A macrobiotic diet may still be foreign to your ears. This diet method is used by singer and beautiful actress Madonna to maintain her body shape. In fact, former Secretary of State of the United States, Hillary Clinton, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow have also tried this macrobiotic diet. So what does this macrobiotic diet mean?
The macrobiotic diet originated in an ancient Chinese philosophy that taught a balance of “Yin” and “Yang”. This diet focuses on the balance of types of food intake by considering the factors of the seasons, climate, activity, gender, age, for health, as well as to achieve harmony of soul and body.
The bottom line is, macrobiotic dieters believe that the food consumed will have an impact on health and happiness. They also feel that choosing foods that are natural (not processed foods) can improve quality of life and help maintain or lose weight.
What is macrobiotic diet?
A macrobiotic diet is a diet that focuses on the intake of fresh vegetables, whole grains, nuts, whole grains, and fruits [1,2,3].
White fish also becomes one of the needs of macrobiotic dieters by consuming it several times a week [4].
Therefore, this diet is considered a diet with a vegetarian lifestyle that aims to promote health while prolonging life [1,2,4].
The macrobiotic diet itself due to restriction of food types is a type of strict diet that is balanced with changes in habits as well as behavior and light physical exercise [4].
“Yin” and “Yang” Food
In accordance with its philosophy, the macrobiotic diet classifies food according to the character of Yin and Yang.
The grain group is considered the food with the most balanced Yin and Yang. Examples are white rice, brown rice, wheat.
In everyday food, this group of grains must be 50-60 percent of other foods. Pasta and bread without yeast are still allowed to be consumed occasionally.
As for the food that is usually found in the type of fresh vegetables in the amount of 25-30 percent in each serving. Examples are cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Pok coy, turnips, onions, and pumpkins. While celery, lettuce leaves, mushrooms, peas, and chickpeas are enough to be consumed 2-3 times a week. The process of cooking vegetables can be steamed or sautéed using olive oil.
The other foods are, grains, nuts, and seaweed that can be consumed as much as 5-10 percent in one serving.
Returning to the philosophy of Yin and Yang which focuses on the unification of life with nature, macrobiotic dieters do not use electric stoves or microwaves when cooking, because this method can eliminate the nutritional content in cooked food. Instead, they use firewood or gas.
Although yin foods are highly recommended for consumption. However, there are some yin foods, which are too extreme and should be avoided by macrobiotic dieters, namely eggs, milk, cheese, and butter.
Therapeutic macrobiotic diet
According to macrobiotic research, the cause of all diseases lies in poor blood composition. The creators of the macrobiotic diet believed that Qi energy comes from food into the blood, and is then distributed throughout the body and reaches the internal organs.
When one receives an excessive amount of energy or lacks other energy, the energy balance shifts to Yin or Yang. Eastern medical teachers believe that any disease is not a disease at all, but a consequence of violations of internal harmony.
All diseases are divided by macrobiotic systems into two categories, depending on the external signs of the disease, its course and many related factors.
| Yang Symptoms | Yin Symptoms | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the disease | Sharp, shallow, localized, contagious, viral, there is a struggle between the internal forces of the body and pathogens. | Chronic, internal, permanent, weakened immunity and dysfunction of internal organs |
| Sensation of pain | Loud, convulsive, shooting, throbbing, migrating, worse when pressed and heated | Pain, pull, diffuse, in a constant place, burning, reduced pressure and pressure |
| General conditions | Excited, high fever, fever, men don’t feel cold | Weak, sluggish, inhibited, low temperature, cold limbs, a person freezes |
| Constitution | Thinness | Weight gain and loss is possible. |
| Muscle | Tense, frequent cramps and cramps | Weak, flabby, possibly dystrophy |
| Skin condition | Redness, dryness, burning, peeling, irritation, rash, inflammation, varicose veins | Pale, moisture, sweating, swelling without inflammation |
| State of mucous membranes | Dry conjunctiva, oral cavity, red dry tongue | Tears, excessive saliva, white coating on the tongue |
| Cardiovascular system | Hypertension, rapid surface pulse | Hypotension, a weak pulse, which is very clearly palpable |
| Gastrointestinal tract | Gastritis, peptic ulcers, constipation | Bowel dysfunction, dysbacteriosis, diarrhea |
| Excretory system | Frequent urination | Urinating infrequently, kidney failure |
| Reproductive system | Increased libi**do, irregular menstruation with short cycles | Decreased libi**do, impotence, sterility, heavy menstruation and long cycles |
| Nervous System | Overstimulation, neurosis, panic disorder, manic syndrome | Apathy, depression |
| Biorhythms | Sleep disturbances, hyperactivity, difficulty sleeping | Drowsiness, too much work |
With the help of this table it is possible to determine the lack of energy that causes disease. The right foods help restore balance: diseases treated with “indium” foods and vice versa. It is important to stick to 10 days for a strict macrobiotic diet for therapeutic purposes – this is the time it takes for blood to be fully renewed.
Medical Research & Source:
- U.S. News & World Report. Best Diets – Macrobiotic Diet. U.S. News & World Report; 2021.
- By Cathy Wong & Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN. What Is the Macrobiotic Diet?. Verywell Fit; 2021.
- Beeta Hashempour. Macrobiotic Diet: Plan, Foods, Benefits, and Side Effects. ZLiving; 2018.
- Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D. & Corey Whelan. The Macrobiotic Diet: What You Should Know. Healthline; 2017.
- Video: ehowhealth
