Hello everybody, with questions

[hans89]

Hello everybody,

my name is Hans and I'm from Germany. First off, sorry if what I'm asking has been gone through 1,000 times, I haven't had the time yet to go through the forums... So I hope you forgive me my lack of knowledge.

After trying different ways to improve my shaky health, I've ended up at macrobiotics and am very willing to give it a try. Becoming a vegetarian has helped my health a lot, but I believe it's not all it can be as of yet!

All I have read so far is the book "You Are All Sanpaku" by Ohsawa. Four days ago I've started the 10-days-brown-rice-regimen, just that I've replaced the rice with buckwheat.

Now I've been using my electric stove, since there is no connection for cooking with gas in my house. I got the impression that cooking with gas is quite crucial, but I don't see any way I can cook with gas (without the danger of blowing myself up that is).

The yin-yang chart in the end of a book was quite confusing as well... Are all fruits more yin than all meats? Or is pork more yin than an apple???
Is there a "great chart of yin and yang food and cooking method to clear up things somewhat?

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

[Bruce Paine]

hans89,

Welcome to Cybermacro and macrobiotics!

First of all, from my understanding, there is no meat or animal food that is more yin than any fruit.

100% Whole Cereal Grains and Temperate Climate Vegetables are considered the central foods in a macrobiotic diet for people living in a temperate climate.

Whole grain brown rice is the grain most often consumed.

And during the Winter, and during different parts of the Spring and Fall, Short Grain Brown Rice is mostly consumed, longer grains more often during hot weather and in hotter climates.

Of course, organic grains and vegetables are preferred for a number of reasons.

Buckwheat is usually considered to be more yang than rice and therefore is not generally consumed as often.

Here are three links to cooking with gas versus electric (and some alternatives) are discussed:


Gas-vs-electric cooking


Introduction


Ohsawa Pot Instructions

There are many macrobiotic books that discuss balancing yin and yang but the best and most comprehensive for beginners , I believe is The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole Natural Foods by Kristina Turner.

Unfortunately, the above link does not ship overseas, so you have to go elswhere to get it.

If you can"t find it at a local bookstore, try this:

The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole, Natural Foods by Kristina Turner.

Thank you, very much.

Be well.

Bruce Paine

[hans89]

Bruce Paine -

thank you very much. I bought a camping butan gas stove, and it works really well for me. I've also ordered a pressure cooker and switched to brown rice with vegetables and miso soup, let's see how that works!