[Nancy]

Bibliomonk, I relate to your handle. You have posted on a very interesting subject.

Often mental weakness is inherited and is nothing to be ashamed of. Yet, it can be frustrating to deal with, while observing others skate through many life experiences with ease and confidence. Often those with inherited mental weakness are also ultra sensitive and may have a very high "emotional IQ". It is not necessarily optimum to have the emotions of a cow. Find an occupation in life in which special emotional sensitivity is appreciated, one is writing. Think of it as an asset, instead of only a liability.

Anxiety and depression particularly hit hard in adolescence and young adulthood. As one learns the ropes of life, and becomes more able and adept at coping skills, the grievous nature of these emotions eases.

You are correct in thinking that the macrobiotic diet will give you added mental strength. I posted more on the subject of depression in the Main Forum today. The mainstay of the macrobiotic diet is natural, whole, organic grains. Not only does this food supply excellent nutrition, the complex carbohydrate and fiber of whole grains give long sustained energy and provide balanced and stable blood sugar levels, -equaling balanced, happy, even, emotions along with the ability to fully concentrate, fully engaged in creative activities between meals.

As far as the symptoms you are now experiencing, if following the macrobiotic diet, be sure to include the whole array of variety in balanced meals as well as the recommended percentages (whole grains, vegetables, soups, beans, sea vegetables, and fish, nuts, seeds or other). It is important to have protein, and sea vegetables are indispensable in providing important minerals, imo. They will also provide a more yang element that you need.

Be sure to eat enough and nourish yourself well for your body frame. Being too thin, is not optimum for mental well-being. Being sure to get enough foods in the more yang area of balance will go a long way towards girding yourself with mental strength. The erratic moods will begin to easily balance out as you learn more and more about yin/yang, foods, cooking, and the extent to which this knowledge will help you achieve both mental and physical balance and well being. Irritation and anger indicate a more yang condition, giddiness and silliness indicate a more yin condition. What is best is a "centered" balance. A high percentage of whole grains in the diet and balanced root vegetables help to achieve this "centered" balance.

Fish provides special help for good brain function, which includes enhanced memory and ease of mental faculties. The omega 3 in fish oil is extraordinarily helpful to the brain. Brain synapses (theory which no doubt you are familiar with), snap, crackle, and pop with efficiency. Serotonin is abundant. With this kind of help, one can do computer programming with efficiency, concentration and ease, -or develop a new theory of relativity.

Cutting back on fruit and other yin foods will begin to diminish the weakness you feel (fear, timidity, etc.). Food that is more yang, strengthens mentally and physically.

In the initial healing stages, tofu and unfermented soy foods are not recommended. Many soy foods contain a naturally occurring estrogen. Hormones in any form affect our emotions and can make simple life activities harder to deal with. For the healing stages, fermented soy foods (miso, shoyu/tamari, tempeh, and natto) are easily digestable, excellent natural proteins, and a good addition to any macrobiotic diet, -either with special emphasis on healing, or -for those who can widen with more variety. Whole soybeans and tofu products are very controversial food products. Tofu is a very refined food, and whole soybeans are very difficult to digest. Well known studies have been done on populations of Japanese men in Hawaii, concluding that tofu was implicated in the early onset of dementia.

Keep learning, you've arrived, and you're on the right track.

Nancy