Macrobiotic way of eating means respecting
natural principles and understanding quality of life.
Personal opinions are not important for this issue.
That's why it is not important who does not obey Universal
law. We all have our choice and natural law is urging
us to make changes and adjustments if we want to feel
as a whole person. These discussions are empty judgments
and they are leading nowhere. Life is so precious and
we should not play this game over the Internet. We make
people confused and macrobiotic philosophy and life
style cheap.
Mina Dobic -
Wow, what would I say…I would most likely say
that if she had not been soooooooooooooo strict in
the first place, she would not have had to abandon
the diet completely…when people who eat so strictly,
almost neurotically, will have wild cravings and will
have difficulty sustaining macrobiotics on any level…it
is a beautiful way to eat and to live and it is only
when we lose sight of its balance that we make ourselves
nuts…she is probably happier now…and healthier.
Christina
Pirello -
I can understand why brown rice was not appealing
during your pregnancy as a woman's tendency is to
become more yang when pregnant so she needs a wider
diet and more relaxing, creative activities for balance
though the American way is to emphasize physical activity
to the exclusion of more relaxing, artistic pursuits.
Most women are naturally physically active anyway.
In the past, when I've become too yang, I've found
it helps if I make the grain softer, more like porridge,
and if I have more variety in the way I prepare the
grain such as making it into sushi with vegetables
and tempeh or making fried rice with vegetables as
well as using long grain once in a while. Variety
is so important.
Your child is most fortunate to have a mother who
understands the impact that food has on physical and
emotional well being.
Gale
Jack -
Strict and precise should forever be banished from
your macro vocabulary unless you are in recovery from
a life threatening illness. Pregnancy is not in that
category. The full standard macro way of eating (
the term diet implies restriction to me) is lush and
full with an astounding array of foods and preparation
styles. Explore relaxed in the macro lifestyle, enjoy
life and still be able to stay in balance.
Jane
Steinberg -
I would tell Gwyneth Paltrow that macrobiotic food
is the best around, but it has some weaknesses. If
she eats more protein, especially animal protein (even
eggs if nothing else) and more fat, especially coconut
oil, she can still enjoy the benefits of macrobiotic
food, while addressing the problem areas. I have been
macrobiotic for 35 years and I have worked out how
to do it right. The standard macrobiotic food program
contains too much carbohydrate and too little nourishing
food for a young mother.
Steven
Acuff -
I think this is interesting and I fully understand
what Gwyneth went through. My ex-wives (I am twice
divorced and have five children and all of them were
born naturally at home with midwives. ) went through
similar things when they were pregnant. It is natural
and a pregnant woman should eat what she craves. Ideally
the craving should be of higher quality and less animal,
but still as a temporary measure it is they way it
shold be. If she is going to eat cheese then hopefully
it is of the highest quality; direct from a local
traditional farmer and not from some multi-national
giant corporation like Kraft foods. If she ate meat
then hopefully it was all organic/free range or even
wild game.
Here again is a case for poor definition/misunderstanding
of "macrobiotic" and its use an adjective
to describe a diet. Eating brown rice does not qualify
or disqualify one as following or practicing "macrobiotics"
or not. Gwyneth, since her introduction to macrobiotics,
like most people who learn about macrobiotics these
days, now has "food awareness" which is
important to self-discovery and gaining mastery over
one's life.
In my view she did not "abandon macrobiotic
diet" since really there is no "macrobiotic
diet" in the first place. What then is "macrobiotics"?
It is the art, science and practice of longevity.
But the teachings of George Ohsawa and Michio and
Aveline go beyond that and introduce ancient oriental
principles of yin and yang and apply it to science,
as a whole, social change and spiritual development.
Their teachings look at what it means to be human
and Gwyneth is, first a foremost, a human being.
I personally find those who judge people based on
what they eat as repulsive as any racist.
Phiya
Kushi -
It does not sound to me that you abandoned the macro
diet at all.
As the father of 10 children and also having counseled
hundreds of women through successful pregnancies,
it is perfectly normal not to want to eat brown rice
during pregnancy, especially in the first three to
four months. This often happens when your practice
is too strict before pregnancy.
You are still eating a grain based diet, I would
call that macro. It is probably better that you are
more relaxed in your practice now so that you can
replenish the deep reserves you lost during pregnancy.
Thank you for being so open about your macrobiotic
practice. It is commendable and makes this way of
life open to so many more people.
Denny
Waxman -
Congratulations on graduating from an overly restrictive
macrobiotic diet - eggs and white flour are both included
(as luxury foods) in our version, which allows complete
freedom to every individual. We wish you and Apple
all the best. By the way, there is a 4-part series
on infant and childhood vaccinations from one of the
top research scientists in the U.S. currently running
in Macrobiotics Today magazine. Lastly, congrats also
on the new cosmetic's contract. Just remember, what
is taken in through the skin is "food,"
too.
Carl Ferre -
George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation
