Cybermacro - Macrobiotics + Macrobiotic Food

It's been a challenging few months health-wise. One of my biggest problems in dealing with bipolar disorder is having the strength to cook complete macrobiotic meals. I tend towards sloth when in depression and that is most of the time.

I have, however, found a source of greater strength. I ordered Barbara Jurecki-Humphrey's book on congee featured in a recent issue of Macrobiotics Today. Some of the recipes are printed in the magazine, but I felt I needed a greater understanding of what she calls "Longevity Soup." She combines different whole grains and beans with kombu and vegetables with a whole lot of water and cooks it in a crock pot overnight. The next morning a nice, fresh breakfast is ready to go and one can eat the congee for all three meals with different vegatables added, etc.

I realize it is not considered a macro-Godsend to cook in a crock pot, but I know for myself that I have slowly gained strength since beginning to make congee almost daily. Surely it is a blessing to those who have no inclination to cook. I like to cook, but for quite awhile I would get light-headed and feel faint when I stood for any stretch of time.

At any rate, I still have been battling manias. I did decide to eat a vegan macro diet for Lent--that meant no animal-based foods at all. For a long time, if I started into a manic episode with its racing thoughts and excess energy, I would eat an egg or two for their yangness. That may not have been wise since part of my problem is a pancreas that isn't up to par and eggs are supposed to contributed to making the pancreas imbalanced, as in the case of hypoglycemia,which I have.

Having the congee there for me all day helps the low blood sugar so I can have some good macro fare at my fingertips. All in all, I feel the seventeen-some-odd dollars I spent on the crock pot were one of the best uses of money I myself have ever spent. 

MacroPeace,

Caroline Ritter