If the idea of a life largely devoid of such necessities as ice cream, coffee, alcohol and chocolate makes you wince, you may want to stop reading. On the other hand, if you think you could endure such hardship, a macrobiotic diet may be perfect for you.
      The word macrobiotics, from the Greek “macro” (large), and “bios” (life), literally means to live “larger” or “longer.” The Japanese philosopher George Ohsawa (1893-1966) was the first to systemize and popularize macrobiotic lifestyles.
      The ancient Chinese concept of yin and yang is the central aspect of macrobiotic diets and lifestyles. Foods are said to contain a certain amount of yin (dark) and yang (light) energy. The goal is to achieve balance by avoiding foods with too much of either. As you might have guessed, items like refined sugars and caffeine are considered too unbalancing to consume on a regular basis.
      A standard macrobiotic meal is mainly (70-85%) whole grain cereals and fresh vegetables. Beans and bean products are another significant item (10%), and small amounts of other foods such as fruit, seaweed and fish complete the meal. Processed
Sorry, no ice cream. But, according to the macrobiotic philosophy, if you follow George Ohsawa’s advice you’ll be a healthier person
foods, meat and dairy products are used only rarely. A macrobiotic diet puts much emphasis on thorough chewing before swallowing and eating only when hungry.
      Health benefits include weight loss and a generally lower risk of developing various ailments such
as heart disease or cancer. However, claims of macrobiotic diets actually curing such serious conditions remain controversial within the medical community.
      So if you think you can endure cereal grain coffees and bean paste desserts in the name of health, you might want to give this uniquely balanced diet a try.