Too much food?

[Lulu]

I am new to macro biotics, I have ordered some books recommended on this forum, they haven't arrived yet, so I may not appear to know as much as I should.

My question is, can I eat too much macro food in a day?

The reason why I ask, is i've turned to macro because of ill health. I'm aware it will take me some practice to get it all right, however, for now, i'm enthusiastically spending a lot of time preparing my meals I'm even enjoying eating them.

Some day's I feel very unwell, and I eat a lot of mini meals.. I'll cook up a huge balanced, bean, grain, veg meal, and take mini meals from that to eat whenever I feel hungry, or unwell.. (approx 2 hourly) I rotate with the miso soup, in between i'm eating a few nuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas..

I guess in my mind, I'm using the food as medicine, i'm aware my body is rundown, and I'm anxious to supply it with the right nutrients to heal. Can I overdo it? I don't feel overfull, like i'm overeating..

If I include my illness perhaps you can better identify my nutritional needs hopefully advise me.

I am annaphylactic, my allergy is to potatoes. (which, I need to add, I find the macrobiotic phylosophy of nightshade vegetables very interesting)

I accidently came into contact with potatoe starch in some make up I bought, in the hospital I am treated with adreneline & steroids. (I hate what this does to my body) when released from hospital, I am healing but it can take me up to a month to completely heal, my immune system takes a real beating not just from my own bodies reaction to the toxin, but the medication...

at the moment, my skin is covered in sores (from scratching too hard) and a very evident rash. Strangely this time the rash is covering all areas around my lungs and face. I'm dreadfully uncomfortable and unwell..

I have had a long time passion to my health, strangely i've only just discovered macrobiotics. I'm so glad I did. I began almost immediately, i'm used to discipline with my food intake, mainly because i'm so anxious to be healthy, I want to, so 'cold turkey' transition was not difficult.

I can hardly wait till my books arrive, until then, I was hoping to ask someone with experience what they think would be best for my situation.

[ragnar]

Hi Lulu,

I tried to eat Macrobiotic for a while, but I felt mostly bad, sometimes very good. I thought that when i felt good it was because I had eaten the right things. Then I tried starting eating other food, eggs, meat, fish etc. I feel much better, I have much more energy. I also eat some raw animal protein. Raw eggs, raw milk, and meat/liver. I still eat whole grains, sprouted grain bread and such. The reason Im telling you this is because I dont want anyone else to do the mistake i did, to continue eating macrobiotically even though it did not feel good. It was definetly a dogma. Look at www.westonaprice.org to find more information about what you should eat to get healthy.

Whole grains are great, but not all the time. I think the highs I got when eating macrobiotically was related to the highs the anorectics get. Life is not easy, everyone has to try their own way. For me macrobiotics was the gateway realizing that type of food is an important choice. First I got more sick eating macrobiotically, now I try to cure myself by eating traditionally.

Some people seems to get along well on macrobiotics, according to other postings on this site.

/Ragnar Österlund

[Bruce Paine]

Hi Lulu and Ragmar,

Last February, I took a cooking class called Where's the Protein http://www.macrobioticsnewengland.co...n%20Events.htm with Warren Kramer in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Besides the "Cabbage Stuffed with Grain, Tempeh, and Sauerkraut", Chickpea Hummos", "Scrambled Tofu and Vegetables with Umeboshi Vinegar", "Baked Beans, Boston Style", and "Pinto Bean Soup" recipes, he gave us flyers that contained the following information: Slaying the Great Protein Myth http://food.consumercide.com/proteinmyth.html

and

"Some Facts about Protein

Protein helps us to build and renew cells, muscles and tissues. In the standard macrobiotic diet. protein is supplied from whole cereal grains, various bean and bean products, sea vegetables. seeds and nuts, and the occasional use of fish and seafood. These supply all the essential amino acids needed by the body.

On the average, about 12% of the total caloric intake in the macrobiotic diet come from protein; 15% comes from fat, and 73% comes from complex carbohydrates. The average american consumes about 100 grams of protein a day, primarily from animal sources. A person eating the macrobiotic diet consumes about 40 to 60 grams a day, primarily from plant sources.

Beans and legumes have about the same amount of protein as a comparable volume of meat, poultry, and dairy food. Soybeans, soybean products, tofu, tempeh, natto, miso, and soy sauce are quite high in protein, containing about 1 1/2 times more protein than a similar volume of meat and three times as much as eggs. Seitan is also an excellent protein source.

Excessive protein in the diet can result in accumulations of urea, uric acid, fat and cholesterol in body tissues and the blood. Excessive acid and fat in the blood tend to wash away stores of essential minerals, causing the bones and teeth to weaken. High Protein intake intensifies the loss of calcium and is associated with the increased risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and fractures in daily life.

- Warren Kramer- Summer Conference 1995"

And if you need to hear/read it from a doctor then here's a doctors report:

Analysis of Health Problems Associated with High-Protein, High-Fat, Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets Reported via an Online Registry http://www.pcrm.org/health/reports/h..._registry.html

Isn't it interesting that when conservatives are in power, suddenly there is this big push for comsuming more animal protein?

Ragmar, do you ever wonder if there is any connection between eating animal foods and aggression, meat eating and violent conflict?

Also how do persons eating animal foods heal themselves of common illnesses and life threatening diseases?

Can they mostly heal themselves or do they always require professional's help?

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[Lulu]

Very interesting responses, thank you for your thoughts.

As part of my new macrobiotics way of life, there has only been soy based products & beans that I use for protein . ( I love organic tofu)

On the day's i'm feeling unwell, rather than it being the way I'm eating, it is a direct result from an annaphylactic reaction, which can take up to a month to heal from.

I know i'll have these moments of not feeling well, but am I right to view my macrobiotic food as medicinal/nutritional, at these moments i'm not well, I'll have another mini meal of either, (miso soup, bean veg mix, or nuts, seeds etc...)

Can I eat too much? my thinking is this... when I'm not feeling well my body is screaming out for nutrition to help it recover, so I want to get as much in as I can...

Can I eat too much macro biotic food in a day?

[ragnar]

I am quite sure that you can eat too much macrobiotic food in a day, yes.

Thank you, very much

/Ragnar

[Lulu]

I'm learning more, and can probably see it's not such a good idea to eat every couple of hours. Rest is probably best to heal....

I appreciate your response.

[Bruce Paine]

Lulu,

Yes, you can overeat, even with macrobiotic foods.

Ekiken Kaibara (considered by many to be the great great grandfather of macrobiotics) in his book Yojokun: Japanese Secret of Good Health http://www.abetitles1.com/Title/3528...od+Health.html says that "...the purpose of eating and drinking is to satisfy hunger and thirst and for that reason should not not let one's greed get the upper hand and eat and drink as one pleases even after one's hunger has abated and one's thirst been quenched..."

"...If one eat's one's fill one will be sorry afterwards. With a little self-control, one can save a lot of trouble, afterwards. Eating and drinking only a little gives the same pleasure at the good taste as when one goes the whole hog---and one suffers no ill consequences. Going too far always invites trouble.."

Michio Kushi in his book with Alex Jack: The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health: A Complete Guide to Preventing and Relieving More Than 200 Chronic Conditions and Disorders Naturally http://www.qualitynaturalfoods.com/s...345439872.html says that "...the standard (macrobiotic) eating provides a complete balance of energy and nutrients. There is no need to count calories or calculate individual nutrients. You may eat regularly 2 to three times a day, as much as is comfortable, provided the proportion of each category of food is generally observed. Thorough chewing is essential and it is recommended that each mouthful be chewed at least 50 times or more until it becomes liquid in the mouth. As Gandhi wryly observed, 'drink your food and chew your liquids'. Eat when you are hungry but it is best to not overeat. Leaving the table satisfied but not full, is recommended..."

Lino Stanchich author of POWER EATING PROGRAM (PEP), You Are How You Eat and MACROBIOTIC HEALING SECRETS, VOL. I http://www.macrobioticconsultation.c...Products.shtml says that chewing 100 to 150 times per mouthful will make you fearless and powerfull but chewing more than 200 times, regularly, might help you attain enlightenment.

Also, get to better understanding of how what you eat affects how you feel in Kristina Turner's The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole, Natural Foods http://www.qualitynaturalfoods.com/s...lcookbook.html .

I hope that you get a better understanding of how to deal wth these dietary issues and feel much better.

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[Lulu]

thank you for the information Bruce