Making Sense of Macrobiotics

by Nancy Cameron

Macrobiotics is a Greek word that means Largest-Life. It is based on the suggested dietary and lifestyle recommendations for health and longevity in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, the oldest known book of Chinese Medicine.

In essence macrobiotics is a metaphysical science presupposing that the universe is a constantly changing holistic system striving for balance, a balance between yin and yang, the two complementary, yet antagonistic, energetic forces that make up our existence.

The macrobiotic philosophy of Oriental Medicine was introduced to the western world about 50 years ago by a Japanese scholar named Georges Ohsawa. As modern civilization began embracing “high-tech” lifestyles, including “scientifically-advanced” ways to cure illness, the ancient basic truths regarding health were gradually becoming dissipated.

The 3000 plus year-old system of Oriental Medicine is founded in the relationship between the individual and “the way”, also known as the “Tao”, the external law governing all plants and creatures. The main thrust of Macrobiotics is the rediscovery and reapplication of those ancient truths for harmonizing with the order of the universe, an order which is evident daily in the sheer beauty of the sunrise and the sunset or in the exquisite and awesome birth of a child.

The macrobiotic diet and manner of eating is not a formula, but rather it is a fluid and dynamic daily activity wherein anything can be eaten, as long as one has a deeper understanding of it’s effect on them and, in turn, knows how to transform dis-ease back to balance.

Be your own doctor. Even a seemingly small dis-ease like a cold or an allergy is the body’s way of communicating with us that we are out of balance. Macrobiotics is not a dogma, but rather an expanded awareness of “we are what we eat”.

According to Macrobiotics, our daily eating allows us control over our state of being and allows us to determine our own destiny. It is the ultimate act of taking responsibility for your reality, the most significant way of “holding yourself accountable”.

Keeping with ancient tradition, the recommended day-to-day macrobiotic diet mostly consists of vegetable-quality foods, particularly grains, legumes, land and sea vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit. These are all simple, clean foods, allowing for the energy or qi of the body to remain as free-flowing as possible.

This is a necessity for remaining free of disease, since where there is stagnation, pain and dis-ease will follow. It is recommended you choose food of organic quality. While vegetable-quality foods are the basis of the diet, smaller amounts of supplemental foods such as fish or other animal meat may be appropriate for an individual.

This introduces another principle of the macrobiotic diet. Each individual is unique and therefore there is no one “menu” for two different people, let alone for everyone. Each individual’s constitution and condition must be considered when determining a diet plan. One’s lifestyle, their occupation and daily activities, must be taken into account as well as their heritage, gender and environment, that is the season as well as the geographical location.

The cooler foods are recommended for the summer, while more warming foods and cooking techniques for the winter. Accounting for all of these aspects serves to create the greatest amount of harmony with nature and, in turn, balance within one’s own body and spirit.

Another precept of this philosophy is cooking with the foods that grow locally and seasonally in your environment. As one enjoys their meal, featuring the bounty of the season, ideally their body is adapting to the seasonal changes.

Adjusting your diet to meet your personal needs is also a very significant aspect of this art of cooking. As the season changes you can adjust your diet to satisfy your cravings through the various tastes of the five elements - sweet, salty, sour, bitter and pungent. With a variety of these tastes in your food your organs are nourished and remain in balance.

Various energetics in your food and in your cooking can be utilized in order to maintain a dynamic nature within yourself. The colors of the foods can nourish and heal, for example, the rich golden-orange color of a winter squash is extremely nourishing for the spleen, as is the sweet taste of the squash itself.

Note that a good quality sweet vegetable is most nourishing to the spleen, whereas the concentrated sweetness of sugar can deplete and imbalance the spleen. When we are worried or overthinking we often look for a sweet to eat. Herein the spleen is seeking balance.

In addition to colors, our cutting styles and cooking techniques can also be varied and adjusted in order to harmonize one’s condition. All of these energetics function to keep your qi free-flowing and vital for optimal health.

A complete Macrobiotic meal gives one all the nutrients, minerals and protein necessary for the daily recommended allowance: a grain, a legume, a small amount of a sea vegetable side dish, a separate land vegetable dish and finally a generous portion of steamed greens.

A small amount of a pickle is included as a condiment to aid digestion, as are items such as gomashio, a ground sesame seed & salt condiment, or tekka, a condiment made from finely minced, well-cooked carrots, burdock, lotus root and aged miso paste. These condiments help to alkalize the blood and balance an over-acidic condition.

Fermented foods such as miso, tempeh, tofu and sauerkraut are recommended often for they can cultivate the intestinal flora and stimulate peristalsis. Every item has a role in the nourishment or balance of the body.

Macrobiotics has been described as the highest art, the art of conscious eating and the art of cooking for one’s destiny. As the medicine of longevity and rejuvenation, it is founded on wisdom that has gradually been lost due to man’s poor judgment. Perhaps as human nature becomes more distressed and out of balance, the universal law of change will force us to once again re-examine these ancient truths and guide us towards higher consciousness.


Gourmet Macrobiotic Recipe by Nancy Cameron

LAYERED POLENTA & BLACK BEANS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

In September, we move from the fire element of mid-summer, when the heart is most active, to the soil or earth element of late-summer with increasing spleen activity.

Fresh corn is very abundant during this season. It nourishes the heart’s opening while tonifying the spleen with it’s sweet taste, cultivating passion and romance.

The warm, coral-color of the roasted red pepper sauce also reflects the fire of summer, while it's sweet soothing taste reflects the nature of late-summer’s soil or earth element...

Polenta:

2 cups polenta, a.k.a. coarse cornmeal or corn grits
8 cups water, or more if necessary
1/2 t. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh basil, chopped

Bring water to a boil with salt. Whisk in polenta. Turn to simmer and continue whisking until it begins to thicken. Cover and leave to cook over very low heat for 30-40 minutes, whisking from time to time, adding more water if it seems to become too thick; you want some looseness to it, not thick like mud.

At end of cooking add garlic and simmer a few minutes more. Turn off heat. Add basil, then cover and set aside for about 10 min. before turning out into lightly oiled 9x11 dish. Let sit to firm up for at least 1 hr.


Black Bean Layer: When polenta is firm cut into 2” squares and “sandwich” with black beans by spreading about 1-2 T. of refried black beans between two squares of polenta.

There are many brands of canned organic refried black beans that are suitable -- healthy and delicious, or you can make your own of course.

To serve this dish reheat in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 min. or fry each square in olive oil for a few min. on each side. Then top with the following yummy sauce:


Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2-3 red peppers, seeded, roasted and peeled
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 T. sweet white miso,a.k.a. “shiro miso”
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste or butter)
1 T. brown rice or apple cider vinegar
1-2t. umeboshi vinegar - a salty vinegar made from the umeboshi plum
1/4 cup olive oil
water

For a Red Pepper Sauce, puree peppers in food processor. Add garlic, miso, tahini, vinegars & olive oil and blend well. With machine running add water to thin out until desired consistency.

Serves 8-10.

Note: Any of the unusual items above can be found at Capers on Robson Street, 4th Avenue in Kits or Marine @25th in West Vancouver.

Nancy Cameron, R. Ac., is a certified Macrobiotic Counselor and Cooking Instructor. Her TCM practice is based on this dietary wisdom.