[Nancy]

Hi All,

Today, Dana Reeves (Christopher Reeves' wife) is in the news after a courageous appearance at a charity event for the Christopher Reeves' Foundation (for spinal cord injury). Courageous, because she is now in the throes of fighting lung cancer. Here is a person who always lived a wise, moderate, and healthy life, a non-smoker, yet before the age of 50 she has lung cancer. My thought upon seeing her interviewed, is more and more people are contracting cancer and other difficult diseases to conquer under the age of 50 -- because of our adulterated (tampered with) food sold in American society and our poisoning of the planet.

Pure food, organic food, consumed in the right balance, cannot be stressed enough to maintain good health. I am reading about the Okinawan Program and the Okinawan Diet Plan which is macrobiotic (but some yin vegetables are more freely eaten, ie. tomatoes, eggplant, etc.). The above are studies of the Okinawan Elders, Centenarians, living to over 100 years of age. The study is not only about the food eaten, but also foods frequently eaten and sparingly eaten, and lifestyle. Leanness and activity in the elder population, and energy balance. Energy balance is energy expended in activity versus energy intake as food. Lean, fit, and active makes for a healthier body versus ANY complications from overweight or obesity. This is also Balance which would benefit all macrobiotic people to practice.

The food sold in American grocery markets is toxic and appalling. All the processed, additive filled, packaged foods cause cellular starvation (no nutrition going to the cells) and eventual disease. Most meat (unless it is free range organic) is contaminated with antibiotics and hormones. Now, farmed fish is also.

It is becoming exceedingly difficult to live in health and make healthy food choices in such a food-poisoned society. Genetically engineered food is hidden from the public and not labeled as such. Recently, standards for organic food are in danger of being modified for the worse.

Not being able to balance work or social stress in modern society is another danger. Many people living today frantically use food addictions to balance mental stress. This means that even macrobiotic people careen off the recommended diet for even a precarious condition. All to say, modern life ridden with high technology is complicated. It is simplistic to think every macrobiotic person can perfectly balance their life and health.

Many cannot, they will not live to be 100.

As we grow older our bodies deteriorate. It takes very wise and diligent personal health care to maintain one's own body to a very elder age.

Also, in the news today is a new vaccine to eradicate the Human Papilloma Virus -- this is a sexually transmitted virus that causes uterine and cervical cancer. Think about Aveline and the type of cancer that caused her death. Could it be that it wasn't anything she ate? Or, anything having to do with her own conduct, lifestyle, or care of her own body?

All is much more complicated than meets the eye at a superficial glance.

Go forward, as old age advances in your own body...best of luck, wisdom, and health to everyone.

Nancy