[Bruce Paine]

moxiesurf,

I feel that it is foolish to be experimenting with drugs especially when trying to follow a simple macrobiotic diet, because drugs like marijuana is so yin that it is too hard to make it balance with our food, activity, and lifestyle.

So if one is going to fool around with marijuana they shouldn't expect any help from experienced macrobiotic practicioners to aid them in pursuing that unbalanced lifestyle.


Regarding world class athletes such as professional basketball players using marijuana, I imagine that included with healthier version of a S.A.D. and combined with the very yangizing factor of regular strenuous workouts, ocassional pot smoking might not be detrimental as long as they are able to stay disciplined and focused.

The danger is if they then think that because they can smoke pot that they can use heavier substances such as cocaine which contributed to the deaths of famous atheletes such as Len Bias, and possibly Reggie Lewis, and to the downfall of many other famous athletes.


Regarding salt use, it is my understanding that seasalt being water soluable (not too yang), if used lightly in a macrobiotic diet, does not cause trouble for most individuals as it can easily leave the system wth urination or sweat, but the refined salt (too yang), used in conjunction with a S.A.D. is almost always in some way, detrimental because it can get trapped in the muscle tissues, is difficult to eliminate, and contributes to various problems including water retention.



Though it is true that marijuana is extremely yin, cigarette tobacco is only yin if it is sweetened with added sugar and/or smoked with the lit end lower than the end through which one is inhaling the smoke.

Also, if one is limiting the consumption of animal fats especially dairy, chemicals, and simple sugars from one's diet plus eating good quality fermented foods such as miso, shoyu, tamari, pickles, and umeboshi, plus sea vegetables and of course whole grains like organic brown rice at the center of their diet, then they'll probably be discharging toxins so effectively from their body that the inclusion of a habit like cigarette smoking might not cause the same kind of negative effects to themselves that persons who follow a diet similar to a S.A.D. (Standard American Diet).

So persons like Michio Kushi (born in 1926) might easily live past their eightieth birthday and stay relatively healthy eating macrobiotically, while smoking cigarettes.

I once asked Michio (in 1987) why he smoked cigarettes and he replied "Because I enjoy it!".

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine