JUNE 3, 2010

by phiyakushi

I decided to write this article to further clarify a point I brought up in a previous post, “Macrobiotics Is Not Nutritional Science“, in which I  lamented how some macrobiotic teachers turn to nutritional science to justify and explain various claims when it is completely unnecessary and may furthermore lead to incorrect dietary conclusions that may even be dangerous.  By using nutritional analytical science to justify macrobiotic conclusions those teachers throw away an opportunity to share the unique approach and way of thinking and view of life that macrobiotics has to offer.

Nutritional Analysis

As outlined by the Wikipedia: Nutritional science investigates the metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet.  This approach involves the study and analysis of nutrients that are used and excreted by the body. Essentially, nutritional science looks at two things:  1.)  the analysis of nutrients and 2.) how those nutrients are used by the human body.

In addition to calories, nutrients are grouped into categories like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and so on. Based on these categories then recommendations include, for example, eliminating trans-fats, adding omega-3 fatty acids,  eating foods with anti-oxidant properties and so on.  Accordingly, one should incorporate a whole list of nutrients in order to maintain one’s health and avoid or prevent many diseases.  Ongoing studies continue to reveal the benefits or dangers of various nutrients leading to new recommendations, policies and supplements. Generally speaking, according to the latest nutritional scientific findings we should be eating a plant based diet that contains all the essential nutrients.  But recommendations to get these nutrients from which specific foods, how they should be prepared and other details are absent and if we aren’t getting enough essential nutrients then supplementation is recommended.  This is fundamentally the extent of nutritional science.

Macrobiotic Nutrition

Macrobiotic Nutrition includes the full scope of Nutritional Analysis but also goes far beyond it.  Not only is it concerned with nutrients and metabolic response but also how such nutrients came about, how they are prepared, processed, stored, transported, farmed or raised, the season they grew in, the climate and geography and the evolutionary development of the plant or animals species. from whence they came  Regarding metabolic function, Macrobiotic Nutrition is not only concerned with the body but also a person’s dietary, medical and health history,  their family history, their mental and emotional disposition, their aspirations and ambitions, lifestyle habits, work environment, cultural influences, genetic and ancestral influences, seasonal  and climate influences, geographical influences and evolutionary development as a species and more.

Macrobiotic Nutrition also seeks to answer the fundamental questions of “why?”: Why do we eat the foods that we do? Why are we hungry? Why do we eat at all?  It seeks to ask questions and solve problems from not only from a position of academic authority but also from a place of child-like naivete.  In this way we can draft some basic nutritional guidelines that even a child can understand, for example:

• Don’t eat food from another planet unless you live there or unless you are an alien.
• It’s easier to eat plants since they don’t run away when you try to catch them.
• We are not fish so don’t eat a lot of fish food unless you want to become like a fish.
• To stay as a human being eat food that makes you human.
• When you are hungry then eat and when you are not hungry then don’t eat.

These sample basic Macrobiotic Nutritional principles can and have been further expanded upon by my father, Michio Kushi, into what he formulated as “Macrobiotic Dietary Recommendations.”  Along with many other recommendations, he suggests that we , being human, should eat whole grains as our principle food since  grain eating caused the evolutionary development of humans.  The recommendations he suggests are not meant to be offered as a prescribed diet, but instead as a conclusion, based on Macrobiotic Nutrition, for what humans should be generally eating.  Additional adjustments must be added and tailored to fit specific individual needs and circumstances.

Macrobiotic Nutrition is not only concerned with “macro” influences but “micro” influences as well.  Where Nutritional Science stays primarily focused on the molecular level, Macrobiotic Nutrition is also concerned with the atomic level, the sub-atomic level, the electrical and energetic level and even with the empty spaces in between. In short, Macrobiotic Nutrition is concerned with every influence on every level.

Macrobiotic Nutrition vs. Nutritional Analysis

Without the larger context of Macrobiotic Nutrition, Nutritional Analysis will always present a distorted view of what we should be eating.  A while ago it was found that eating the fiber from oats was beneficial for heart disease.  This finding was then exploited by the food industry to promote oatmeal and adding extra fiber to foods.  What was ignored was the fact that all whole grains contain fiber, not just oats.

Proponents of Nutritional Analysis will recommend, for example, to take omega 3 fatty acids with little concern about the source and whether it is from fish, krill, algae,  seeds  or nuts.  Macrobiotic Nutrition, on the other hand, is not only concerned about the differences in the sources of omega 3 and but also how it  is prepared and processed, what is ingested together with it, when it is ingested, how such a deficiency could occur in the first place, who is ingesting it and the condition  and health history of the person and on and on.  The fact that a nutrient like an omega 3 fatty acid comes from a fish as opposed to a seed is of a great significance in Macrobiotic Nutrition. The further we step back  and include larger additional considerations and influences then the more significant these differences become.

Lycopene, is a nutrient found in tomatoes and in watermelons and while it may not matter from a analytical point of view where you get it from  it makes a huge difference from a macrobiotic nutritional point of view.  Not only is there the obvious difference between a tomato and watermelon, but also how the tomato was grown, how it is prepared and many other factors are significant when it comes to Macrobiotic Nutrition.

Beta-Carotene, the nutrient found in carrots that make them red-orange, was found to have beneficial health properties.  Because of this companies that sell Nutritional Supplements created Beta-Carotene supplements.  It was later discovered that those supplements were actually harmful.  Beta-Carotene is only beneficial when it is eaten in the form of a carrot.  Macrobiotic Nutrition always recommends eating nutrients in their whole original form first and foremost. This and the other examples mentioned above illustrate the differences between Nutritional Analysis and Macrobiotic Nutrition.

Macrobiotic Nutrition can also predict findings that Nutritional Analysis has yet to discover.  Macrobiotic teachers have always promoted eating whole grains and plant-based foods for many decades while such foods are being recommended by Nutritional Analysis only more recently.  In another example, it has been recently found that tomatoes are beneficial for cancer prevention.  However, future studies by Nutritional Analysis will reveal that tomatoes are beneficial only for certain types of cancers and not all of them, where Macrobiotic Nutrition has already been recommending tomatoes for prostate cancer and not for breast cancer.

Same Universe, Different Paradigms

A simple way to better understand the difference behind the thought processes and logic between Nutritional Analysis and Macrobiotic Nutrition is by looking at the Japanese way of addressing a letter versus the American way doing the same thing.  When a person addresses a letter in Japan, they start with the country first followed by the state, town, street, building, apartment, last name and, finally, the first name.  The American way of addressing a letter begins with the addressee’s first name followed by the last name, street, town, state and lastly, the country.  The focus, or emphasis is on the small toward the great or large where in the Japanese way, the emphasis is from the large to the small.

Although it really does not matter in which direction you write the address, since all the information provided is necessary to deliver the letter,  what is important to note is where the emphasis is placed in terms of value.  In the Japanese way of addressing the letter the country comes first.  The emphasis is placed on the larger differences than the smaller ones whereas in the American way of addressing a letter the emphasis is placed on the smaller differences first and then the larger ones.

Similarly, in Macrobiotic Nutrition, emphasis is placed first on the larger differences than on the smaller nutrients as it is in Nutritional Analytical Science.  Therefore in Macrobiotic Nutrition, for example, the fact that we are human beings and not, say, fish, is a primary concern when deciding what to we should be eating.  This is the reason why grains are, first and foremost, recommended because they are food for land animals and, more specifically, mammals and, even more precisely, humans.

Compare this approach to Nutritional Analysis which emphasizes molecular chemistry and biology and results in recommendations in the form of nutritional supplementation with little emphasis and concern for the source, growth, development, evolution and processing of those nutrients.  Such a limited and narrow view is similar to trying to deliver a letter knowing only the addressee’s name and street address and not knowing if one is in the right town, state or even country. By approaching the question of nutrition from a “macro” view beginning with the fact that we are of this planet, that we are animals and not plants, and that we are humans then it is safe to conclude that we should probably derive the majority of our nutrition from grains, seeds and modern plants.

In summary, while explanations based on nutritional analysis is a part of and can be used in macrobiotics, they are insufficient and if relied upon alone are incorrect and can lead to serious health problems.  Much of today’s distorted nutritional views stems from the reliance upon limited nutritional analysis.  In order to solve these problems we must approach the problem of nutrition from a different level of thinking. As Einstein once said, “Problems cannot be solved by the same level thinking that created them.”  Macrobiotic Nutrition offers that different level of thinking.

I hope this helps clarify the value and significance of Macrobiotic Nutrition and it’s superiority over relying upon Nutritional Analysis for dietary guidance.

John offers classes covering a wide range of topics. Classes may be tailored to meet specific interests. John is available to teach in the United States and internationally.

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Learn the latest information on Macrobiotic lifestyles for health and healing through the experience of master teacher and health researcher, John Kozinski.  John has taught and counseled thousands of students in his private practice and at the Kushi Institute for over 30 years.

September 12, 20010 How to Create a Healthy Heart:

In traditional oriental medicine, the heart organ and energy is related to overall vitality of the body and mind. In this lecture, the heart will be examined from traditional eastern and progressive modern views. Topics included will be cholesterol and fat myths, healing heart disease, and the relationship between food, lifestyle practices, and a healthy heart.

October 3, 2010 Food As Medicine:

The idea of food as medicine is becoming more accepted. With acceptance comes confusion about all the foods recommended. Learn about why traditional foods eaten around the world were used as medicine. The missing link is the energetics of foods, a deeper knowledge of the holistic effects of each food. The health promoting effects of various grains, vegetables, beans, fish, oils and seasonings will be discussed.

October 24, 2010 What the Face Reveals About Health:

In ancient China the connection was made between various parts of the face and corresponding organ functions. This valid system can give deep insights into your condition of health pointing the way to solutions in diet, lifestyle and natural treatments that will improve your wellbeing.

December 12, 2010 Myths and Truths about Foods and Health:

Many ideas about health are taken for granted as being true. We’ve all heard different ideas from television, internet or some health authority or study. Many of these ideas are given no explanation. Others when looked at closely are wrong. Over the 30 years of counseling, John has heard and examined many of these and will discuss cancer myths, food myths, supplement myths, various disease myths and more.

Michio Kushi (from the forthcoming re-release of the Order Of The Universe Booklet – “Expanding Pathways” – from lectures of Michio Kushi in 1966.

We are happy to be loved by so many regular customers who had supported Souen Union Square for a long long long time. We will come back in September to be able to provide better quality and environment.

Thank you very much for all your support and we will see you in fall.

Ohsawa called ‘Good Humor’ one of the basic conditions of health. Humor comes from the Latin word humere, which means, “to be wet, or fluid, like water.” In Buddhism and Taoism, water imagery represents flowing freedom and perfect naturalness. If you think about it, humor has a watery quality that we can be most receptive to by “going with the flow,” allowing ourselves the mental flexibility to be open and taken by the imagery of the comic, or the comic irony of a particular situation.

In foolishness or silliness, there is a sense of the sublime. Embodying this principle offers us a secret power in being able to lift our spirits at almost any given moment. And, it brings us to experience child-like qualities of our vulnerable, spontaneous and joyful self.

Feeling or expressing something humorous is a novel way to experience ‘being in the moment.’ Recall when you’ve really been amused or laughed aloud—were you thinking about your mortgage tax that’s due? Were you thinking about your childhood and your cruel stepfather with his martial punishments? How about your overbearing boss—was he on your mind? Truth is, it would be difficult, because humor invites you into the present moment and then locks the door. Now, you’re face to face with joy. And, it engages 100% of your intention (unless the humor is really bad).

Experiencing this and being mindful of it will help you become more consistently present in everything you do.

Humor can give us new ways to view uncomfortable circumstances, thereby becoming a coping tool. There are many events that occur in our lives that we really have no control over. For some, this sense of powerlessness can be grounds for frustration and depression. By developing a humorous outlook we find ways to minimize these situations to our best advantage. We must learn to laugh at ourselves a well as with others.

Obviously, humor does not cure all, but a sense of humor has a unique way of helping you navigate through life’s daily disappointments and upsets. It doesn’t really change anything for the long haul, but it usually makes everything instantly more tolerable and sometimes can give you a new way to reframe your situation. Humor, the Vitamin “H” of good medicine, is free, can be shared, and most definitely can be contagious! Can’t ask for much more.

By Vernes Macrobiotic Principles.
principles.htm#18

Having the will and desire to live is primary and essential to avoiding premature death, be it by accident, sickness or any other method.  The desired life that I am talking about here is not the normal day to day living that most people do.  I am talking about living an extraordinary life full of passion such that you look forward to and are happy to wake up to every single morning.

Many are unhappy with their lives yet instead of doing something about it they settle for a life of stagnant resignation. As a result, they get what they settle for and create their own demise one way or another.  Those whom I have seen reverse their sickness cultivated their will to live and became hungry for life.  Their illness was a wake-up call and they believe it was one of the best things that could have ever happened to them.  They accepted and took full responsibility for their situations, and from that moment on they became alive.  They became greedy and egocentric in a positive sense.  They became hungry and famished for life and because of this they were able to transform their situation and avoid premature death by illness.  If you want to become healthy, you must first and foremost cultivate the will and desire to live life in a way that you have never done so before.  It will not always be easy.  It will not always be comfortable and it will not always look the way you imagined.  But that is the nature of life itself.

In the future you might eventually satisfy this hunger for life and become full again.  At that time you may again become sick and you may die. That will be up to you.

2.  Be flexible and willing to change anything and everything in your life, if necessary

Many would rather die then change their life and that is exactly what happens to them.  But those who avoid an early death and live longer are those who are willing to change anything in their life including the food they eat, where they live, the relationships they are in, and the beliefs that they hold.

Life and aliveness can be defined in many ways and one them is the ability to respond and adapt to the environment, in other words, be flexible.  If you lose that flexibility then you are doomed.

3.  Develop your sensitivity and respect for the environment. Be aware how you respond to it.

The natural environment creates your food and you.  Pay attention to it, accept it fully, take care of it and nurture it.  If you don’t, it will destroy you. What you eat, drink and otherwise take into your body is how you interact with the environment.  What happens to you when you eat one type of food versus another?  What if you changed the water you drink? What if you changed where you live? How does your body respond?  Only you can know this for certain, not your doctor or other professional.  Not even those close to you. By becoming aware and begin paying attention to this you will know when to make the necessary changes in your life that lead you to either sickness or health.

On a larger scale, because of humanity’s insensitivity and lack of concern for the environment, our agriculture and our food, we have made the Earth toxic and many plant and animal species are becoming extinct and we have made countless others, including ourselves, sick.  If we continue in this way and do not develop our sensitivity and respond, adapt and take care of our environment then we will naturally perish.

4.  Be willing to eat anything and be willing to prepare your own food

Sickness is not an enemy but is only the bodies natural attempt to discharge excess and regain a dynamic harmony with the environment.  In other words, if you didn’t get sick you would already be dead.  Our food, everything we ingest,(and expel) is how we interact and create harmony with the environment. The principal way most people get sick is by over exercising their freedom; abusing their bodies through eating, drinking and doing other things excessively. Some may be able to get rid of symptoms through medical treatments but unless the source is addressed, which is what they have been eating, drinking and doing, then they will never get rid of their problems. In general, most people in developed nations eat too much animal food and therefore feel better when they switch to a plant based diet.  But there are no specific rules.  Some, who may have avoided eating meat their whole life, may need to eat some to feel better, while those who ate meat everyday may need to stop it completely for the rest of their lives.  It depends on the individual, which is why you, who are sick and wish to get well, must be willing to eat anything.

You also must be willing to prepare and be responsible for your own food.  Ultimately, only you know what you need most. No one will be able to figure that out for you.  If they did then you would owe them your life.  The wealthy, who rely solely on the best chefs and best restaurants in the world, become slaves of their own doing and will never find true health and freedom.  Likewise, the poor who subsist solely on processed pre-cooked  foods, like junk foods and soda, and inexpensive take-out meals also become slaves to the food industry and prisoners of their own doing.  Essentially, what must be done is to establish or re-establish a direct connection to your food and to minimize your reliance upon others for this. Study food, learn as much as you can and experiment until you master it. Become a master of your own food and you will become a master of your own destiny. Until then, you will remain a slave to those who control your food.

5.  Be honest with yourself and everyone else, all the time.  Constantly review and monitor your own situation.

If you ignore your bodies warning signals and pretend they don’t exist, then you will not get better. If you aren’t honest with yourself and don’t confront and deal with your own issues, then there is no hope. If you don’t listen to your loved ones and address their concerns then there is no purpose to your life.  If you aren’t honest with and don’t serve humanity then your life has no value.  Being truthful, no matter how painful, with ourselves, our world and reality, allows us to know ourselves and monitor our progress through life.  Knowing who we are, where we are and what progress we have made is critical to exercising our freedom to transform our health.  A useful way to gauge one’s level of honesty is to look at how large our sense of humor is and if we are able laugh at our own folly.

6.  Be grateful to all, especially your difficulties

Without sickness we would not know health.  Without the possibility of a premature death we could not appreciate life.  Without our health we could not abuse it and become sick and so on.  Whether we feel sick or feel healthy the experience of life is a gift to be cherished and be grateful for.  This gratitude is not mandatory but is a choice for each of us to make.  We can choose to be grateful and to appreciate every moment in life, or we can choose to be ungrateful, feel victimized and blame everyone and everything for our problems.  Choosing gratitude makes us responsible which, in turn, give us the freedom to change our destiny.  You can be grateful, or you can be ungrateful. It is your choice.  If you choose not to be grateful then you are also choosing to give up your freedom.  So choose wisely.

7.  Choose and actively pursue a goal and dream that benefits everyone

What is your life about? What do you dream of being and doing? What do you wish to accomplish in this life? What do you wish to do this year,  tomorrow, or even in the next moment?  Regardless of the state of our bodies and our health, life is about dreams and having the passion to make them come true.  The most important aspect of becoming and staying healthy is to know why you are doing so.  What you dream and wish to accomplish is the “why”.  You can choose to do anything you want. If you wish to be a mean and hateful person and make people unhappy then you will be miserable and your life will be cut short, if not by yourself then by others.  If you choose to serve others and make them happy then you will be happy regardless of the state your body.  Everyone who recovered from a terminal illness with macrobiotics, had a dream and vision for what they wanted to do with their lives.  They all lived long enough to achieve those dreams.  The greater your dream is then the more your body becomes only a vehicle to achieve that dream.  If your dream is great then it will continue long after your body has died.  That is true health.