Macrobiotic opportunities

If you are reading my blog regularly you have probably understood by now that Jin Shin Jyutsu is one big theme, but the importance of food is another big theme 🙂
I have been a vegetarian for many many years (not anymore, though), doing raw food a while, which was really good. But I feel when I stopped eating gluten some years ago, that made a very big difference in my health. So I am trying to eat as little grain as possible, if there’s gluten in it, and not eating anything at all with wheat, barley and rye, trying to stay away from oats and corn as much as I can too, even if it is said that it’s not that bad…

And I am exploring the world of macrobiotic food, trying to learn to cook new things and get inspired by going to different cooking classes – last June I was in the southwest of England, at Oliver Cowmeadow’s school, for a 5 day class, it was really helpful to “get on track” to participate in this 5 day class. He is giving those classes regularly during the year, and he has also a longer version (during 2-3 years), where you can go really deep into the macrobiotic world, learning to be a professional macrobiotic cook. Here is his website:
http://www.macroschool.co.uk  

Then, coming back to Sweden I was explore a little bit more what possibilities there was here, Karin Fredriksson is giving classes in Stockholm, she also give 5 day classes, but her classes is one day at a time, stretched over a year, sort of, because she wants to use the food that is available at different seasons (which is an important principle in the macrobiotic thinking…)
So I have been at some of these classes, and will participate later on too, when the classes are happening. And her website is:
http://www.halsosamtliv.se 

Karin has a teacher, Steven Acuff – I haven’t been able to find a website with his classes yet, but he gives lecture a little here and there, and he also made a DVD, I will post more about him when I find more. Here’s a little clip from youtube with him anyway:

Karin has also been traveling a little here and there, to learn new things, she was in Sacramento (or outside, rather) recently, and really recommend this place (Macrobiotic America), with these teachers (Cynthia & David Briscoe) – there’s a class happening 11-13 June, about fermenting, which Karin talks warmly about, but there are also other things happening, and you can find other resources at their website:
http://www.macroamerica.com

 

An article about macrobiotic diet, by Lee Gross

I believe that what kind of food we eat is very important, on many different levels… I have been a vegetarian for many years, vegan several years, been on raw food for 1 1/2 year, tried fruitarian for a little while (but decided quite fast that I couldn’t do that…) some years ago I felt that I needed to go back to eating fish and chicken, so I did that, and it felt great. Hopefully I can feel what my body needs to eat, it’s a constant process.. I feel that I made a very good choice anyway, when I stopped eating gluten/wheat around 5 years ago, that made a very big difference. And I have been giving up dairy products as well, went back to eat cheese again, but now I’ve have stopped eating it since half a year or so – but I really miss cheese 🙂 we’ll see what happen…
Anyway, I was inspired by Haruki Kato’s words, in his Jin Shin Jyutsu textbook, where he talks about macrobiotics, so I bought some books about it, and I also went to a 5 day intensive workshop in the southwest of England, (Totnes, Devon) with Oliver Cowmeadow, to learn more about the basics of macrobiotic cooking – to not only read cookbooks on my own, but to cook with others, and to get inspired, get new ideas. Here’s the link to Oliver’s school:
http://www.macroschool.co.uk/

 

I have also searched my “surroundings” here in Stockholm, Sweden, and found that there’s people here too, giving classes, so I have been to a couple of  those classes – those classes are spread out over the year, so we can cook with what the season brings, and really use the principle of eating and cooking according to the season. Karin Fredriksson is teaching those classes, and here’s a link to her (swedish) website:
http://www.halsosamtliv.se/
and she has a Facebook group as well:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/112747222264778/

and here’s an inspiring article about macrobiotic diet 🙂

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-16955/how-a-macrobiotic-diet-can-change-your-life.html

How A Macrobiotic Diet Can Change Your Life

BY LEE GROSS
JANUARY 13, 2015 5:58 AM EST

Save article

You May Also Enjoy

Top 10 Plant-Based Proteins To Add To Your Daily Routine

We all know protein is important. But even if we’re vaguely aware that we need to watch our protein intake, it’s easy to write it off as something only body builders or people on strict diets need to  Read

Lee Gross is most well known for helping to launch M Cafe, LA’s premier macrobiotic eatery, and (maybe even more so) for being Gwyneth Paltrow’s personal chef during her macro days. Today, he lends us a complete overview of what exactly macrobiotic means and why you should try it.

Overview Of The Macrobiotic Diet

1. The macrobiotic diet is based on whole, natural, plant-based foods, selected and prepared so as to achieve balance between ourselves and the natural world.

2. The goal is the optimal health of both the individual and the planet.

3. The diet focuses on a wide variety of land and sea vegetables, and whole cereal grains, including brown rice, quinoa, millet, spelt, barley, and others.

4. Beans and traditional bean products (such as tofu and tempeh) are eaten frequently, but the diet de-emphasizes most animal foods, including meat and dairy, although some fish and seafood is often included in small quantities, depending on the needs of the individual. Processed foods, chemicals and preservatives are generally avoided while best-quality natural and/ or organic ingredients are emphasized.

5. Cooking techniques are very simple and gentle, and many Japanese-style recipes and methods are used, including simmering, nabe (clay-pot cooking), and nishime (dry-cooking) with a bare minimum of seasoning and spices.

6. The diet is thought to foster a peaceful, balanced energy, and macrobiotic lifestyle practices (including meditation, gentle exercise, and time spent outdoors) are used to reinforce the individual’s connection to the natural world.

7. Macrobiotics is more than just a diet. It is a way of thinking and being in the world that helps us to better understand and appreciate our strengths and limitations as human beings. It teaches us to respect our place on the planet, as a single species amongst countless others, and it encourages us to maintain the delicate balance of life itself.

The Benefits Of A Macrobiotic Diet + Lifestyle

• improved sleep
• weight loss
• clear mind/ better ability to focus
• appreciation for one’s self
• improved interpersonal relationships
• improved overall health and a general reduction in minor symptoms and common ailments including colds, joint and muscle pain, headaches, constipation, etc.

It should be noted that there is no “one size fits all” macrobiotic diet. There are standardized recommendations for getting started (below), but everyone needs to adapt the diet to their own unique physiology and their own particular needs.

Tips For Getting Started & Ways To Implement Macrobiotic Principles Into Your Routine

1. Increase your consumption of fresh vegetables. Reduce consumption of heavy animal foods (including meat, poultry, and dairy) and increase consumption of whole cereal grains. When dining out, choose restaurants that focus on natural organic and/ or local foods.

2. Clear your kitchen and pantry of all “junk” foods, including highly processed packaged foods, sugars and sweeteners, food products with and artificial or chemical ingredients, commercial condiments, dressings, sauces, etc.

3. Replace the above items with whole, natural food ingredients, including whole cereal grains (brown rice, millet, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, etc), dried beans, dried sea vegetables, and plenty of fresh vegetables including leafy greens, root vegetables, and brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage).

4. Become inspired and learn to cook! Pick up a good macrobiotic cook book such as The Great Life Cookbook, The Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook, or The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics.

5. Eat only when hungry. Slow down while eating. Chew your food well. Be mindful of each bite.

6. Think about where your food comes from. Make the best, healthiest choices you can in any situation, but don’t stress yourself out. Be grateful of any food you have in front of you, and eat with appreciation for the farmer, the cook, and the earth.

Photo Credit: Stocksy

Kinesisk kostlära av Peter Torssell

Jag tänkte försöka börja gräva lite djupare i det här med förståelsen med hur kosten påverkar vårt mående, vilket jag i och för sig har hållit på med i ganska så många år – men nu har jag anmält mig till en kurs i makrobiotisk matlagning, i sydvästra England (Devon), http://www.macroschool.co.uk med Oliver Cowmeadow. Han kombinerar det makrobiotiska med de fem elementen, ni kan se video-föreläsningar med honom här:
The five elements presented by Oliver Cowmeadow 

Jag har köpt 4 stycken olika kokböcker, på engelska, med teorier och tips om det här (har inte fått dom än, dom är på väg med posten..) – men i processen i att hitta böcker och material om det här fick jag ett tips om en bok skriven på svenska, av Peter Torssell, Kinesisk kostlära, den går att få tag på bl a via bokus.com. Det här är texten om boken på bokus.com:

“Torssell, Peter. Kinesisk kostlära. Akupunkturakademin. Ca : 260 sidor. “Kinesisk kostlära” är en bok för alla som vill veta hur mat påverkar hälsotillståndet. Den förklarar både ur ett grundläggande och ett mer avancerat perspektiv hur ätande och kost påverkar vår hälsa enligt traditionell kinesisk medicin. I boken finns mer än 260 olika födoämnens effekter definierade och dessutom finns mer än 140 kostrecept för olika besvär som t.ex. sömnbesvär, förstoppning, hosta, eksem och benkramper. I Kinas mångtusenåriga traditioner har man hävdat att kosten är av största vikt för att bibehålla hälsan, behandla och rehabilitera sjukdomar. I denna bok finns essensen av dessa traditioner förklarade. Författare till bokpresentationen : Peter Torssell

Kinesisk kostlära är en bok för alla som vill veta hur mat påverkar hälsotillståndet. Den förklarar både ur ett grundläggande och ett mer avancerat perspektiv hur ätande och kost påverkar vår hälsa enligt traditionell kinesisk medicin. I boken finns mer än 260 olika födoämnens effekter definierade och dessutom finns mer än 140 kostrecept för olika besvär som t.ex. sömnbesvär, förstoppning, hosta, eksem och benkramper. I Kinas mångtusenåriga traditioner har man hävdat att kosten är av största vikt för att bibehålla hälsan, behandla och rehabilitera sjukdomar. I denna bok finns essensen av dessa traditioner förklarade. Författare till bokpresentationen : Peter Torssell”

Det finns ju så många olika sätt att tänka om mat, med alla dessa dieter som finns nuförtiden, men man får försöka pröva, och förhoppningsvis hitta något som fungerar för just “mig”, att lyssna på sin kropp, och vad den vill och inte vill ha…