deaths in the sixties

[Ilanit]

I hear it was one death.
the person was on drugs and was consuming undiluted tamari in great quantities.

I doubt it resembled anything like the modern macro balanced diet.
I think it is far more likely that one would incure health issues from the standard western diet.

of course macrobiotics is powerful and works best when implemented with understanding....

however I would put death way down the list of possible issues!

enjoy your cooking and eating!

Oh well that clears it up. I remember that I heard something about people dying when eating incorrect foods when coming off of water fasts because their system was so toxic.

it's not something i'm really worried about but i did just recently finish the 10 day brown rice fast and i didnt have many problems, but i do feel like things got much clearer.

i've actually decided to extend it somewhat because i feel so comfortable with it .. so for the past few days i've been eating 90-95% rice which is obviously still a high quantity. im pretty lost as to how to include other foods in my life. everything i taste seems to be really strong in comparison and i'm trying to remain cautious.

however i read in kushi's 'book of macrobiotics' that continuing to eat purely brown rice for more than 10 days is dangerous and can cause imbalance... then he didn't say a word more about the matter. im confused, how could that be? Manymoons, I think you mentioned that you've been doing a fast for 6-weeks now. what are your reasons? have you found imbalance to be the result of the extended diet?

I really appreciate any information that could elucidate what kushi meant because I'm pretty intent on continuing eating purely rice to improve my health.

thanks a bunch
ta-ta

in case anyone would like to know more details i unearthed this:

"In late 1965, however, macrobiotics experienced its first major setback. Beth Ann Simon, a young heroin addict from New Jersey, had decided, without supervision, to switch suddenly to the strictest form of the macrobiotic cleansing diet, regimen number 7, consisting of only brown rice and other grains. She resumed her use of heroin, refused to broaden her diet, lost a lot of weight, then died on 9 Nov. 1965 in Clifton, New Jersey. Simon's father, an influential lawyer, tried to cover up his daughter's use of heroin and blame the "alien influence" of macrobiotics instead. According to Kotzsch (1981), when Ohsawa returned to America he was tried for medical malpractice. Although he was ultimately acquitted, he and the diet received much adverse publicity."

ive never read ohsawa's book on drugs&tobacco but i heard he was quite a smoker and fan of whiskey. (?)

[Manymoons]

Dear Curious

The six week(+) rice fast was done many years ago, closer to the beginning of my involvement with this food. I think that I had been eating MB for perhaps 3 or 4 years. Many rice fasts were done for shorter periods spanning numerous years, but that was definitely the granddaddy of them all. I have done many shorter, since. Presently the extent of my fasting consists of skipping one meal a week, usually saturday mourning breakfast. Often I will reduce my diet to simple rice and a vegetable or two as a kind of retuning. Normally my diet could be considered to hover in the # 4 to #6 range consistently--no extremes such as alcohol ( I have more than enough yin already--it is in the yang that I need to fortify).

The clarity of which you refer to is defiantly a favorable major aspect of eating only rice. It is a tool to be cherished. The limitation to be aware of is rice is very yin/yang neutral and can go either way. It will not impose any particular yin/yang on you. It will in fact reflect your own balance. It will not compensate for any deficiencies of yin/yang in yourself. Your ability to transmute yin and yang is therefore totally exposed. There is a cosmic justice involved.

To be whole, each of us must contain our own yin/yang. To the degree that we do not, is the degree to which we are compelled in a particular direction; toward more yin---toward more yang. There is no end to all of this as things are always changing. The trick is to be able to tune-in and go with the flow.
There is only pain in resistance. I doubt that there is ever a point at which one becomes "fully arrived".--at leased while being human. One can however be in-tune and harmonious.

To eat only rice for extended periods of time would require masterhood of yin/yang. One will transmute the rice into nourishment or poison according to the balance one carries. It is a powerful tool but must be extremely respected. I again emphasize the need to go slowly and cautiously. Go into it gradually and come out of it gradually. Tsunamis and hurricanes will come come. There is no need to initiate them inside yourself by creating hugh sudden spikes in the wave form of your life. As you come off of the fast add a little more vegetable etc. each day until your are back to a basic normal.

Life can be smooth or lumpy. Maintaining ones own "level" and "plumb" certainly helps mitigate the extremes that life inevitably delivers.


ta ta back atcha
Manymoons

Thanks for the quick reply Manymoons. It was really helpful.

I can see how the rice does not impose its own yin/yang on an individual and I find it incredibly relieving. I found that the fast became more natural though rather than difficult after 10 days. I've extended it a bit but I 've returned vegetables back into my diet and diversified my grains. (interesting effects!)

I find though that the rice seems to form some type of paste in my bowels and can clog them - very painful. i wonder why this should be the case if there is so much fiber in rice? i understand its taking off layers of gunk in the bowel but it seems to be taking incredibly slow to be elimated. im pretty worried about this aspect of the diet. i know a person who is a firm advocate of the mucusless diet and she argues that grains require lots of work to travel through your system. I'm wondering if these symptoms clear up ... does the rice just take an extended amount of time to clean the intestines & colon?

Well, just curious.

[Manymoons]

Dear Curious

It sounds like you are experiencing contraction (yangization). This can be a reaction of doing the "#7 rice fast" too quickly--that is to say going from more yin to yang rather suddenly. Greater yin becomes greater yang. This is one reason to progress slowly and gradually. What you are experiencing may also be a reflection of insufficient yin. Remember that rice (as all the grains) are more neutral and will not give you yin/yang that you do not naturally carry.

The advantage of the neutrality of the the grains allows a sensitization that other foods may over power. You seem to have noticed this as you indicate that while expanding a little more you note "interesting effects". One can learn a great deal about the differing natures of food through this process. This is why I see a rice fast as primarily a gauging and calibrating experience. Not only does one learn about self limitations but about the subtleties of more neutral food elements as well as stronger foods. What a profound tool we have for growth and understanding!

Much success on your journey to self understanding and real freedom as a whole (and holy) human being.

Manymoons

[Johnnyzen]

many got sick because they followed diet number 7 for too long.

[Waco]

Thankyou everyone for the information in this thread!

As I said on a different post, since I became more strict about my MB diet 5 days ago, i have been much more aware of thoughts and feelings, they are no longer clouded over by to much food and sugar! I think like manymoons said, it is not always more comfortable, but i find it by far the best route, it also ties in nicely with my meditation practice.

Manymoons - I have been considering doing a rice fast and your last post has pretty much cemented the idea, thankyou! I think though, spring will be a good time for me to do it, i will have been following the MB diet strictly for longer then, also the weather will be warmer (I am acorrding to those doctors charts of what weight you should be, borderline anorexic, thou i eat well! Durring a rice fast I would feel the cold more maybe?)

Thanks

Mark

Manymoons- thank you, your responses are very helpful. It's clear you have long experience with this diet. Your diagnosis makes complete sense. As I experiment, I'm finding myself far more comfortable with food and I'm completely remaking my relationship with it.

Much success to you too!

Waco, I think it would be quite incredible if everyone switched to whole grains.

I'm starting to understand that the Macro diet is a gentle push toward a new kind of understanding of food. Highly restrictive plans like the #7 diet are tools.. eventually one has to return to trusting their own judgement in feeding their body. Eventually one should just *know* what they need rather tan following others formulas.

I hope more people experiment in this important area of their lives.

Best luck to all.