I just had a startling realization that my manic episodes are getting less severe, even if I am still experiencing them. My goal of healing manic-depression (or bipolar illness) through macrobiotics is working in the gradual way that macrobiotic practice is supposed to work! What an epiphany, indeed.
My last episode did not actually turn into a full-blown mania, just what is called a hypo-mania or mild mania. The episode before I did not have the awful paranoia that I often experience when manic. Part of that I attribute to not eating any eggs. I used to eat eggs to make myself more yang through their strongly contractive energy. When manic, I used to think I was just in an extreme yin state with my mind scattered and shattered, however, I realized a few months ago that perhaps my state when manic was one of both extreme yin and extreme yang. I re-read Michio Kushi's section on bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in "Crime and Diet," which made me wonder if my manic mind-state was somehwat like paranoid schizophrenia. Mr. Kushi said that that disorder is caused also by extreme yangness. So I made myself a guinea pig and didn't eat eggs during the mania or since then and I have been surprised by the positive results.
Michio Kushi also says that bipolar disorder is in part due to hypoglycemia and that that disorder is mainly caused by chesse, eggs, chicken and strong meats that adversely affect the pancreas. So, eggs are not indicated for my condition. During Lent, I was vegan macrobiotic, eating no animal foods and have continued to abstain since then.
I also concluded that my hypoglycemia is much better, as my fasting blood sugar levels went from 70 a few years ago to 94 this year. I remember well the previous test because I was so weak and dizzy after the blood test. I thought I was going to pass out. This year, I was just fine. Both tests were taken after 14 hours fasting, so I have tangible proof that I am improving. This is very encouraging to me.
Many thanks to Klara for your uplifting comments. I am very grateful for your support.
MacroPeace,
Caroline V. Ritter
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I had a similar story, tho not due to mb - I used to have very sore feet, but was foolish enough to believe it was natural - til I was told not so - then went the route of podiatrists - which did various things, and all helped, for a while, but the discomforts always came back. I went to a lecture on magnet therapy and figured, what can it hurt. I had no recollection of when things changed, just sitting in an audience once hearing again their lectures, when I heard the story of someone else with foot pains and how it disappeared, and then realized, wow, so did mine. Pain we recognize, absence we don't see as clearly til we realize what it used to be.
So glad you had your epiphany.