Questions and Answers

Acid/Alkaline, Calcium, Sweet Cravings, and Healing Diet

Carl Ferré

ACID/ALKALINE meat and sugar intake. Thus, the daily for a short-term turn around due to BALANCE recommended requirement of calci- an extreme condition. However, the With your knowledge of macro-bi- um has gone up considerably over the macrobiotic approach is to stop the otics, is the book Acid and Alkaline past thirty years. cause—an over-acidic meat and sugar the best and most easily compre- The dairy industry readily points diet. This would seem like common hended book that you are aware of out that milk contains calcium and sense, but it doesn’t sell the special concerning the acid/alkaline balance many people drink it believing it is products, keep the doctors busy, and in the body? If so, what is the price healthy for them. However, the over- let’s face it, the reality is most people and does your organization carry this all effect of milk is acid-forming. don’t want to change their diet. book? If not, please recommend an What’s a person to do? Enter the al- To specifically answer your ques- acid/alkaline book as I have a friend kaline-forming products such as coral tions, we are the publishers of Acid whose body is tremendously out of calcium and various alkalinizing and Alkaline and do sell it for $8.95 balance. Also, where do I find recipes drinks. There are also machines that plus shipping. Even though the lat- for overcoming the acid/alkaline im- are reported to make water more alka- est edition is 1986 and some of the balance? Thanks, line and more digestible. chemistry terminology has changed, – E.Z. Herman received one of the earli- it is still one of the best books to un- via email est models of a device that reportedly derstand the need for acid alkaline separated the water into acid water balance and how to accomplish it in oday, many people are begin- and alkaline water. He was instructed one’s body. The chemistry (first three ning to realize the dangers of to drink the alkaline water and use the chapters) can be skipped if one has a Tan over acidic condition. Hard acid water in the garden or to wash the hard time with it. to believe that Herman Aihara wrote dishes. We used it for a few days with Another excellent book that has a the first edition of Acid and Alkaline no noticeable results in increased en- chapter on acid and alkaline is Food over thirty years ago in 1971. Part of ergy, etc. I asked Herman if we could and Healing by Annemarie Colbin the reason more is being said about experiment with it a little. We then ($14.95). There is much more useful acid alkaline balance is that people took a pictcher of water and poured information in this book in addition have figured out how to profit from it through the machine. It divided the to acid alkaline balance. Verne Varona it. water equally into alkaline water and has an excellent chapter on acid and Basically, the modern typical diet acid water. We then took the alkaline alkaline in his newer book, Nature’s of meat and sugar is very acid form- water and poured it through the ma- Cancer Fighting Foods ($16.95). ing. Two of the major alkaline-form- chine. It divided the water equally The Foundation sells all these books. ing elements in the body are sodium into alkaline water and acid water. We Books that I’ve heard discuss acid and calcium and since people are tried the acid water with the same re- and alkaline but have not read yet are cutting down on sodium due to the sult - equal amounts of acid and alka- The PH Factor by Dr. Robert O. belief that it causes heart problems, line water! We sent the machine back. Young, Alkalize or Die by Theodore that leaves calcium as one of the main I understand that improvements have Baroody, N.D., D.C., and Death By counter balances. Vegetables are alka- been made over the years and that the Diet by Bob Bearfoot. line-forming and thus of some help, machines now available are better. Several people have suggested that but most people don’t or can’t eat There is nothing wrong with using we produce a cookbook of alkalizing enough to fully balance an excessive one of the calcium or alkalizing drinks recipes and we might do this some

14 MACROBIOTICS TODAY • November/December 2002 day. In the meantime, all one has to do cium. Sea vegetables, soybeans, and crave sugar, mainly in the form of is to read Acid and Alkaline and fol- soy products also are good sources. tropical dried fruit papaya, dates, gin- low Table 20 on pages 90 and 91. It is Sesame seeds are very high in cal- ger candied, plus raisins, and lots of important to remember that both acid cium, making gomashio (ground seasonal fruit. I still enjoy marihuana and alkaline are necessary for health. sesame seeds and salt) an excellent moderately (one to two times weekly) Thus, overdoing alkaline-forming source. Small dried fish (iriko) are a as well. How do you explain that? food such as consuming large amount good choice for people who wish to My lifestyle is very active physi- of coral calcium over a period of get a large amount of calcium from cally outdoors and I’m exposed to time can have dangerous effects. As one source.” heat as well as cold, depending on Ohsawa would say, “every front has Sea vegetables, sesame seeds, and the seasons. I’m female, single (no a back, the bigger the front the bigger leafy green vegetables also are sourc- yin from a man), and 65 years of age, the back.” es of iron, which might be helpful for although my biological age is 42. A thorough reading of Acid and Al- the anemia. Also, chewing your food Please enlighten me. kaline should give one the knowledge very well (100 times per mouthful or I must be doing something right needed to cook good balanced meals more), especially the whole grains, is as my energy level is very good and I both with respect to yin and yang or helpful for anemia. Avoid foods that usually feel good. I hope to get an an- acid and alkaline. Also, see David contain oxalic acid such as spinach, swer to my questions from you as you Briscoe’s article, Easy Alkalinity, in Swiss chard, and beet greens, and any are the best source I know. Thank you the September/October 2002 issue of food with additives as these hinder very much in advance. I sure appreci- Macrobiotics Today. In addition, my iron absorption. Miso soup and rice ate your efforts to keep Macrobiotics book, Pocket Guide to Macrobiotics, bran pickles every day are recom- Today going. Peace and Love, contains a brief summary of acid and mended, especially when the anemia – Y.L. alkaline and the basics of producing is acting up. Arkansas balanced meals using macrobiotic Of course these are general sug- principles. I hope this is helpful. gestions and there are many reasons he main concern with any for anemia. If the condition per- soybean product these days is sists you may wish to check with a Tthe prevalent use of Roundup macrobiotic counselor or other health Ready Soybeans. Rebecca Wood’s ex- CALCIUM SOURCES care provider. cellent book, The New Whole Foods May I ask a question? How does a Encyclopedia contains a caution re- woman (myself) in her late 40’s, done garding GMOs (genetically manipu- with menopause (no hormone thera- lated organisms). py), get calcium from the macrobiotic CRAVING SWEETS We have a bottle of Bragg Liq- diet? I don’t tolerate milk products I have another question for your uid Aminos that was given to us by well. I have been using a calcium Questions and Answers column. Bragg a friend although we haven’t experi- supplement. Also, I don’t like meat, Liquid Aminos looks like soy sauce mented with it much yet. The state- and I suffer from anemia quite often. but to me tastes a lot better. Made ment “certified non-GMO” is on the Any suggestions? of soybeans and water only, it seems bottle and the quality appears to be – Lu to satisfy my cravings for salt. How very good. via the Internet come? What is your opinion about However the bottle also says that Bragg’s quality and replacement for the soybeans are not fermented. Re- irst, see the preceding question shoyu or tamari? I eat seaweed daily, becca Wood also points out in her on acid/alkaline balance as the so I get minerals from that. book, “If merely boiled, soybeans Fanswer contains some informa- As for cravings for sweets, I eat inhibit the digestive enzyme trypin; tion on calcium and part of the need seasonal foods out of my garden, no they are a bear to digest. Asian cui- for it. Also, see David Briscoe’s arti- pressure cooking, and rarely (ten sines have devised numerous healthful cle on Osteoporosis in this issue. Here to twenty times a year) some fish. A methods to tame this bean into an eas- is information from my book, Pocket pound of salt lasts me a couple of ily digested food. I do not recommend Guide to Macrobiotics. years; however, I do eat seaweed dai- hard-to-digest Western soy products, “A basic macrobiotic diet includes ly. Mostly I use short-time cooking, which have not had the trypin inhibi- many excellent sources of calcium. except in winter when I cook stews tor removed.” Leafy green vegetables such as broc- and soups for a long time on my wood- Still, if you have no digestive coli, collard greens, kale, and turnip stove. I have practiced macrobiotics problems, occasional use as a fla- greens are particularly high in cal- for thirty-five years; however, I still voring for special dishes should be

MACROBIOTICS TODAY • November/December 15 okay. For more frequent use, shoyu or etc? How can macrobiotics be used to that describes part of the discharge tamari, would appear to be the better treat obesity/overweight, high blood process. choice. Note that wheat-free tamari pressure, and high cholesterol (like “The usual order is from yang to is available for those who have prob- most of America)? Any tips? yin, or more specifically in the fol- lems with wheat. Perhaps you could – D.K. lowing order: meat, cheese, excessive check www.bragg.com to see if they via email fruit, dairy, alcohol, refined sugar, have remove the trypin inhibitor. and drugs. It’s clear what is being The cravings questions are quite lthough I used “centering discharged because cravings, some- another story and can only be dis- diet” instead of “healing times intense cravings, accompany cussed in a general way. First, you Adiet,” here is a quote from my the elimination. The discharge pro- must be very intuitive if you can tell book Pocket Guide to Macrobiotics. cess may last days, weeks, or longer. that it is the liquid aminos that are sat- “A macrobiotic centering diet is Discharges vary greatly from intense, isfying your salt cravings and not the a restricted basic macrobiotic diet, dramatic events to slower, more tame minerals from the seaweed. It is my eating and drinking only what is nec- affairs depending on the substances understanding that one’s need for salt essary for one’s life, and toward the being discharged, the severity of the diminishes as one gets older and per- center of yin and yang balance. This imbalance, and the length of time the haps this is also part of the equation. means eating primarily whole grains, body has been unbalanced. Still, one From what you write it doesn’t ap- vegetables, beans, and sea vegetables. should expect some level of tempo- pear that your cravings for sugar are Sea salt either by itself or in miso, soy rary discomfort. It almost always in- that extreme. Having no experience sauce, umeboshi, or gomashio, and volves some pain, usually beginning with marijuana, I don’t know the ef- liquid, usually bancha tea (kukicha), in the neck and traveling downward fect first-hand but the macrobiotic lit- are also needed. Everything else is through the body to the fingertips erature places it beyond sugar on the kept to a minimum or avoided al- and toes and upward to the top of yang-to-yin scale. So, there appears together. This approach allows the the head. Pain will be felt also in any to be some need for yin sweetness in body’s natural healing power to heal weak or malfunctioning organs. A your life. Perhaps this comes from an from within.” person undergoing a discharge may emotional need, from a yang constitu- The book contains specific propor- appear quite sick, but is often happy, tion, or something from childhood or tions and useful suggestions. While especially if they understand the heal- even before birth. one could use a “centering diet” or ing power.” If you are as happy and as together “healing diet” as a transition, I would Again, there is more in the book as your penmanship indicates, why not recommend it unless a specific ill- on the discharge process and on heal- would you want to change anything? ness or condition required it. And, as ing in general. Basically, macrobiotics Be happy and carry on. If you want to I say in the book, “once a person is doesn’t treat diseases in the normal experiment, try finding a sweet man well it is important to widen the diet sense of the term. Rather, by return- (very difficult these days I’m told), de- to include a greater variety of foods.” ing to a natural diet based on whole veloping a very deep friendship with In fact, I recommend eating the great- grains and fresh vegetables, the a man or woman (non-macrobiotic est variety of foods that one’s condi- body is allowed to return to a natural preferred), or becoming more in- tion allows. This allows one to avoid healthy condition. There are specific volved with infants – there’s nothing becoming bored with their diet, to dietary guidelines and home remedies quite like holding a baby to satisfy an have greater flexibility in narrowing that can be helpful in reliving any of emotional craving for sweetness. the diet if and when the need arises, the conditions you mention. and to enjoy eating out with friends Since the two best books on the without excessive worry. subject, Natural Healing from Head to HEALING DIET? Literally, discharge means to re- Toe by Cornellia and Herman Aihara Can you please explain what ex- lieve oneself of a burden or load. A and Macrobiotic Home Remedies by actly is a “healing diet.” Must a per- typical modern diet of meat and sugar Michio Kushi, are currently out of son have a specific illness/condition contains many excess toxins that get print, a macrobiotic counselor can be with which they are dealing or can a stored in the body and eventually invaluable in helping one determine “healing diet” be used by someone cause sickness. When one changes to the best course of action. who is trying to make the transition a macrobiotic diet with fewer or no from the typical American diet to the excess toxins, the body has the chance macrobiotic way of life? Can you ex- to clean out some (or all) of these Carl Ferre is the author of Pocket pound on “discharge” – what it is, stored toxins. Here’s another quote Guide to Macrobiotics and editor of why it happens, what can be expected, from Pocket Guide to Macrobiotics Macrobiotics Today.

16 MACROBIOTICS TODAY • November/December 2002