when are you 'marco'?

[dr_christa]

Hello all!
I am very happy to have found this website. I don't know anyone else who is macrobiotic and I have lots of questions!!! I have been reading several books, but there are some questions I have that the books just don't answer.
My first question is this- when are you considered 'macro'? I have been vegetarian since November and I have been eating mostly organic foods (veggies, breads, pastas, etc.) for the last several years. Since discovering macrobiotics, I've have been incorporating what I have learned to balance the energies of food by using various cooking methods and times and such, but I can't say that all of my foods and food choices are "macro." Of course in my readings, it seems that depending on your health status, the definition of what exactly is and isn't marco can change. So in light of that, I don't know when exactly you consider yourself 'macro.' Any thoughts?

[Klara]

Dr. Christa,

You're question brings a huge smile to my face (wish I knew how to do these icons) My how many times we've discussed this and it's variations. Take a look at Ginat Rice's chat
http://www.cybermacro.com/macrochat/...006-ginat.html

that might help clarify some issues - or at least make you think even more on it

I have this discussion all the time with my family, who try to catch me when I eat the "wrong" foods - but that's not macro, they say!!!!! And I respond with EVERYTHING is macro, just have to know how to balance it!!!!! or understand how it's being balanced for you (disease, cravings, moods, etc).

For someone new to macro, this can be quite overwhelming - especially considering he/she may be reading several books that don't seem to agree. That is because the books are written by individuals, all on their own path, with their own conditions to deal with. And of course, we're all on this path somewhere, but all at different points.

At the beginning we look to others to tell us this is ok to eat, this isn't - and as I said that can be greatly confusing. I realized this after I had several teachers and was able to understand why they were all different. So you really do have to look to your own intuition and see what feels right at this point in time. It will change, that's a basic principle in mb. And if you feel you can't do that at this point, and just wish for "experts" to tell you what to do, then my own personal choice would be to go with the top, which I consider the Kushi's (again, here others may disagree, and that's OK!!!!!)

I used to be part of a support group and I made the mistake of categorizing people as more mb or less mb - now I just see everyone as on a path, their own path and am trying to drop the categorization of people. There have been posts on this site and other mb sites where people talk about healing in different methods other than food and I'm tempted to scream but that's not mb!!!!! But I resist, as I remind myself, eveyone is on their own path - some "mb people" would include herbs to help their condition, others would keep away from them like the plague - and same with many other foods, methods, etc.

I believe in the chat I mentioned above, I said that mb is being conscious of how food effects you - and I think you're very much on that road.

wondering why you asked??

Klara

[abcolin]

Could not figure out where to ask this so decided to do that here. As I was thinking of this lifestyle I came to terms with some information which is about the founder of this lifestyle, Michio and Aveline Kushi. Well they must have contributed a lot in preaching people about the macrobiotics but I was aghast to learn that they died of cancer! Now tell me why did not the macrobiotics work for them?

[andybuildz]

Everyone dies. It's "how" you live.
No one here's preaching magic.