And again, a welcome from a newbie

[effulgent]

Hello everyone! I'm from Dallas, TX and I'm just starting out eating macrobiotically. I've known about the diet for years and have used a few cookbooks and recipes off and on for a while. But I have some minor health issues, the main one being weight, and I would like to make a dietary change to help me get more centered, focused and uncluttered.

I'm also a strong believer in environmental vegetarianism (vegetarianism on the main grounds of the beneficial consequences to the environment), and have tried to be a vegetarian on many different occassions. However, each time I've attempted even simple Lacto-Ovo vegetarianism, I get sucked into trying to keep my same eating style but substituting "Mock" this and "I Can't Believe It's Not" that and get bored and frustrated very soon into the way of eating.

I'm trying to find a way of eating that works for me, and that eliminates animal products from my diet. I like eating macrobiotically because I like the simple recipes and whole foods. I feel better already after only eating this way for 2 weeks. I also like that there are guidelines (50% grain, etc) as well as logical reasons behind each food that is recommended. I've been reading lots of cookbooks (went on an Amazon and Half Price Books buying binge) trying to get different perspectives on the macrobiotic experience, to help avoid becoming a textbook Macrobiotic person who cannot apply the learning to real life.

Technically, I've had a slip up now and again. I had a piece of candy yesterday, and I've eaten a few "vegan" meals that were not true macrobiotic meals. But I've become very aware of every bite I put in my mouth. I think of the source of the food, who prepared it, how close is the food to the original form (i.e. does that carrot still look like a carrot vs a piece of candy that looks nothing like the components and chemicals it is made from) and things like that.

My macrobiotic goals are to ease into a lifestyle where not eating animal products becomes second nature instead of such a conscious effort and struggle. There's not a lot of macrobiotic activity in Dallas, but I'm going to keep my ears to the ground and go to cooking classes and lectures whenever I can. I'm also going to try to become aware of the energy (yin/yang) behind the foods and understand more why Macrobiotics works for so many people.

Anyway, I hope each of you have a great weekend, and I hope to be able to learn from all of you.

[dale]

You can take some cooking classes from Margaret Lawson. She is just north of Dallas. Her phone number is 903-786-9100 , email macro@airmail.net, and her website is http://www.macrobioticcenter.com/. She is great and really knows her stuff. Best of luck!

Dale

[Bruce Paine]

effulgent,

Which books did you get?

Unless you got upbeat and uplifting ones like The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics: A Philosophy for Achieving a Radiant Mind and a Fabulous Body by Jessica Porter http://store.cybermacro.com/hipchicks.php and upliftifting and inspiring ones like The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole Natural Foods by Kristina Turner http://www.simply-natural.biz/Self-Healing-Cookbook.php, yes, you might find some macrobiotic books a bit dull.

Besides Margaret Lawson, Dallas has had a few notable macros active in Dallas in the past, including the late Dr. Norman Ralston, D.V.M. author of Raising Healthy Pets: Insights of a Holistic Veterinarian and Gale Jack author (with others) of such classics as Promenade Home: Macrobiotics and Women; and Women's Health Guide: A Natural Approach to Breast Cancer, Hearst Disease, Fibroids, Pms, Bulemia, Childbirth, Menopause, and Osteoporosis

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[effulgent]

So far, these are the books I have in my macrobiotic cookbook library:

• The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics: A Philosophy for Achieving a Radiant Mind and a Fabulous Body (Jessica Porter)
  
• The Cancer Prevention Diet: Michio Kushi's Macrobiotic Blueprint for the Prevention and Relief of Disease (Michio Kushi, Alex Jack)
  
• The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole Natural Foods (Kristina Turner)
  
• Aveline Kushi's Complete Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking (Aveline Kushi)
  
• The Macrobiotic Way: The Complete Macrobiotic Lifestyle Book (Michio Kushi
  
• American Macrobiotic Cuisine (Meredith McCarty)
  
• Cooking the Whole Foods Way: Your Complete, Everyday Guide to Healthy, Delicious Eating With 500 Recipes, Menus, Techniques, Meal Planning, Buying Tips, Wit & Wisdom (Christina Pirello)
  
• Aveline Kushi's Introducing Macrobiotic Cooking (Wendy Esko)

My fears are (1) I am not balancing the food right, I'm just cooking what's in my pantry, and (2) I am not cooking the food right. I've spent two weeks stocking my pantry with grains and condiments as well as getting rid of the crap, plus I've been eating lots of fresh veggies, so I'm sure what I am eating is within guidelines. I just fear that my balance is going to be all screwey for a while until I figure out the best balance of yin and yang in my food.

As for learning how to cook macrobiotically, I took a class this weekend with Dawn from Natural Epicurian in Austin, and plan on taking the Fundamental Cooking class with her to learn more about cooking correctly and with the food having great taste. I saw Margaret Lawson's web page, but haven't contacted her yet. I definitely will, though, to see if I can take an intro class from her soon.

I'm pretty pleased with my results so far with the way of living. I try to incorporate new things into my diet each day. Yesterday I ate arame and watercress (2 separate dishes) for the first time, and that tasted good. This morning I made whole oats for breakfast which was also very tasty.

[Nancy]

Effulgent,

Your balance will not be screwy if you eat the recommended percentages for whole balanced meals for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Recommended percentages: 50-70% whole grains, 30% vegetables, (root vegetables and broad leafy greens, esp.), 5-10% soup, 5-10% beans, 5-10% sea vegetables and condiments, 5% other (fish, and macrobiotic desserts, etc.). Especially recommended is a cup of miso soup including a sea vegetable (wakame) and barley miso, aged over two years, at each meal.

Arrange foods you like within those parameters.

From your book list, it looks like you have a lot of good cookbooks, macrobiotic philosophy, self-healing information, guidance for beginning your knowledge and practice of yin and yang, and textbook cooking instructions...plus additionally, you have local macrobiotic resources for lecture information and hands on cooking classes.

Refining your cooking and knowledge of yin and yang will take time, self-reflection, and practice.

Looks like you have a good start.

Nancy

[effulgent]

Today is what I would consider to be a fairly normal eating day. This will kind of show you how my food eating patterns are going:

Breakfast:

Oat grains, soaked overnight and cooked, with cinammon and a tiny bit of maple syrup for flavor
Carrot-Daikon Drink

Lunch (leftovers from dinner):
Collard greens with Ginger
Boiled rice (I still need to get a pressure cooker)
Arame with onions and carrots
Lentil stew with noodles

Snack:
Raisins

Dinner:
Haven't decided yet, but at home I have corn, diakon, dinasaur kale. I think I'd like to fix some millet, too. So my dinner will probably be
Roasted Corn
Miso Soup made with Cabbage, Daikon and Wakame
Millet
Something with Tempeh or possibly some kind of other vegetable.

My biggest problem is that without beans, I don't know what to fix for dinner. Lunch I can usually fake with just veggies, but I'm especially fond of tempeh and lentils, mostly for their ease of fixing factor. I normally only eat beans once a day.

I need to figure out some good combinations for dinner that don't take two hours to cook and use every pan in the kitchen. I like the simpler recipes, they seem to taste the best.

So I'm reading, and I'm trying.