Macrobiotics is a system of rules in lifestyle and nutrition, with the help of which our psychophysical state is regulated . Doctors and philosophers from all over the world used this term to define life in complete harmony with nature. In this article we will find out what macrobiotic nutrition consists of, what it is, the history of its origin, and we will also give a list of dishes corresponding to this system.
Story
This food system has been used since ancient times in Japan in monasteries. There she is called shojin reri - "judgment-enhancing cuisine." The concept of "macrobiotic" is even in the writings of Hippocrates. Although officially this term appeared in the book of Christophe Gufeland (German physician) in 1796. The modern concept of the system was developed by Sagen Itizuka (Japanese military physician). In 1897, he published his huge work, The Chemical Theory of Longevity and Nutrition.
A year later, he released his own nutritional textbook, which later went through 23 editions. Ichizuka used macrobiotic nutrition for oncology and other diseases, prescribing brown rice, seaweed, and vegetables to patients. A group of his followers in 1908 created the Food Treatment Society.
At one point, Ichizuki’s book was in the hands of Yukikaz Sakurazawa, a young student who later became known in the West as George Osawa, a Japanese physician and philosopher. Having recovered from tuberculosis with the help of macrobiotics, he began to spread this teaching himself. He wrote about 100 books on this system, oriental medicine and philosophy; Visited various countries with seminars and lectures; opened the "School for the ignorant," in which he taught Eastern philosophy and a single order.
In the West, macrobiotic nutrition (what it is, we learn in the article below) began to spread in the sixties of the last century, after it was adapted to the European way of thinking. About 1,000 macrobiotic centers today operate in Canada, the USA, Italy, Holland, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France, Australia, South America, Switzerland, Japan, Slovakia, Poland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Africa and Alaska.
Essence of teaching
It should be noted that the basis of modern macrobiotics lies the system of philosophy of the East, based on the basic principles of equilibrium Yang and Yin (famous for about 5000 years), as well as some aspects of Western medicine. Health is the harmony of yin and yang, as well as the balance between our external and internal environment, physical and mental activity, animal and plant foods, raw and thermally processed foods.
According to the teachings on the balance of Yin-Yang, many diseases arise from the predominance of Yin or Yang energy in the human body. It depends on the climate, place of residence, physiology and the intensity of the activity of a particular person.
According to macrobiotics, this imbalance can be corrected with the help of:
- selection of necessary food products;
- the method of their preparation;
- compliance with the rules of eating.
Moreover, the system only recommends, it does not prohibit anything.
Food selection
Macrobiotics conditionally divides all diseases into "Yin" and "Yang." Yang diseases need to be treated with Yin food, and vice versa. In this diet, all food:
- Yang-products - alkaline reaction;
- Yin foods are acidic.
Eating Yang or Yin foods in the body, you can maintain a dynamic balance of these energies, which is what macrobiotic nutrition is all about.
The menu includes only healthy products. It is recommended to avoid:
- genetically, hormonally and chemically altered foods (all canned foods, refined sugar, any drinks and foods with chemical dyes;
- strong Yin and Yang products (fruits, sugar, fish, berries, cheeses, meat). The imbalance introduced by them into the human body can cause a feeling of hunger.
An overabundance of unnatural foods and sugar creates a lack of energy, therefore, the body requires a lot of Yang energy, a thirst for red meat, the need for protein is born.
With a lack of protein, the body “eats” its own tissues, and this leads to weight loss over time. Too thin are susceptible to tuberculosis, infections, pneumonia, and other diseases. What are all kinds of atrophy followed by:
- sclerosis;
- muscle atrophy;
- arthritis, etc.
Excess sugar, as well as a large amount of protein, makes the body too full, and this entails a “bunch” of other diseases, as evidenced by macrobiotic nutrition.
The menu for the week assumes the presence of dishes from vegetables and whole grains that have not been processed. In addition, marine plants, fish, various vegetable seasonings, seeds and nuts, legumes, fruits are used.
Osawa has developed ten therapeutic dietary regimens. So, the diet for seriously ill patients consists only of cereals that must be consumed within 10 days (7 diet - therapeutic or monastic). The diet changes with recovery, the percentage of cereals decreases, giving way to fruits, vegetables, soups, etc.
In macrobiotic, depending on the availability of the above foods, 10 modes are distinguished. Of these, you can choose for the "average", ordinary life, and for vegetarianism.
Cooking food
Macrobiotic nutrition according to Lebedev suggests proper cooking. This includes methods of drying, storage, replacing sweet or sour foods, as well as adding various seasonings.
The main rule in this case is to cook food for one meal, at most for a day.
Cereals (whole unrefined grains) are used raw, in the form of infusion, boiled, baked and crushed.
Meal rules
Macrobiotic nutrition according to Lebedev suggests thorough chewing of food, at least 60 times. What will it give:
- necessary and good food for the body will give pleasure, while harmful food can only cause disgust;
- the amount of food absorbed will decrease, and its subsequent assimilation will improve;
- chewing will become meditation, you can quickly learn Eastern philosophy.
Use as little water as you can. It should be noted that macrobiotic food contains a lot of fluid. A large amount of water only overloads the kidneys, therefore, in macrobiotic, you need to give preference to various cereals instead of many favorite soups.
Advice
Do not forget about the systematic and prudent. Fluid restriction applies to people for whom macrobiotic nutrition has become the norm. At the same time, at the transition stage, while our body is undergoing restructuring, we do not need to sharply limit ourselves in drinking.
Initially, limit your intake of sweets and meat products. Meat products are better replaced with legumes and fish. Replace sweets with dried and fresh sweet fruits (apricots, prunes, dates).
Then replace the side dishes with boiled vegetables and cereals. But do it gradually, otherwise the balance in the body of both minerals and vitamins will be upset.
Effect of Macrobiotic Nutrition
Macrobiotic nutrition is the embodiment of the Law of Nature in drinking and human nutrition. If a person is in compliance with this Law, he is able to achieve mental, moral and physical health, which means:
- great appetite;
- lack of fatigue;
- good and deep sleep;
- good mood;
- good memory;
- life in accordance with the order of Nature;
- clarity of deeds and thoughts.
The principles of macrobiotics, which arise from the laws of nature, make it possible to choose, eat and cook exactly the food that suits a particular person. As a result, it makes it possible to achieve high energy potential and good health with low time and financial costs.
Macrobiotic nutrition: porridge "Healthy"
The basis of such nutrition is grains of cereals and cereals, which before eating:
- washed;
- dried (fried) without oil in a pan;
- pushed in a mortar;
- medicinal herb in the form of a powder is added to the treated agent;
- diluted with water to a state of sour cream, and then eat already.
Macrobiotic nutrition is based on such principles of eating food. “Samara healthy man” is cereals that can be safely eaten. When preparing them, whole grains of rice, wheat, millet, rye, corn, buckwheat processed in this way are used as the main raw material:
- the grain is deeply cleaned with further washing;
- then it is subjected to short-term heat treatment;
- further crushed;
- After that, kelp, spirulina, flax, Jerusalem artichoke, rosehip, etc. are added to the grain in the form of powder (meal).
It should be noted that the Samara Healthy man macrobiotic diet in Voronezh and many other cities of Russia can be easily purchased at the pharmacy. A product prepared in this way is diluted before use with a liquid whose temperature is not more than 60 ° C. It can be broth, water, vegetable or fruit juices, dairy or dairy products. Grains cannot be cooked, because high temperature can destroy all the beneficial properties of the additives that this macrobiotic food contains. Porridge "Zdorovyak" in Almaty is also sold in many pharmacies and herbal pharmacies.
The methodology for using such food for treatment is extremely simple: to get a healing effect, you need to use only it for 10 days or more.
Below we consider the most affordable recipes for such food.
Salad with gooseberries from rutabaga or carrot
On a coarse grater, rub 400 g of swede or carrots; mix with one glass of stewed rhubarb or gooseberry compote, season with may honey. You can also add greens.
Rhubarb and Beetroot Salad
Cross cut 2 stalks of rhubarb, mix it with a couple of tablespoons of honey and remove for half an hour in the cold. Grate 2 raw beets, finely chop the parsley and dill and mix everything together with rhubarb.
Turnip Salad
Take 2-3 peeled turnips, cut into strips, or grate. Mash half a cup of cranberries or currants. Season the mixture with honey. You can also sprinkle with chopped caraway seeds or dill.
Cabbage with apples
A half a kilogram of red cabbage needs to be chopped, put in a saucepan, add a couple of chopped onions, a little water and a little stew. Next, on top of the cabbage, you need to lay 4 apples in slices. Bring the pan to readiness over a fire, covering it with a lid.
Radish with raisins
Grate the peeled and washed radish, add chopped onion, scalded and washed raisins, then season with honey or vegetable oil. Garnish the salad with slices of carrots or sprigs of greens.
Soaked grain
We continue to learn about how beneficial macrobiotic nutrition is. His recipes are very interesting, including this one. Three tablespoons of oats (you can take wheat or rye grains instead of oats) in the evening, soak and clean for the night. Drain the water in the morning and add dried apricots, peeled nuts and raisins or prunes to it.
Buckwheat with mushrooms
Cook the spice broth from 50 g of mushrooms. Strain it, and chop the mushrooms very finely. Pour two cups of the nucleus with three cups of this broth, add the mushrooms, chopped a small onion, mix everything and send to the fire. After the porridge boils, remove it from the heat and remove for an hour and a half and fry in the oven.
Pumpkin millet
Finely chop the pulp of pumpkin (200 g), put in boiling water and boil. Then add 1.5 cups of millet (first you need to soak it for several hours) and cook. 5 minutes before cooking, you can add washed apricots or raisins to the porridge.
Millet with caraway seeds and onions
Studying further macrobiotic nutrition, the recipes of which are given in this article, one cannot fail to say about this interesting dish. One and a half cups of millet should be washed and soaked for 6 hours in cold water, then boil it. Add finely chopped greens, crushed garlic, chopped onions (green or onion), caraway seeds to the porridge. After that, place the pan to simmer in heat.
Homemade granola
A tablespoon of hercules should be soaked for several hours in three tablespoons of water (preferably all night). After the oatmeal swells, it is necessary to grate 150 g of apples, stirring the mass all the time, and also add 1 tablespoon of honey and grated nuts. You can use any dried fruits and berries.
Rice pilaf with dried fruits and vegetables
Rinse 1.5 rice, chop several apples and 0.5 kg of pumpkin in small pieces, rinse a little dried apricots and raisins. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan, then put the pumpkin so that its slices cover the bottom. Pour a layer of rice on top, then put a layer of apples, then rice again, a layer of dried fruits, rice again. Pour a little salted water over it all so that it completely covers the last layer of rice. Remove the prepared dish to the fire.
Millet soup with feta cheese
Pour a glass of millet in hot water and simmer for one hour, then add chopped feta cheese and mix until smooth. Sprinkle with dill and parsley.
Cucumber soup
Cut the cucumbers, onions and parsley root, chop the salad and stew it all with water until fully cooked. Then pour boiling water, add some crushed crackers and cook until boiling. You can add parsley and lemon juice.
Pumpkin soup
Chop the onions finely and fry them. Then put the chopped pumpkin (0.5 kg), add a little water to it, salt to taste and simmer. Season the flour toasted in butter (4 tbsp.), Dilute with water and cook until thickened. You can also cook soup with carrots, cauliflower, burdock root.
Chapati
Macrobiotic nutrition is very popular in the East. The indispensable food in this case is chapati, which can be prepared from buckwheat or wheat flour or millet, a mixture of various crushed grains.
So we need:
- 150 ml of water;
- 250 g of flour;
- 3 tbsp. l oils;
- 1/2 tsp salt.
Combine the salt and flour in a large bowl. Add water and knead until soft dough. Sprinkle it with water. Next, cover with a linen towel and set aside for an hour. Preheat a cast-iron pan. Divide the dough into fifteen parts, make balls out of them, kneading them all the time. Roll fifteen cakes out of balls. After that, stack them one at a time in the pan. After small bubbles of white color appear on the surface of the crumpet, and the edges begin to bend upward, the cakes should be turned over to the opposite side. Now gently take the chapatis with forceps by the edges so that the resulting cake does not tear. Bring it to the fire, where you hold until brown spots appear. Lubricate with oil on one side.
Restore energy balance
We figured out what macrobiotic nutrition and its main products are. None of the edible constituents of the grain is discarded. Everything should go into business - embryos, bran, endosperm (this is the tissue of plant seeds, where the nutrients that are needed for the development of each embryo are deposited). Such a complex is able to meet the needs of the human body, in addition, helps to restore balance.
It should be noted that whole grain contains a set of substances that are very necessary for a person: proteins, complex carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, fats, while in proportions that help us get as much energy as necessary.
In general, on your table should be desired dishes of rice (brown), buckwheat, millet, oats, corn, wheat, etc. Eat them daily. Porridge can be eaten all day. There is no specific set of dishes in this case. You can alternate them at will, only based on the observance of the above balance.
Criticism
It should be noted that macrobiotic nutrition cannot cover all the needs of the body, especially in children, people with a number of chronic diseases or intense physical exertion. Recipes, the reviews of which are indicated in the article below, of course, can be used, but there are opponents of such a regular diet.
Studies have shown that followers of this doctrine have cases of rickets, scurvy, and iron deficiency anemia. Such a diet in children can lead to a lack of vitamins D and B12, proteins, riboflavin and calcium, and this leads to a low content of muscle and fat tissue, growth retardation, as well as slow psychomotor development.
And the Cancer Society of the United States did not find evidence that such a diet can be a quality treatment for cancer, as previously stated.
At the same time, treatment of diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems can be effective if medications and macrobiotic nutrition are combined. Porridge "Zdorovyak", reviews of which attract the attention of a huge number of people to the product, in this case will significantly save your time by improving the condition of the body.
Such a kitchen differs from the usual way of eating with a high fiber content, and this can cause an imbalance of minerals in the body. But a gradual transition to such a diet will help to avoid the bulk of these problems.
It should also be noted that different authors may differ in Yang and Yin products.
Macrobiotic nutrition: reviews
As today more and more people are thinking about the need for a healthy lifestyle, you can find a huge number of reviews about macrobiotic nutrition. Many talk about improving their well-being, rejoicing at how many dishes are offered in this kitchen. Others note, on the contrary, a deterioration in well-being, although for the most part this is due to a sharp transition to such a diet.