New to this way of eating and this forum

[losing_it]

Hello, I just started a very restricted macrobiotic diet prescribed to me by a naturopath. I've had some ups and downs.

I will need support if I'm going to make it.

The goal is to get healtier... lose weight and cleanse.

Here is a description of my diet:

brown rice, millet, seaweed, a version of miso soup, gomashio, umeboshi plums, 2 cups water, Tamri/shoyu soy sauce, rice drink (substitute for water)
herbal tea (red clover, corn silk, echinacea, Ginger root, Licorice root, dandelion root, black/blue cohosh, uva ursi, yarrow, slippery elm, sarsaparilla root, valerian root, bancha or kukicha... all mixed together in one tea - 4 small cups per day)

and many supplements (Colon cleanse, milk thistle, vitamin bcomplex, kelp, chromium picolinate, co-enzyme q10, zinc, omega 3, Lecithin caps, Vitamin E, Fat Fighter, Cayenne)

Snacks: Rice cakes (only certain ones), Brown Rice crackers, brown rice snaps, millet rice flakes, puffed kashi, cripy brown rice cereal

Oh and I can use only onion, ginger, garlic and scallion in any dishes

... no sugar, no veggies, no fruit, nothing else... for 30 days!

The plan has 4 phases this is the first phase.. the next phase I start added back stuff (veggies, etc.)

I'm a little worried about how it's going to go. I spoken to a number of people on it may b/c they have been diagnosed with cancer or to lose weight to get healthier.

I'm also suppose to do a Ginger compress to my back 3 to 4 times a day.

Anyway. I lost 10 pounds the first 7 days but now I gained back a few pounds. I'm about 50 pounds over weight I don't understand why the weight isn't just falling of me. I feel ok. About day 5 I had a horrible headache (lasted about 1 day) and my tongue turned white on top with a bad taste (last a couple of days). Those side affects have gone away. I guess it could be worse someone else I spoke to says she threw up a few times.

I've spoken to many others on this diet and they lost more weight. What's wrong with me? I asked the naturopath and he thinks I must be drinking too much water which is true I've drank more water than prescribed. I have started to try to measure the water and be more accurate.

Anyway, glad to find a forum. Any help or suggestions is appreciated.

BTW I am 33 year old American women currently living in Jamaica.

Hi i know the diet its frem Ted Emmauel.. i tried it last year some time and it worked starting can be a bit hard, i will be doing it again commencing jan 12th, the 1st time i only did phase 1 i am in canada and most of the things i have never heard of and simply cant get, but i love brown rice..so i should be fine, lets encourage each other i too am from ja. if u like u can email me.

Originally Posted by losing_it

Hello, I just started a very restricted macrobiotic diet prescribed to me by a naturopath. I've had some ups and downs.

I will need support if I'm going to make it.

The goal is to get healtier... lose weight and cleanse.

Here is a description of my diet:

brown rice, millet, seaweed, a version of miso soup, gomashio, umeboshi plums, 2 cups water, Tamri/shoyu soy sauce, rice drink (substitute for water)
herbal tea (red clover, corn silk, echinacea, Ginger root, Licorice root, dandelion root, black/blue cohosh, uva ursi, yarrow, slippery elm, sarsaparilla root, valerian root, bancha or kukicha... all mixed together in one tea - 4 small cups per day)

and many supplements (Colon cleanse, milk thistle, vitamin bcomplex, kelp, chromium picolinate, co-enzyme q10, zinc, omega 3, Lecithin caps, Vitamin E, Fat Fighter, Cayenne)

Snacks: Rice cakes (only certain ones), Brown Rice crackers, brown rice snaps, millet rice flakes, puffed kashi, cripy brown rice cereal

Oh and I can use only onion, ginger, garlic and scallion in any dishes

... no sugar, no veggies, no fruit, nothing else... for 30 days!

The plan has 4 phases this is the first phase.. the next phase I start added back stuff (veggies, etc.)

I'm a little worried about how it's going to go. I spoken to a number of people on it may b/c they have been diagnosed with cancer or to lose weight to get healthier.

I'm also suppose to do a Ginger compress to my back 3 to 4 times a day.

Anyway. I lost 10 pounds the first 7 days but now I gained back a few pounds. I'm about 50 pounds over weight I don't understand why the weight isn't just falling of me. I feel ok. About day 5 I had a horrible headache (lasted about 1 day) and my tongue turned white on top with a bad taste (last a couple of days). Those side affects have gone away. I guess it could be worse someone else I spoke to says she threw up a few times.

I've spoken to many others on this diet and they lost more weight. What's wrong with me? I asked the naturopath and he thinks I must be drinking too much water which is true I've drank more water than prescribed. I have started to try to measure the water and be more accurate.

Anyway, glad to find a forum. Any help or suggestions is appreciated.

BTW I am 33 year old American women currently living in Jamaica.

Mornin' LW,
My hats off to ya. I too am starting fresh as well. Finishing a two week #7. Brown rice and twig teas for two weeks. So far I've lost 15#...but in more ways than what you're doing,,,,my thing's way easier. Theres not much I need to measure or cook for that matter.
Your program is more complex so that alone says something. You're becoming very discipined. In my diet, I just need to keep from getting board. Hell, I've even slightly burned the rice on the bottom of my pressure cooker slightly just to get some crunch for a change...and THAT even requires yet more chewing....lol.
Losing the weight you've lost seems pretty good to me. It can always be worse...you could be still gaining. Why not do some lite exercise in addition? I know I need to start doing that again. I'm a carpenter/builder/contractor in home renovations and restorations and pretty much get a fair amt of exercise yet a lot of the time I don't like when all I'm doing is trim work or painting or any project that doesn't require a ton of cardio.
I really should jump back on my treadmill before I do my meditations. I've even built a whole room dedicated to my meditations and it has my treadmill in there. Soon come, right?
You live in a gorgous country...should be enticing to go out for some power walks.
I've been there about four times...to Nigril. I'm sure I'll be back again soon.
I think you've been doing great from how it sounds and all I can say is to not get discouaged. Don't set too high a goal. Set reasonable ones for "you".
Attaining small goals only leads to great successes. Takes a lot of "little" steps to travel miles so.... Give yourself a break and lighten up inside as well as outside. This is why I decided to go macro...because thats what it means to me. It takes on the entire being...not just what you see on the wall mirror but also the mirror on the other side of your eyes.
Relax..take some deep breaths and see how well you're doing...cause you really are!!
Be well
Namaste'
andy

[Cool Dude]

Hi Losing it, Jamaican lady, and Andy,

The diet prescribed by Ted Emmanuel of mixing a "balanced macrobiotic diet" with herbs and supplements appears to be more of a mishmash than a straightforward macrobiotic approach to healing.
http://www.cybermacro.com/forum/
Most macrobiotic counselors don't also call themselves naturopathic physicians or naturopaths.

Mr. Emmanuel also uses many other methods that most macrobiotic conselors don't use, so you might call what you are doing a restricted macrobiotic diet, but I wouldn't.

If you can't find a sole macrobiotic counselor where you are and can't travel to where one is or pay for one to come to you, then I'd suggest that you get one book to teaching you about self-healing macrobiotically The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health:A Complete Guide to Preventing and Relieving More Than 200 Chronic Conditions and Disorders Naturally by Michio Kushi and Alex Jack and a good self-healing cookbook The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole Natural Foods by Kristina Turner, for starters.

You should be able to lose weight and feel better in no time.

Be Well.

Cool Dude