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Article of the Month:
By Dawn Pallavi
courtesy of The Natural Epicurean

MACROBIOTICS - THE BIGGEST VIEW


Macrobiotics means Macro - the biggest possible view- and biotic - of life, but how many of us get stuck in the food or the rules part of it, without looking at all the other factors ?

Let's look at the factors that come into play when we explore the biggest view of who we are. Within each category, I'll give you some questions to consider and some suggestions to help move you to a higher state of overall health.

1. FOOD
After all, we are what we eat. How many of us think about that when we grab for the grande coffee and fast food to keep us going? Food can make a huge difference. It creates the building blocks for our blood quality, which creates our cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, thus creating our body chemistry (we all know how bad it can be when that is off), thus affecting our moods, feelings, thinking, judgment, behavior and ultimately, our choices. It supports or destroys all processes of self renewal in our lives.

Although there is a lot of conflicting information about food, we can sort through what serves us by learning a little and experimenting with what we find, then paying attention to how our bodies react. If you want a place to start, in general, whole foods are best. The more processed a food is, the harder it can be on the body. The other place to start is with the quality of the food you eat. Choose higher quality salt, like unrefined sea salt, oils that are expeller pressed, vegetables that are fresh, meats that are wild or natural, grains that are whole or minimally processed.

If you want more, come take a Fundamentals of Cooking for Disease Prevention class, or find a class in your area on Healthy Cooking, and when you go, bring a friend. It is always best to do everything with support. (See #7)

2. PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION
The basic fortitude (or lack thereof) that we were born with. This is like the bank account you get when you are born. Are you constantly withdrawing, or are you saving and investing?

Sometimes, those of us with the strongest constitutions sometimes end up with the biggest problems. We get used to withdrawing without seeing the consequences, so we may not even feel any warning signs until they hit us all at once. Those with weaker constitutions really have to pay attention and continually invest in creating good health, because their bodies don't let them do otherwise.

Strong health can be created or maintained over the long term by consistent choices that support and invest in health. So that when you choose to stay up all night, or indulge with friends, you have a reserve to draw on.

3. PHYSICAL CONDITION
Our basic fortitude (or lack thereof) based on how we have taken care of (or abused) our bodies since we were born. We can have a strong constitution, but abuse our liver with alcohol or excess eating, abuse our gall bladder with too many fried foods, abuse our kidneys with too much soymilk or lack of sleep, or any other parts of our bodies with a number of food and lifestyle habits.

Condition can be changed quite quickly in many cases. Do an experiment. Try eliminating something from your diet for a few weeks, and see how you feel. Some of the most profound that I have experienced are eliminating dairy, or hard, dry, baked foods, or gluten products, or the hardest of all is sugar (see HYPERLINK "http://www.NaturalEpicurean.com"www.NaturalEpicurean.com recipe archive for Sweet Vegetable Drink to help you with this one). You can also try adding a new food that supports health to your daily or weekly menus. For example, more whole grains, greens, vegetables, sea vegetables, or natural sweeteners.

4. EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Literally the Food we take into our emotional selves. This includes the people with who we choose to associate - are they loving, gentle, and supportive or critical, abusive, and derogatory? Whether it is your boss, your co-worker, your friend, or your spouse, the people around you affect who you are. It is important to take a look at how they are affecting you, and the changes you need to make to support your health.

When it comes to food, this includes our relationship to food. What are your emotional ties to food? How can you reevaluate these associations to better support your health?

The biggest part of the emotional environment that is overlooked is our SELF TALK. Are you loving, gentle, and supportive to yourself? What steps can you take this year that will move you toward a more loving relationship with YOURSELF?

5. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
All the things around us that affect our bodies. This includes regional climate, air pollution, Electromagnetic fields, toxins that out gas from cars, clothes, glues from furniture, paints. There is a big movement to more Green living. Look around your house to find the things that are most toxic in your environment, and move toward replacing them with less toxic options.

A great place to start is the bedroom, because we spend most of our lives there. Put a plant in your bedroom, replace your bed linens with 100% cotton or organic cotton.

Another good place to start is by wearing natural fabrics, the organic cotton movement is getting big and quite stylish. You could also look into natural building materials for your next home project. It could even be as simple as taking a cloth bag to the grocery store next time you go.

6. SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT
Our purpose in the world, or easier still, that which gives us the will to live and gets us going everyday. This really isn't about religion to me. Regardless of your religious practice, look at what motivates you. What values are important to you? Are you incorporating those values in your work? Your home? Your relationships?

Ask yourself what makes your heart sing, then incorporate more of that into your life.

7. SUPPORT
Can't forget this one. Even though it fits into the Emotional and Physical Environment categories, I like to emphasize it, because we all need it (whether we like to admit it or not). I always encourage students to bring a friend to class with them. Create the life that you want, but don't isolate yourself from others while you are doing it. You may need to find new friends who share your new interests if you have made a big change in your life, but don't leave out the support.

Remember, the best way to make and keep a friend is to be gentle on yourself and others, and to leave the blame, shame, guilt, and judgment out of it. Even if you are doing something different from your friends, welcome them in versus dragging them kicking and screaming. A true friend will be open to what is important to you, even if they choose not to adopt the practice for themselves.

I hope that you will take some of the suggestions or questions and look into them further, experiment with them, incorporate them into your life, or just bring them more into your awareness. Making your dreams come true is the ultimate goals of macrobiotics. So take a look at who you want to be, and take a step to make it happen.

After all, macrobiotics is not just about health, it's about the biggest picture of health and happiness.


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