Macro-beginner here, just saying hey...

[crankytank]

Hello everyone. I'm new to macrobiotics. So new that I haven't even started yet. I was just on a 7 day fast that ended yesterday. I figured it would be easier to begin a new diet-lifestyle after completely clearing the old one out. So... I did read "The Macrobiotic Way" by Michio Kushi while I was fasting. I've also read a ton online. As a result, I am very excited to begin!!!!

My roommate used to be macrobiotic (because she lived with someone who was) so she knows the ropes a little bit. We have a cookbook by Adeline Kushi. I'm supported by a few people around me, but I do not know even one other person who follows this diet. There are also a lot of nay-sayers who like to challenge and debate about this.

I also have a lot of friends who drink a lot, smoke a lot and eat junk a lot. I quit smoking as a result of fasting. I plan on not having much alcohol ever again, either. I guess I figure I will have some hard to get through times that I may need a forum for. I'm mainly worried about losing friends since I'm losing my main social behavior (smoking and drinking).

So, hello! <---- (I love this!)

Oh, another thing I guess I should mention is that I work overnights, and I'm a girl. These things may factor a bit into the difficulty level of my change.

-crankytank

[Bruce Paine]

Hi, crankytank,

My feeling is that if Aveline were still around she would be amused by the new name that you gave her!

Which cookbook did you get?

My guess is that you are a young adult, mainly because you identify yourself as a girl who has friends who like to party.

I just turned 25 when I started macrobiotics, and sometime after, I returned to smoking (natural tobacco cigarettes, hand rolled) because many of the teachers and students also smoked and quit for the last time, 13 years later.

Depending on your degree of discipline, it may be difficult to keep from returning if you still have friends smoking around you.

Working graveyard shifts (which I interpret what you mean by overnights), is a very yin time of the 24 hour cycle and it is not easy keepng oneself yang enough during those times (I did a lot of smoking and unfiltered apple juice consumption during those couple of years of 7pm to 7am night clerking of a residential hotel in S.F. back in 79-80).

I recommend getting into day shifts as soon as you can.

Depending on how you approach macrobiotics will influence what you consume, macrobiotically.

My guess is that most vegan macrobiotics don't drink alcohol, where as the fish and or egg eating macros probably do.

Though I eat fish one to two times a week, I drink a beer less than once a year but do like NA beer, amasake, and natural fruit juices.

By the way, my birthday is on Valentine's day, how about yours?

Our birthday and birth years can be used by some to determine which way our personality might be leaning as well as how we might communicate and also approach life and relationships.

Regarding getting some of your macrobiotic supplies, the creator and administrator of this website very conveniently has provided us with links to foods tools and books that we might not find locally (click on to where it says STORE in the upper left top of your web browser window or go to http://www.simplynatural.biz/ )

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine 656

[crankytank]

Hehe... I did get the name wrong, huh? I was going by memory. I think the cookbook is called something like.... The complete guide to macrobiotic cooking... I'm at work, so I cannot look at it.

I am 25 and my birthday is August 6th.

I do work at a hotel. I've been working the graveyard shift for more than 6 years now, so I'm really used to it. I make sure to still get some sun during the early afternoon, though. It would be very hard for me to get out of working overnights, as it pays a lot and I actually like the shift. Is there another way to make myself more yang? I also do very much prefer winter over summer. (and I live in Minnesota) I think I'm a pretty yin person anyway.

I will be eating eggs and fish as a part of this diet. I will probably keep my alcohol consumption to just holidays, though. (and not very much)

Thank you for your reply. I'm really glad to have people that can answer my questions and that I can talk with about this.

-Tracie