|
Bruce. I don't know what other oriental system you are refering to as you are taking your quotes from two well-known macrobiotic leaders, from their books, as per your usual way.
The more traditional oriental approach regards menstrual irregularities as deficient liver blood (yin) and treats it with accupuncture and herbs. Some of the herbs include Gardenia jasminoides, Gentiana scabra, Heliotis diversicolor (abalone shell), as well as Bupleurum chinense (known by the Chinese as Chaihu) which specific for elevating yang.
The orientals also traditionally use a form of Motherwort (Leonurus sp.) for menstrual irregularities -- this herb is also much used in the western world.
The bean thing seems to be more of a Japanese folk tradition, adapted by the Japanese macrobiotic practitioners. Yet not all Japanese macrobiotics follow the blood/bean theory. Herman Aihara states that the underlying cause of menstrual irregularities is "imbalanced eating -- too much yin and/or yang food." He does not give any bean recipes.
It all may boil down to experience and knowledge of yin/yang or which books and people you prefer to follow in life. What is your belief? What does your intuition tell you? One leader in the macrobiotic field mentions red beans, another black beans. I can name 100 herbs that can be used for yin menstrual problems and 100 for yang menstrual problems.
Do you know the saying about knowing more than one way to skin a cat? My own 35 years as a practicing herbalist leads me to first discover the cause of the problem and then to recommend what foods or medicinal plants or other external treatments or exercises would work the best for that particular situation. How much first hand experience do you have in diagnosing people and knowledge of the plant kingdom?
What does your own heart call out for you to recommend? Maybe beans will work. Try it and see. Maybe brown rice fast for a few days; try it and see. But if it doesn't work you need to have a good back up plan, one that is deeply rooted to experience with the plant kingdom and working with people. This is what I have learned that works best for me. If you are a true Taoist you know the way of nature, of yin/yang, and do not need to recite from books.
I hope this answers your question.
In peace, Roy
|