this Acid Alkaline the future. situation. In the meantime, here is a quote There is movement in this direc- Companion from Julia about diminishing fear. tion after decades of meetings and presents a clear explanation- “Fear is the ultimate motivator on ideas. There is now an annual meet- of acid and alkaline theory, earth. If we observe whether fear or ing of senior macrobiotic teachers in how to tell one’s current love motivates people, we see that Portugal each fall. There are meetings condition, and numerous fear dominates every time. We incar- of teachers at all macrobiotic gather- tables of the acid-forming or nate to earth in order to understand ings from the Holistic Holiday at Sea alkaline-forming effects of this, and subsequently learn to live cruise to the Kushi conference to the various foods. Also included here without having fear dominate French Meadows camp. Results are are lifestyle factors that con- us anymore. Rather than being domi- beginning to appear. tribute to or help neutralize nated by fear, we learn how to be in- The health of macrobiotics as a excess acidity. spired by Love.” movement is no different from our own individual health. In my personal experience, I learned the principles New Book Keeping Macrobiotics first, but began to follow a static, Alive prescriptive standard macrobiotic Ohsawa’s vision for macrobiotics approach without using macrobiotic is to help people reach self-realiza- principles. I didn’t improve until I tion. Other expressions of this goal began a dietary practice based on are infinite freedom, unconditional macrobiotic theory and took off the love, supreme judgment, eternal training wheels (quit blindly follow- peace, and complete happiness. A few ing the standard macrobiotic diet). years before his death, however, he Ohsawa’s version of macrobiotics lamented that not one of his students began with his principles in the 1920s fully understood this teachings. to 1950s. A time of relative balance Ohsawa believed the reason for between theory and practice fol- this lack of understanding is what he lowed in the 1960s and 1970s and termed “cloudy thinking.” Further, macrobiotics flourished. The 1980s he theorized that this cloudy think- to 2000s were dominated by practice ing comes from poor health from un- (diet) without much theory (princi- healthy food choices. As he realized ples). Macrobiotic diet, counseling, $15.00 plus $2.50 shipping this fact, Ohsawa’s writings began and healing can be improved, but the = $17.50 to include more specific instructions greatest improvement for the health of about diet and health along with re- macrobiotics in my opinion is a return Many foods in a typical modern statements and reminders of his uni- to a proper emphasis on macrobiotic diet are highly acid forming and versal principles. Above all, he re- principles and the larger goals of self- contribute greatly to declining alized that theory (principles) and realization, infinite freedom, eternal health. Most diseases, including practice (diet) are inseparable without peace, and unconditional love. cancer, thrive in an acidic inter- leading to danger (practice without nal environment. The solution is theory) or uselessness (theory without simple: Eat more alkaline-forming practice). Carl Ferré is author of Pocket Guide foods and less acid-forming ones. The 1960s and 1970s saw to Macrobiotics and Acid Alkaline This book tells you how! macrobiotic theory and practice flour- Companion. He is the current George Ohsawa ish. Two major changes occurred in president of the George Ohsawa the 1980s—the introduction of the Macrobiotic Foundation and editor Macrobiotic Foundation standard macrobiotic diet and the be- of Macrobiotics Today. Carl can be PO Box 3998 ginning of a specific macrobiotic diet contacted at [email protected]. Chico, CA 95927 for cancer. Today, there is greater em- 800-232-2372 or 530-566-9765 phasis on diet and healing and little 530-566-9768 fax or no emphasis on theory. I believe [email protected] it is up to the senior teachers (those

12 Macrobiotics Today • July/August 2010