One of the things I love about mb is the principles apply to all different kinds of situations. So tho this writer asks about stress and acne, I think Verne's answer is also good for you, Sara (and probably all of us) in thinking about other parts of your life and how to balance it. So I'm just guessing from my own experience, that the thought of motherhood could be also adding stress, tightness as he calls it, or yang in the common mb terminology - and my suggestions were all yinnizing kinds of stuff. Also interesting how eating too much (realizing you're eating for two, so don't skimp here) or eating the same can also create a yang condition. And most important, what he says is to look at your life and reflect, what other parts may be creating the mood swings you talk about.
This is a great site btw everyone. I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter - this one is from today's newsletter.
Klara
Q: I'm a university student majoring in social work. I've been practicing macrobiotics for more
than 3 months. but I would like to know more how macrobiotics can help in relieving stress as
well as what should I eat or do to help in reducing Acne.?
Youmna - Japan
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A. Very generally speaking, Youmna, stress can have a physical source as well as an emotional source.
Physically, the way we eat can create conditions in the body that constrict'; we feel a tightness that
can be digestive, arterial, muscular, cerebral, etc. Sometimes, this causes us to want substances
that create a loosening effect--relief from this tightness.
It's like the difference between fasting and overeating. One constricts, the other expands. A practical
example of this, in a less exaggerated sense, is going to the movies and eating a bunch of salted popcorn.
The popcorn is usually too salty--and poor quality salt, at that. Suddenly, we start to think, "Hmmm, a soda
or juice would be nice..." And so, the cycle begins.
This is one of the many physical reasons behind our cravings. I address this at length in my book,
"Nature's Cancer-Fighting Foods." This almost seems like a natural balancing act, however, rarely, do we do
this in exact proportions, and so often, if we feel such tightness, we end up taking an excess of "loosening"
substances that can sometimes foster inflammation.
If we are very active, this also creates constriction. This is why it's good to stretch, just slightly before and
after (more extensively) a run. Running, in this example can tighten the back hamstring and front quad muscles.
Some focused stretches (In yoga: the forward bending pose, splits, the camel, the side twist, etc.) can help
these muscles to relax. Sometimes, eating simply, that is, a diet of whole grain, bean and vegetable, which
regulates blood sugar, can get boring and make you crave foods that do the opposite: make your blood sugar
swing high and low. Sugar is a good example. These physical changes also affect us mentally, as blood sugar
swings can cause mood elevation, or depressive states.
For reducing stress, I recommend to clients that they become consistently physically active-on a daily basis.
That is, going for brisk walks, or hiking, treadmill, biking and swimming (all low joint impact activities), when
possible, for a minimum of 20 minutes daily. This moderate activity and oxygenation promotes more blood
circulation and has a remarkable de-stressing effect on your body, without putting it into more stress.
Eating too much volume of food can stress you physically, for the effect it has on digestion and
liver/gall-bladder function.
The other kind of stress that a lot of macrobiotic material neglects is how we are affected physically,
by emotional stresses, whether they originate from familial concerns, work or identity issues .
Emotional stress affects our physical body in ways that we are just beginning to discover. It can influence
digestive secretions, respiration, blood sugar (from hormonal stimulation that is triggered by our emotional
responses) and so many other aspects of health. So reducing stress is not just a matter of controlling and
regulating your diet. It's about understanding your value system and self-monitoring your attitude,
maintaining a flexible perspective (please read my article on the "30 Macrobiotic Principles") as well as
taking care of your diet, avoiding extremes and making sure to get daily physical movement.
And, the same goes for handling acne. It's two-fold. Your immune system is compromised, your fat metabolism,
your excesses of fat and sugar and protein as well as irregular blood sugar patterns all influence acne development
and outbreaks. Western medicine blames bacteria, but good hygiene is just the tip of the iceberg, here. Finally,
there are many emotional reasons that have been documented for skin conditions that have to do with emotional
suppression.
A clean whole grain/vegetable/bean/seaweed diet with low amounts of fruit and oil is a good start.
For emotional work, there a number of therapies that are designed to help you first recognize emotional blocks
and move you through them, as opposed to indulging in them. For many Asian macrobiotics that I've counseled
I've recommended Morita or Nakai therapy--a Japanese zen-like approach to seeing the larger picture and living
in the moment--with good success.
The influence of what we eat, how we live, what we think and feel all constitute our health.
Real recovery has to embrace every dimension of influence.
Verne Varona
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