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Hi Lace.
Japanese macrobiotic emmisary, George Ohsawa used to say:
"Philosophy without practice is useless, and practice without philosophy is dangerous." I agree with this line of thinking and believe it is necessary for you to look at angles regarding macrobiotic philosophy and practice -- read whatever you can get your hands on and talk to as many people you know who follow the macrobiotic lifestyle.
Its basic tenets are sound and rooted in Taoist natural thought that seeks to maintain balance in all realm of life, beginning with the foods grow in yoour surroundings. Right now your problems stem from extremes in yin and yang intake, and mainly too much animal fat and simple sugars. So you will need to begin working on gradually eliminating these to components from your diet and replacing them with more moderate alternatives. Rather than eating red meat on a daily basis you can change over to fish and organic fowl three times per week (during cold season) and then over time cut back on the fowl all together.
In a like manner, do the same with the sugars. First quit all the artificial sweetners and then replace refined sugar with a natural alternative and use half the amount you were used to using. Then over time, gradually phase it out and learn to enjoy whole foods in their natural unadultered state. Make sure that you also begin eating whole grains (at least one cup) on a daily basis and seek out someone who can teach you how to cook macrobiotically. This is an important area that needs to be learned from a hands on experience with a real person, not a book.
In due time you will start to feel more centered in your thinking and in your actions and the yin residue that is making your joints swell and painful will become neutralized and the swelling and pain will diminish. I have witnessed this occurance numerous times. Good luck.
In peace, Roy
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