Macrobiotics
Macrobiotics Lesli Deakins COM/220 June 12, 2010 Tracey Franks
Do not let the word macrobiotics scare you. The word simply means “long life.” The word macrobiotic is first found in German literature written by a scholar named Christophe Wilhelm Von Hufeland in 1776. Most people have the misconception that macrobiotics is just another diet. Macrobiotics is a dietary practice based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing yin and yang (see yin-yang). According to macrobiotics. (2006). In Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, macrobiotics was first articulated in Asia in the 1930s and swept Europe and the U.S. in the late 1960s. Adherents maintain that not only can the quality of life be enhanced but that serious ailments such as cancer can be healed; critics counter that uninformed attempts to practice such a diet can lead to malnutrition. Macrobiotics provides a healthier way of living due to its nutritional benefits for health and well-being. Of all the definitions I have read, I like the description on the Kushi Institute’s (2004) website that states, “Macrobiotics is a holistic and natural lifestyle, which addresses not only diet, but all areas of one 's life.” Modern day macrobiotics takes the best of each phase and incorporates the healing foods within an open, flexible approach to healthy eating. There are two words that stand out in learning about macrobiotics. They are: way and philosophy. The macrobiotic way provides guidelines which encompass more than just food and becomes a philosophy in balancing all areas of life. The philosophy is based on the eastern concept of universal forces of energy which either expand or contract, known as Yin and Yang. Foods are classified into one of these categories based on the results they produce within the body. Those foods which do not have an extreme affect are considered balanced. Fruit and sugar are classified as yin; whereas, meat and salt are yang. Brown rice is a
Do not let the word macrobiotics scare you. The word simply means “long life.” The word macrobiotic is first found in German literature written by a scholar named Christophe Wilhelm Von Hufeland in 1776. Most people have the misconception that macrobiotics is just another diet. Macrobiotics is a dietary practice based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing yin and yang (see yin-yang). According to macrobiotics. (2006). In Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, macrobiotics was first articulated in Asia in the 1930s and swept Europe and the U.S. in the late 1960s. Adherents maintain that not only can the quality of life be enhanced but that serious ailments such as cancer can be healed; critics counter that uninformed attempts to practice such a diet can lead to malnutrition. Macrobiotics provides a healthier way of living due to its nutritional benefits for health and well-being. Of all the definitions I have read, I like the description on the Kushi Institute’s (2004) website that states, “Macrobiotics is a holistic and natural lifestyle, which addresses not only diet, but all areas of one 's life.” Modern day macrobiotics takes the best of each phase and incorporates the healing foods within an open, flexible approach to healthy eating. There are two words that stand out in learning about macrobiotics. They are: way and philosophy. The macrobiotic way provides guidelines which encompass more than just food and becomes a philosophy in balancing all areas of life. The philosophy is based on the eastern concept of universal forces of energy which either expand or contract, known as Yin and Yang. Foods are classified into one of these categories based on the results they produce within the body. Those foods which do not have an extreme affect are considered balanced. Fruit and sugar are classified as yin; whereas, meat and salt are yang. Brown rice is a
References: (2006). Macrobiotics. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Retrieved from XRefer XML database EBSCOhost Kushi Institute. (2004). . Retrieved from http://www.kushiinstitute.org/waytohealth/macrobiotics/whatismb.htm Wong, C. (2007). What Should I Know About the Macrobiotic Diet?. Retrieved from http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/Macrobiotic.htm Herman, S. (2009). The Pros and Cons of a Macrobiotic Diet. Retrieved from http://www.edubook.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-macrobiotic-diet/2653/ Richards, V. (1990). The hazards of macrobiotics. Nutrition Health Review: The Consumer 's Medical Journal, (56), 19 Brown, S. (2006). Macrobiotic History. Retrieved from http://www.chienergy.co.uk/mbhistory.htm Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko , (1985). Cooking in Harmony with Nature . : Avery Penguin Putnam Untalan, Connie. 2003. "Macrobiotics: New Life." Macrobiotics Today 43, no. 4: 17. Alt HealthWatch, EBSCOhost Kushi, M., & Jack, A. (1994). The Cancer Prevention Diet (2nd ed.).