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The Macrobiotic Approach To Cancer
The Macrobiotic Approach To Cancer
of the authors. Because each person and situation is unique, the editor and publisher urge the reader to check with a qualified health professional before using any procedure where there is any question as to its appropriateness. The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular diet and exercise program, but believes the information presented in this book should be available to the public. Because there is always some risk involved, the author and publisher are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures in this book. Please do not use the book if you are unwilling to assume the risk. Feel free to consult a physician or other qualified health professional. It is a sign of wisdom, not cowardice, to seek a second or third opinion. Cover design by Abby Kagan Cover photo by Greg Goebel In-house editor: Linda Comae Typesetting by Straight Creek Company, Denver, CO
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kushi, Michio. The macrobiotic approach to cancer : toward preventing and controlling cancer with diet and lifestyle / Michio Kushi with Ed. Esko. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-898529-486-9 1. CancerPrevention. 2. CancerNutritional aspects. 3. Macrobiotic diet. I. Esko, Edward. II. Title. [DNLM: 1. Diet, Macrobioticpopular works. 2. Life Style-popular works. 3. Neoplasmsdiet therapypopular works. 4. Neoplasmsprevention and controlpopular works. QZ 201 K97m] RC268.K89 1991 616.99'405dc20 DNLM/DLC for Library of Congress 91-18034 CIP
Copyright 1981,1982,1991 by Michio Kushi All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic mcchanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7
Contents
Foreword Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cancer and Modern Civilization A Holistic Approach to Lifestyle Diet and the Development of Cancer Macrobiotics and Preventive Nutrition Unifying Principle Foods that Promote Health Recovery and Beyond Recommended Reading Macrobiotic Resources About the Authors Index
Foreword
I am honored that Michio Kushi has asked me to write a Foreword for the revised version of The Macrobiotic Approach to Cancer, honored, but more than a little apprehensive. I am a beginner in macrobiotics, a student not a teacher. How can I add anything to what Michio has already said? In the world of Western medicine I am a generalist, not a specialist. I am no kind of medical scientist. I can only tell you, simply, what I have learned. My four years in macrobiotics has opened up a new world for me. I have not abandoned the orthodox Western medicine I was taught fifty years ago. However, I now realize that much of the Cartesian-Newtonian mechanistic model must be revised in the light of recent scientific research. This model has left many gaps in practice, gaps that macrobiotics and traditional Eastern medicine can help us fill. This will not be achieved by arguing with one another across a Berlin Wall of misunderstanding. We need to extend the dialogue between macrobiotics and orthodox Western medicine, and I know that Michio is eager to further this goal. Most good medical scientists are humble folk, and not authoritarian bigots rejecting anything strange or new. A leading cancer research specialist, discussing my own recovery, said, "What we don't know about cancer is infinitely more than what we do. We are only at the beginning."
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During the past twenty years and particularly the past five scientific research has proceeded at a phenomenal rate. Some of it is highly relevant to macrobiotics for example cellular microbiology and psychoneuroimmunology. But what have I personally learned from macrobiotics? I have learned that I and my patients are completely unique individuals. I can no longer think of John Smith as "the lung cancer" in bed number sixteen, nor speak collectively of "the handicapped" or "the old"! My contemporaries and I are not "the old"we are all individuals differing in our genes, families, education, experience, income, customs, needs, and desires. My own experiences have taught me the importance of diet in illness and health, and it is fascinating to see that most of the concepts in the macrobiotic diet are rapidly becoming the medical orthodoxy of today. A recent World Health Organization report concluded with these words: "Changes in diet and lifestyle can protect against premature deaths and the chronic diseases which affect people in their middle and later years." Most of the report's recommendations will not be new to readers of Michio Kushi's books. I have learned, too, that most of us have immense resources for growth and change at almost any age. An old dog can learn new tricks, as I and many others have shown. The concept of illness as a breakdown in the rapport between man and nature opens up new perspectives for health promotion and rehabilitation, for the rediscovery of the healing powers of nature, of fresh spring water, clean air, and peace and quiet. We live in a period of incredibly rapid change. Who could have forecast the events in Europe in the past three years? T h e wind of change has not been limited to the USSR and Eastern Europe. It has reached almost every country in the world and has even touched the doctor-patient relationship. Perhaps those who have rejected authoritarian regimes are no longer prepared to accept their doctors' words of wisdom without question. I recently spoke to young health and social workers in Poland, and was bombarded with questions about macrobiotics. Many people have found that orthodox medicine has failed to meet their needs especially in the prevention and treatment of the degenerative diseases. These people are turning in increasing numbers to complementary medicine.
Foreword
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For those of us suffering from an "incurable" disease, for which orthodox medicine offers no remedy, the biggest single benefit that macrobiotics can offer is hope. T h a t was the message that Michio gave me four years ago that our bodies can reject the illness, that we ourselves are back in charge. We are no longer passively relying solely on doctors, drugs, and hospitals. In all his writing and lectures, Michio has never forgotten that personal salvation is not enough. He has never ceased to speak of peace and the environment. While we and our children embark on a healthier way of life, we cannot afford to ignore the millions of men and women who are starving. As we ourselves seek to eat fresh and wholesome uncontaminated food, we cannot afford to forget that worldwide commercial empires are still being built on pesticides and artificial fertilizers, on the chemical doctoring of most of the foodstuff in our shops and supermarkets. If our aim is truly "One Peaceful World," we cannot forget that vast industries are still engaged in the enormously profitable business of producing ever-more lethal weapons of war, that governments pleading poverty can still find astronomical sums to spend on war and destruction. Yet times are changing. By deciding to make ecology the theme of our next International Macrobiotic Congress in Europe, we have shown that we are well aware of this. Those of us who have come to macrobiotics have an immense responsibility to give leadership to the things we believe in, to work with all men and women of good will to build a new society, freed from ruthless exploitation of m a n and nature for commercial gain to build "One Peaceful World." This is what macrobiotics means to me and I believe this is the message that others will find in this book. Hugh Faulkner, M.D. Chianti Italy
Introduction
In many ways, cancer is a symbol of the destructive trends that confront us all in the final decade of the twentieth century. The crisis in personal and global health, in which cancer plays a major role, is rapidly approaching a critical stage, and may soon threaten the continuation of society. In order to reverse this destructive trend and avert future catastrophe, we need to change our way of thinking and look beyond partial or symptomatic answers. If, through self-reflection, we are able to discover the most basic, universal principles that govern the natural world and use them to secure a healthy and peaceful way of life, we will have discovered a fundamental solution to the modern crisis. Central to this new understanding is a respect for the importance of diet. Throughout the world, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses have increased in incidence as people shifted from their more balanced traditional dietary patterns. Diets that had been based around whole grains, organically grown fresh vegetables and fruits, beans and sea vegetables, and other regional products, were replaced by a diet based on increased consumption of meat and dairy products, fatty and oily foods, and refined or synthetic food items. Sim-
ply put, the rise of cancer and other chronic illnesses is due primarily to the changing dietary habits of modern civilization. Among the endless varieties of disease, two apparently opposite categories of causes and symptoms stand out. Some circulatory disorders involve overexpansion of the heart and blood vessels, leading to low blood pressure; in other such disorders, the circulatory vessels are overly contracted, leading to high blood pressure. Similarly, there are two apparently opposite categories of cancer; those that appear toward the periphery of the body, such as skin or breast cancer, and those that appear in the internal organs and depths of the body, such as colon, liver, or pancreatic cancer. Regardless of its symptoms, cancer in all of its manifestations can be understood in terms of these opposite tendencies, which, in macrobiotics, are known as yin and yang. T h e solution to cancer and other chronic illnesses lies ultimately in eating so that these opposite tendencies are brought into moderate balance. Because we are able to exercise control over what we eat and drink, food is the most important factor influencing the health and happiness of individuals and society. Our ability to control other environmental factors is limited in comparison to the freedom that we exercise when selecting daily foods. Control over daily dietary practice is, therefore, essential in solving the problems of personal and planetary health. The standard macrobiotic diet presented in this book is based on balancing opposites and is similar to diets that kept people in traditional cultures free of cancer. A naturally balanced diet, adapted for personal needs, is the cornerstone of the macrobiotic approach, as are appropriate physical activity and positive mental outlook. Over the past thirty years, thousands of people in all corners of the globe have recovered from cancer and other chronic illnesses through the macrobiotic approach to diet and way of life. Their stories have been told in lectures and seminars around the world, in newspaper and magazine articles, on radio and television, and in books (e.g., Healing Miracles from Macrobiotics by Jean and Mary Alice Kohler; Recalled By Life by Anthony Sattilaro, M.D., and Tom Monte; Macrobiotic Miracle: How a Vermont Family Overcame Cancer by Virginia Brown and Susan Stayman; Recovery: From Cancer to Health through Macrobiotics by Elaine Nussbaum;
Introduction
Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy by Dirk Benedict; Beating the Odds by Hugh Faulkner, M.D.; and Cancer-Free: Profiles of People Who Recovered from Cancer Naturally by Anne Fawcett and the East West Foundation). As these and other experiences demonstrate, the recovery of physical health often leads to a subtle but profound change in one's entire personality, including the development of more satisfying personal relationships and a deep appreciation for life on all levels. It is through positive changes such as these that a peaceful solidarity can develop within society, leading to the establishment of a peaceful world community. The Macrobiotic Approach to Cancer is compiled from my articles and lectures over the past seventeen years. It is based on an earlier bookone of the first on macrobiotics and cancerpublished in 1981. In this new, revised edition, we introduce the principles of macrobiotics and apply them to the problem of cancer. Also included are personal accounts of exceptional patients who, in spite of the odds, adopted the macrobiotic diet and lifestyle and recovered their health. A review of current cancer and diet research, and guidelines issued by public health agencies that point to the role of a naturally balanced diet in cancer prevention are presented as well. This basic, introductory book offers a general overview of the macrobiotic approach and complements the more extensive presentation featured in The Cancer Prevention Diet (St. Martin's Press, 1983), my other major book on the topic of cancer. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this book. I thank Hugh Faulkner, M.D., a distinguished member of our international network of macrobiotic physicians, for contributing the Foreword, and for providing his personal case history. I also thank the contributors for writing their inspiring recovery stories and for granting permission to use them in the book. I thank my co-author, Edward Eskowho, more than fifteen years ago, edited our earliest publications on macrobiotics and cancer, and organized the first of many conferences on cancer and dietfor compiling the materials and adding insights based on years of experience as a macrobiotic teacher. I also thank Alex Jack, co-author of The Cancer Prevention Diet, for providing research and statistics used in the book, and Lawrence H. Kushi, Sc.D., a nutritional researcher at the University of Minnesota, for compil-
ing information included in the chapter on macrobiotics and preventive nutrition. I appreciate the work of the editorial and production staffs, including Lynda Shoup of One Peaceful World, and Rudy Shur, Linda Comae, and the staff of Avery Publishing Group. Michio Kushi Brookline, Massachusetts
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Cancer and Modern Civilization
A study of the macrobiotic diet's effect on cancer of the pancreas was reported on by medical researcher Gordon Saxe at the 1989 Macrobiotic Summer Conference held in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Conducted in 1985 by the Tulane School of Public Health, the study attempted to find out whether persons with pancreatic cancer who adopted the macrobiotic diet survived longer than those who did not. T h e subjects of the study were a group of twenty-four pancreatic cancer patients who had practiced a macrobiotic diet for at least three months. T h e control group consisted of pancreatic cancer patients from the national tumor registry who were diagnosed during the same period. Among the twenty-four macrobiotic patients, the one-year survival rate was 54.2 percent (13/24), compared with 10.0 percent (950/9500) in the control group. Saxe told the conference that although not conclusive, these results were highly statistically significant. Even though more research along these lines is urgently needed, the Tulane study suggests that a macrobiotically balanced diet may positively influence the outcome of existing cancers. Presently, many leading nutritional and public health agencies agree that a naturally balanced, low-fat diet along the lines of macrobiotics could help prevent or lower
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the risk of cancer, but this study is one of the first to suggest that diet has an influence on already established cancers. This conclusion is supported by a growing body of anecdotal evidence. Over the years, my associates and I have worked with many exceptional cancer patients who overcame the odds and went on to lead normal, healthy, and productive lives. Hugh Faulkner, M.D., a former London physician who now lives in Italy, is an outstanding example. Dr. Faulkner was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas in 1987. Being a physician, he was aware that medically there was little hope of recovery, and that the usual rate of survival after diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is two to four months. Dr. Faulkner and his wife, Marion, embarked on the macrobiotic way of life soon after the cancer was discovered, and by the autumn of 1988 medical tests showed "no evidence of cancer, no evidence of abnormality of any kind." There are many exceptional cancer patients who, like Dr. Faulkner, have adopted macrobiotics and experienced a return to good health. In this book we introduce several of their remarkable and inspiring stories. Moreover, an increasing number of doctors and health care professionals in the United States and in other countries have adopted the macrobiotic way of life. My wife, Aveline, and I have presented seminars for doctors in Boston, Becket (Massachusetts), France, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and central Africa. Several hundred doctors are now part of an international network of macrobiotic physicians, many of whom recommend macrobiotics as a viable approach to health promotion and disease prevention. T h e macrobiotic physicians' network hopes to report scientific data by standardizing record-keeping among patients who practice macrobiotics. Hopefully, data such as this will stimulate further research and influence public health policy toward greater recognition of the role of diet in health.
PANCREATIC CANCER
pean seminars. "Kushi was a small, slim, very modest man, with considerable charisma," Dr. Faulkner recalls. "It was all very warm and friendly and unmedical. Kushi spent a long time examining my skin textureits appearance, elasticity, and color. Then I said, 'Well, can macrobiotics heal my cancer?'" " 'No,' said Kushi, 'but your body can. What we can do is advise you on a diet and way of life that will almost certainly make you feel much better, and give your body a chance to reject the cancer. We can't give you any guaranteesbut we have plenty of evidence from cases like yours that it can work.'" Although Dr. Faulkner was a little skeptical, Marion was enthusiastic, and they decided to try it. Returning to their farmhouse in Italy, the couple started cooking for themselves. The diet Michio recommended was a modified version of the standard macrobiotic diet. For breakfast, there was whole grain porridge and occasionally whole grain bread. Lunch included vegetable soup and tofu, tempeh, or another protein dish. Dinner consisted of pressure-cooked brown rice and vegetables and, occasionally, stewed fruit. Dr. Faulkner's diarrhea went away, and he began to feel better. Marion also experienced improvementshe began to feel more energetic and confident. Visitors who came by to say farewell to the dying doctor were amazed to find him chopping wood and full of energy. By the autumn of 1988, medical tests showed "no evidence of cancer, no evidence of abnormality of any kind." In London, some doctors questioned the initial diagnosis of cancer. Dr. Faulkner showed them his biopsy report and introduced them to his surgeon. They didn't want to believe and labeled his recovery "spontaneous regression." Now, two and a half years later, Dr. Faulkner continues to thrive. He eats and sleeps well, entertains many visitors, and swims several times a week. He has also learned how to read music, play the jazz harmonica, and use a word processor. "I have a lot more energy than I've had in years." "As an orthodox doctor, I myself wouldn't have thought of diet influencing the course of disease," Dr. Faulkner admits. "I'm now quite sure that we can learn a great deal from alternative medicine. "The big change in macrobiotics was hope, however implausible. That, and the feeling that I was regaining control of my destiny."
Source: "A Doctor Heals Himself of Terminal Cancer," One Peaceful World, Autumn 1989.
rized current scientific thinking about present approaches to cancer: "We are losing the war against cancer, notwithstanding progress against several uncommon forms of the disease, improvements in palliation, and extension of the productive years of life. A shift in research emphasis, from research on treatment to research on prevention, seems necessary if substantial progress against cancer is to be forthcoming." Among the possible avenues of prevention, dietary and lifestyle modifications are inexpensive and offer realistic hope of reducing the incidence of cancer. Yet, of the billions of dollars spent each year for cancer research, very little is channeled into the study of diet and cancer. This deficiency was cited more than ten years ago by the United States Congress in a report entitled Nutrition Research Alternatives prepared in 1978 by the Office of Technology Assessment. T h e conclusion is as valid today as it was then: "Federal h u m a n nutrition research programs have failed to deal with the changing health problems of the American people. Possibly the most productive and important area of nutrition research will be the identification of specific dietary links to chronic diseases, leading to methods of prevention." At present, America and the rest of the modern world are in the midst of a crisis in health. The modern health crisis extends far beyond problems in the distribution of medical technology, the crisis in emergency care, or the astronomical cost of modern medicine itself. It is well known that the rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, AIDS and immune deficiencies, Alzheimer's disease, and other degenerative disorders have been steadily increasing throughout the century, and in nearly all the world's populations. These increases have taken place even as medical science developed to its present level. At the turn of the century, for example, cancer affected one out of twenty-seven people in the United States. By 1950, the rate had jumped to one in eight; and by 1985, official estimates were that one out of three people would develop the disease. If cancer keeps increasing at this rate, by the year 2000, every other person could ultimately develop it. By the year 2020, cancer could strike four out of five people, and, soon after that, virtually everyone. The figures are presented in Table 1.1.
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Table 1.1. Year 1900 1950 1985 Future Projections 2000 2020 2030
About 76 million Americans now living will eventually develop cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer will affect three out of four families in the United States. In 1990, approximately one million people were diagnosed with cancer. In addition, more than 600,000 cases of usually non-fatal skin cancer were diagnosed. T h e second leading cause of death in the United States, cancer claims more than 500,000 Americans each year. In the 1980s, there were over 4.5 million cancer deaths, nearly 9 million new cases, and 12 million people under medical care for cancer. About 1.5 million biopsies are performed each year. As we can see, the modern health crisis, in which cancer is but one part, has the potential to affect everyone. T h e responsibility for finding and implementing solutions belongs to all of us, not just to those in the medical and scientific communities. A solution to cancer and the modern health crisis as a whole will emerge only through the cooperative effort of all people in society.
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Not only is the physical world tiny in comparison with the world of spirit, but as modern physics has discovered, matter is actually composed of energy and is constantly changing. Our perceptions trick us into believing that the world has a fixed or unchanging nature, but reality is not like that. Our bodies, for example, are composed of energy and are not static and inert, but dynamic and changing. Today's "self' is very different from yesterday's "self' and tomorrow's "self." T h e changing nature of h u m a n life is obvious to parents who have watched their children grow. Moreover, we don't stop changing after we reach physical maturity: our body, mind, and consciousness constantly change and develop throughout life. There is nothing static, fixed, or permanent in this universe. If we are able to recognize this, then we are more likely to be open to the possibility of making constructive changes in our lives, and to the possibility of discovering new dimensions of health and healing. Reorienting our priorities to reflect the true nature of existence can help us relieve stress and mobilize our innate capacities for self-healing. I often meet people who, although they know they need to change their diets and eat well, say that the demands of their careers prevent them from doing so. They sometimes say, "I know I should eat well, but I don't have time to cook," or "I travel a lot and need to eat in restaurants." I tell them that there is nothing wrong with having a successful career, but that success should not come at the expense of their health and well-being. Health is the foundation of life; and if we lose it, we lose the ability to be successful and to function normally. Parallel to the triumph of materialism is the trend toward increasing alienation from nature. Modern people are rapidly moving toward a totally artificial way of life. However, regardless of what direction society takes, life cannot exist without the solar system or the Earth, or without air, water, or vegetation. By cutting ourselves off from nature and polluting or destroying the environment, we are undercutting the very foundation of life and health. T h e quality of food offers a good example. Our ancestors appreciated the simple, natural taste and texture of brown bread, brown rice, and other whole, natural foods. Now, in order to appease the senses or satisfy the demand for convenience, brown rice is refined and polished into white rice,
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whole-wheat bread has been replaced by white bread, and fresh garden vegetables are frozen or canned. These foods lack the natural balance of energy and nutrients found in their unprocessed counterparts, and are inadequate for maintaining h u m a n health. At the same time, a huge industry has developed that enhances sensory appeal by adding artificial colorings, flavorings, and texturing agents to our daily foods. Food is not the only thing that has become more artificial. Over the last fifty years, this trend has been extended to clothing, building materials, furniture, kitchen utensils, and other items essential for daily living. As many people have discovered, however, artificial conveniences such as microwave ovens, computer display terminals, electric appliances, and fluorescent lights can have deleterious effects on h u m a n health. Cancer is only one result of an unnatural lifestyle and way of eating. However, instead of considering the larger environmental, societal, and dietary causes of cancer, most research with the exception of epidemiological or large-scale population studies is oriented in the opposite direction: viewing the disease microscopically as a disorder of individual cells. Cancer originates long before the formation of a tumor, and is rooted in our lifestyle, including the foods we consume. When cancer is finally discovered, however, modern treatments focus almost exclusively on the tumor, while the patient's diet and lifestyle are often ignored. Often, the foods most associated with the patient's cancer are served to the patient in the hospital. In many cases, patients are told that diet has nothing to do with cancer so "eat whatever you want." But since the cause is not changed, the cancer frequently recurs, and is met by another round of treatment in what is often an unsuccessful attempt to control only the symptoms of the disease. As we can see, this approach deals with effects, not causes. In order to control cancer, we need to see beyond its obvious symptoms. We need to identify and, hopefully, change the underlying factors that cause these symptoms to appear, beginning with the patient's dietary and lifestyle habits. We also need to see beyond the individual patient. The orientation of the food industry, the quality of modern agriculture, and the
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increasingly s e d e n t a r y n a t u r e of m o d e r n life all have a direct b e a r i n g o n t h e p r o b l e m o f cancer. F r o m t h e m a c r o b i o t i c view, t h e n , c a n c e r is a s y m p t o m of m o d e r n society itself: its artificial f a r m i n g practices, its u n h e a l t h f u l diet, a n d its p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h s h o r t - t e r m g a i n a t t h e expense o f l o n g - t e r m h e a l t h a n d well-being. I n t h e c h a p ters t h a t follow, we explore ways in w h i c h to c h a n g e o u r diet, lifestyle, a n d way of t h i n k i n g in o r d e r to t u r n away from c a n cer a n d toward g e n u i n e h e a l t h .
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A Holistic Approach to Lifestyle
Cancer does not result from factors that are beyond our control. It is a product of the choices we make dailyincluding the foods we choose to eatand does not strike at random. The primary factors that lead to cancer are under our control. Cancer is a preventable disease, if we change our habits early enough. But, beyond prevention, evidence is mounting that lifestyle changes guided by macrobiotic principles can improve the prognosis for cancer and aid in the recovery of health. In order to establish health, we need to change the principal factors that cause cancer to develop. It is important to address the issue of health from a holistic perspective; that is, to consider health to be the natural outcome of harmony in the whole personmind, body, and spirit. T h e macrobiotic approach aims at restoring these aspects to a state of harmony with each other and with nature, primarily through adjustments in diet, lifestyle, and way of thinking. Sickness is actually a sign that some aspect of our daily lives is causing us to become out of alignment with nature. In one sense, it offers an opportunity to step back and reassess our thinking and actions, and to, hopefully, make the necessary corrections. In macrobiotics, this type of evaluation is known
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as self-reflection, and it is an essential part of the recovery process. Most of the time, our day-to-day thinking consists of thoughts and images that arise in response to the stimulation we receive from our immediate environment. Our ongoing internal dialogue includes thoughts such as: "I hope I get the promotion I was asking for," or "I'm looking forward to my vacation in Jamaica," or "I wonder who will win the big game tonight?" However, each of us has a deeper level of awareness that transcends the superficial levels of consciousness. Here are the understanding, the dreams, and the images that we all have as h u m a n beings, and not just as people who work in an office or who manage a household budget. This deeper awareness often surfaces during times of crisis, and provides the basis for self-reflection and change. It functions as an internal compass or inner guide that helps keep us aligned with nature. If, for example, someone is told of a life-threatening illness, or is facing a life-or-death, "to-be-or-not-to-be" situation, then this deeper mind starts to emerge. From deep inside, a person in this situation will start to think, "I don't care about my office work or other superficial things. W h a t shall I do as a h u m a n being?" This deeper consciousness, or intuition, alerts us to potentially destructive habits or patterns of behavior, and includes the instinct for survival, or self-preservation. It also motivates us to change these habits. Beyond differences in nationality, race, religion, or social standing, we all have this basic common sense. Mobilizing this deeper level of awareness is the key to recovering from illness. Intuition does not mean day-to-day consciousness or learned knowledge, which often obscures deeper awareness and obstructs positive action. Intuition is the unlearned, spontaneous awareness of the order of nature and the way to live in harmony with that order. It is the foundation for a long and healthy life on this planet. Meditation offers a simple and practical method to dissolve stress, quiet the mind, and mobilize your intuition. To practice simple meditation, do the following: 1. Find a quiet place and sit in a relaxed and comfortable position.
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2.
3. 4. 5.
6.
Raise your arms upward toward the ceiling and hold them there for several moments. Then tilt your head back so that you are looking up. Keep your head in this position for several seconds, and then lower your arms to their normal position. Return your head to its normal position a moment later. This simple stretching exercise helps straighten your spine and allows energy from the environment to flow more smoothly through your body. Do each step in a continuous sequence and repeat the entire procedure several times. With your spine straight and your shoulders and elbows relaxed, let your hands rest comfortably in your lap. Close your eyes and begin to breathe naturally and quietly. Breathe in a normal, relaxed fashion. While you are breathing in this manner, let your mind become quiet, relaxed, and free of distracting thoughts. Sit this way for several minutes, breathing naturally and keeping your mind still and quiet. To complete your meditation, slowly open your eyes and let your consciousness return to a normal waking state.
You can also practice visualization, or creative imaging, while meditating. Visualizing more positive images of health is preferable to visualizing images that focus on sickness or internal struggle. To practice visualization, begin to meditate as above. When you have reached step four, form an image of yourself as a healthy and happy person. Don't dwell on your illness; see yourself as you would like to be. Concentrate on this image for several minutes and then let your mind return to a peaceful, quiet state. Then complete your meditation as above. Positive visualization reduces stress and inspires hope for the future. Your daily life can then become the process through which you actualize this positive, healthy image of yourself.
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Love is based on the attraction of opposites such as male and female, adults and children, the self and others. T h e invisible force that brings men and women together also causes the planets to revolve around the sun, hydrogen and oxygen atoms to be attracted to each other to form molecules of water, the seasons to change, and flowers to blossom. Love is one of the most potent forces in healing. It liberates a tremendous amount of energy, and brings our total being into harmony with the universe. Love enables the body's powers of n a t u r a l h e a l i n g to o p e r a t e with fewer impediments. T h e fear and anxiety that often accompany illness have the opposite effect. Although they sometimes act as a driving force for positive change, in the long-run, negative emotions deplete energy and impede our capacity for natural healing. These responses to sickness arise because we lack an understanding of the cause of our problems. If, for example, we view sickness as being caused by an external factorsuch as a virus or bacterium rather than by our own lifestyle and actions, we lose sight of our personal responsibility in causing our sickness. Our illness then becomes an "enemy" that must be fought and vanquished, rather than a signal from nature that some aspect of our lifestyle is in need of change. In thinking this way, we may forfeit the opportunity to actively participate in creating our health. We assume a passive role and think that health can be restored by having things "done" to us by others, rather than by making constructive efforts on our own. Unfortunately, modern thinking about disease is often based on fear and hostility, even as it becomes increasingly clear that cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses are caused by personal lifestyle choices and not by outside agents such as bacteria or viruses. Not only is sickness an enemy, but in the modern view, the body itself is a battleground. T h e immune system, for example, is thought of as "defending" the body "against" disease; while immune cells are often described as "soldiers" that "battle" cancer cells or "invading" microorganisms. In the macrobiotic view, the body's immune response is based on the process of natural attraction and harmony that is found throughout the universe. T h e antibodies secreted by
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BREAST CANCER
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'That's what I need to dofind out more about this diet, but how?'" Bonnie's friend went to a local health food store and bought a copy of Michio Kushi's The Macrobiotic Way for her to read. She found it completely logical but overwhelming. She went to the health food store and bought staple foods and stopped eating meat, sugar, and dairy food. She also underwent radiation therapy and a hysterectomy. After recovering from surgery, Bonnie decided to attend the Macrobiotic Way of Life Seminar presented by the Kushi Institute (K.I.). Bonnie supplemented her practice of macrobiotics by taking weekly cooking classes with Sara Lapenta, a K.I. cooking teacher who lived nearby. By May 1987, a blood test revealed that Bonnie's enzyme levels had returned to normal. A bone scan in September showed that the tumors had greatly decreased in size. A friend who worked in the radiation unit at the hospital told her that she had never seen a report like that before. In September 1988, another bone scan revealed the presence of scar tissue but no tumors. Her doctor told her that her remission might have been due to the surgery and radiation, but that macrobiotics may have also helped her. By August 1988, a bone scan produced a totally normal result, with no tumors or scar tissue. Her doctor was now very impressed and fully supportive of her macrobiotic lifestyle. Bonnie describes her macrobiotic experience: "I noticed immediate changes in myself and my son Ben, who joined in my meals for the first summer. Our allergies seemed to disappear and Ben no longer got strep throat. We felt stronger, more energetic, more organized, and very well. I had good spirits and stable moods. As my confidence increased, so did the sense of inner peace. I loved feeling at one with nature, at one with God." Bonnie is now preparing to open a macrobiotic center in her area. Believing that "happiness is real only if it can be shared with others," she would like to help people in her area through classes, food, and guidance. She has dedicated herself to realizing one peaceful world and is grateful to have found a way to "help make this concept a reality."
Source: "A Mother Heals Breast Cancer: Change in Diet Aids Remission of Tumors and Metastases to the Bone," One Peaceful World, Spring, 1990.
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immune cells actually complement and make a balance with cancer cells, viruses, or other potentially harmful substances. Antibodies have an opposite polarity to these cells and neutralize their extreme or excessive qualities, thus keeping the body in a state of healthy equilibrium. In other words, the immune response is a process of natural harmony, not war. When we are healthy, the immune system functions efficiently and we remain free of sickness. When our overall condition deteriorates, the immune system loses the ability to neutralize these substances and we become sick. Cancer, heart disease, and other modern degenerative illnesses are diseases of overconsumption. To a large extent, they are a product of the excessive struggle for prosperity and convenience. Modern life is highly competitive and creates a great deal of stress. It also revolves around patterns of excessive consumption. T h e regular consumption of animal protein and fat, for example, is at the heart of the modern notion of prosperity. In the past, meat and other animal foods were often too expensive for the average person to eat regularly. They were foods of the rich, and today are still associated with wealth and status. This dietary pattern, however, underlies the modern epidemic of cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative illnesses. As long as we cling to the notion that sickness is an enemy, or that human life is ruled by a struggle for survival, a solution to the problem of cancer will remain elusive. This view obscures our awareness of the peaceful, natural process of harrrtony that occurs in the human body and throughout nature. There is no war taking place in our bodies or in the universe. Sickness is not our enemy. T h e modern notion of "cell wars is simply a projection of our modern imagination and not a reflection of the way things are. The order of the universe is the order of balance and harmony, or in other words, love. In order to be healthy, we need to bring our view of life into alignment with the natural order. We must learn to love other people and ourselves, and to regard sickness not as an enemy, but as an opportunity to discover a deeper meaning of health. Love, appreciation, and acceptance are basic to health and to being at peace with ourselves and the world around us.
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thesized in laboratories each year. In the United States, total chemical production increased 67 percent between 1967 and 1977. Most of these chemicals have never been tested or certified as safe. Pesticides, PCBs, heavy metals, and other residues accumulate in fatty tissues as they move up the food chain. By the time they reach humans, their concentrations can increase a million times. Each year one ton of chemical wastes is produced per capita in the United States, and most is released into the environment or disposed of illegally. Epidemiologists have discovered that the incidence of certain cancers is higher in areas that have been exposed to high concentrations of toxic chemicals. In the twentieth century, the use of chemicals was extended to the food supply. Today, more than 3,000 additives are used to color, flavor, preserve, and extend the shelf life of foods. Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are routinely used on crops; commercial livestock and poultry ingest feed contaminated with these substances and are also fed antibiotics and artificial growth hormones. Chemical additives have been linked to a variety of health problems, including hyperactivity, allergies, hormone imbalances, and cancer. More than twenty-five years ago, I explained how the modern decline in personal health is reflected on a larger scale in the worsening condition of the environment, and how the modern diet is a primary factor influencing both the rising incidence of degenerative disease and the continuing disruption of the environment. T h e connection between diet, personal health, and the environment has become increasingly clear since then, as concern over the greenhouse effect has sparked interest in the environmental impact of the modern diet. T h e greenhouse effectglobal warming caused by a significant increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and widespread destruction of trees that absorb the carbon dioxide. T h e modern diet is a major contributor to both. A large amount of fossil fuels are used in the production of modern foods. According to John Robbins, founder of Earthsave and author of Diet for a New America, it takes fifty times the amount of fossil fuels to produce a diet centered around animal foods than it does to produce a diet based on whole grains and vegetables.
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T h e modern diet is also a major contributor to the destruction of tropical rain forests as cattle ranching and logging are the primary causes of tropical deforestation. A report issued in June 1990 by the World Resources Institute stated that the rain forests are vanishing 50 percent faster than previously estimated, and that 40 to 50 million acres of tropical forest, an area almost the size of Washington State, are being stripped each year. By shifting from the modern diet toward a diet centered around whole grains and vegetables, we are benefiting not only our personal health, but the health of the planet as a whole.
ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Information about what humans need to eat can be found in h u m a n anatomy. T h e structure and arrangement of the teeth, for instance, provide a clue to the ideal pattern of hum a n nourishment. We have thirty-two adult teeth. Of these, twenty are molars and premolars. These grinding machines
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(the word "molar" is from the Latin word meaning "millstone") are ideally suited for crushing the tough plant fibers that are found in whole cereal grains, beans, seeds, and other complex carbohydrate foods. There are also eight front incisors and four canine teeth. The word "incisor" comes from the Latin word meaning "to cut into," and these teeth are well suited for cutting vegetables. The four canine teeth can be used for tearing animal foods, but are not sharply pointed in everyone. People who live in societies that consume little or no animal food often do not develop pointed canines. Using the teeth as a model, we can conclude that, ideally, about five parts of the h u m a n diet would consist of whole grains, beans, seeds, and other tough plant fibers; two parts, local vegetables; and up to one part, animal food. T h e optim u m ratio of plant to animal food is about seven to one. H u m a n intestines are another clue to ideal eating patterns. Our intestines are long and convoluted compared with those of carnivorous (meat-eating) animals. T h e digestive system of carnivorous animals promotes rapid food transit; as a result, the toxic byproducts of decaying animal flesh are less likely to accumulate. But in our case, a diet high in animal foods transits slowly through the digestive system, allowing toxins to accumulate throughout the body. Ultimately, this results in a variety of disorders, including cancer. It is to our advantage to eat primarily plant foods. The correlation between consumption of animal fat and protein and cancer of the colon is evidence that a diet based on animal foods is not well-suited to human needs.
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percent, according to data compiled by the National Center for H e a l t h Statistics. Today n e a r l y o n e o u t of three A m e r i c a n s dies of cancer. At t h e t u r n of t h e century, one o u t of twentyseven d i e d of cancer. A N a t i o n a l C a n c e r Institute study on c a n c e r research r e p o r t e d t h a t in t h e 1830s, w h e n c a n c e r statistics were first r e c o r d e d in Paris, researchers n o t e d t h a t a b o u t o n e in fifty d i e d from cancer. T h u s c a n c e r h a s increased fifteen-fold in t h e West over t h e last two centuries. T h i s p e r i o d corresponds with m a j o r c h a n g e s in o u r way of e a t i n g , i n c l u d i n g t h e w i d e s p r e a d refining of flour a n d overall decrease of grains in t h e diet; increased c o n s u m p t i o n of m e a t , sugar, a n d dairy p r o d u c t s ; daily c o n s u m p t i o n of tropical foods a n d beverages in t e m p e r a t e zones ( a n d vice-versa); t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of c h e m i c a l agriculture; t h e invention of synthetic foods a n d c h e m i c a l additives; high-technology food
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processing such as canning and freezing; and the introduction of electric cooking and refrigeration, and microwave ovens. Whole grains have traditionally been known in all cultures as the staff of life. T h e decline and fall of organically grown whole grains since the beginning of the modern age in the seventeenth century parallels the rise and spread of cancer. Investigating this relationship is a major area for future study among medical historians and cancer specialists. Despite the spread of refined and synthetic foods around the world, cooked whole grains, beans, and vegetables are still eaten as main foods in many cultures today. For example, corn tortillas and black beans are the staple foods in Central America; rice and soybean products are eaten throughout Southeast Asia; whole and cracked wheat and chickpeas are daily fare in the Middle East. These regions have the lowest rates of cancer in the world. Recent international surveys comparing the rate of cancer mortality in males in forty-four countries found the least cancer in countries where traditional dietary patterns still prevail, such as El Salvador, Thailand, and Egypt. In comparison, European nations registered the highest incidence, and the United States, Canada, and Australia were also found to be in the upper range. In these parts of the world, the modern diet has all but replaced traditional ways of eating. As we point out in The Cancer Prevention Diet, there are still a few traditional societies around the world in which cancer is rare or unknown. These include some Native American tribes, certain non-Israeli Jewish communities in the Middle East, various African cultures, and the Hunza in Pakistan. Substantial medical literature already exists on the relative absence of cancer in primitive society. In The Natural History of Cancer (William Wood & Co., 1908), Dr. W. Roger Williams, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgery in London, surveyed field reports from British medical doctors in Asia and Africa and found that cancer was non-existent in cultures where people were eating primarily grains, seeds, tubers, and other vegetable foods. Almost eighty-five years ago, Dr. Williams concluded that in the West, cancer was a disease of "overnutrition," caused mainly by excessive intake of protein from animal sources. In Studies in Deficiency Disease (1921), Sir Robert Mc-
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Carrison, another British surgeon, reported that cancer was unknown among the Hunza who ate a daily diet consisting of whole-wheat chapatis, barley, and buckwheat supplemented by leafy green vegetables, beans and legumes, apricots, and very small amounts of animal food. In 1927, as director of Nutritional Research in India, McCarrison began a series of laboratory experiments to test whether the Hunza diet was chiefly responsible for the absence of degenerative disease in this isolated region of India. He fed one group of rats the Hunza diet and a control group the regular Indian diet high in refined white rice, sugar, and spices. T h e tests showed that rats fed the Hunza diet high in whole grains remained healthy and free of all disease, while those on the processed diet contracted cysts, abscesses, heart disease, and cancer. In Refined Carbohydrate Foods and Disease (Academic Press, 1975) and Eat RightTo Keep Healthy and Enjoy Life (Arco, 1979), British surgeon Denis Burkitt (a world-famous cancer specialist after whom Burkitt's Lymphoma is named) concluded that most cancers came to Africa with imported modern food and that Africans who ate a traditional high-fiber diet remained cancer-free. Dr. Albert Schweitzer also associated the appearance of cancer in West Africa with the adoption of refined foodstuffs. In his medical writings he singles out chemical salt, which replaced natural sea salt in the local diet, as a chief contributing factor. Before the remaining few cancer-free societies disappear altogether, scientists should examine traditional patterns of agriculture, food preparation and cooking methods, and patterns of eating to discover the nutritional factors that may contribute to the absence of cancer and other degenerative disease.
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takes to produce them. On an individual level, an ecologically balanced diet promotes health by harmonizing our condition with our immediate environment. For thousands of years people ate the foods produced in their local environment. People in temperate zones ate the foods of temperate zones: whole grains, beans, fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, and other products of their regional agriculture. Eating foods from the same climate makes it easier to create a balance with our immediate environment. Traditionally, for example, the Eskimo and other people in the Far North based their diets around fish and other animal foods found in the Arctic region. Vegetable foods were scarce, and a diet high in animal protein and fat helped them to strike a balance with their extreme climate. Following this principle, people in tropical regions lived on the unique plant and animal species found there. In India, for example, people naturally adopted a vegetarian or semivegetarian way of eating because minimizing the intake of animal food makes it easier to adapt to a hot climate. Not only did foods vary from one climate to another, but so did traditional methods of cooking and food processing. For people in colder regions, food is an important source of heat. People in northern latitudes naturally cook their dishes thoroughly and include a higher percentage of animal protein, salt, and fat in their diets. In warmer regions, where lighter cooking is appropriate, people eat a larger volume of fresh foods and lightly cooked dishes and include less animal food and salt in their diets. The shift to the modern diet blurred distinctions that for centuries had been rooted in the unique climate and environment of each region. Today, most Americans, Europeans, Japanese, and Soviets eat large amounts of meat and dairy products that are suited to a colder, semipolar climate. In addition, they eat fruits and vegetables native to the tropics, refined sugar and spices from the tropics, and cola beverages, coffee, and other stimulants prepared from tropical ingredients. This way of eating in a temperate zone goes against the ecological order and, sooner or later, leads to ill health. With a high intake of extremes like meat and sugar, people tend to overlook their traditional staples. Grains and beans today are fed to livestock and then eaten in the form of animal
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food rather than being eaten directly. Forty percent of the world's grain (including ninety percent of American grain) is fed to cattle or other livestock to produce meat, poultry, dairy food, or other animal food. This highly inefficient practice not only depletes our h u m a n resources in the form of increasing degenerative illness but also depletes the earth's natural resources.
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ACUTE LEUKEMIA
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some improvement and was sent home. Over the next eight months, he received chemotherapy at home and continued to experience side effects, including high fevers. He was strong enough to return to work early in 1983, and monthly checkups showed his cancer was in remission, which meant that less than 25 percent of his cells were leukemic. If the percentage were to go higher, he would need to return to the hospital for additional chemotherapy. In April of 1983, Doug underwent a bone marrow harvest. A team of doctors from Johns Hopkins University went to New Hampshire to perform the procedure, which was then being done at only a few hospitals in the United States. The first step in this painful process was the extraction of bone marrow from the spine. A hole was drilled into the bone and the marrow was extracted with a special instrument. The marrow was then treated with antibodies, frozen, and stored. In the early 1980s, it was rare for a patient with Doug's type of cancer to survive a second remission for longer than six months. This meant that if the cancer came back, and went into remission again due to treatment, the prospects for long-term survival were slim. In Doug's case, if the remission were lost, the doctors planned to do a series of chemical and radiation treatments to kill the cells around the cancer. Then the previously harvested bone marrow, treated with antibodies, would be placed into his body. A checkup just two months after the bone marrow harvest revealed that Doug's cancer count was again rising. Both Doug and Nancy were devastated. His doctor suggested going ahead with the bone marrow transplant, and advised against further chemotherapy since Doug was already in a weakened condition. He told Doug that even with chemotherapy, he would probably live only six months. The bone marrow transplant also offered little hope. Doug and Nancy researched the success rate and found that out of the fifty or so patients who had been treated with the procedure at a leading medical center, only a handful were still alive. With little hope from either treatment, Doug and Nancy agonized over their decision. After much deliberation, they decided to forgo the transplant. At a support group meeting, Doug was introduced to a copy of Recalled by Life by Anthony Sattilaro, M.D., and Tom Monte. It told the story of a doctor whose terminal metastatic prostate cancer went into remission after he adopted a macrobiotic diet. Encouraged by the possibility that macrobiotics might improve his condition, Doug journeyed to Brookline, Massachusetts,
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where he met with a macrobiotic counselor and attended a lecture by Michio Kushi. Upon returning home, the Blampieds made some radical changes in their diet and lifestyle. "We decided to go for it," Nancy recalls. "We got rid of the electric stove, replaced it with a gas one; cleaned out the cupboards of the foods that weren't good for Doug, and supplied ourselves with a complete macrobiotic kitchen." A short while later the Blampieds attended the Macrobiotic Way of Life Seminar in Brookline and took cooking classes with a teacher in a nearby town. Maintaining a macrobiotic way of life has been easy for Doug since he saw immediate results from changing his diet. "My cancer count dropped almost immediately . . . and stayed down. That was a pretty good incentive to learn to like the food." With his cancer in remission, Doug now believes that his health is better than ever. Today, eight years after being diagnosed with leukemia, he believes that getting sick actually changed his life in many positive ways. "I am a stronger, better person now," he muses. "I see myself as more sensitive and understanding, and less directed at unimportant things. I spend more time with my children. I hug them regularly and let them know that I love them and how much they mean to me."
Source: "A Father Heals Leukemia," One Peaceful World, Summer, 1990.
a n d are a sign t h a t n a t u r a l i m m u n i t y is still working. Nowadays, however, m o s t p e o p l e try to suppress these s y m p t o m s by taking aspirin or o t h e r m e d i c a t i o n s . T h i s weakens t h e body's n a t u r a l powers of discharge. Excess t h a t w o u l d n o r m a l l y c o m e o u t d u r i n g a cold goes elsewhere usually toward t h e internal organs a n d l y m p h g l a n d s setting t h e stage for future problems. It c a n l e a d to t h e formation of m u c u s a n d fat deposits i n a n d a r o u n d t h e organs, tissues, a n d glands, a n d eventual d e t e r i o r a t i o n of t h e cells in these areas. E a t i n g in h a r m o n y w i t h climate a n d season helps us avoid these conditions while s t r e n g t h e n i n g o u r powers of n a t u r a l a d a p t a t i o n .
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your special condition or whether you live in a Far Northern climate. Of course, any serious condition should be closely monitored by the appropriate medical, nutritional, and health professional. These guidelines are not a substitute for qualified medical care nor are they a form of therapy for specific illness. They are designed to help bring our daily diet and way of life into closer alignment with nature and, thus, facilitate health and well being. Personalized guidance can help make the transition to macrobiotics smoother and more enjoyable. Study programs such as the Macrobiotic Way of Life and Macrobiotic Residential Seminars presented by the Kushi Institute are especially recommended. They offer the opportunity to see and taste a wide range of macrobiotically prepared foods, ask questions, and receive individual guidance on appropriate modifications of the standard diet. T h e proportions presented in Figure 2.1 are based on the approximate volume of food per day, and not on weight. It isn't necessary to include foods from each category at every meal; these proportions represent an entire day's consumption. In a temperate climate, an optimum daily diet consists of the following proportions of foods:
Soups
Approximately 5 to 10 percent of daily intake may include soup m a d e with vegetables, sea vegetables (wakame or kombu), grains, or beans. Recommended seasonings include naturally processed miso or tamari soy sauce. T h e flavor should not be too salty.
Figure 2.1
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Vegetables
About 20 to 30 percent of daily intake may include local and organically grown vegetables, the majority cooked in various styles (e.g., sauteed with a small amount of sesame or corn oil, steamed, boiled, or sometimes prepared using tamari soy sauce or light sea salt as a seasoning.) A small portion may be eaten as raw salad. A small volume of non-spicy pickles may also be eaten daily. Vegetables for daily use include: green cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, pumpkin, watercress, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, dandelion, mustard greens, daikon greens, scallion, onions, daikon, turnips, acorn squash, butternut squash, buttercup squash, burdock, carrots, and other seasonally available varieties. Vegetables to avoid for optimal health include: potatoes (including sweet potatoes and yams), tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, asparagus, spinach, beets, zucchini, and avocado for regular use. Mayonnaise and other oily dressings are also best avoided.
Occasional Foods
If needed or desired, 1 to 3 times per week, approximately 5 to 10 percent of that day's consumption of food can include fresh white-meat fish such as flounder, sole, cod, carp, halibut, or trout.
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Fruit or fruit desserts, including fresh, dried, and cooked fruits, may also be served two or three times per week. Local and organically grown fruits are preferred. If you live in a temperate climate, avoid tropical and semitropical fruit and eat, instead, temperate-climate fruits such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, berries, and melons. Frequent use of fruit juice is not advisable. However, depending on your condition, occasional consumption in warmer weather may be appropriate. Lightly roasted seeds and nuts-pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, and pecans may be enjoyed from time to time as a snack. Rice syrup, barley malt, amazake, and mirin may be used as sweeteners; brown rice vinegar or umeboshi vinegar may be used occasionally for a sour taste.
Beverages
Recommended daily beverages include roasted bancha twig tea, roasted brown rice tea, roasted barley tea, dandelion tea, and cereal grain coffee. Any traditional tea that does not have an aromatic fragrance or a stimulating effect can be used. You may also drink a moderate amount of water (preferably spring or well water of good quality) but not iced.
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and all aromatic or stimulating teas such as mint or peppermint tea. All artificially colored, preserved, sprayed, or chemically treated foods. All refined and polished grains, flours, and their derivatives. Mass-produced foods including all canned, frozen, and irradiated foods. Hot spices, any aromatic, stimulating food or food accessory, artificial vinegar, and strong alcoholic beverages.
Additional Suggestions
Cooking oil should be vegetable quality only. To improve your health, it is preferable to use only unrefined sesame or corn oil in moderate amounts. Salt should be naturally processed sea salt. Traditional, non-chemical shoyu or tamari soy sauce and miso may also be used as seasonings. Use all seasonings in moderation. Recommended condiments include: Gomashio (12 to 18 parts roasted sesame seeds to 1 part roasted sea salt) Pickles (made using bran, miso, tamari soy sauce, sea salt), sauerkraut Sea vegetable powder (kelp, kombu, wakame, and other sea vegetables) Sesame sea vegetable powder Tekka (selected root vegetables are sauteed with dark sesame oil and seasoned with soybean or hatcho miso) Tamari soy sauce or shoyu (moderate use, for a mild flavor, only in cooking) Umeboshi plums (pickled plums) You may eat regularly, two or three times per day, as much as you want, provided the proportions are correct and chewing is thorough. Avoid eating for approximately three hours before sleeping. Proper cooking is very important for health. Everyone should learn to cook either by attending classes or under the guidance of an experienced macrobiotic cook. The
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recipes included in the chapters that follow, along with those in the cookbooks listed in the bibliography, may also be used in planning meals.
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High-Quality Essentials
Our health depends on what we eat. It is important, therefore, to obtain essential nutrients from the highest quality sources. Guidelines are presented below: Water. High-quality, clean, natural water is recommended for cooking and drinking. Spring or well water is fine for regular use, while chemically treated and distilled water are best avoided. Carbohydrates. It is better to eat carbohydrates mostly in the form of polysaccharide glucose, a complex carbohydrate found in whole grains, vegetables (especially those with naturally sweet flavors), beans, sea vegetables, and chestnuts. Minimize or avoid the intake of simple sugars (mono- or disaccharides), such as those in fruit, honey, refined sugar, and other concentrated sweeteners. Protein. It is better to obtain protein primarily from vegetable sources like whole grains, beans, and bean products, and to reduce reliance on animal proteins. Fat. The hard, saturated fats found in most animal foods are best minimized or avoided. High-quality, unsaturated fats such as those in vegetable oils are better for regular use. Salt. Natural sea salt contains a variety of trace minerals and is recommended for regular use. Refined salt, which is almost 100 percent sodium chloride with no trace minerals, is best avoided. Vitamins and Minerals. It is better to obtain vitamins and minerals in their whole form as a part of natural foods rather than in isolated form as supplements.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Together with e a t i n g well, t h e r e are a n u m b e r of practices t h a t c o m p l e m e n t a b a l a n c e d n a t u r a l diet a n d e n h a n c e t h e recovery of h e a l t h . Keeping physically active, developing a positive outlook, a n d using n a t u r a l cooking utensils, fabrics, a n d
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materials in the home are especially recommended. In the past, people lived more closely with nature and ate a more balanced natural diet. With each generation, we have gotten further from our roots in nature, and have experienced a corresponding increase in cancer and other chronic illnesses. These suggestions complement the macrobiotic diet and can help everyone enjoy more satisfying and harmonious living: Live each day happily without being preoccupied with your health; try to keep mentally and physically active. View everything and everyone you meet with gratitude; in particular, offer thinks before and after each meal. Please chew your food very well, at least fifty times per mouthful, or until it becomes liquid. T h e complex carbohydrates in whole grains, beans, vegetables, and other whole natural foods are digested largely in the mouth through interaction with the enzymes in saliva. Chewing mixes food with saliva and facilitates smooth digestion and efficient absorption of nutrients. Chewing enables us to obtain more nutrients from less food. It also releases the medicinal properties of daily foods and is the key to improving, rather than simply maintaining, our state of health. Saliva is known to have antibacterial effects and, as reported in the May 1988 fournal of the American Dental Association, has been shown in laboratory experiments to prevent the AIDS virus from infecting white blood cells. It is best to avoid wearing synthetic or woolen clothes directly on the skin. Wear cotton as much as possible, especially for undergarments. Avoid excessive metallic accessories on the fingers, wrists, or neck. Keep such ornaments simple and graceful. To increase circulation, scrub your entire body with a hot, damp towel every morning or every night. If that is not possible, at least do your hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Initiate and maintain active correspondence, extending your best wishes to parents, children, brothers and sisters, teachers, and friends. Keep your personal relationships smooth and happy.
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motility, a factor that helps prevent colon cancer. According to Carl Caspersen, an epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control, "You don't have to be a marathoner to greatly reduce your mortality. After that first jump in activity, you're not buying that much more reduced risk." Walking activates circulation, improves breathing, tones the muscles, and improves appetite. By increasing breathing capacity and activating circulation, walking helps cleanse the blood. The added oxygen in the blood oxidizes (burns) impurities, and the lymphatic system, which carries waste from the cells, also cleanses itself. Walking helps dissolve stress and tension too, and calms and clears the mind. We recommend taking a half-hour walk each day if your condition permits.
Avoid taking long hot baths or showers unless you have been consuming too much salt or animal food. If your strength permits, walk on the beach, grass, or soil up to one-half hour every day; wear simple clothes. Keep your home in good order, from the kitchen, bathroom, and living rooms to every corner of the house. Avoid chemically perfumed cosmetics. To care for your teeth, brush with natural preparations or sea salt. In addition to taking a half-hour walk each day, include activities such as scrubbing floors, cleaning, washing clothes, and working in the yard or garden as part of your daily life. You may also participate in exercise programs such as yoga, martial arts, dance, or sports if your condition permits. Avoid using electric cooking devices (ovens and ranges) or microwave ovens. Convert to gas or wood-stove cooking at the earliest opportunity. It is best to minimize the use of color television and computer display terminals. T h e health hazards of electromagnetic fields can no longer be ruled out, according to a July 1989 article in the science section of The New York Times. In addition to high voltage power lines, TVs, computers, and other electronic equipment, common household appliances such as vacuum cleaners, toasters, blenders, and fluores-
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cent lights can be harmful to health. A background paper issued in 1989 by the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment stated, "It is now clear that low frequency electromagnetic fields can interact with individual cells and organs to produce biological changes." Laboratory experiments suggest that electromagnetic fields can interfere with DNA and stimulate chemicals in cells that are linked to cancer. Epidemiological studies have shown that women who used video display terminals for more than twenty hours a week in the first trimester of pregnancy suffered nearly twice as many miscarriages as women doing other types of office work. These studies also revealed that children who lived near electrical distribution lines were twice as likely to develop cancer as those who did not. Place large green plants in your house to freshen and enrich the oxygen content of the air in your home. Sing a happy song every day in order to activate your breathing and lift your spirits.
CREATING HEALTH
As we gain a better understanding of the way that diet and lifestyle influence health and sickness, we are in a better position to make healthful changes in our daily lives. We shift from a passive to an active role in creating health. The responsibility for making these changes is up to us. No one can take that responsibility for us. We are the ones who must initiate healthful changes and sustain them from day to day.
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Diet and the Development of Cancer
To better understand how diet influences cancer, we can refer to the image of a tree. A tree's structure is opposite to that of the human body. Body cells develop internally, while the leaves of a tree develop externally. A tree absorbs nutrients through external roots. The roots of the body are deep inside in the region of the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed. It is here that they enter the bloodstream and are distributed to the body's cells. When a tree grows in healthy soil, it receives balanced nourishment and is able to thrive. But if the soil is deficient in minerals or contaminated with chemical toxins, the tree becomes unhealthy, and its leaves eventually wither and die. A naturally balanced diet is like healthy soil. When the body is properly nourished, the quality of the blood is sound, and the cells function in a normal way. If food becomes unbalanced, the quality of the blood begins to deteriorate, and the body's cells may eventually become unhealthy and even cancerous. The leaves of the tree depend on the nutrients absorbed through the roots. Similarly, the health of the cells depends on the quality of nutrients received by the body. An unbalanced diet sets in motion a downward spiral of physical deterioration in which cancer is often the final, life45
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threatening stage. This process sometimes takes years to reach a critical point. Meanwhile, as this downward spiral gathers momentum, a variety of precancerous symptoms appear throughout the body. Although these symptoms seem unrelated to one another or to cancer, they are actually stages in an ongoing process that frequently culminates in the formation of a tumor. Cancer does not appear suddenly out of nowhere, but develops over time out of a chronically precancerous condition. To prevent cancer, we must reverse the direction of this spiral by changing our diet, lifestyle, and condition as a whole. Below we describe the stages in this process of change, beginning with a general description of balance or health.
HEALTHY EQUILIBRIUM
Health depends on our ability to maintain a condition of homeostasisor dynamic equilibrium in the body. Striking a balance between what we take in (in the form of food), and what we use for body repair and maintenance, and what we discharge in the form of energy and waste, is vitally important in maintaining optimal health. When we eat a well-balanced dietboth in terms of the quality of foods we eat and the quantities we take inwe provide the body with what it needs, and our day-to-day functions of eliminationurination, bowel movement, breathing, perspirationare sufficient to discharge any excess and to keep us in good health. Physical activity helps keep the body free of toxic accumulation; this is why regular exercise helps reduce the risk of degenerative disease. No wonder a traditional people such as the Hunza, who eat a moderately balanced diet while maintaining a vigorous rural lifestyle, have remained cancer-free. Women have several additional biological functions that help them discharge excess. The monthly menstrual cycle helps a woman to discharge more efficiently, as do having children and breast-feeding. Breast-feeding allows a portion of the excess that builds up in a woman's body during pregnancy to be discharged, thus protecting her from potentially harmful accumulations. This is one reason that researchers have noted a negative correlation between breast-feeding and
47
the development of breast cancer. Men often need to compensate for the lack of such built-in discharge mechanisms by being more physically active.
ABNORMAL DISCHARGES
Because the modern diet is so unbalanced, most people take in more than they are able to healthfully discharge. This disturbs the body's equilibrium, and, in order to restore balance, a variety of abnormal discharge mechanisms are set in motion. Abnormal discharges can be acute or chronic; they can start early or late in life. In their initial stages, discharges tend to be self-limiting, which means that their symptoms normally disappear once the excess has been eliminated from the body. However, if the underlying dietary causes are not changed, the discharges may become chronic or recurring. Chronic discharges often begin in infancy, primarily because of the modern habit of feeding babies cow's milk formulas rather than breast milk. T h e balance of nutrients in breast milk matches the needs of the baby, while cow's milk contains an excessive amount of saturated fat, protein, and minerals that tax the body's digestive and excretory systems. If the body's normal channels of discharge are overwhelmed, a variety of abnormal discharge symptoms occur to get rid of the excess diarrhea, digestive upsets, chest congestion, and skin rashes. These conditions are more common in bottle-fed babies than in breast-fed babies, and often persist into adulthood, especially when plenty of dairy and other animal products and simple sugars continue being consumed. Casein, the primary protein in cow's milk, is relatively insoluble in the digestive tract of a h u m a n infant. It is utilized with only about 50 percent efficiency. T h e remaining protein is unused and becomes excess that must be discharged. Some passes through the digestive tract and is discharged in the feces, while some is digested but cannot be utilized by the cells and is excreted in the urine. The excess protein, mineral salts, and saturated fat in cow's milk can easily overwhelm the body's capacities for discharge both normal and abnormaland will then accumulate internally, setting the stage for the next step in the spiral of declining health.
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Similarly, the excessive amounts of protein, fat, sugar, and chemical additives in the modern diet as a whole also disturb the body's equilibrium. Recurring conditions such as inner ear infections, sore throats, colds and flu, and tonsillitis are common in the modern world, and are indicative of the excessive nature of modern eating patterns. Although symptoms such as these can be unpleasant, they actually have a beneficial purpose, as they represent the body's attempt to get rid of excess and restore equilibrium. Allergies, for example, represent the body's attempt to discharge excessive factors through the nasal and respiratory passages or through the skin. Allergic reactions actually help the body eliminate excess and slow the rate of toxic accumulation. As a result, people who suffer from allergies are statistically less prone to develop cancer, which, as we will see, is promoted by the chronic accumulation of excess in the body. Unfortunately, most people today don't realize that symptoms such as these may also be a direct result of what they have been eating. T h e common perception is that they are caused by some outside factor such as cold viruses, streptococcus bacteria, or pollen. Rather than tolerating the discharge and changing the dietary imbalances that have caused it, people usually try to suppress the symptoms with medication. Of course, in serious or life-threatening situations, this may be necessary, but it is important to remember that medications do not solve the underlying problem and often weaken the body's ability to discharge. As a result, some of the excess that would normally be eliminated remains in the body where it can contribute to a more serious condition in the future. Skin diseases are another form of chronic discharge. The repeated intake of excess, stresses and eventually weakens the kidneys and intestines. These organs are forced to work overtime in order to cope with the overload of protein, fat, sugar, and toxic chemicals contained in an unbalanced diet. When these organs cannot handle the overload, excess is discharged through the skin, which results in skin markings, growths, and discolorations, or skin diseases such as eczema or acne. Freckles and aging spots, for example, are caused by the discharge of refined and other simple sugars. White patches show that milk, cottage cheese, and other dairy products are being discharged, while warts, moles, and excess body hair are produced by the
49
MALIGNANT MELANOMA
Macrobiotic Miracles
MARLENE MCKENNA In 1983 Marlene McKenna was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. "As a working mother of four children, radio and TV commentator, and investment broker, I was living a very unbalanced life," Marlene explained in an interview in The Providence Journal. In August 1985, she began to complain of severe stomach pains, and in January 1986, doctors discovered that five tumors had spread throughout her body. Two feet of her intestines were removed, and Marlene was told she had six months to a year to live. Declining all treatments, Marlene turned to macrobiotics at the suggestion of her brother and visited Michio Kushi in Boston. In addition to changing her diet, she replaced her electric stove with a gas stove, and began to meditate and practice yoga, A devout Catholic, she also did a lot of inspirational reading and praying. "I promised God that if He walked me through this and helped me live, I would give Him life with life," she recalls. Within a year she was on the way to recovery, and doctors found no evidence of further cancer. Feeling well enough to return to public life, she ran for state treasurer in Rhode Island. During the campaign, she discovered that she was pregnant. Because of her previous illness and age (forty-two), doctors encouraged her to have an abortion. Marlene refused. "I realized that (having the baby) was part of my promise to give life with life," she explains. Though she lost the election, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, keeping her promise to God and proving her physicians wrong. Since then, she has opened Shepherd's, a macrobiotic natural foods restaurant in Providence, and is helping people around the country who have heard of her remarkable recovery. VIRGINIA BROWN In August 1978, Virginia Brown, a fifty-six-year-old mother and registered nurse from Tunbridge, Vermont, noticed a black mole on her arm that kept getting bigger and blacker. She had lost a lot of weight and felt very dull mentally. Doctors at Vermont Medical Center in Burlington performed a biopsy and discovered that she had an advanced case of malignant melanoma (Stage
50
IV). The physicians told her that without surgery she could expect to live only six months. "Even though I had been trained and had practiced in the medical profession for years," Virginia later recalled, "I could not go along with surgery. I had professed alternatives for years, but did not really practice them." At home, her son and daughter-in-law encouraged her to try macrobiotics, and shortly thereafter she attended the East West Foundation's annual cancer conference, meeting that year in Amherst, Massachusetts. At the conference she listened to fifteen cancer patients discuss their experiences with the diet and was impressed with their accounts. Prior to that time, Virginia had followed the standard American way of eating, high in refined foods and fat, especially animal fat from dairy foods, beef, poultry, and fish. At the time she started the diet, she was so sick that she could hardly make it upstairs and slept most of the day. After three weeks of eating the new food, which her children prepared for her, she experienced a change in her energy level, attitude, and mental clarity. "I was a new person, I could get up and walk around." In September, Virginia went to Boston to see Michio Kushi, and he made more specific dietary recommendations and advised her to study cooking. With the support of her family, she adhered faithfully to the diet, supplemented by yoga, prayer and meditation, and a two-mile walk each morning after breakfast. In 1979, it became apparent that Virginia had overcome her condition, and medical exams subsequently confirmed her recovery. After restoring her health, Virginia went on to study at the Kushi Institute and to work as a nurse in the macrobiotic health program that was started at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Boston, promoting a more natural way of living among other medical professionals and patients. In 1984, her story was published by Japan Publications in the book Macrobiotic Miracle: How a Vermont Family Overcame Cancer. BETTY METZGER During the month of August 1980, Betty Metzger underwent surgery for malignant melanoma. That consisted of removing an area of tissue about 41/2-inches in diameter down to the muscle on her right shoulder. Skin was grafted from her thigh. The surgery healed nicely and after a few months she felt reasonably secure that her cancer problem was solved. However, in November 1981 there appeared a lump on the right side of Betty's neck. The cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. Betty's surgeon removed the cancerous nodes and dur-
51
ing the week before Christmas 1981, she received chemotherapy for five consecutive days. There would be a three-week rest before the next regimen of five daily treatments. Betty's oncologist said this would continue for a year at which time they would reevaluate her condition. Chemotherapy was halted from the first of June to the end of August because of low white blood cell counts. Betty received the August treatments and three days of the September regimen when she felt that she could no longer go on. A friend told Betty about Dr. Sattilaro's account of his surviving cancer in the August [1982] issue of Life. She and her husband read Recalled by Life by Dr. Sattilaro and Jean and Mary Alice Kohler's book Healing Miracles from Macrobiotics. That and her family's encouragement were all Betty needed to embark on a macrobiotic way of life. She sought and found much help from friends who were on the diet and read everything about it that was available. "It has now been nine years since my first cancer surgery," says Betty. "I feel great, thanking God every day for the precious gift of good health."
Sources: One Peaceful World, Autumn, 1989; Malignant Melanoma, Stage IV, Cancer and Diet (East West Foundation, 1980); interview with Alex Jack, September 30, 1982; Macrobiotic Miracle: How a Vermont Family Overcame Cancer(Japan Publications, 1984); correspondence with Betty Metzger, Shelby, Ohio, August 16, 1989.
overconsumption of protein and fats. Skin cancer the most common form of cancer in the United States also represents the chronic discharge of dietary excess. Colds and flu enable the body to discharge dietary excess. The symptoms of a cold are usually nasal dischargeincluding a runny nosesneezing, coughing, and fever. Pink, watery eyes, and a whitish-yellow eye discharge sometimes accompany colds, as do irregular bowel movements and diarrhea. Colds primarily involve the upper respiratory organsthe throat, sinuses, and nasal passages. The flu also affects these areas, but usually produces more generalized symptoms throughout the body. In some cases, it involves the digestive organs, a condition commonly referred to as intestinal flu.
When the discharge of a cold involves the upper bodyfor example, the nasal passages, head, and throat the primary cause is the excessive intake of extremely expansive foods or beverages such as simple sugars, concentrated sweeteners, fruit and fruit juice, spices, soft drinks, and ice cream. W h e n the discharge affects the lungs and organs in the mid-section, including the stomach, the primary cause is the excessive intake of fats and oils in addition to the expansive foods. Discharges that affect the intestines and organs in the lower body are triggered by the excessive intake of more densely saturated animal fats in addition to the items mentioned previously. T h e key to preventing colds and flu lies in avoiding the extremes in diet that lead to recurring discharges. A macrobiotic diet helps unblock the body's normal discharge pathways, and thus strengthens natural resistance. When a cold occurs, the best course of action is to rest and eat simply, and let it run its course. Moreover, natural home care preparations such as those presented in The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook can help ease the symptoms of a cold without interfering with the process of discharge.
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B 12 (the RDA and FAO/WHO standards for adults are 3 and 2 micrograms, respectively), these foods are adequate sources. In addition to these vegetable-quality sources of vitamin B 12 , the standard macrobiotic diet does permit the eating of animal foods. Consumption of fish from time to time more than adequately meets daily needs for vitamin B 1 2 because this vitamin may be stored in the liver.
Vitamin D
Eating fish on a regular basis can help provide vitamin D in the macrobiotic diet. T h e only group for which vitamin D deficiency might be a problem is rapidly growing children. For adolescents and adults, more than enough vitamin D for metabolic needs is synthesized within the body through the action of ultraviolet rays shining on the skin. There have been scattered cases in which children whose parents considered themselves to be eating macrobiotically, developed overt signs of vitamin D deficiency. Such problems do not occur when one keeps in mind the important mac-
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robiotic principle of eating a wide variety of foods. These parents seem to have neglected to include plenty of fresh vegetables; furthermore, there was an overuse of salt and salty condiments. To correct a severe vitamin D deficiency, it would be necessary to complement the diet of the growing child with a good source of this nutrient, such as cod or other fish liver oils, until the proper dietary patterns are established. A number of such cases also occurred following long periods of minimal exposure to the sun, a condition easily enough remedied by taking children outside on a regular basis. In no case where the macrobiotic diet has been flexible and accurately applied has there been a report of rickets, a condition caused by a lack of vitamin D.
Calcium
One reason for the idea that calcium intake may be a problem on the macrobiotic diet is the notion that dietary calcium must come from dairy foods. This misconception is largely a cultural phenomenon, unique to the United States and a few other industrialized countries. With few exceptions throughout the rest of the world, dairy food is rarely consumed in the quantities thought necessary by most Americans. Oddly, osteoporosis, the disease often regarded as being due primarily to calcium deficiency, is relatively common in industrialized nations, and occurs less frequently in the Third World, where dairy foods are not widely consumed. T h e standard macrobiotic diet, in fact, includes several good sources of calcium such as sea vegetables, leafy green vegetables, beans and nuts. Tofu is another good source of calcium. T h e calcium content of various foods is shown in Table 4.2. Average calcium intake on the macrobiotic diet is in the range considered adequate by the FAO/WHO (400 to 500 milligrams per day). Because whole grains and vegetables make up a major portion of the standard macrobiotic diet, concern has been expressed about the binding of calcium by phytase or oxalates contained in some of these foods. (It appears that refining of food removes these compounds, apparently making more calcium available for use by the body.) Although this inhibition
87
UTERINE CANCER
antibiotics, and three days in isolation. It was decided that the chemotherapy I was getting was too strong; I would be put on something less toxic. It was then that I knew that conventional medicine was not going to work for me. I did some research on alternative methods, and I chose macrobiotics. Dr. Sattilaro's book Recalled By Life was a great inspiration to me. I felt that if he could get well on such a program, I could too. In mid-February I started to wean myself away from meat, dairy products, fruit, and sugar, and to reduce to zero the thirty-eight pills I was taking daily. By the end of February, I was on the macrobiotic diet. I began the diet in a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and a brace. In a short while, I started walking with a walker, then with a cane. In April, a urinary problem that had plagued me for three years (a result of the original radiation) disappeared. In mid-May I took off the brace. On May 22,1 walked up and down my block all by myself. In June, I put away my wig; my hair, which had all fallen out from the chemotherapy, had grown back enough to be presentable. I returned the hospital bed. I started driving again. I resumed my studies towards my master's degree. In six months, I changed from a sick, depressed, pill-popping invalid to a happy, optimistic, and very grateful pain-free person. The side effects of the diet have been mostly positive. I have had a few bouts with diarrhea, fatigue, flaky skin, and other nondebilitating forms of "discharge." On the positive side, I enjoy good health, good energy, and perfect bodily functions, such as appetite, sleep, elimination, and mental acuity. And I really enjoy the foodmy whole family does, too. Although I take no treatments or medications, I continue to see my oncologist periodically for check-ups. She says that I am doing very well. I have now been practicing macrobiotics for eight years. I have completed a Master of Science degree in nutrition. I am doing nutritional consulting and helping many people with all kinds of degenerative diseases and other illnesses to improve their health. In addition, I teach macrobiotic cooking classes and lecture throughout the New York-New Jersey area. I attribute the reversal of my cancer solely to macrobiotics, and I hope that my story will be a source of hope and inspiration to others.
Source: Elaine Nussbaum, "From Pill-Popping to Pain-Free," East West
Calcium Content* 100 203 190 179 183 200 98 90 100 150 130 226 140 103 128 114 400 1,170 567 1,400 800 400 1,300 1,160 140 282 186 209 50 23 79 80 94 118 65 120 250-850 120
Grains
Sea Vegetablesf
Dairy Food
'Milligrams per 3.5-ounce typical serving. tA typical serving will usually be from about one-fourth to one-half this amount. Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Japan Nutritionist Association.
of calcium absorption by phytase has been demonstrated experimentally, it is the general view of nutritionists that "the importance of phytic acid (phytase) as an anti-calcifying factor in h u m a n nutrition has not been established."
Iron
Adequate stores of iron are needed for the formation of red blood cells. Because animal food is commonly perceived to be the best source of dietary iron, the macrobiotic diet has been criticized for potentially leading to the development of irondeficiency anemia. In fact, about as much dietary iron in the American diet is provided by grain, fruit, or vegetables as by meat. T h e American diet is low in iron compared to diets worldwide, and anemia may, indeed, be the most widespread nutritional deficiency disease in the United States. The American diet is relatively deficient in iron because of the highly refined nature of the diet. T h e iron content of various foods is shown in Table 4.3. One of the principles of the standard macrobiotic diet is the consumption of foods in as whole and unrefined a state as possible. Since refining of grain removes much of its iron, any one food in the macrobiotic diet, compared to its counterpart in the U.S. diet, probably contains as much or more iron. Also, most of the sea vegetables included in the macrobiotic diet are particularly rich sources of iron. It is evident that for most people on a macrobiotic diet, iron intake is not a problem. Possible exceptions to this are pregnant and lactating women who have an increased iron need because of the growing fetus or newborn. In these cases, to ensure adequate iron intake, the standard macrobiotic diet is adjusted to include a larger proportion of sea vegetables and other iron-rich foods, and emphasis is placed on the use of cast-iron cookware.
PREVENTIVE NUTRITION
T h e standard macrobiotic diet, when examined for its nutritional adequacy, is clearly an acceptable diet by any stan-
Whole Grains
Beans
Seedsf
Sea Vegetables"!"
Refined Sugar
tA typical serving will usually be from one-fourth to one-half this amount. Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Japan Nutritionist Association.
dard. As long as the principles of macrobiotics are applied in choosing one's diet, nutritional deficiencies will not be a problem. In fact, if "good nutrition" means not only avoiding deficiency diseases, but also promoting good health, malnutrition ("bad nutrition") probably occurs much less frequently in people who eat a standard macrobiotic diet than in those who eat a typical American diet. T h e macrobiotic diet is an optimal example of a diet that can prevent degenerative disease. This potential has not only been supported by the United States Dietary Goals, the National Academy of Sciences Report on Cancer, and the other preventive guidelines mentioned before, but it has also been demonstrated. In surveys conducted among people who follow a macrobiotic diet, medical researchers have examined the role of diet in altering the physiological risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Two risk factors have been studied: blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. These are considered risk factors for heart disease. (The higher the levels, the greater the probability of developing heart disease.) It has been unequivocally demonstrated that blood cholesterol levels of people on a macrobiotic diet (averaging 126 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood) are much lower than those of people consuming an American diet (averaging more than 200 milligrams per deciliter), even after taking into account other factors that influence cholesterol levels. Similarly, people on a macrobiotic diet have much lower blood pressures (averaging 106/60) than would be expected in the general United States population. Since these trends appear to continue throughout life, it is highly probable that very few people who eat a macrobiotic diet will develop heart disease. A recent study has shown that diet and lifestyle can reverse arterial blockages that are the chief causes of heart attacks and strokes. The study, known as "The Lifestyle Heart Trial," was conducted by cardiologist Dean Ornish and his colleagues at the University of California at San Francisco and published in The Lancet in July 1990. The researchers found that volunteers who ate a very low-fat, primarily vegetarian diet that excluded poultry, high-fat dairy products, red meat, oils, and fats were able to partially clear their blocked arteries. "Com-
prehensive lifestyle changes may be able to bring about regression of even severe coronary arteriosclerosis after only one year," the study reported. Claude L'enfant, director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said the most interesting aspect of the study was the finding that changes in diet alone "can be just as effective in reversing blocked arteries as cholesterol-lowering drugs." However, the researchers cautioned that "adherence to this lifestyle program needs to be very good for overall regression to occur, although more moderate changes have some beneficial effect." Awareness of the relationship between diet and heart disease has progressed from initial suspicion that the modern high-fat diet is a primary causative factor, to the recognition that a low-fat, high-fiber diet, similar to the standard macrobiotic diet, would help prevent heart disease. Most recently it has been discovered that a more naturally balanced diet can actually reverse certain forms of heart disease. T h e Lifestyle Heart Trial adds substantial weight to the macrobiotic idea that the types of foods that prevent a particular disease are also those that help in recovering from it. Prevention and recovery are not separate issues. A similar evolution is occurring in the awareness of the relationship between diet and cancer. As we have seen, public awareness of this relationship is largely at the second stage of this process: the recognition that the modern diet promotes cancer and that a naturally balanced diet along the lines of macrobiotics can help prevent it. In the near future, as the cancer-inhibiting properties of foods such as whole grains, beans, orange-yellow and cruciferous vegetables, and sea vegetables are better understood, recognition that the macrobiotic diet can help not only in the prevention of cancer, but also in the recovery from it, will become commonplace. Public health policy can then evolve beyond the realm of prevention and into the dimension of recommending a prudent diet along the lines of macrobiotics for persons who develop cancer.
5
A Unifying Principle
In order to solve the problem of cancer, and create a cancerfree world in the future, we need a holistic model that explainsin common terms the origin and cause of the disease. Although epidemiological studies are beginning to hint at the dietary causes of cancer, our modern understanding of health and sickness is not, for the most part, based on a comprehensive view of m a n and the universe. T h e modern view lacks a unifying principle that explains how h u m a n beings interact with their environment and how daily food serves as the intermediary between the two. When our view is fragmentary and partialrather than holistic and unifyingthe impact of diet, in terms of its practical application, can easily be diluted. For example, certain compounds in foods that prevent cancerbeta carotene, for instance have been identified and subsequently produced in capsule form. By concentrating on the anti-cancer effects of specific compounds, we sometimes miss the overwhelming significance of the dietary pattern as a whole in promoting or inhibiting cancer. As a result, our recommendations for preventing cancer may not be as comprehensive or effective as they could be. The principle of yin and yangwhich underlies the prac95
tice of macrobiotics provides a unified view of h u m a n life and health, as well as a theoretical framework for understanding the origin and cause of cancer and other illnesses. Let us see how this principle applies to the problem of cancer, starting with an explanation of the principle itself.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
If we observe the things around us, we see that they are made up of numerous complementary and opposite aspects. A chair, for example, is composed of legs that project downward and a seat and back that extend in the opposite direction. Each section of the chair as well as the chair as a whole contains an upper and lower part, a left and right side, a top and bottom, and an inside and outside. Similar relationships exist in a book. It is composed of an outside cover and an inside text. It also has a front and back cover; usually the front cover is more bold and simple, while the back is more understated and detailed. When we open a book, it divides into left- and right-hand pages, and each page has a front and a back side. A book itself is defined by complementary opposites: for example, by its left and right and upper and lower borders, and by its first and last pages. On each page, there are many complementary relationships, such as those between text and illustrations, printed type and blank space, headings and text, words and punctuation, and many others. A book also has a duration, or lifespan, that is defined by its beginning and end. Books, like everything else, do not exist in isolation. They exist in relation to other things in the environment. These relationships are also defined by complementary opposites. If we compare books, for example, we see that some are thick, others thin; some are large, others small; some reach a large audience, while others do not; and some have a lasting impact while the influence of others is relatively short-lived. T h e biological world is also governed by similar relationships. There are complementary distinctions between plant and animal life, between more biologically developed species and less developed species, and between species that live in water and those that live on land. In the human body, the two
A Unifying Principle
branches of the autonomic nervous system the sympathetic and the parasympathetic work in an antagonistic yet complementary manner to control the body's automatic functions. The endocrine system operates in a similar manner. T h e pancreas, as we saw earlier, secretes insulin, which lowers the blood sugar level, and also secretes anti-insulin, which causes it to rise. T h e movements of the heart and lungs, digestive, endocrine, and other organs and glands continuously alternate between expansion and contraction. T h e rhythms of daily life waking and sleeping, appetite and fullness, and movement and restalso represent the alternation of opposites. Actually, everything in the universe has a similar nature. All things appear and disappear, ebb and flow, and move back and forth between opposite conditions. Reality is a unified field of countless interrelationships, all of which are defined and governed by complementary opposites.
etal force, which is defined as movement toward a center of rotation, is more contractive. In Table 5.1, a variety of attributes are classified into yin and yang. We can see that all complementary opposites can be grouped into two categories. Physical attributes temperature, size, weight, physical structure, color, wavelength, etc. yield numerous complementary tendencies that display either a stronger tendency toward more expansive, centrifugal force, or toward more contractive, centripetal force. Thousands of
Table 5.1 Characteristic Atomic particle Attitude Biological Climate Direction Flavor Food preparation Form Function Humidity Light Movement Nerves Organ structure Position Sex Shape Size Temperature Tendency Texture Vibration Weight Work Examples of Yin and \ a n g Yang(A) proton more aggressive, active more animal quality tropical, warmer descent, horizontal, inward salty more cooked shorter, thicker fusion more dry brighter more active, faster central,parasympathetic more dense, compacted more inward, central male more contracted smaller hotter contraction harder longer wave, lower frequency heavier more physical, social
Yin(V) electron more gentle, passive more vegetable quality temperate, colder ascent, vertical, outward sweet less cooked longer, thinner diffusion more wet darker more inactive, slower peripheral, orthosympathetic more hollow, expansive more outward, peripheral female more expansive larger colder expansion softer shorter wave, higher frequency lighter more psychological, mental
A Unifying Principle
years ago, these complementary forces were seen as the most basic manifestations of the universe itself, and were given the names "yin" and "yang." Although these terms were first used in China, the concept they represent is not particularly Oriental. A similar understanding can be found in ancient cultures throughout the world.
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dectomy, the surgical removal of the testicles, to slow the growth of the disease. T h e influence of yin and yang can also be seen deep within each cell at the level of genes and chromosomes. More yin genes direct cells to grow and divide, while more yang genes inhibit growth. Researchers have discovered that women with breast cancer often have a preponderance of growth-enhancing genes, especially one gene known as the HER-2/neuoncogene located on chromosome 17. Scientists estimate that about 30 percent of women with breast cancer have as many as 50 of this more yin growth-enhancing gene. Normally only two are present. Moreover, researchers at the Cancer Institute in Tokyo hypothesize that the loss of a more yang growth-suppressing gene on chromosome 17 may also contribute to breast cancer. These findings suggest that breast cancer is a more yin condition, and that overintake of more extreme yin foods and beverages, including fats, influences the genetic structure of cells. These characteristics suggest that breast and prostate cancer have opposite causes. Estrogen and other female hormones are more yin or expansive. They cause the female body to have a softer and more well-rounded form. Testosterone and other male hormones have an opposite, more yang quality. They cause the voice to deepen, behavior to be more aggressive, and growth of downward-growing facial and body hair to increase. Since testosterone (more yang) accelerates prostate cancer, and estrogen (more yin) helps neutralize it, the primary cause of prostate cancer is apparently an excess of yang factors in the body. Since breast cancer can be temporarily neutralized by more yang hormones and accelerated by more yin hormones, it has an opposite, more yin cause. As we saw earlier, cancer develops over time as a result of the accumulation of excess in the body. Daily food is the source of the excess protein, fat, and mucous that promote the development of cancer. However, each food has a different quality and affects the body in a slightly different way. Some foods cause excess to accumulate primarily deep inside the body, while others accelerate the buildup of excess near the surface. The various ways in which dietary extremes affect our condition are due to the different yin and yang qualities of foods.
A Unifying Principle
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Macrobiotic Hope
My name is Magdaline Cronley and I live in the easternmost town on Long IslandMontaukwith my husband, Bob, and daughter Jennifer. I am forty-seven years old and was brought up on what is known as the "American diet." I consumed large quantities of meat, dairy products, sugar, frozen foods, and last, but not least, fast foods. I smoked cigarettes for over thirty years. Throughout my life I suffered with colds, flu, sinus problems, kidney infections, cysts, and weight problems. In August 1984, I was diagnosed as having breast and lung cancer that had spread to various bones in my body. The prognosis was that I had two months to live as the cancer was deemed terminal and inoperable. I immediately began chemotherapy, which resulted in every hair on my body falling out and my not being able to "keep down" any food. When I wasn't vomiting, I was thinking about it. This way of life continued for a month, resulting in my body becoming weaker daily. In September a woman named Joanne Kushi (formerly Joanne Collette), loaned my husband a copy of The Cancer Prevention Diet by Michio Kushi. That book was the ray of sunshine I had been waiting for. It became my Bible. I carried it around with me. It was on the night table next to my bed, in case I needed to look something up during the night. I started to see that if I ate the "American diet," I would feel worse and vomit because some of the additives in food and cosmetics were the same as those in my chemotherapy treatments. If I had a visitor who was, perhaps, wearing perfume or after-shave lotion containing these additives, I would say "hello" and have to excuse myself to go throw up. As soon as I started to cook and eat miso soup, brown rice, and steamed vegetables, I began to feel better and stronger and the vomiting subsided. I started to cook in my wheelchair. Each day I was getting stronger. My doctor had wanted to give me two years of chemotherapy, which was twenty-two months longer than I was expected to live. He believed that without chemotherapy I would not survive. I continued chemotherapy for an additional six months, and prepared special dishes to rebuild my blood after each treatment. I also had to deal with the cause of my cancer. I had to accept that smoking for thirty years had contributed to my lung cancer, and that eating a diet high in dairy products had most likely contributed to my breast cancer. Once I realized that I had helped my body get into this situation, I also realized that I could
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turn this illness into a blessing and allow God to heal me. I now had the ways and means to change my condition. During January of 1985, I started to "call in well" for my chemotherapy treatments. I would feel so great that I didn't want to go for a treatment and spoil things, for example, by starting to vomit and losing my hair. (I had lost every hair on my body three times. I also grew back every hair three times with the help of good food.) My family went to Florida for a vacation and we walked on the beach, went into the salt water, ate good macrobiotic meals, and were thankful for what we had. In March 1985 I went into the hospital for a blood transfusion after having been given too much chemotherapy. My doctor said that if I didn't have the transfusion, I would be in serious trouble if I came in contact with anyone carrying a germ that my immune system was unable to neutralize. In other words, my immune system was extremely weak. I realized that after the many x-rays, scans, and chemotherapy, my body had become toxic and had it not been for miso, sea vegetables, brown rice and vegetables, I probably would not have survived. I started taking cooking classes and attending macrobiotic conferences and also went to the Kushi Institute in Becket, Massachusetts. I feel very fortunate to have been taught by the best teachers in the world. I realized that sharing had a great deal to do with my recovery. Our friend Joanne shared her knowledge and book with me, which resulted in my being able to heal myself. I was told that once you heal yourself, like it or not, you become a healer. I have since helped anyone who would listen and even, sometimes, those who weren't listening. I teach cooking classes in our little hamlet of Montauk and nearby. To me, macrobiotics is not to be kept in a treasure chest, but is to be shared with whomever needs and wants to learn about it. Six years after my struggle with terminal cancer, I am alive and well, and thanking God for the opportunity to help others just as I was helped.
Source: Correspondence with Magdaline Cronley, August 7, 1990.
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are very condensed. They are rich in sodium and other contractive minerals and contain hard saturated fat. Nutritionally, their main components are protein, fat, and minerals. These components correspond to the more yang physical structure of the body and are derived from animals that are ultimately nourished by plant foods. These components, therefore, represent the condensation of a tremendous volume of vegetable food. In addition, animal foods produce contraction in the body and are considered extremely yang. Eating a large volume of meat, eggs, cheese, or chicken produces constriction, stagnation, and tightening in the body. The saturated fat and cholesterol contained in animal foods are major causes of the buildup of fatty deposits that clog the arteries and other blood vessels, diminishing the free flow of blood and producing a condition of sluggishness or stagnation. Vegetable foods are, on the whole, more yin or expansive. They are rich in potassium and other expansive elements, and, with few exceptions, contain a liquid form of unsaturated fat or oil, in contrast to the more yang saturated fat found in animal foods. Sugar, tropical fruits, spices, coffee, chocolate, nightshade vegetables, alcohol, and drugs or medications have more extreme yin or expansive effects. T h e simple sugars contained in many of these foods are used by the body primarily to generate quick energy. Simple sugars are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and are quickly metabolized. Rapid diffusion and decomposition are both yin tendencies. Many of these foods also contain plenty of water. Water dilutes substances, causing them to dissolve and melt. It produces swelling and expansion. Foods such as whole cereal grains, beans, fresh local vegetables, sea vegetables, and temperate-climate fruits are, on the whole, more centrally balanced. They are not too yang or too yin, but have more neutral, harmonizing effects on the body. In Figure 5.1, foods are arranged according to yin and yang. The foods at the lower left generally have a greater degree of contracting force. Those appearing closer to the center (represented by intersecting lines of balance) have a more even balance of both forces, and those toward the upper right have a predominance of more yin, expanding energy. There is a tremendous range of variation within each category of food. Animal foods are generally more condensed
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EXPANSION
Vvin
sugar fruits nuts leafy expanded vegetables leafy round vegetables root vegetables pork beans cereal grains wheat buckwheat fish beef eggs poultry cheese rice milk
seeds
A Yang CONTRACTION Figure 5.1 General Yin ( V ) and Yang ( A ) Categorization of Foods
than grains or vegetables, but among the many types of animal foods, some are more contracting and others less so. Eggs, meat, and poultry, for example, have more extreme contracting energy than fish and other types of seafood. Among fish, those with red meat and blue skin are more extreme than white-meat varieties. Although dairy products come from an animal source, certain varietiessuch as hard, salty cheeses are more contracting, while others such as
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yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, and ice creamhave a more expansive quality. Although cereal grains are generally the most balanced of foods, a wide range of variation can be found among them; varieties such as buckwheat, millet, and winter wheat have more contracting effects, while summer wheat, barley, and corn are somewhat more expansive. Brown rice is generally in between, but again, this depends on the variety being considered. Short-grain rice, which is the most suitable variety for temperate climates, is generally the most balanced, followed by medium- and long-grain varieties, which are more appropriate for use in warmer areas. Beans are generally more expansive than grains, but as with other categories of food, a wide range of variation exists among them. For example, certain varieties, such as azuki beans, chickpeas, and lentils, are smaller and lower in fat. They have more balanced energy than beans that are relatively larger or higher in fat, such as pinto, kidney, and lima beans. Azuki beans provide a good example of the way in which climate and environment influence the quality of a food. Some azuki beans have a shiny surface and a deep maroon color. They are grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, where the climate is similar to that of Maine. Other varieties have a somewhat faded color and a dull surface. They are grown in southern China in a warmer climate where the soil is less mineralized. Either variety is fine for regular use, but for the recovery of health, the mineral-rich Hokkaido beans, which are nutritionally superior, are preferred. Soybeans have strong expanding energy, and this is reflected in their high fat and protein content. If their expanding qualities are not rebalanced through cooking or natural processing, the beans can be difficult to digest. One way to rebalance the energy in soybeans is to mix them with grains such as rice or barley, and age them with sea salt and enzymes to produce a product such as miso. When used properly, miso strengthens digestion, while making balanced proteins and beneficial enzymes available to the body. Among fermented soybean products, those such as miso and tamari soy sauce are aged for a longer period and have more concentrated energy,
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while those such as tofu and soy milk, which are quickly processed from the more expanded liquid portion of the bean, have more expanded energy. Sea vegetables generally have more concentrated energy than most land vegetables, and this is reflected in their high mineral content. Those that grow closer to the shore or in warmer water are lighter and more expansive; those that grow in deeper, colder waters are more concentrated, as are those with a higher amount of minerals. Vegetables generally have more expanding energy than grains or beans. Leafy green vegetables have more upward or expansive energy; round-shaped vegetables, such as cabbage, onion, and squash, are more evenly balanced; and root vegetables, such as carrots and burdock root, are more contracted. Along with shape, size, and direction of growth, place of origin is a key factor in creating a vegetable's energy quality. Vegetables such as tomato, potato, yams, avocado, eggplant, and peppers originated in South America or other tropical areas before being imported to Europe and North America. Compared to temperate varieties, like cabbage or kale, they have more extreme expanding energy, and, for this reason, it is better for people in temperate zones to avoid eating them. In general, fruits have stronger expanding energy than vegetables. They are softer, sweeter, juicier, and are composed of more simple sugar. The place of origin also plays a decisive role in creating the quality of energy in each kind of fruit. Tropical or semi-tropical fruits including pineapple, banana, kiwi, and citrus have more extreme expanding energy than apples, pears, peaches, melons, and berries that grow in temperate zones. As with vegetables that originate in the tropics, these varieties of fruit have extreme expanding energy and are best avoided by persons who live in temperate zones. Even more extreme energy can be found in concentrated sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses, which are all very expansive, as are refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. Simple sugars, including those in fruits, are more yin or fragmented than centrally balanced complex carbohydrates such as those in whole grains, beans, and local vegetables. Other products that originate in the tropics such as spices, coffee, chocolate, and carob are also in the more ex-
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treme yin category, as is alcohol. But many drugs and medications, including aspirin and antibiotics, are even further out on the food spectrum. These products all have extremely expansive effects on the mind and body. T h e yin and yang characteristics of various products are presented in Table 5.2.
CLASSIFYING CANCERS
An example of the way in which extremes of yin or yang affect the body can be seen in the way they are discharged
Table 5.2 Strong Yang Foods Refined salt Eggs Meat Hard cheese Poultry Lobster, crab, and other shellfish Red meat and blue-skinned fish General Yin ( V ) and Yang ( A ) Classification of Food More Balanced Foods Unrefined white sea salt, miso, tamari soy sauce, and other naturally salty seasonings Tekka, gomashio, umeboshi, and other naturally processed salty condiments Low-fat, white-meat fish Sea vegetables Whole cereal grains Beans and bean products Root, round, and leafy green vegetables from temperate climates Fruits grown in temperate climates Nonaromatic, nonstimulant beverages Spring or well water Naturally processed vegetable oils Brown rice syrup, barley malt, and other natural grain-based sweeteners (when used moderately) Strong Yin Foods White rice, white flour Frozen and canned foods Tropical fruits and vegetables i n c l u d i n g those originating in the tropicse.g., tomatoes and potatoes Milk, cream, yogurt, and ice cream Refined oils Spices (pepper, curry, nutmeg, etc.) Aromatic and stimulant beverages (coffee, black tea, mint tea, etc.) Honey, sugar, and refined sweeteners Alcohol Foods containing chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and pesticides Artificial sweeteners Drugs (marijuana, cocaine, etc., with a few exceptions) Medications (tranquilizers, antibiotics, etc., with some exceptions)
Source: The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook, Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko (Avery Publishing Group, 1988).
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through the skin. More yin simple sugars including those in refined sugar, milk, and fruits are often discharged in the form of freckles or large brown age spots. These markings are formed by melanin, a dark brown pigment produced by more yin branch-shaped cells in the epidermis. More yang animal foods produce a different kind of skin marking. Rather than causing numerous spots to appear over the surface of the body, animal foods often cause moles hard, condensed growths to appear on the skin. The fats and other forms of excess contained in animal foods tend to gather deep inside the bodyin the blood vessels, including those surrounding the heart; in organs such as the ovaries and pancreas; in the inner regions of the brain; and in the bones. Hard animal fats also accumulate in the lower body, for example, in the prostate, colon, and rectum. The fats and other forms of excess that are produced by milk, sugar, chocolate, and other simple carbohydrates tend to gather toward the upper regions of the body, including the breasts, or in peripheral areas such as the skin or outer regions of the brain. Either type of accumulation can promote the development of cancer. Returning to our example of breast and prostate cancer, we can see that prostate cancer develops deep within the body in a small, compact gland, and is promoted by the overconsumption of meat, cheese, chicken, eggs, and other yang extremes. (These foods also accelerate production of testosterone.) Breast cancer develops near the periphery of the body in the more expanded, soft tissue of the breasts, and is promoted by excess consumption of milk, ice cream, soft cheese, chocolate, refined sugar, and other yin extremes. (These foods also promote the secretion of estrogen.) Estrogen, which plays a role in the growth of breast tumors, is secreted not only in the ovaries, but in more yin fat cells. Women who are obese have higher levels of estrogen than women who are thin, and also have a greater risk of breast cancer after menopause. Moreover, researchers at the Naylor Dana Institute in Valhalla, New York, have discovered that when women switch to a diet low in fat (20 percent of total calories) their estrogen levels rapidly decline by 20 percent, showing that fat intake has a definite influence on cancer. The production of estrogen is promoted especially by the
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overconsumption of milk, ice cream, butter, and other highfat foods, as well as by chocolate, refined sugar, and other extremely yin foods and beverages. Cancers of the upper digestive tract, including those in the stomach and esophagus, are accelerated by the overconsumption of yin extremes. Cancers of the lower digestive tract, including colo rectal cancer, are promoted primarily by an excessive intake of yang extremes. T h a t explains why the Japanese have a high rate of stomach cancer and a low rate of colon cancer, and why Americans experience the opposite incidence: a low rate of stomach cancer and a high rate of colon cancer. T h e Japanese tend to develop more stomach cancers because they eat a large volume of sugar, chemicals, and more yin, chemically grown and treated white rice. The consumption of alcohol and a lack of chewing contribute to the development of an overacid condition in the stomach that can promote the eventual development of cancer. Americans develop more colon cancers primarily because of their high intake of meat, eggs, cheese, and other extreme yang animal foods. Of course, yin and yang foods are always eaten in combination. But certain people eat a larger volume of one, while some eat a larger volume of the other, and these differences influence the types of cancer they develop. Skin cancer, which develops at the periphery of the body, is promoted by the overconsumption of more yin foods and beverages, while bone cancer, which develops deeper inside, is accelerated by the consumption of more yang dietary extremes. Leukemia, a disease of the blood, is characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells together with a dramatic increase in the number of white blood cells. Leukemia patients may have as many as one million white blood cells per cubic mm of blood instead of the normal 5,000 to 6,000. White blood cells are more yin than red blood cells. Red blood cells are generally smaller and more compact, while white blood cells are larger. An increase in the number of white blood cells indicates an overly yin condition in the blood and in the body as a whole. This condition is promoted by overconsumption of sugar, soft drinks, ice cream, milk, chemicals, and other yin extremes. At the same time, a decrease in the number of red blood cells reflects a lack of minerals and other more yang factors in the diet.
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Hodgkin's disease and lymphosarcoma are also more yin forms of cancer. In Hodgkin's disease, the lymph nodes and spleen become inflammed; in lymphosarcoma, tumors form in the lymphoid tissue and the lymphatic organs become swollen. As in leukemia, both diseases involve an increase in the number of white blood cells. Like the opposite poles of a magnet, yin and yang attract one another. T h e more extreme the diet becomes at one end of the food spectrum, the more we require opposite extremes to make balance. In this century, rising intakes of meat and poultry (yang foods) have required progressively more powerful forms of yin to make balance. Sugar, chocolate, coffee, nightshade vegetables, spices, and tropical fruits are commonly used today. But beyond these, many people turn to the frequent consumption of alcohol, or to drugs, which are even more extreme. In some cases, the combination of both ex-
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five hemotologists recounting my optionsas they saw them. Seeing a lymphocyte count as high as mine, they really did not see a sunny future for me. However, they did want to propose experimental chemotherapy and a possible bone marrow transplant. When I questioned them as to a time frame, their response was not encouragingthree months to live with no treatment, and six months to a year with treatment. It seemed to me that the only guarantee I could get from them was that I would lose my hair and feel lousy for the time I had left. All I could think of was what my mother went through. I said I needed a few days to digest all of this. I knew I would never go back there. For about a week, I walked around in a daze. Here I was, faced with this crisis, in a new city, with nowhere to turn. Finally I spoke to a friend at work and told him everything. I told him that my plan was to return to Europe and live there until the end came. He suggested that before I did anything quite that drastic, I meet a friend of his who ate this strange diet that was supposed to help people recover from diseases like cancer. I figured I had nothing to lose and agreed. That weekend I was introduced to Robert Pirello, who had been practicing macrobiotics for eight years, and my life was changed forever. Bob was great. He listened to all my fears and finally agreed to help me as much as he could. The next day, we went shopping. I watched as Bob loaded up my cart with all these unfamiliar foods. I couldn't even pronounce the namesI was going to cook and eat them? But, then again, I thought, I had always loved a challenge. What bigger challenge than seeing if I could heal my own illness? We went back to my apartment and Bob cleaned out my cupboardsthrowing away all the old foods and replacing them with this new food. As I watched, I began to get really scareda challenge was one thing, but this was my life. If I messed this up, there were no second chances. As Bob left, he handed me The Cancer Prevention Diet by Michio Kushi, telling me to read and cook. I read all night. We met for lunch every day. Bob brought rice balls or leftovers from his own dinner. (Although I was a great conventional cook, my macrobiotic cooking was terrible then.) We talked and talked and I read and read. After a few weeks, I had lost weight and had more energy. Then I had a blood testmy lymphocyte count had worsened. Now I was scared. Even macrobiotics wasn't working. I felt hopeless. But, with Bob's encouragement, I persevered. I began to cook in earnest. It suddenly occurred to me that only I could make me well. Bob wanted me to meet with
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a macrobiotic teacher. I refused. I needed to do this on my own; a teacher would only be another crutchsomeone else to take responsibility for me. I needed to do this for me. I continued to cook and eat, and things started to improve. Even my blood tests were beginning to reverseever so slightly. But that was enough to give me hope. I thought the worst was over. God, we can be so naive sometimes. To think that I could change my life so drastically with no "payback" was insane. But maybe it's better to be ignorant. The discharging began full force. First, the diarrhea that lasted a couple of weeks. I was so depleted, I thought I would never survive. Then my skin began to break out. The itching and erupting spread until I was completely covered with a rash. When that cleared (after eight weeks), I was left with a face full of pimples that would plague me for almost two years. Menstrual problems including an ovarian cyst developed. Hip baths and bancha tea douches solved that problem, only to be replaced by more discharging. And so it went. Although the discharge was always unpleasant and almost impossible to bear, I knew I was improving. Each blood test revealed an improvement in my white cell count. The doctors were amazed. They called it "spontaneous regression" and said it was very rareand could reverse at any time. I now know differently. Thirteen months after my practice of macrobiotics began, my white cell count was declared within normal range, where it has remained for almost seven years now. And what did the doctors have to say? Well, they said that spontaneous regression never yielded results like these, so this miraculous improvement had to be the result of something else. I then told them about macrobiotics. They called it "voodoo" and said it had nothing to do with my recovery. When I persisted, they said that I was probably misdiagnosed in the first place. I was blind with rage. I knew what I had just been through. Misdiagnosed? I was appalled at their arrogance and lack of vision. I leftand have never returned. When I began my practice of macrobiotics, I was going to eat and get well. The philosophy was of little interest to me. But as my health improved, so did my clarity and judgment. Even now, it seems as though the fog continues to disperse each day, and I wonder how I could have been blind to the order of the universe for so much of my life. It is hard for me to remember the person I was before macrobiotics. Bob and I married and have created a wonderful life together. My gratitude to him is boundlesshe was my teacher and my support system through the darkest times. We are the
publishers of a newsletterMacroNewsthat reaches many people in the Philadelphia area and around the world, and is committed to sharing what we know to be the natural order. I work as a macrobiotic cook in a natural foods store and have begun to conduct cooking classes in our home. (Yes, my cooking has improved dramatically since the beginning) I feel strong and my health continues to improve. Life is a wonder to me now. People seem amazed when I tell them that cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me. Yet, without that trial, I would never have met my wonderful husband to whom I owe my very life. I would never have learned what true responsibility for oneself can mean. And chances are, I would have never discovered this way of life that has the potential of changing our entire civilization into what it was meant to be.
Source: "Macrobiotics: Getting Started," by Christina Pirello, Mac-
tremes promotes the development of cancer; melanoma is an example of this type of cancer. Melanoma usually appears initially on an existing mole and spreads quickly through the lymph or blood to the lungs, liver, brain, intestines, reproductive organs, or other sites. T h e overconsumption of yin extremes, including sugar, fats and oils and milk, promotes the tendency of the cancer to appear at the surface of the body. Overconsumption of chicken, cheese, eggs, and other more yang animal foods accelerates the tendency for the cancer to spread and develop internally. To summarize, certain cancers are promoted by the overconsumption of extremely yin foods, others are promoted by too many yang extremes, while others result from an excess of both extremes. In Table 5.3, we classify common varieties of cancer according to yin and yang.
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Table 5.3
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General Y i n ( V ) and Yang(A) Classification of Cancer Sites Extreme Yang Cancer Site Colon Prostate Rectum Ovary Bone Pancreas Brain (inner regions) Combined Yin and Yang Cancer Site Lung Bladder Uterus Kidney Spleen Melanoma Tongue
Extreme Yin Cancer Site Breast Stomach Skin Mouth (except tongue) Esophagus Leukemia Hodgkin's Disease Brain (outer regions)
United States and other countries where the consumption of meat and saturated fat (yang) is high, and where the consumption of fiber is low. In December 1986, the New England Journal of Medicine added to the evidence with a report on a study in which men with high cholesterol levels were found to be 60 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than those with normal cholesterol levels. (Another study found a relationship between high cholesterol and colon polyps that often turn cancerous.) Meat, eggs, dairy foods, and other animal products are the chief sources of saturated fat and cholesterol in the modern diet. On the other hand, populations that consume less animal food and more cereal grains and other plant fibers (yin) have much lower rates of colon cancer. As we have seen, the overconsumption of too many strong yang animal foods promotes the development of cancer in the lower digestive tract, especially colo-rectal cancer. Plant fibers, which are relatively more yin, offset this tendency and thereby have a protective effect. Vegetable fibers disperse potentially harmful accumulations of fat and mucus in the intestines. They help prevent the sluggishness or stagnation that results from consuming too many animal foods. In a similar way, leafy green and orange-yellow vegetables, which are high in beta-carotene, help protect against lung cancer. Lung cancer is promoted by an excessive consumption of extremes of both yin and yang, especially meat, eggs, cheese, and other high-fat animal foods, and sugar, chemi-
cals, and refined foods. Vegetable foods help slow the buildup of animal fats that underlie the development of cancer. Several years ago it was discovered that the fat and protein molecules contained in charcoal grilled meat or fish can promote cancer. However, people have eaten foods such as grilled sardines, fish, or meat for thousands of years, yet rarely developed cancer. Traditionally, these foods were eaten together with plenty of fresh green vegetables, creating a complementary balance that prevented cancer from developing. Again, the cancer-causing potential of these extreme yang foods is neutralized or offset by the yin qualities contained in plant foods. Some people believe that the sun causes skin cancer. However, of itself, the sun is not the cause of this disease. Many people are able to spend long periods of time in the sun and never develop skin cancer. T h e predisposition to this cancer comes from our underlying condition, and this is determined by our dietary habits. T h e consumption of milk, cheese, and other animal fats, and sugar, soft drinks, chemicalized food, and other yin extremes provides the underlying basis for skin cancer to develop. T h e sun, a more yang influence, attracts yin excess in the body and causes it to be discharged through the skin. If the volume of excess is moderate, it produces skin markings such as freckles and aging spots. These markings represent the discharge of excess sugar and simple carbohydrates. If the amount of excess in the body is great, the accumulation of excess can lead to the cell changes that promote cancer. However, the source of excess is diet, not the sun. T h e foods in the macrobiotic diet come primarily from the more centrally balanced category. When eaten in the proper proportions, they help neutralize or offset the effects of dietary extremes. A naturally balanced diet keeps the body free of toxic buildup, and helps the body naturally discharge accumulations of excess. In the next chapter, we look more closely at the foods in the standard macrobiotic diet and at their role in inhibiting cancer and promoting health.
B 12 (the RDA and FAO/WHO standards for adults are 3 and 2 micrograms, respectively), these foods are adequate sources. In addition to these vegetable-quality sources of vitamin BI2, the standard macrobiotic diet does permit the eating of animal foods. Consumption of fish from time to time more than adequately meets daily needs for vitamin B 1 2 because this vitamin may be stored in the liver.
Vitamin D
Eating fish on a regular basis can help provide vitamin D in the macrobiotic diet. T h e only group for which vitamin D deficiency might be a problem is rapidly growing children. For adolescents and adults, more than enough vitamin D for metabolic needs is synthesized within the body through the action of ultraviolet rays shining on the skin. There have been scattered cases in which children whose parents considered themselves to be eating macrobiotically, developed overt signs of vitamin D deficiency. Such problems do not occur when one keeps in mind the important mac-
robiotic principle of eating a wide variety of foods. These parents seem to have neglected to include plenty of fresh vegetables; furthermore, there was an overuse of salt and salty condiments. To correct a severe vitamin D deficiency, it would be necessary to complement the diet of the growing child with a good source of this nutrient, such as cod or other fish liver oils, until the proper dietary patterns are established. A number of such cases also occurred following long periods of minimal exposure to the sun, a condition easily enough remedied by taking children outside on a regular basis. In no case where the macrobiotic diet has been flexible and accurately applied has there been a report of rickets, a condition caused by a lack of vitamin D.
Calcium
One reason for the idea that calcium intake may be a problem on the macrobiotic diet is the notion that dietary calcium must come from dairy foods. This misconception is largely a cultural phenomenon, unique to the United States and a few other industrialized countries. With few exceptions throughout the rest of the world, dairy food is rarely consumed in the quantities thought necessary by most Americans. Oddly, osteoporosis, the disease often regarded as being due primarily to calcium deficiency, is relatively common in industrialized nations, and occurs less frequently in the Third World, where dairy foods are not widely consumed. The standard macrobiotic diet, in fact, includes several good sources of calcium such as sea vegetables, leafy green vegetables, beans and nuts. Tofu is another good source of calcium. T h e calcium content of various foods is shown in Table 4.2. Average calcium intake on the macrobiotic diet is in the range considered adequate by the FAO/WHO (400 to 500 milligrams per day). Because whole grains and vegetables make up a major portion of the standard macrobiotic diet, concern has been expressed about the binding of calcium by phytase or oxalates contained in some of these foods. (It appears that refining of food removes these compounds, apparently making more calcium available for use by the body.) Although this inhibition
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UTERINE CANCER
antibiotics, and three days in isolation. It was decided that the chemotherapy I was getting was too strong; I would be put on something less toxic. It was then that I knew that conventional medicine was not going to work for me. I did some research on alternative methods, and I chose macrobiotics. Dr. Sattilaro's book Recalled By Life was a great inspiration to me. I felt that if he could get well on such a program, I could too. In mid-February I started to wean myself away from meat, dairy products, fruit, and sugar, and to reduce to zero the thirty-eight pills I was taking daily. By the end of February, I was on the macrobiotic diet. I began the diet in a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and a brace. In a short while, I started walking with a walker, then with a cane. In April, a urinary problem that had plagued me for three years (a result of the original radiation) disappeared. In mid-May I took off the brace. On May 22, I walked up and down my block all by myself. In June, I put away my wig; my hair, which had all fallen out from the chemotherapy, had grown back enough to be presentable. I returned the hospital bed. I started driving again. I resumed my studies towards my master's degree. In six months, I changed from a sick, depressed, pill-popping invalid to a happy, optimistic, and very grateful pain-free person. The side effects of the diet have been mostly positive. I have had a few bouts with diarrhea, fatigue, flaky skin, and other nondebilitating forms of "discharge." On the positive side, I enjoy good health, good energy, and perfect bodily functions, such as appetite, sleep, elimination, and mental acuity. And I really enjoy the foodmy whole family does, too. Although I take no treatments or medications, I continue to see my oncologist periodically for check-ups. She says that I am doing very well. I have now been practicing macrobiotics for eight years. I have completed a Master of Science degree in nutrition. I am doing nutritional consulting and helping many people with all kinds of degenerative diseases and other illnesses to improve their health. In addition, I teach macrobiotic cooking classes and lecture throughout the New York-New Jersey area. I attribute the reversal of my cancer solely to macrobiotics, and I hope that my story will be a source of hope and inspiration to others.
Source: Elaine Nussbaum, "From Pill-Popping to Pain-Free," East West Journal, May, 1984, and Recovery: From Cancer to Health through Macrobiotics, Japan Publications, 1986.
Calcium Content* 100 203 190 179 183 200 98 90 100 150 130 226 140 103 128 114 400 1,170 567 1,400 800 400 1,300 1,160 140 282 186 209 50 23 79 80 94 118 65 120 250-850 120
Grains
Sea Vegetablesf
Seeds and N u t s t
Dairy Food
'Milligrams per 3.5-ounce typical serving. tA typical serving will usually be from about one-fourth to one-half this amount. Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Japan Nutritionist Association.
of calcium absorption by phytase has been demonstrated experimentally, it is the general view of nutritionists that "the importance of phytic acid (phytase) as an anti-calcifying factor in h u m a n nutrition has not been established."
Iron
Adequate stores of iron are needed for the formation of red blood cells. Because animal food is commonly perceived to be the best source of dietary iron, the macrobiotic diet has been criticized for potentially leading to the development of irondeficiency anemia. In fact, about as much dietary iron in the American diet is provided by grain, fruit, or vegetables as by meat. The American diet is low in iron compared to diets worldwide, and anemia may, indeed, be the most widespread nutritional deficiency disease in the United States. The American diet is relatively deficient in iron because of the highly refined nature of the diet. T h e iron content of various foods is shown in Table 4.3. One of the principles of the standard macrobiotic diet is the consumption of foods in as whole and unrefined a state as possible. Since refining of grain removes much of its iron, any one food in the macrobiotic diet, compared to its counterpart in the U.S. diet, probably contains as much or more iron. Also, most of the sea vegetables included in the macrobiotic diet are particularly rich sources of iron. It is evident that for most people on a macrobiotic diet, iron intake is not a problem. Possible exceptions to this are pregnant and lactating women who have an increased iron need because of the growing fetus or newborn. In these cases, to ensure adequate iron intake, the standard macrobiotic diet is adjusted to include a larger proportion of sea vegetables and other iron-rich foods, and emphasis is placed on the use of cast-iron cookware.
PREVENTIVE NUTRITION
T h e standard macrobiotic diet, when examined for its nutritional adequacy, is clearly an acceptable diet by any stan-
Whole Grains
Beans
Seedsf
Sea Vegetablcsf
Refined Sugar
'Milligrams per 3.5-ounce typical serving. tA typical serving will usually be from one-fourth to one-half this amount. Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Japan Nutritionist Association.
dard. As long as the principles of macrobiotics are applied in choosing one's diet, nutritional deficiencies will not be a problem. In fact, if "good nutrition" means not only avoiding deficiency diseases, but also promoting good health, malnutrition ("bad nutrition") probably occurs much less frequently in people who eat a standard macrobiotic diet than in those who eat a typical American diet. T h e macrobiotic diet is an optimal example of a diet that can prevent degenerative disease. This potential has not only been supported by the United States Dietary Goals, the National Academy of Sciences Report on Cancer, and the other preventive guidelines mentioned before, but it has also been demonstrated. In surveys conducted among people who follow a macrobiotic diet, medical researchers have examined the role of diet in altering the physiological risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Two risk factors have been studied: blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. These are considered risk factors for heart disease. (The higher the levels, the greater the probability of developing heart disease.) It has been unequivocally demonstrated that blood cholesterol levels of people on a macrobiotic diet (averaging 126 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood) are much lower than those of people consuming an American diet (averaging more than 200 milligrams per deciliter), even after taking into account other factors that influence cholesterol levels. Similarly, people on a macrobiotic diet have much lower blood pressures (averaging 106/60) than would be expected in the general United States population. Since these trends appear to continue throughout life, it is highly probable that very few people who eat a macrobiotic diet will develop heart disease. A recent study has shown that diet and lifestyle can reverse arterial blockages that are the chief causes of heart attacks and strokes. The study, known as "The Lifestyle Heart Trial," was conducted by cardiologist Dean Ornish and his colleagues at the University of California at San Francisco and published in The Lancet in July 1990. T h e researchers found that volunteers who ate a very low-fat, primarily vegetarian diet that excluded poultry, high-fat dairy products, red meat, oils, and fats were able to partially clear their blocked arteries. "Com-
prehensive lifestyle changes may be able to bring about regression of even severe coronary arteriosclerosis after only one year," the study reported. Claude Lenfant, director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said the most interesting aspect of the study was the finding that changes in diet alone "can be just as effective in reversing blocked arteries as cholesterol-lowering drugs." However, the researchers cautioned that "adherence to this lifestyle program needs to be very good for overall regression to occur, although more moderate changes have some beneficial effect." Awareness of the relationship between diet and heart disease has progressed from initial suspicion that the modern high-fat diet is a primary causative factor, to the recognition that a low-fat, high-fiber diet, similar to the standard macrobiotic diet, would help prevent heart disease. Most recently it has been discovered that a more naturally balanced diet can actually reverse certain forms of heart disease. T h e Lifestyle Heart Trial adds substantial weight to the macrobiotic idea that the types of foods that prevent a particular disease are also those that help in recovering from it. Prevention and recovery are not separate issues. A similar evolution is occurring in the awareness of the relationship between diet and cancer. As we have seen, public awareness of this relationship is largely at the second stage of this process: the recognition that the modern diet promotes cancer and that a naturally balanced diet along the lines of macrobiotics can help prevent it. In the near future, as the cancer-inhibiting properties of foods such as whole grains, beans, orange-yellow and cruciferous vegetables, and sea vegetables are better understood, recognition that the macrobiotic diet can help not only in the prevention of cancer, but also in the recovery from it, will become commonplace. Public health policy can then evolve beyond the realm of prevention and into the dimension of recommending a prudent diet along the lines of macrobiotics for persons who develop cancer.
A Unifying Principle
In order to solve the problem of cancer, and create a cancerfree world in the future, we need a holistic model that explainsin common terms the origin and cause of the disease. Although epidemiological studies are beginning to hint at the dietary causes of cancer, our modern understanding of health and sickness is not, for the most part, based on a comprehensive view of m a n and the universe. T h e modern view lacks a unifying principle that explains how h u m a n beings interact with their environment and how daily food serves as the intermediary between the two. When our view is fragmentary and partial rather than holistic and unifyingthe impact of diet, in terms of its practical application, can easily be diluted. For example, certain compounds in foods that prevent cancerbeta carotene, for instance have been identified and subsequently produced in capsule form. By concentrating on the anti-cancer effects of specific compounds, we sometimes miss the overwhelming significance of the dietary pattern as a whole in promoting or inhibiting cancer. As a result, our recommendations for preventing cancer may not be as comprehensive or effective as they could be. T h e principle of yin and yangwhich underlies the prac-
tice of macrobiotics provides a unified view of h u m a n life and health, as well as a theoretical framework for understanding the origin and cause of cancer and other illnesses. Let us see how this principle applies to the problem of cancer, starting with an explanation of the principle itself.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
If we observe the things around us, we see that they are made up of numerous complementary and opposite aspects. A chair, for example, is composed of legs that project downward and a seat and back that extend in the opposite direction. Each section of the chair as well as the chair as a whole contains an upper and lower part, a left and right side, a top and bottom, and an inside and outside. Similar relationships exist in a book. It is composed of an outside cover and an inside text. It also has a front and back cover; usually the front cover is more bold and simple, while the back is more understated and detailed. When we open a book, it divides into left- and right-hand pages, and each page has a front and a back side. A book itself is defined by complementary opposites: for example, by its left and right and upper and lower borders, and by its first and last pages. On each page, there are many complementary relationships, such as those between text and illustrations, printed type and blank space, headings and text, words and punctuation, and many others. A book also has a duration, or lifespan, that is defined by its beginning and end. Books, like everything else, do not exist in isolation. They exist in relation to other things in the environment. These relationships are also defined by complementary opposites. If we compare books, for example, we see that some are thick, others thin; some are large, others small; some reach a large audience, while others do not; and some have a lasting impact while the influence of others is relatively short-lived. The biological world is also governed by similar relationships. There are complementary distinctions between plant and animal life, between more biologically developed species and less developed species, and between species that live in water and those that live on land. In the human body, the two
A Unifying Principle
branches of the autonomic nervous system the sympathetic and the parasympathetic work in an antagonistic yet complementary manner to control the body's automatic functions. The endocrine system operates in a similar manner. T h e pancreas, as we saw earlier, secretes insulin, which lowers the blood sugar level, and also secretes anti-insulin, which causes it to rise. T h e movements of the heart and lungs, digestive, endocrine, and other organs and glands continuously alternate between expansion and contraction. T h e rhythms of daily life waking and sleeping, appetite and fullness, and movement and restalso represent the alternation of opposites. Actually, everything in the universe has a similar nature. All things appear and disappear, ebb and flow, and move back and forth between opposite conditions. Reality is a unified field of countless interrelationships, all of which are defined and governed by complementary opposites.
etal force, which is defined as movement toward a center of rotation, is more contractive. In Table 5.1, a variety of attributes are classified into yin and yang. We can see that all complementary opposites can be grouped into two categories. Physical attributes temperature, size, weight, physical structure, color, wavelength, etc. yield numerous complementary tendencies that display either a stronger tendency toward more expansive, centrifugal force, or toward more contractive, centripetal force. Thousands of
Table 5.1 Characteristic Atomic particle Attitude Biological Climate Direction Flavor Food preparation Form Function Humidity Light Movement Nerves Organ structure Position Sex Shape Size Temperature Tendency Texture Vibration Weight Work Examples of Yin and Tiang Yang(A) proton more aggressive, active more animal quality tropical, warmer descent, horizontal, inward salty more cooked shorter, thicker fusion more dry brighter more active, faster central, parasympathetic more dense, compacted more inward, central male more contracted smaller hotter contraction harder longer wave, lower frequency heavier more physical, social
Yin(V)
electron more gentle, passive more vegetable quality temperate, colder ascent, vertical, outward sweet less cooked longer, thinner diffusion more wet darker more inactive, slower peripheral, orthosympathetic more hollow, expansive more outward, peripheral female more expansive larger colder expansion softer shorter wave, higher frequency lighter more psychological, mental
A Unifying Principle
years ago, these complementary forces were seen as the most basic manifestations of the universe itself, and were given the names "yin" and "yang." Although these terms were first used in China, the concept they represent is not particularly Oriental. A similar understanding can be found in ancient cultures throughout the world.
dectomy, the surgical removal of the testicles, to slow the growth of the disease. T h e influence of yin and yang can also be seen deep within each cell at the level of genes and chromosomes. More yin genes direct cells to grow and divide, while more yang genes inhibit growth. Researchers have discovered that women with breast cancer often have a preponderance of growth-enhancing genes, especially one gene known as the HER-2/neuoncogene located on chromosome 17. Scientists estimate that about 30 percent of women with breast cancer have as many as 50 of this more yin growth-enhancing gene. Normally only two are present. Moreover, researchers at the Cancer Institute in Tokyo hypothesize that the loss of a more yang growth-suppressing gene on chromosome 17 may also contribute to breast cancer. These findings suggest that breast cancer is a more yin condition, and that overintake of more extreme yin foods and beverages, including fats, influences the genetic structure of cells. These characteristics suggest that breast and prostate cancer have opposite causes. Estrogen and other female hormones are more yin or expansive. They cause the female body to have a softer and more well-rounded form. Testosterone and other male hormones have an opposite, more yang quality. They cause the voice to deepen, behavior to be more aggressive, and growth of downward-growing facial and body hair to increase. Since testosterone (more yang) accelerates prostate cancer, and estrogen (more yin) helps neutralize it, the primary cause of prostate cancer is apparently an excess of yang factors in the body. Since breast cancer can be temporarily neutralized by more yang hormones and accelerated by more yin hormones, it has an opposite, more yin cause. As we saw earlier, cancer develops over time as a result of the accumulation of excess in the body. Daily food is the source of the excess protein, fat, and mucous that promote the development of cancer. However, each food has a different quality and affects the body in a slightly different way. Some foods cause excess to accumulate primarily deep inside the body, while others accelerate the buildup of excess near the surface. The various ways in which dietary extremes affect our condition are due to the different yin and yang qualities of foods.
A Unifying Principle
Macrobiotic Hope
My name is Magdaline Cronley and I live in the easternmost town on Long IslandMontaukwith my husband, Bob, and daughter Jennifer. I am forty-seven years old and was brought up on what is known as the "American diet." I consumed large quantities of meat, dairy products, sugar, frozen foods, and last, but not least, fast foods. I smoked cigarettes for over thirty years. Throughout my life I suffered with colds, flu, sinus problems, kidney infections, cysts, and weight problems. In August 1984, I was diagnosed as having breast and lung cancer that had spread to various bones in my body. The prognosis was that I had two months to live as the cancer was deemed terminal and inoperable. I immediately began chemotherapy, which resulted in every hair on my body falling out and my not being able to "keep down" any food. When I wasn't vomiting, I was thinking about it. This way of life continued for a month, resulting in my body becoming weaker daily. In September a woman named Joanne Kushi (formerly Joanne Collette), loaned my husband a copy of The Cancer Prevention Diet by Michio Kushi. That book was the ray of sunshine I had been waiting for. It became my Bible. I carried it around with me. It was on the night table next to my bed, in case I needed to look something up during the night. I started to see that if I ate the "American diet," I would feel worse and vomit because some of the additives in food and cosmetics were the same as those in my chemotherapy treatments. If I had a visitor who was, perhaps, wearing perfume or after-shave lotion containing these additives, I would say "hello" and have to excuse myself to go throw up. As soon as I started to cook and eat miso soup, brown rice, and steamed vegetables, I began to feel better and stronger and the vomiting subsided. I started to cook in my wheelchair. Each day I was getting stronger. My doctor had wanted to give me two years of chemotherapy, which was twenty-two months longer than I was expected to live. He believed that without chemotherapy I would not survive. I continued chemotherapy for an additional six months, and prepared special dishes to rebuild my blood after each treatment. I also had to deal with the cause of my cancer. I had to accept that smoking for thirty years had contributed to my lung cancer, and that eating a diet high in dairy products had most likely contributed to my breast cancer. Once I realized that I had helped my body get into this situation, I also realized that I could
turn this illness into a blessing and allow God to heal me. I now had the ways and means to change my condition. During January of 1985, I started to "call in well" for my chemotherapy treatments. I would feel so great that I didn't want to go for a treatment and spoil things, for example, by starting to vomit and losing my hair. (I had lost every hair on my body three times. I also grew back every hair three times with the help of good food.) My family went to Florida for a vacation and we walked on the beach, went into the salt water, ate good macrobiotic meals, and were thankful for what we had. In March 1985 I went into the hospital for a blood transfusion after having been given too much chemotherapy. My doctor said that if I didn't have the transfusion, I would be in serious trouble if I came in contact with anyone carrying a germ that my immune system was unable to neutralize. In other words, my immune system was extremely weak. I realized that after the many x-rays, scans, and chemotherapy, my body had become toxic and had it not been for miso, sea vegetables, brown rice and vegetables, I probably would not have survived. I started taking cooking classes and attending macrobiotic conferences and also went to the Kushi Institute in Becket, Massachusetts. I feel very fortunate to have been taught by the best teachers in the world. I realized that sharing had a great deal to do with my recovery. Our friend Joanne shared her knowledge and book with me, which resulted in my being able to heal myself. I was told that once you heal yourself, like it or not, you become a healer. I have since helped anyone who would listen and even, sometimes, those who weren't listening. I teach cooking classes in our little hamlet of Montauk and nearby. To me, macrobiotics is not to be kept in a treasure chest, but is to be shared with whomever needs and wants to learn about it. Six years after my struggle with terminal cancer, I am alive and well, and thanking God for the opportunity to help others just as I was helped.
Source: Correspondence with Magdaline Cronley, August 7, 1990.
A Unifying Principle
are very condensed. They are rich in sodium and other contractive minerals and contain hard saturated fat. Nutritionally, their main components are protein, fat, and minerals. These components correspond to the more yang physical structure of the body and are derived from animals that are ultimately nourished by plant foods. These components, therefore, represent the condensation of a tremendous volume of vegetable food. In addition, animal foods produce contraction in the body and are considered extremely yang. Eating a large volume of meat, eggs, cheese, or chicken produces constriction, stagnation, and tightening in the body. T h e saturated fat and cholesterol contained in animal foods are major causes of the buildup of fatty deposits that clog the arteries and other blood vessels, diminishing the free flow of blood and producing a condition of sluggishness or stagnation. Vegetable foods are, on the whole, more yin or expansive. They are rich in potassium and other expansive elements, and, with few exceptions, contain a liquid form of unsaturated fat or oil, in contrast to the more yang saturated fat found in animal foods. Sugar, tropical fruits, spices, coffee, chocolate, nightshade vegetables, alcohol, and drugs or medications have more extreme yin or expansive effects. T h e simple sugars contained in many of these foods are used by the body primarily to generate quick energy. Simple sugars are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and are quickly metabolized. Rapid diffusion and decomposition are both yin tendencies. Many of these foods also contain plenty of water. Water dilutes substances, causing them to dissolve and melt. It produces swelling and expansion. Foods such as whole cereal grains, beans, fresh local vegetables, sea vegetables, and temperate-climate fruits are, on the whole, more centrally balanced. They are not too yang or too yin, but have more neutral, harmonizing effects on the body. In Figure 5.1, foods are arranged according to yin and yang. T h e foods at the lower left generally have a greater degree of contracting force. Those appearing closer to the center (represented by intersecting lines of balance) have a more even balance of both forces, and those toward the upper right have a predominance of more yin, expanding energy. There is a tremendous range of variation within each category of food. Animal foods are generally more condensed
A Unifying Principle
yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, and ice cream have a more expansive quality. Although cereal grains are generally the most balanced of foods, a wide range of variation can be found among them; varieties such as buckwheat, millet, and winter wheat have more contracting effects, while summer wheat, barley, and corn are somewhat more expansive. Brown rice is generally in between, but again, this depends on the variety being considered. Short-grain rice, which is the most suitable variety for temperate climates, is generally the most balanced, followed by medium- and long-grain varieties, which are more appropriate for use in warmer areas. Beans are generally more expansive than grains, but as with other categories of food, a wide range of variation exists among them. For example, certain varieties, such as azuki beans, chickpeas, and lentils, are smaller and lower in fat. They have more balanced energy than beans that are relatively larger or higher in fat, such as pinto, kidney, and lima beans. Azuki beans provide a good example of the way in which climate and environment influence the quality of a food. Some azuki beans have a shiny surface and a deep maroon color. They are grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, where the climate is similar to that of Maine. Other varieties have a somewhat faded color and a dull surface. They are grown in southern China in a warmer climate where the soil is less mineralized. Either variety is fine for regular use, but for the recovery of health, the mineral-rich Hokkaido beans, which are nutritionally superior, are preferred. Soybeans have strong expanding energy, and this is reflected in their high fat and protein content. If their expanding qualities are not rebalanced through cooking or natural processing, the beans can be difficult to digest. One way to rebalance the energy in soybeans is to mix them with grains such as rice or barley, and age them with sea salt and enzymes to produce a product such as miso. When used properly, miso strengthens digestion, while making balanced proteins and beneficial enzymes available to the body. Among fermented soybean products, those such as miso and tamari soy sauce are aged for a longer period and have more concentrated energy,
while those such as tofu and soy milk, which are quickly processed from the more expanded liquid portion of the bean, have more expanded energy. Sea vegetables generally have more concentrated energy than most land vegetables, and this is reflected in their high mineral content. Those that grow closer to the shore or in warmer water are lighter and more expansive; those that grow in deeper, colder waters are more concentrated, as are those with a higher amount of minerals. Vegetables generally have more expanding energy than grains or beans. Leafy green vegetables have more upward or expansive energy; round-shaped vegetables, such as cabbage, onion, and squash, are more evenly balanced; and root vegetables, such as carrots and burdock root, are more contracted. Along with shape, size, and direction of growth, place of origin is a key factor in creating a vegetables energy quality. Vegetables such as tomato, potato, yams, avocado, eggplant, and peppers originated in South America or other tropical areas before being imported to Europe and North America. Compared to temperate varieties, like cabbage or kale, they have more extreme expanding energy, and, for this reason, it is better for people in temperate zones to avoid eating them. In general, fruits have stronger expanding energy than vegetables. They are softer, sweeter, juicier, and are composed of more simple sugar. T h e place of origin also plays a decisive role in creating the quality of energy in each kind of fruit. Tropical or semi-tropical fruits including pineapple, banana, kiwi, and citrus have more extreme expanding energy than apples, pears, peaches, melons, and berries that grow in temperate zones. As with vegetables that originate in the tropics, these varieties of fruit have extreme expanding energy and are best avoided by persons who live in temperate zones. Even more extreme energy can be found in concentrated sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses, which are all very expansive, as are refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. Simple sugars, including those in fruits, are more yin or fragmented than centrally balanced complex carbohydrates such as those in whole grains, beans, and local vegetables. Other products that originate in the tropics such as spices, coffee, chocolate, and carob are also in the more ex-
A Unifying Principle
treme yin category, as is alcohol. But many drugs and medications, including aspirin and antibiotics, are even further out on the food spectrum. These products all have extremely expansive effects on the mind and body. T h e yin and yang characteristics of various products are presented in Table 5.2.
CLASSIFYING CANCERS
An example of the way in which extremes of yin or yang affect the body can be seen in the way they are discharged
Table 5.2 Strong Yang Foods Refined salt Eggs Meat Hard cheese Poultry Lobster, crab, and other shellfish Red meat and blue-skinned fish General Yin ( V ) and Yang ( A ) Classification of Food More Balanced Foods Unrefined white sea salt, miso, tamari soy sauce, and other naturally salty seasonings Tekka, gomashio, umeboshi, and other naturally processed salty condiments Low-fat, white-meat fish Sea vegetables Whole cereal grains Beans and bean products Root, round, and leafy green vegetables from temperate climates Fruits grown in temperate climates Nonaromatic, nonstimulant beverages Spring or well water Naturally processed vegetable oils Brown rice syrup, barley malt, and other natural grain-based sweeteners (when used moderately) Strong Yin Foods White rice, white flour Frozen and canned foods Tropical fruits and vegetables i n c l u d i n g those originating in the tropicse.g., tomatoes and potatoes Milk, cream, yogurt, and ice cream Refined oils Spices (pepper, curry, nutmeg, etc.) Aromatic and stimulant beverages (coffee, black tea, mint tea, etc.) Honey, sugar, and refined sweeteners Alcohol Foods containing chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and pesticides Artificial sweeteners Drugs (marijuana, cocaine, etc., with a few exceptions) Medications (tranquilizers, antibiotics, etc., with some exceptions)
Source: The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook, Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko (Avery Publishing Group, 1988).
through the skin. More yin simple sugarsincluding those in refined sugar, milk, and fruits are often discharged in the form of freckles or large brown age spots. These markings are formed by melanin, a dark brown pigment produced by more yin branch-shaped cells in the epidermis. More yang animal foods produce a different kind of skin marking. Rather than causing numerous spots to appear over the surface of the body, animal foods often cause moleshard, condensed growths to appear on the skin. The fats and other forms of excess contained in animal foods tend to gather deep inside the bodyin the blood vessels, including those surrounding the heart; in organs such as the ovaries and pancreas; in the inner regions of the brain; and in the bones. Hard animal fats also accumulate in the lower body, for example, in the prostate, colon, and rectum. T h e fats and other forms of excess that are produced by milk, sugar, chocolate, and other simple carbohydrates tend to gather toward the upper regions of the body, including the breasts, or in peripheral areas such as the skin or outer regions of the brain. Either type of accumulation can promote the development of cancer. Returning to our example of breast and prostate cancer, we can see that prostate cancer develops deep within the body in a small, compact gland, and is promoted by the overconsumption of meat, cheese, chicken, eggs, and other yang extremes. (These foods also accelerate production of testosterone.) Breast cancer develops near the periphery of the body in the more expanded, soft tissue of the breasts, and is promoted by excess consumption of milk, ice cream, soft cheese, chocolate, refined sugar, and other yin extremes. (These foods also promote the secretion of estrogen.) Estrogen, which plays a role in the growth of breast tumors, is secreted not only in the ovaries, but in more yin fat cells. Women who are obese have higher levels of estrogen than women who are thin, and also have a greater risk of breast cancer after menopause. Moreover, researchers at the Naylor Dana Institute in Valhalla, New York, have discovered that when women switch to a diet low in fat (20 percent of total calories) their estrogen levels rapidly decline by 20 percent, showing that fat intake has a definite influence on cancer. The production of estrogen is promoted especially by the
A Unifying Principle
overconsumption of milk, ice cream, butter, and other highfat foods, as well as by chocolate, refined sugar, and other extremely yin foods and beverages. Cancers of the upper digestive tract, including those in the stomach and esophagus, are accelerated by the overconsumption of yin extremes. Cancers of the lower digestive tract, including colo-rectal cancer, are promoted primarily by an excessive intake of yang extremes. T h a t explains why the Japanese have a high rate of stomach cancer and a low rate of colon cancer, and why Americans experience the opposite incidence: a low rate of stomach cancer and a high rate of colon cancer. T h e Japanese tend to develop more stomach cancers because they eat a large volume of sugar, chemicals, and more yin, chemically grown and treated white rice. T h e consumption of alcohol and a lack of chewing contribute to the development of an overacid condition in the stomach that can promote the eventual development of cancer. Americans develop more colon cancers primarily because of their high intake of meat, eggs, cheese, and other extreme yang animal foods. Of course, yin and yang foods are always eaten in combination. But certain people eat a larger volume of one, while some eat a larger volume of the other, and these differences influence the types of cancer they develop. Skin cancer, which develops at the periphery of the body, is promoted by the overconsumption of more yin foods and beverages, while bone cancer, which develops deeper inside, is accelerated by the consumption of more yang dietary extremes. Leukemia, a disease of the blood, is characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells together with a dramatic increase in the number of white blood cells. Leukemia patients may have as many as one million white blood cells per cubic mm of blood instead of the normal 5,000 to 6,000. White blood cells are more yin than red blood cells. Red blood cells are generally smaller and more compact, while white blood cells are larger. An increase in the number of white blood cells indicates an overly yin condition in the blood and in the body as a whole. This condition is promoted by overconsumption of sugar, soft drinks, ice cream, milk, chemicals, and other yin extremes. At the same time, a decrease in the number of red blood cells reflects a lack of minerals and other more yang factors in the diet.
Hodgkin's disease and lymphosarcoma are also more yin forms of cancer. In Hodgkin's disease, the lymph nodes and spleen become inflammed; in lymphosarcoma, tumors form in the lymphoid tissue and the lymphatic organs become swollen. As in leukemia, both diseases involve an increase in the number of white blood cells. Like the opposite poles of a magnet, yin and yang attract one another. T h e more extreme the diet becomes at one end of the food spectrum, the more we require opposite extremes to make balance. In this century, rising intakes of meat and poultry (yang foods) have required progressively more powerful forms of yin to make balance. Sugar, chocolate, coffee, nightshade vegetables, spices, and tropical fruits are commonly used today. But beyond these, many people turn to the frequent consumption of alcohol, or to drugs, which are even more extreme. In some cases, the combination of both ex-
A Unifying Principle
five hemotologists recounting my optionsas they saw them. Seeing a lymphocyte count as high as mine, they really did not see a sunny future for me. However, they did want to propose experimental chemotherapy and a possible bone marrow transplant. When I questioned them as to a time frame, their response was not encouragingthree months to live with no treatment, and six months to a year with treatment. It seemed to me that the only guarantee I could get from them was that I would lose my hair and feel lousy for the time I had left. All I could think of was what my mother went through. I said I needed a few days to digest all of this. I knew I would never go back there. For about a week, I walked around in a daze. Here I was, faced with this crisis, in a new city, with nowhere to turn. Finally I spoke to a friend at work and told him everything. I told him that my plan was to return to Europe and live there until the end came. He suggested that before I did anything quite that drastic, I meet a friend of his who ate this strange diet that was supposed to help people recover from diseases like cancer. I figured I had nothing to lose and agreed. That weekend I was introduced to Robert Pirello, who had been practicing macrobiotics for eight years, and my life was changed forever. Bob was great. He listened to all my fears and finally agreed to help me as much as he could. The next day, we went shopping. I watched as Bob loaded up my cart with all these unfamiliar foods. I couldn't even pronounce the namesI was going to cook and eat them? But, then again, I thought, I had always loved a challenge. What bigger challenge than seeing if I could heal my own illness? We went back to my apartment and Bob cleaned out my cupboardsthrowing away all the old foods and replacing them with this new food. As I watched, I began to get really scareda challenge was one thing, but this was my life. If I messed this up, there were no second chances. As Bob left, he handed me The Cancer Prevention Diet by Michio Kushi, telling me to read and cook. I read all night. We met for lunch every day. Bob brought rice balls or leftovers from his own dinner. (Although I was a great conventional cook, my macrobiotic cooking was terrible then.) We talked and talked and I read and read. After a few weeks, I had lost weight and had more energy. Then I had a blood testmy lymphocyte count had worsened. Now I was scared. Even macrobiotics wasn't working. I felt hopeless. But, with Bob's encouragement, I persevered. I began to cook in earnest. It suddenly occurred to me that only I could make me well. Bob wanted me to meet with
A Unifying Principle
a macrobiotic teacher. I refused. I needed to do this on my own; a teacher would only be another crutchsomeone else to take responsibility for me. I needed to do this for me. I continued to cook and eat, and things started to improve. Even my blood tests were beginning to reverseever so slightly. But that was enough to give me hope. I thought the worst was over. God, we can be so naive sometimes. To think that I could change my life so drastically with no "payback" was insane. But maybe it's better to be ignorant. The discharging began full force. First, the diarrhea that lasted a couple of weeks. I was so depleted, I thought I would never survive. Then my skin began to break out. The itching and erupting spread until I was completely covered with a rash. When that cleared (after eight weeks), I was left with a face full of pimples that would plague me for almost two years. Menstrual problems including an ovarian cyst developed. Hip baths and bancha tea douches solved that problem, only to be replaced by more discharging. And so it went. Although the discharge was always unpleasant and almost impossible to bear, I knew I was improving. Each blood test revealed an improvement in my white cell count. The doctors were amazed. They called it "spontaneous regression" and said it was very rareand could reverse at any time. I now know differently. Thirteen months after my practice of macrobiotics began, my white cell count was declared within normal range, where it has remained for almost seven years now. And what did the doctors have to say? Well, they said that spontaneous regression never yielded results like these, so this miraculous improvement had to be the result of something else. I then told them about macrobiotics. They called it "voodoo" and said it had nothing to do with my recovery. When I persisted, they said that I was probably misdiagnosed in the first place. I was blind with rage. I knew what I had just been through. Misdiagnosed? I was appalled at their arrogance and lack of vision. I leftand have never returned. When I began my practice of macrobiotics, I was going to eat and get well. The philosophy was of little interest to me. But as my health improved, so did my clarity and judgment. Even now, it seems as though the fog continues to disperse each day, and I wonder how I could have been blind to the order of the universe for so much of my life. It is hard for me to remember the person I was before macrobiotics. Bob and I married and have created a wonderful life together. My gratitude to him is boundlesshe was my teacher and my support system through the darkest times. We are the
publishers of a newsletterMacroNewsthat reaches many people in the Philadelphia area and around the world, and is committed to sharing what we know to be the natural order. I work as a macrobiotic cook in a natural foods store and have begun to conduct cooking classes in our home. (Yes, my cooking has improved dramatically since the beginning) I feel strong and my health continues to improve. Life is a wonder to me now. People seem amazed when I tell them that cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me. Yet, without that trial, I would never have met my wonderful husband to whom I owe my very life. I would never have learned what true responsibility for oneself can mean. And chances are, I would have never discovered this way of life that has the potential of changing our entire civilization into what it was meant to be.
Source: "Macrobiotics: Getting Started," by Christina Pirello, Mac-
tremes promotes the development of cancer; melanoma is an example of this type of cancer. Melanoma usually appears initially on an existing mole and spreads quickly through the lymph or blood to the lungs, liver, brain, intestines, reproductive organs, or other sites. T h e overconsumption of yin extremes, including sugar, fats and oils and milk, promotes the tendency of the cancer to appear at the surface of the body. Overconsumption of chicken, cheese, eggs, and other more yang animal foods accelerates the tendency for the cancer to spread and develop internally. To summarize, certain cancers are promoted by the overconsumption of extremely yin foods, others are promoted by too many yang extremes, while others result from an excess of both extremes. In Table 5.3, we classify common varieties of cancer according to yin and yang.
A Unifying Principle
Table 5.3 General Y i n ( V ) and Yang(A) Classification of Cancer Sites Extreme Yang Cancer Site Colon Prostate Rectum Ovary Bone Pancreas Brain (inner regions) Combined Yin and Yang Cancer Site Lung Bladder Uterus Kidney Spleen Melanoma Tongue
Extreme Yin Cancer Site Breast Stomach Skin Mouth (except tongue) Esophagus Leukemia Hodgkin's Disease Brain (outer regions)
United States and other countries where the consumption of meat and saturated fat (yang) is high, and where the consumption of fiber is low. In December 1986, the New England fournal of Medicine added to the evidence with a report on a study in which men with high cholesterol levels were found to be 60 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than those with normal cholesterol levels. (Another study found a relationship between high cholesterol and colon polyps that often turn cancerous.) Meat, eggs, dairy foods, and other animal products are the chief sources of saturated fat and cholesterol in the modern diet. On the other hand, populations that consume less animal food and more cereal grains and other plant fibers (yin) have much lower rates of colon cancer. As we have seen, the overconsumption of too many strong yang animal foods promotes the development of cancer in the lower digestive tract, especially colo-rectal cancer. Plant fibers, which are relatively more yin, offset this tendency and thereby have a protective effect. Vegetable fibers disperse potentially harmful accumulations of fat and mucus in the intestines. They help prevent the sluggishness or stagnation that results from consuming too many animal foods. In a similar way, leafy green and orange-yellow vegetables, which are high in beta-carotene, help protect against lung cancer. Lung cancer is promoted by an excessive consumption of extremes of both yin and yang, especially meat, eggs, cheese, and other high-fat animal foods, and sugar, chemi-
cals, and refined foods. Vegetable foods help slow the buildup of animal fats that underlie the development of cancer. Several years ago it was discovered that the fat and protein molecules contained in charcoal grilled meat or fish can promote cancer. However, people have eaten foods such as grilled sardines, fish, or meat for thousands of years, yet rarely developed cancer. Traditionally, these foods were eaten together with plenty of fresh green vegetables, creating a complementary balance that prevented cancer from developing. Again, the cancer-causing potential of these extreme yang foods is neutralized or offset by the yin qualities contained in plant foods. Some people believe that the sun causes skin cancer. However, of itself, the sun is not the cause of this disease. Many people are able to spend long periods of time in the sun and never develop skin cancer. T h e predisposition to this cancer comes from our underlying condition, and this is determined by our dietary habits. T h e consumption of milk, cheese, and other animal fats, and sugar, soft drinks, chemicalized food, and other yin extremes provides the underlying basis for skin cancer to develop. T h e sun, a more yang influence, attracts yin excess in the body and causes it to be discharged through the skin. If the volume of excess is moderate, it produces skin markings such as freckles and aging spots. These markings represent the discharge of excess sugar and simple carbohydrates. If the amount of excess in the body is great, the accumulation of excess can lead to the cell changes that promote cancer. However, the source of excess is diet, not the sun. The foods in the macrobiotic diet come primarily from the more centrally balanced category. When eaten in the proper proportions, they help neutralize or offset the effects of dietary extremes. A naturally balanced diet keeps the body free of toxic buildup, and helps the body naturally discharge accumulations of excess. In the next chapter, we look more closely at the foods in the standard macrobiotic diet and at their role in inhibiting cancer and promoting health.
T h e healing power of the standard macrobiotic diet derives from its overall reliance on centrally balanced foods, and not from the isolated effects of any one particular food or chemical compound. At the same time, researchers have discovered that the primary categories of food in the standard macrobiotic diet (whole grains, beans and bean products, fresh local vegetables, and sea vegetables) have specific properties that inhibit cancer. Evidence is now accumulating that primary macrobiotic foods not only prevent cancer from developing, but also slow or inhibit its development. Some of the possible cancer-inhibiting substances found in macrobiotic foods are shown in Table 6.1. In this chapter, we present a more elaborate list of foods that are included in the macrobiotic diet, and mention some of the scientific research linking these primary foods to reduced cancer risk. Also presented are general guidelines for adopting the standard macrobiotic diet for the recovery of health. (More specific recommendations are presented in The Cancer Prevention Diet listed in Recommended Reading on page 161. Readers who would like more detailed advice are encouraged to refer to this book.) These guidelines are not substitutes for qualified medical care. Persons with serious ill 117
Cruciferous vegetables
Sea vegetables
ness are, of course, advised to consult with a qualified medical or nutritional professional at the earliest opportunity. As we saw in Chapter 2, the recommended percentages of foods in the standard macrobiotic diet are for an entire day, and are calculated by volume and not by weight. It isn't necessary to include all of these categories at every meal, nor to include all of these foods at once when beginning macrobiotics. Start with the basic staples and broaden your selection as you familiarize yourself with these new foods. Breakfast, for example, is often more simple, consisting of a whole grain porridge, miso soup, and a few basic side dishes; lunch and dinner can be more elaborate. However, it is important to have whole grains as your main food at each meal and to have adequate variety in your daily diet as a whole. The recipes in The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook and other cookbooks listed at the end of this chapter can help you get started with a wide range of foods and translate these guidelines into delicious and nourishing meals. Principal foods are normally eaten daily and include whole grains, beans and bean products, vegetables, and sea vegetables. Low-fat white-meat fish, seasonal fruits, natural desserts, nuts, seeds, natural sweeteners, and other supplementary foods are eaten less often. Condiments, pickles, snacks, seasonings, and beverages can be used daily but in smaller quan-
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tities than principal foods. "Occasional use" foods may be consumed an average of two or three times per week, while "infrequent use" foods should not be consumed more than two or three times per month. T h e guidelines that follow are broad and flexible. T h e standard macrobiotic way of eating offers an incredible variety of foods and cooking methods to choose from. These guidelines form the basis for the natural recovery of health and the prevention of illness, and can be applied when selecting the highest quality natural foods for daily meals.
Regular Use
Barley Buckwheat Corn Medium grain brown rice (in warmer areas or seasons) Millet Pearl barley (hato mugi) Rye Short grain brown rice Whole oats Whole wheat berries Other traditionally used whole grains
Occasional Use
Corn grits Corn meal Couscous Cracked wheat (bulghur) Long grain brown rice Mochi (a cake made from pounded sweet brown rice) Rolled oats Rye, wheat, rice and other whole grain flakes Steel cut oats Sweet brown rice Other traditionally used whole grain products
Cooked whole grains are preferable to flour products or to cracked or rolled grains because of their easier digestibility. In general, it is better to keep the intake of flour products or cracked or rolled grains to less than 15 to 20 percent of your daily consumption of whole grains.
Cancer-Inhibiting Properties
A wide variety of studies show that, as a part of a balanced diet, whole grains, which are high in fiber and bran, protect against nearly all forms of cancer. For example, in 1981, Pelayo Correa, a researcher at the Louisiana State University Medical Center, reported a worldwide association between low death rates from cancer of the breast, colon, and prostate and a high per capita consumption of rice, sweet corn (maize), and beans. At present, thirty-two worldwide studies have associated consumption of high-fiber grains and grain products with lowered rates of colon cancer. Laboratory studies also show that cereal grains have a cancer-protective effect. For example, rice bran, the outer coating of brown rice, has been shown in animal experiments to reduce the incidence of cancer in the large intestine. Japanese scientists have isolated several substances in rice bran that have cancer-inhibiting properties, and have found that these substances suppressed the growth of solid tumors in mice. The Senate Select Committee's report Dietary Goals for the United States, the National Academy of Sciences' report Diet, Nutrition and Cancer, the dietary guidelines of the American Cancer Society, and many others call for substantial increases in the consumption of whole grains. Brown rice, barley, wheat, oats, rye, corn, and other whole
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grains contain compounds known as protease inhibitors that are believed to suppress the action of proteases, enzymes suspected of promoting cancer. Protease inhibitors may also interfere with the activity of oncogenes, which, under certain circumstances, are thought to stimulate normal cells to turn cancerous. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have experimented with protease inhibitors and have found that they prevent cells damaged by carcinogens from turning cancerous, and cause carcinogen-damaged cells to return to normal. According to Dr. Walter Troll, a professor of environmental medicine at New York University who has done extensive research on protease inhibitors, eating foods high in these substances can inhibit cancer development even in its later stages.
General Guidelines
For the improvement of health, it is best to temporarily limit or avoid eating baked flour products such as cookies, muffins, crackers, chapatis, etc., even when they are made from whole grain flours. However, natural unyeasted whole grain sourdough bread can be eaten when craved, usually several times per week; whole wheat noodles (udon) can also be included several times per week, preferably in soup or broth. (Persons who have had surgery within the past two years are advised to temporarily avoid buckwheat noodles [sob a] and whole buckwheat [kasha].) Oatmeal made from rolled or cut oats is also best avoided as are other rolled, milled, or partially refined grains or grain products until the condition improves. Short grain brown rice is recommended as the primary grain for daily consumption, and pressure cooking is the preferred method for preparing brown rice in a temperate climate. For variety, brown rice can be cooked with grains such as millet, barley, pearl barley (hato mugi), and wheat berries, or with azuki or other beans. These ingredients can be cooked in the same dish, using, for example, 80-85 percent brown rice and 15-20 percent of these other ingredients. Porridge made from leftover brown rice and other whole grains can be
eaten as a hot breakfast cereal. Simply add water to leftover grains and reheat. Corn on the cob, fresh and in season, can also be eaten several times per week, without butter.
SOUPS
Soups comprise about five percent of the standard macrobiotic diet. For most people, that averages out to about one or two cups or small bowls per day. A wide variety of ingredients, including vegetables, grains, beans, sea vegetables, noodles, tofu, tempeh, and, occasionally, white-meat fish are wonderful in soups. Soups are delicious when moderately seasoned with either miso, tamari soy sauce, sea salt, umeboshi plum or paste, or occasional ginger. Soups can be made thick and rich, or as simple clear broths. Vegetable, grain, or bean stews can also be enjoyed, while a variety of garnishes, such as scallions, parsley, and nori sea vegetable may be used to enhance the appearance and flavor of soups. Light miso soup, with vegetables and wakame or kombu, is recommended dailyon average, one small bowl or cup per day. Mugi (barley) miso is the best for regular consumption, followed by soybean (hatcho) miso. A second cup or bowl of soup may also be enjoyed, preferably mildly seasoned with tamari soy sauce or sea salt. Other healthful varieties of soup include: Bean and vegetable Pureed squash and soups other vegetable soups Grain and vegetable soups
Cancer-Inhibiting Properties
Practically all of the ingredients commonly used in miso and other macrobiotic soups have cancer-inhibiting properties. Miso itself is made from naturally fermented soybeans and grains, which contain fiber and high levels of protease inhibitors. Miso soup frequently includes orange-yellow and green leafy vegetables, which are high in beta-carotene, as well as cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, and other cruciferous vegeta-
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COLON CANCER
bles containing substances called indoles. As discussed below, these substances are now considered to have a wide range of anti-cancer effects. Moreover, shiitake mushrooms, also noted for their cancer-inhibiting properties (see below), are often added to miso soup, as are wakame, kombu, and other sea vegetables that have also been discovered to inhibit the development of tumors. In 1981 Japan's National Cancer Center reported that people who eat miso soup daily are 33 percent less likely to develop stomach cancer and have 19 percent less cancer at other sites than those who never eat miso soup. The 13-year study, involving about 265,000 men and women over 40, also found that those who never ate miso soup had a 43 percent higher death rate from coronary heart disease than those who consumed miso soup daily. Those who abstained from miso also had 29 percent more fatal strokes, 3.5 times more deaths resulting from high blood pressure, and higher mortality from all other causes.
General Guidelines
Miso is processed with natural sea salt, so use it in moderation. Miso soup should have a mild flavor and not be too salty. It can be eaten once and sometimes twice per day. Change the recipe often. Other soups including grain, bean, and vegetable soups can also be eaten for variety and enjoyment.
VEGETABLES
Roughly one quarter to one third (25 to 30 percent) of daily intake can include vegetables. Nature provides an incredible variety of fresh local vegetables to choose from. Available vegetables include:
Regular Use
Acorn squash Bok choy Broccoli Hubbard squash Jinenjo Kale
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Brussels sprouts Burdock Butternut squash Cabbage Carrots Carrot tops Cauliflower Chinese cabbage Collard greens Daikon Daikon greens Dandelion greens Dandelion roots Hokkaido pumpkin
Leeks Lotus root Mustard greens Onions Parsley Parsnip Pumpkin Radish Red cabbage Rutabaga Scallions Turnip Turnip greens Watercress
Occasional Use
Celery Chives Coltsfoot Cucumber Endive Escarole Green beans Green peas Iceberg lettuce Jerusalem artichoke Kohlrabi Lambs-quarters Mushrooms Pattypan squash Romaine lettuce Salsify Shiitake mushrooms Snap beans Snow peas Sprouts Summer squash Wax beans
Vegetables can be served in soups, or with grains, beans, or sea vegetables. They can also be used in making rice rolls (homemade sushi), served with noodles or pasta, cooked with fish, or served alone. T h e most common methods for cooking vegetables include boiling, steaming, pressing, sauteing (both waterless and with oil), and pickling. A variety of natural seasonings, including miso, tamari soy sauce, sea salt, and brown rice vinegar or umeboshi vinegar are recommended in vegetable cookery. Vegetables from tropical climates are not recommended for use in the temperate zones, neither are nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant. Three to five vegetable side dishes can be prepared daily to ensure adequate variety.
Cancer-Inhibiting Properties
A wide range of studies have shown that regular intake of cooked vegetables, especially leafy greens and orange-yellow vegetables, helps protect against cancer. Shiitake mushrooms, which are used often in miso and other soups and in a variety of macrobiotic dishes, have also been noted for their cancerinhibiting properties. In 1970 Japanese scientists at the National Cancer Center Research Institute reported that shiitake mushrooms had a strong anti-tumor effect. In experiments with mice, polysaccharide preparations from various natural sources, including the shiitake mushroom commonly available in Tokyo markets, markedly inhibited the growth of induced sarcomas, resulting in almost complete regression of tumors with no apparent toxicity. In studies conducted in 1960 by Dr. Kenneth Cochoran of the University of Michigan, shiitake mushrooms were found to contain a strong antiviral substance that strengthened immune response. Researchers now theorize that the shiitake mushroom stimulates the body's production of interferon, an immune substance that counteracts viruses and cancer. Cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and turnips, are recommended for frequent or daily use in the macrobiotic diet. These vegetables are also recognized for their cancer-inhibiting properties. In a study conducted in the 1970s by Dr. Saxon Graham,
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c h a i m a n of social a n d preventive m e d i c i n e at t h e State University of N e w York, t h e diets of 256 m e n with c a n c e r of t h e colon were c o m p a r e d to those of 783 m e n w h o d i d n o t have cancer. T h e m e n w h o ate t h e most c a b b a g e , Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, a n d o t h e r vegetables were found to have t h e lowest rates of cancer. T h e researchers discovered t h a t t h e m o r e of these vegetables e a t e n , t h e g r e a t e r t h e protective effect. A m o n g t h e vegetables studied, c a b b a g e was found to have t h e m o s t beneficial effect: e a t i n g c a b b a g e m o r e t h a n o n c e a week r e d u c e d t h e risk of colon c a n c e r by two-thirds. L e e W a t t e n b e r g , M . D . , of t h e University of M i n n e s o t a Medical School investigated cruciferous vegetables a n d , in a 1978 article in Cancer Research, r e p o r t e d t h a t they c o n t a i n e d
chemicals known as indoles. Along with other minor constituents, including chlorophyll, carotenoids, dithiolthiones, and glucosinolates, indoles are believed to inhibit the various stages of cancer formation. For example, researchers at Johns Hopkins University now consider dithiolthiones to be potent anti-cancer agents. According to Dr. Wattenberg, eating foods high in these substances strengthens the body's detoxification system, or ability to discharge toxic excess. Epidemiological studies conducted in the United States, Japan, Israel, Greece, and Norway have shown that people who eat a higher proportion of cruciferous vegetables have lower rates of colon cancer. These vegetables are also associated with lower rates of lung, esophagus, larynx, prostate, bladder, and rectal cancer. Beta-carotene, and other carotenoid pigments found in orange-yellow and dark leafy green vegetables, have also been shown to have cancer-inhibiting effects. A 1981 Chicago study found that regular consumption of foods containing beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) protected against lung cancer. Over a period of 19 years, 1,954 men at a Western Electric plant were monitored, and those who regularly ate carrots, broccoli, kale, Chinese cabbage, and other carotenerich foods had significantly lower lung cancer rates than did the controls. T h e study, published in The Lancet, reported that men with the lowest consumption of beta-carotene foods had a seven times greater risk of lung cancer than men with the highest intakes. In the laboratory, beta-carotene was found to prevent skin cancer from developing in animals exposed to ultraviolet light, and to inhibit both the formation and growth of tumors. Researchers have also identified other carotenoid pigments in these vegetables that are believed to inhibit the development of cancer.
General Guidelines
Vegetables in the "Regular Use" column may be eaten daily, while those in the "Occasional Use" column may be eaten once or twice per week on average. In certain cases, especially when a person feels weak or has impaired digestion, it may be necessary to temporarily avoid the intake of raw salad or vege-
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tables. Instead, dishes such as quickly boiled (blanched) salad, pressed salad, and steamed greens can be eaten daily or often. In normal circumstances, a small amount of high quality sesame oil can be used about three times per week in sauteing vegetables and other foods; however, when a large volume of high-fat animal foods has been recently consumed, it may be necessary to limit or avoid the use of oil for several months until health improves.
BEANS
Beans and their products, including tofu, tempeh, natto, and others, comprise about 5 to 10 percent of the standard macrobiotic diet. Any of the following varieties may be selected:
Regular Use
Azuki beans Bean products Black soybeans Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) Dried tofu (soybean curd that has been naturally dried) Fresh tofu Lentils (green) Natto (fermented soybeans) Tempeh (fermented soybeans or combination of soybeans and grains)
Occasional Use
Black-eyed peas Black turtle beans Great northern beans Kidney beans Mung beans Navy beans Pinto beans Soybeans Split peas Whole dried peas
Beans and bean products are more easily digested when cooked with a small volume of seasonings such as sea salt, miso, or kombu sea vegetable. They may also be prepared with vegetables, chestnuts, dried apples, or raisins, and occasionally sweetened with grain sweeteners like barley malt and rice honey. Serve them in soups and side dishes, or with grains or sea vegetables.
Cancer-Inhibiting Properties
Epidemiological studies indicate that regular consumption of pulses (the edible seeds of certain pod-bearing plants), such as lentils, reduces risk of cancer. In addition, soybeans, a major source of protein in the macrobiotic diet, have been singled out as especially effective in reducing tumors. As with whole grains, protease inhibitors are the active ingredients in soybeans. Laboratory tests show that adding soybeans and certain other beans and seeds containing these inhibitors to the diet prevents the development of breast, stomach, colon, liver, and skin tumors. Whole soybeans and soy products, including miso, tamari soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, and natto, are staples of the macrobiotic diet.
General Guidelines
Beans from the "Regular Use" column can be eaten daily, as can tofu, dried tofu, tempeh, and other bean products. Those in the "Occasional Use" column can be eaten two or three times per month, on average. Beans are more digestible when cooked with kombu sea vegetable.
SEA VEGETABLES
Sea vegetables provide essential minerals and may be used daily in cooking. Arame and hijiki make wonderful side dishes and can be included several times per week. Wakame and kombu can be used daily in miso and other soups, in vegetable and bean dishes, or in making condiments. Toasted nori is a good source of iron and is also recommended for daily or regular use. Agar-agar can be used from time to time in making a natural jelled dessert known as kanten. Below is a list of sea vegetables used in macrobiotic cooking:
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Optional Use
Agar-agar Dulse Irish moss Mekabu Sea palm Other traditionally used sea vegetables
Cancer-Inhibiting Properties
Medical studies and case reports indicate that sea vegetables can be effective in eliminating tumors. In 1974, in the Japanese Journal of Experimental Medicine, scientists stated that several varieties of kombu (a common sea vegetable eaten in Asia and in macrobiotic diets) were effective in the treatment of tumors. In three of four samples tested in the lab, inhibition rates in mice with implanted cancerous tumors ranged from 89 to 95 percent. T h e researchers reported, "The tumor underwent complete regression in more than half of the mice of each treated group." Similiar experiments, in which mice with leukemia were treated with sea vegetables, showed promising results. A 1986 screening of sea vegetables for antitumor activity found that nine out of the eleven varieties studied inhibited tumors in animals. In 1984, medical researcher Dr. Jane Teas and associates at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that a diet containing 5 percent kombu significantly delayed the inducement of breast cancer in experimental animals. Extrapolating these results to human subjects, the investigators concluded, "Seaweed may be an important factor in explaining the low rates of certain types of cancers in Japan." Japanese women, whose diet normally includes about 5 percent sea vegetables, have an incidence of breast cancer that is from three to nine times lower than the rate among American women, whose diet does not normally include sea vegetables. Dr. Teas and researchers in Japan believe that a chemical called fucoidan
m a y b e t h e m o s t p o t e n t a m o n g t h e various a n t i c a n c e r agents c o n t a i n e d in sea vegetables. Studies of w a k a m e , c o m m o n l y used in miso s o u p a n d in o t h e r m a c r o b i o t i c dishes, have also revealed a n t i t u m o r activity. Scientists at t h e University of H a w a i i discovered t h a t w h e n i n j e c t e d into mice, d r i e d w a k a m e prevented a n d reversed l u n g cancer.
General Guidelines
A small volume of sea vegetables c a n be e a t e n daily. O n e - h a l f to one sheet of toasted nori c a n be e a t e n in soups, in h o m e m a d e sushi or rice balls, or as a g a r n i s h for o t h e r dishes. K o m b u a n d w a k a m e c a n b e used daily i n miso a n d o t h e r soups a n d in p r e p a r i n g b e a n s a n d o t h e r dishes. Side dishes m a d e from a r a m e o r hijiki c a n b e p r e p a r e d two o r t h r e e times
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per week. T h e sea vegetables in the "Optional Use" category can also be included from time to time.
WHITE-MEAT FISH
Low-fat, white-meat fish can be eaten on occasion to supplement the foods already listed. Amounts eaten can vary, depending upon your needs and desires, but generally, several times per week is sufficient. White-meat varieties that are lowest in fat and most easily digested are recommended for regular use.
Ocean Varieties
Cod Flounder Haddock Halibut Herring Ocean trout Perch Scrod Shad Smelt Sole Other varieties of white-meat ocean fish
Freshwater Varieties
Bass Carp Catfish Pike Trout Whitefish Other varieties of whitemeat, freshwater fish
Garnishes are especially important in balancing fish and seafood. Recommended garnishes for persons in good health include: chopped scallions or parsley, grated raw daikon, ginger, radish, or horseradish, green mustard paste (wasabi), raw salad, and shredded daikon.
General Guidelines
Overconsumption of fat and protein from animal sources is a leading contributor to cancer. Therefore, it is generally advisable to limit the intake of low-fat, white-meat fish to once a week until the condition improves. Among the recommended garnishes for fish, a tablespoonful or two of grated raw daikon radish is preferred. Steamed or boiled fish (as in fish
soup) is preferable to broiled, baked, or grilled fish. Deepfried fish is best avoided. In certain cases, for example, following chemotherapy or if a person is experiencing weight loss due to illness, the recommended frequency of white-meat fish can be increased.
FRUIT
In most cases, fruit can be enjoyed three or four times per week. Locally grown or temperate climate fruits are preferable, while tropical fruits are not recommended for regular use by people in temperate regions. Below are varieties for consumption in temperate climates:
Regular Use
Apples Apricots Blackberries Cantaloupe Grapes Honeydew melon Lemons Mulberries Persimmon Peaches Plums Raisins Raspberries Strawberries Tangerines Watermelon Wild berries
General Guidelines
In order to recover health, the intake of simple sugars, including those in fruit, is best kept to a minimum. In general, until good health is reestablished, it is best to eat fruit only to satisfy cravings. "The less the better" is a good maxim to observe until health is restored. When fruit is craved, a small serving of northern fruit cooked with a pinch of sea salt can be eaten.
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URETHRA/BLADDER CANCER
I explained to the doctors that I was following a wonderful macrobiotic diet, but their reaction was that I was "too intelligent to believe that a diet or food had anything to do with cancer remission." Meanwhile, my husband found a macrobiotic center in Dallas and took cooking classes and bought supplies and books describing macrobiotic cancer recoveries. Thankfully, my husband, J.R., had always liked to cook and had been something of a "health nut." So we embarked together on this new way of cooking, eating, and learning. So It was only natural that I desired to go to Boston to meet with Michio Kushi. We called the Kushi Foundation and were able to meet with him on August 23. I was still quite weak and the united message from most of my famliy and friends was to "put myself in the doctors' hands, since they know best." During our meeting, Mr. Kushi was cautiously optimistic. He felt that I would improve if I followed the macrobiotic recommendations, and he suggested modifications in my diet along with home-care preparations. He recommended walking for a halfhour each day, and suggested that I sing a happy song every day to keep my spirits up. He also emphasized chewing each mouthful at least fifty times. Upon returning to Dallas, we followed Mr. Kushi's suggestions to the letter. We decided on our own to delay the surgery and see how things went. Gradually, my health and strength returned, and each visit to the doctor confirmed that the tumor was shrinking! In October, my doctor presented my case before the Dallas Board of Urologists. He felt that additional medical opinions would convince me of the urgency and necessity of radical surgery. I told him I appreciated his concern. Shortly afterward, he called to report that all the doctors were of the opinion that surgery was critical to save my life, and that it must take place before December or else it would be too late. The reason I was so reluctant to have radical surgery was that it involved approximately sixteen hours of surgery, and seemingly onefourth of my body would be cut out. Even with all this, my chances of surviving five years or longer were slim, and I was as concerned with the quality of life as I was with the quantity of years. Early in November, we again went to see Mr. Kushi. He was delighted with my progress and was very optimistic about the chances for recovery. Again, we went home and continued very strictly on our healing diet. We prayed every step of the way, and I also walked two miles daily and laughed and sang. I did not call the doctor again, for he advised me not to until I had agreed to have surgery. By the following June (1988), after returning home from
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Florida, I went to see the doctor. He was glad to see me and surprised to see how well and radiant I was. After conducting a cystoscopy, CAT scans, x-rays, and blood work, he exclaimed that he was shocked and amazed that all the tests were clearfor now! He also said that my case would go into medical books, because no one with this condition had ever lived this long without radical surgery following the radium implant. I asked if he were just a little curious about what I had been doing during this time, but he just smiled and said, "Barbara, your body reacted extremely well to the radium implant, and I know that you have great faith, but for sure, it is not that health diet you are on." Upon leaving the doctor's office, J.R. and I were so excited that we jumped for joy and praised the Lord! There was rejoicing everywhere and with everyone. At a meeting of our macrobiotic group, everyone stood up and applauded and hugged us. The members of our church, as well as our family and friends who had prayed so faithfully for my healing, all rejoiced and shed many tears of thankfulness with us. Since 1988, we have attended the annual Macrobiotic Summer Conference held in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. I have told my story in front of a large audience several times. A number of people with cancer who were attending the Conference told me that my story encouraged and inspired them. These experiences have been overwhelming, and since that time, telling my story to encourage others has become my ministry. In 1988, we started a cancer support group, the Lifeline, in order to help others. We started with only four people, and then it quickly grew to ten, and then twenty-five, and beyond! In April 1990, I told my story on a television show in Atlanta. Before going to Atlanta, I went to the doctor for an exam. He completed a cystoscopy and was amazed that the walls of my bladder were soft and pliable rather than rigid because of scar tissue. He said he saw no need for any further tests because it was clear that I had recovered. He stated that I was a "medical miracle." In conclusion, the last three years have been some of the best years of my life. I feel deepest gratitude toward everyone and everything that contributed to my recovery: Michio Kushi, my expert doctors, the nutritionally balanced macrobiotic diet, physical exercise, and most importantly, the prayers and faith of my family and friends.
Source: Correspondence with Barbara Lee, January 1991. Copyright Barbara Lee. Reprinted with permission.
If fresh fruit is craved during the summer, a small volume can be eaten with a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on it. T h e intake of raw fruit is best kept to a minimum.
PICKLES
Pickles can be eaten frequently as a supplement to main dishes. They stimulate appetite and help digestion. Some varietiessuch as pickled daikon, or takuan can be bought prepackaged in natural food stores. Otherssuch as quick pickles can be prepared at home.
Regular Use
Amazake pickles Brine pickles Miso pickles Pressed pickles Rice bran pickles Sauerkraut Takuan pickles Tamari soy sauce pickles
General Guidelines
One tablespoonful of naturally processed, non-spicy pickles can be eaten daily. If pickles have a strong salty flavor, rinse them quickly under cold water before eating.
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Regular Use
Almonds Black and white sesame seeds Chestnuts Filberts Peanuts Pecans Pine nuts Pumpkin seeds Small Spanish nuts Squash seeds Sunflower seeds Walnuts
Infrequent Use
Brazil nuts Cashews Macadamia nuts Others
General Guidelines
With the exception of chestnuts, nuts are high in oils and fats. Therefore, it is better to minimize or avoid eating them until health is restored. Chestnuts, however, can be eaten from time to time for a naturally sweet taste. Up to a cup and a half of lightly roasted, unsalted seeds can be eaten per week. Sunflower seeds are best eaten only during the summer months and not until health is restored. SNACKS A variety of natural snacks may be enjoyed from time to time, including those made from whole grains, like cookies, bread, puffed cereals, mochi (cakes made of pounded sweet brown rice), rice cakes, rice balls, and homemade sushi. Lightly roasted nuts and seeds may also be eaten as snacks. The following natural snacks are fine for regular use: Leftovers Mochi Noodles Popcorn (homemade and unbuttered) Puffed whole cereal grains Rice balls Rice cakes Seeds Sushi (made at home without sugar, seasoning, or MSG) Steamed sourdough bread
If the supplemental tastes (sour, bitter, spicy, and salty) are used too stronglyby adding too much miso, tamari, or sea salt to foods, for example, or by using too many salty condimentsthe patient may begin to crave the artifically sweet taste of refined and other simple sugars. This craving will make it more difficult for the patient to comfortably stay within the guidelines of macrobiotics. For maximum health and enjoyment, therefore, try to emphasize the gentle, natural sweetness of whole natural foods at every meal and use the other flavors in moderation.
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General Guidelines
Snacks that have a drying or tightening effect on the body, such as popcorn, puffed cereals, or rice cakes, are best eaten in moderation. Other snacks can be enjoyed as desired. However, avoid snacking for 2V2 to 3 hours before sleeping.
CONDIMENTS
A variety of condiments may be used, some daily and others occasionally. Small amounts can be sprinkled on foods to adjust taste and nutritional value, and to stimulate appetite. They can be used on grains, soups, vegetables, beans, and sometimes desserts. The most frequently used varieties include:
Regular Use
Gomashio (roasted sesame seeds and sea salt) Tekka (a special condiment made with soybean miso, sesame oil, burdock, lotus root, carrots, and ginger) Green nori flakes Sea vegetable powders (with or without roasted sesame seeds) Umeboshi (salty, pickled plums)
Occasional Use
Cooked miso with scallions or onions Cooked nori condiment Roasted and chopped shiso (pickled beefsteak plant) leaves Roasted sesame seeds Shio kombu (kombu cooked with tamari and water) Umeboshi or brown rice vinegar
General Guidelines
"Regular Use" condiments can be kept on the table and added to whole grain and other dishes as desired. Gomashio (sesame salt) and roasted sea vegetable powders can be sprinkled on dishes as you would salt and pepper. About one tea-
spoonful of these sprinkled condiments can be used daily. Tekka is a stronger condiment and is best used moderately, about a teaspoonful or so per week, on average. Two or three umeboshi plums can be eaten per week along with grains or other dishes. "Occasional Use" condiments can be used about two or three times per week if desired for variety. Condiments that include sea salt are best used in moderation.
SEASONINGS
It is better to avoid strong spicy seasonings such as curry, hot pepper, and others, and to use those which are naturally processed from vegetable products or natural sea salt, and which have been used as a part of traditional diets. A list of seasonings recommended in the standard macrobiotic diet is presented below:
Regular Use
Miso (fermented soybean and grain paste, i.e., rice, barley, soybean, sesame, and other misos) Soy sauce Tamari soy sauce (fermented soybean and grain sauce) Unrefined sea salt
Occasional Use
Brown rice and umeboshi vinegar Garlic Grated daikon, radish, and ginger Lemon Mirin (fermented sweet brown rice liquid) Sesame and corn oil Umeboshi plum and paste Other traditional natural seasonings
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General Guidelines
In general, use seasonings in moderation. Dishes should have a mild, not salty, flavor. A moderate amount of "Regular Use" seasonings can be used daily in cooking; those in the "Occasional Use" column can be used several times per week for variety. Mirin, which contains a small amount of alcohol, is best avoided temporarily by those seeking to improve their health. Raw garlic is best avoided.
SWEETS
The naturally sweet flavor of cooked vegetables can be featured daily for optimal health. Include one or several of the vegetables listed below: Cabbage Carrots Daikon Onions Parsnips Pumpkin Squash Sweet vegetable drink or j a m
In addition, a small amount of concentrated sweeteners made from whole cereal grains may be included when desired. Dried chestnuts, which also impart a sweet flavor, may also be included on occasion, along with occasional apple juice or cider. Additional natural sweeteners include: Amazake Barley malt Brown rice syrup Chestnuts (cooked) Hot apple cider Hot apple juice
General Guidelines
T h e best quality sweets are those derived from the complex carbohydrates in whole grains and naturally sweet vegetables, and foods such as chestnuts. Naturally sweet vegetables can be included in various dishes on a daily basis. In addition, sweet vegetable drink (see inset page 127) can also be used
daily or often to relieve the craving for sweets. A small amount of concentrated sweeteners, including grain syrups, amazake, and apple juice, can be used on occasion to relieve the craving for sweets.
BEVERAGES
A variety of beverages may be consumed daily or occasionally. Amounts can vary according to weather conditions and each person's needs. The beverages listed below can be used to comfortably satisfy the desire for liquid.
Regular Use
Bancha stem tea Bancha twig tea (kukicha) High-quality natural well water Natural spring water (suitable for daily use) Roasted brown rice or barley tea
Occasional Use
Dandelion tea Freshly squeezed carrot juice (if desired, about two cups per week) Grain coffee (100 percent roasted cereal grains) Kombu tea Mu tea Sweet vegetable broth Umeboshi tea
Infrequent Use
Beer (natural quality) Green leaf tea Green magma (barley green juice) Northern climate fruit juice Sake (fermented rice wine, without chemicals or sugar) Soymilk Vegetable juice Wine (natural quality)
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General Guidelines
Beverages in the "Regular Use" column can be enjoyed on a daily basis, while those in the "Occasional Use" column can be enjoyed two or three times per week. Those suggested for infrequent use are best avoided until health becomes normal.
PROPER COOKING
Macrobiotic cooking is quick and simple once a few basic techniques how to use a pressure cooker, wash and cut vegetables, and how to plan menus to ensure adequate taste and varietyare mastered. Before you learn the basics, however, it is easy to make mistakes. This is especially true when getting started, since many of the foods and cooking methods are often new and unfamiliar. However, you will develop proficiency in this skill as in any other once you become familiar with the ingredients and methods used in macrobiotic cooking. Recipes and cookbooks are, of course, helpful, but the best way to learn about macrobiotic cooking is to attend classes where you can actually see the foods prepared and can taste them. Most introductory macrobiotic cooking classes are presented in a series of six to eight sessions, and will show you how to do important things like wash and soak foods, cut vegetables, puree miso for soup, and combine ingredients in complete meals. Advice on menu planning, setting up your
k i t c h e n , a n d s h o p p i n g for h i g h - q u a l i t y foods is usually provided as well. Weekly dinners, w h i c h m a n y m a c r o b i o t i c centers sponsor, a r e also helpful, as they offer you t h e c h a n c e to see a n d taste a b a l a n c e d m e a l a n d t o talk t o o t h e r p e o p l e a b o u t m a c r o b i o t i c s in a relaxed a n d supportive setting. S o m e p r o g r a m s , s u c h as t h e M a c r o b i o t i c Residential S e m i n a r p r e s e n t e d b y t h e Kushi I n s t i t u t e in t h e Berkshires, offer a c o m b i n a t i o n of m e a l s a n d h a n d s - o n c o o k i n g t r a i n i n g . P r o g r a m s t h a t offer h a n d s - o n g u i d a n c e a r e t h e best for l e a r n i n g to cook properly.
7
Recovery and Beyond
When we come to analyze the conception of disease in society or in the individual, it evidently means loss of unity. Health, therefore, should mean unity, and it is curious that the history of the word entirely corroborates this idea. T h e words health, whole, holy are from the same stock; and they indicate that far back in the past those who created this group of words had a conception of health very different from ours. Edward Carpenter Civilization: Its Cause and Cure T h e many exceptional cancer patients I have met over the years all share a variety of common factors that aided them in recovery. In this, our concluding chapter, we look at the main features shared by these exceptional patients, and discuss the new dimensions of health that come from living in harmony with nature.
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macrobiotics freely and wholeheartedly after reviewing the evidence and arriving at their own conclusions. Backed by their own knowledge and awareness, they become active participants in creating health. Changing previous dietary and lifestyle habits requires patience, sensitivity, and understanding. It is important for someone with a serious illness to practice the macrobiotic guidelines accurately. This requires putting forth effort to study and master the principles of macrobiotics, along with basic cooking, in order to understand why food is important and how it affects our health. The patient needs to be cautiousin the sense of avoiding unbalanced foods that impede recoverybut not rigid or narrow. Eating the full range of foods within the guidelines of macrobiotics helps maintain the necessary flexibility, as does using a wide range of cooking methods. Creating varied and balanced meals is, of course, an immediate priority for the sick person and his family. It is important for the patient to have enough variety to maintain interest and enthusiasm, and to satisfy nutritional requirements. Food should be enjoyable, and by focusing on the addition and discovery of new foods, rather than on the omission of old ones, the practice of macrobiotics becomes an exciting adventure and continuous learning process.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Exceptional cancer patients are genuinely grateful for their illness and what it has to teach them. They do not complain and blame others, but look within themselves for the source of their troubles. They realize the shortcomings of their past way of eating and living and are happy to make a fresh start and change. Such people often have a deep faith in something larger than themselves, such as God, nature, or the universe, and they experience the coming of macrobiotics into their lives as an expression of that faith. As their health improves, they grow closer to their original religious heritage, and their appreciation of other spiritual traditions deepens. After healing themselves, such people often go on to help many others.
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Looking back on their illness, they often say that cancer was one of the best things that ever happened to them because of the changes it brought in their understanding of life. Difficulty and suffering can also strengthen our spiritual capacities. People who have experienced the full range of pain and fear and who truly want to be free from suffering readily embrace the diet. They have tried many different symptomatic approaches and have been disappointed. They are now ready to give up their defensive way of life, their stubbornness, and their rigidity to find freedom and regain their health. They have developed the ability to self-reflect and have embarked on a personal search for health and truth. When they discover the unifying principle of yin and yang, they learn how to transmute sickness into health and sorrow into joy.
BRAIN TUMOR
A New Education
"John, do you think she'll make it." "No, because she has handed this over to you. She is letting you take care of it." This conversation occurred one morning in February 1987 when my husband, David, and our host, John Carter, were driving me to a macrobiotic seminar in Brookline, Massachusetts. I was supposed to be asleep in the back seat. David was asking John what my chances were of recovering from a fast-growing brain tumor. David answered John by saying, "I don't understand that. She has always been an independent person, in fact, too independent." I realized right then that I had to take over! No more would the doctors or David direct my life; no more would I feel like a bump on a log when David and the doctors discussed my case. I would take charge. In August of 1986, everything was wonderful. I had just turned thirty-seven and was thoroughly enjoying life. I loved everything about it and was having a wonderful time. And then the bottom fell out. After a grand mal seizure that sent me sprawling onto an asphalt tennis court, many, many tests in two hospitals, and two surgeries, I was diagnosed as having a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma. This is a fast-growing inoperative brain tumor. At that time it was about the size of a small grapefruit. Tumor. . . Tumor... the name kept jumping out at me like a 3-D movie, visiblebut untouchable. Through all of the discussions of the abnormality, tumor or cancer had never been a possibility in my mind. The reality hit home when I was asked to visit a "tumor center" for discussion of possible treatments for my brain tumormy cancer. To say that the discovery that I had cancer was an earthshaking experience is an understatement. I think the impact of the diagnosis caused me, one night soon after, to experience a series of physical jolts: nausea, vomiting, and numbness in my right leg. The emotional trauma was something that I was not accustomed to. I've always been a contented, happy person, able to see the bright side of things, even while "bitching." I could find contentment sitting on a rock at Smith Lake or dancing in my husband's arms in romantic places like Bermuda. I had always enjoyed life, living by my own decisionsuntil now.
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The doctors said it was bad . .. would never go awaychemotherapy could hopefully only slow its growthwas close to motor area . . . would lose motor control. . . wheelchair in future . . . six to eighteen months to live .. . downhill all the way. It was worse than a Freddie Kruger nightmare. I couldn't wake up. It did not belong there. I wanted it gone. When my aunt from New Orleans suggested macrobiotics, I had no idea what she was talking about and the idea that food could make a malignancy go away was absurd. But when you have no alternative and a strong desire to live, you do whatever you can. So, I read Recalled By Life by Anthony Sattilaro, as my aunt suggested, and later read Recovery by Elaine Nussbaum. Elaine was a housewife like me but in much worse shape. I reasoned that if she could recover, I could, too. It did not matter that I lived in a small town in northeast Mississippi and knew no one who had even heard of macrobiotics at that time. Before jumping right in, though, I decided I would give the American Cancer Society hotline a final check to see if there were anything else I could do. At this point I had had six-thousand RADs and two treatments of chemo (PCNU). At least five more treatments were scheduled. The hotline volunteer answered, "Nothing. Good luck." The line went dead. Through clenched teeth my reply was, "We'll see about that!" Three days later, January 17, 1987, I was on my way to the Macrobiotic Learning Center in Brookline, Massachusetts. This beginner course was given in a home that to me, a Mississippi native, seemed damp and chilly. I had trouble understanding the various foreign teachers and the fast-talking Yankee instructors, and, of course, they couldn't understand my Southern accent. The ingredients for the meals could have come from another planet, and I had trouble eating and enjoying the food. At that time I was on many antiseizure pills and my thinking was clouded, to say the least. Luckily, I had taken my camcorder and taped everything, because trying to absorb everything sent me to bed with a headache each night. In short, this was not a pleasant experience, but I would not go back to Mississippi and say that. This was my chance to live and I was going to take it. Looking back now, I am able to realize how much I absorbed, and I credit much of my success to that program. I learned not only the proper way to cook, but also exercises, massage, home remedies, and the power of positive thinking. So back to Columbus, Mississippi, I went, ready to get under
way with my new macrobiotic life. After unpacking all the videos I'd made and the books and tapes I'd purchased, I was ready to begin. I was quick to learn that cooking alone was quite different from having an ever-ready teacher plus six other students in the kitchen. I started my first solo macro meal at 3 RM. I finished a little after 8 RM., at which time I was too exhausted to eat! Another turning point came when I returned to Boston in February to see Michio Kushi. It was then that I overheard the conversation mentioned at the start of this article. Taking charge meant that I was going to stop taking chemotherapy and that I was going to get off the nine antiseizure pills and tachycardia medicine I was supposed to take for the rest of my life. I had to tell the neuro-oncologist and my husband, David, about my decision to discontinue the chemo. The antiseizure medication had to be gradually decreased and I didn't want to tell them until I had been off it and the tachycardia pills for a month. This took a year and when I told them what I had done, they had a fit. But all's been well. Wellalmost all: That first winter, my mind was so drugged that I couldn't get from the cookbook to the stove without forgetting what to do. I kept feeling worse and worse and colder and colder. But I said I'd try it for six months, and six months it was going to be. From somewhere came the idea of hiring a macrobiotic cook. After numerous calls to John Carter and reference checks, Dawn Gilmour arrived from Boston, and some of the food actually started tasting good! Dawn gave me some concoctions I'd read about but never tried. One, a simple drink made with heated apple juice and diluted kuzu, had a wonderful calming effect. Dawn was a normal person with hopes, dreams, and fears like the rest of us, which meant I could identify with her and, at the same time, learn from her. The only regret I have is that during the week Dawn was with me, I would get terribly tired during meal preparation and would end up taking a nap. I don't know if this was a defense mechanism or what, but thank the Lord for Mamie. Mamie was a wonderful woman who I'm sure was sent to me from God. In fact before she came to work for us, I was in a "dither" getting ready for Dawn's arrival and, as always, was running out of time and energy. As I stood in our breakfast room I said, "Lord, what am I going to do?" Mamie rang the doorbell to introduce herself to me. (I had
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hired her a few days earlier, sight unseen.) She had been on the way to town and had just decided to stop. I promptly hugged her and started crying. She then came into the house in her "town clothes" and helped me prepare for Dawn. Of course, Mamie was there for Dawn's teaching and absorbed it all. Mamie had a superb memory and was a wonderful cook. She also was like a mother to me; she would make me sit down and plan the day's menu, making sure I was eating all I was supposed to and getting the rest I needed. I truly do not know what I would have done without her guidance and persistence. Macrobiotics was a challenge for me. Slowly, through training by the experts and experimenting on my own, I learned that I could make delicious meals that would enable me to enjoy the food while my body was healing itself. I stopped the chemotherapy after the third treatment and began a full-time holistic regime to heal my body and soul. A verse from Ephesians in the Bible became my motto: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." God had given me the power to take charge of my life again and to make myself well. Besides prayer and macrobiotics, I used imaging. I also used a video tape and a subliminal cassette that both constantly told me the tumor was decreasing. In my bedroom, I kept a drawing of the tumor that showed it decreasing in sizefrom the size of a grapefruit to a golfball to a pinhead to nothing! Amazingly, each test showed the size of the malignancy had diminished just as I had drawn. The CAT scan made in April of 1987, four months after I had started macrobiotics, showed no evidence of cancer! And no scans have since then, either. One night two years ago, my nine-year-old son, Parker, asked, "Mom, do you think you'll ever get cancer again?" My immediate reply was, "No." After a bit I came back into his bedroom and added, "But, Parker, don't worry, honey, because if I do, I know what to do." He smiled and said, "We'll fight like before." It's wonderful to have that assurance. In a way the feeling can be compared to seeing a rainbow after a storm and remembering God's promise. My healing process was not just luck. It was my strong faith in God, the many prayers sent for me and by me, my determination, a positive outlook, imaging, video and subliminal tapes,
and the accurate practice of the macrobiotic diet. It was also the love and support of my husband, children, family, and of friends who became so close they felt like sisters. It was realizing that I, not anyone else, was responsible for my health. No one thing can control cancer: not just diet, not just radiation, not just chemotherapy. The body heals itself with God's help. I used everything else as tools. Through all these things, I have regained my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I am alive with the chance to work, play, and love, and I want to share my experience with others to spare them the anguish I went through and to offer an alternative to degenerative disease.
Source: "Healing a Terminal Brain Tumor," One Peaceful World, Autumn/Winter, 1990; correspondence with Mona Sanders, Columbus, Mississippi, August 30, 1990.
us, are a vehicle for discharging excess. Crying, for example, is a way of eliminating toxic substances from the body. Emotional tears contain more protein than those caused by irritants such as dust. By expressing their emotions rather than holding them in, the long-term survivors are able to discharge some of the excess that would have accelerated the growth of their cancers. In addition, as they begin to understand the underlying causes of their illness, rather than being powerless they are empowered, and can channel their "fighting spirit" in a constructive direction by taking positive action to restore their health.
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ease. This phenomenon is described by Robert Ornstein, Ph.D., and David Sobel, M.D., in The Healing Brain: People who are single, separated, divorced, or widowed are two or three times more likely to die than their married peers. They also wind up in the hospital for mental disorders five to ten times as frequently. Whether we look at heart disease, cancer, depression, tuberculosis, arthritis, or problems during pregnancy, the occurance of disease is h i g h e r in those witb weakened social connectedness. A warm, loving, and supportive family provides an environment that encourages health and recovery. When caring for others we need to keep in mind that the object of healing is to improve our own health and understanding, as well as the patient's. Dealing with serious illness can be draining. However, at some level we are receiving as much energy as we give out. Helping someone with cancer challenges our own understanding of the universe as well as o u r physical s t a m i n a , m e n t a l clarity, a n d e m o t i o n a l strength. T h e macrobiotic approach provides a clear and hopeful direction. However, it is usually up to the immediate family members to help the patient implement that direction, make day-to-day decisions about what to cook, how to apply home care, and how to handle whatever problems or crises may come up. Family members or friends who take care of the person with cancer also need to constantly self-reflect and consider whether their advice is sound. As we develop as healers and teachers, we will face many difficulties and frustrations. However, as our own way of eating improves and our intuition develops, we will be able to help more and more people.
of harmony in mind, body, and spirit and the joyful and creative adaptation to the environment are often missing from the modern definition. As the 19th-century English writer Edward Carpenter pointed out in Civilization: Its Cause and Cure, "The peculiarity about our modern conception of health is that it seems to be a purely negative one. So impressed are we by the myriad presence of disease so numerous its dangers, so sudden and unforetellable its attacks that we have come to look upon health as the mere absence of the same." As we continue to eat and live in harmony with nature and our inner being, we begin to discover new, more vibrant dimensions of life and health. We come to realize that health is the state of actively harmonizing with our environment, of enjoying life with many other people, and of being able to realize our dreams and ambitions throughout life. When we are healthy, we meet the following seven conditions: Freedom from Fatigue In day-to-day life, we should not feel any fatigue if we are healthy. After a day's work, we should not complain, "I am tired." Whatever hardship we may encounter, we should be able to adapt to it with an energetic desire to work it out harmoniously. From time to time, we may feel exhausted from our work, but we should recover after a short rest or night's sleep. We should not feel mentally tired either. If we frequently change our mind, including our ideas and plans, our occupation and address, our partner and friends, we are in an unhealthy state. We lack the vitality to persevere with our goals and plans, preferring to discard them when difficulties arise. Under any circumstances, at any time, we should maintain a state of physical and mental balance that is stable, yet flexible enough to respond immediately to changing circumstances. We will then be able to approach the new environment with a spirit of adventure. Good Appetite Throughout our life, each and every day, we should always have a good appetite for whatever we may encounter: appetite
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for food, appetite for sex, appetite for activity, appetite for knowledge, appetite for work, appetite for experience, and appetite for health, freedom, and happiness. Endless appetite is a manifestation of health, and limited appetite is a manifestation of sickness. T h e bigger our appetite, the richer our life. Without appetite, there is no progress, no development, and no enjoyment. However, in order to keep a large appetite, we should avoid overindulgence. When we are hungry, we should eat so as to satisfy only 80 percent of our hunger, leaving a portion of the stomach unfilled. Satiety reduces our appetite and gradually slows down our metabolism, thinking, activity, and thirst for life. Therefore, we should keep ourselves always hungry, and, as soon as we take in, we should distribute whatever we have received. Keeping emptiness within ourselves is the secret to developing an endless appreciation for life. Good Sleep Good sleep is not sleeping for a long time but sleeping soundly for a short time. Good sleep is the result of energetic activityphysical and mental during the time we are awake. While we are sleeping, we should usually not dream. If we remember a dream after we are awake, it is because our sleep is not deep enough. Nightmares, cloudy dreams, and fragmented dreams are all signs of physical and mental unrest. To see these dreams frequently is a sign of developing mental illness. Suppose we are frequently frightened with the horrors of nightmares. Soon, the precipitating physical and mental qualities will cause "daymares"; awake, we will surround ourselves with groundless suspicions, illusory enemies, and other delusions that turn our life into a battlefield. If we eat macrobiotically and develop our health, we will never suffer such rootless dreamsday or nightof any kind. Good Memory Memory is the mother of our judgment. Without memory of what we have experienced, we would have no judgment or ability to evaluate changing circumstances. Good spiritual
memory is the foundation of all sound mental activities; they all come out of memory and return to memory. There are various kinds of memory: mechanical memory, such as the remembrance of names and numbers; memory of images, such as the remembrance of scenery and events; and spiritual memory, such as remembrance of where we have come from and how we have realized ourselves in this world at this time. Among these varieties of memory, the most important is the last. It is the memory of spiritual destiny by which we can understand the significance of our lives, know the meaning of the present, and develop an endless appreciation of the past and a limitless aspiration for the future. Good spiritual memory is essential to a meaningful life. All other memories, including mechanical memory and memory of images, are actually part of this memory of our spiritual origin and destiny. As we continue to live macrobiotically, we begin to recover not only memory of past occurrences and present daily events, but also memory of our spiritual destiny. This is one reason why people who share the same food understand each other better. As our health improves, we find that it is very easy to understand, agree with, and work with other people who are eating the same way, even though they may have been born in different places, brought up and educated in different ways. T h e reason they can understand each other is that they share a common, universal memory of infinite oneness, whether or not they are aware of it.
Freedom from Anger If we are in good health, throughout our lifetimes we should never be angry; we are living within the infinite universe and we are all living in harmony with our environment so there is no reason to be angry. We know that everyone, everything, and every phenomenon including difficulties, sicknesses, and enemies are complementary to one another. Being angry shows our limitation, our inability to understand and embrace, our lack of patience and perseverance. In Far Eastern countries, the ideograph for anger describes anger as the mind of a slave. Another word for anger means acute sickness
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in the liver. In Oriental medicine, anger is correlated with liver malfunction, as other major mental and emotional reactions are correlated to disorders of other major organs. Those who do not know how to cope with changing circumstances often become very excited, while those who know how to adapt do not feel any anger. Health is the capacity to accept all circumstances with a smile, change difficulties into opportunities, and turn enemies into friends.
Joyful Responsiveness
In order to live an active and productive life, it is necessary to respond immediately to the constantly changing environment. Life is a continuous progression of such responses. We should be accurate in our expression, swift in our motion, orderly in our behavior, and clear in our thinking. Moment-tomoment responses such as these should be full of joy and humor. Our countenance should be bright, cheerful, and optimistic, and merry thoughts should radiate to everyone around us. Greetings should be exchanged actively with everyone we meet. Like the sun that radiates its light and warmth to everyone, our presence should give joy and happiness to all. Joyousness is a natural result of good health and eating well day to day.
Endless Appreciation
As manifestations of the infinite universe, we should know that all people and all beings are brothers and sisters, accompanying one another on the endless journey of life. We should clearly understand that there is nothing really opposing us. We should clearly know that if we experience difficulties, it is because of some underlying lack of harmony in our way of life; however, this discord can be changed and transformed into its opposite, peacefully, without any conflict or suffering. When we are healthy, we become endlessly appreciative of the universe and all its manifestations. We are healthy when we are able to receive and embrace everything gratefully and when, without hesitation, we are able to give of ourselves our ideals, our materials, our activity, our energy, and even
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our life itselfto all from whom and from which we have received. Even when we are physically sick, we are healthy if we are aware that we are the cause of our own sickness, are thankful for the opportunity to learn, and surrender our destiny to nature in a spirit of endless appreciation. Conversely, we may be without any physical or mental symptoms of disease, but unless a deep gratitude permeates our whole life, we are not truly healthy and whole.
Recommended Reading
Aihara, Herman, Basic Macrobiotics. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Benedict, Dirk. Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1991. Brown, Virginia, with Susan Stayman. Macrobiotic Miracle: How A Vermont Family Overcame Cancer. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Dietary Goals for the United States. Washington, D.C.: Select Committee on Nutrition and H u m a n Needs, U.S. Senate, 1977. Diet, Nutrition and Cancer. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1982. Dufty, William. Sugar Blues. New York: Warner Books, 1975. Esko, Edward and Wendy Esko. Macrobiotic Cooking for Everyone. Tokyo & New York: J a p a n Publications, Inc., 1980. Esko, Wendy. Aveline Kushi's Introducing Macrobiotic Cooking. Tokyo and New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1987. Fukuoka, Masanobu. The Natural Way of Farming. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985.
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The One-Straw Revolution. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press, 1978. Healthy People: The Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979. Hiedenry, Carolyn. Making the Transition to a Macrobiotic Diet. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1987. Hippocrates. Hippocratic Writings. Edited by G. E. R. Lloyd. Translated by J. Chadwick and W. N. Mann. New York: Penguin Books, 1978. Ineson, John. The Way of Life: Macrobiotics and the Spirit of Christianity. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986. Jacobs, Leonard and Barbara Leonard. Cooking with Seitan. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986. Jacobson, Michael. The Changing American Diet. Washington, D.C.: Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1978. Kaibara, Ekiken. Yojokun: Japanese Secrets of Good Health. Tokyo: Tokuma Shoten, 1974. Kohler, Jean and Mary Alice. Healing Miracles from Macrobiotics. West Nyack, N.Y.: Parker, 1979. Kotsch, Ronald. Macrobiotics: Yesterday and Today. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Kushi, Aveline. How to Cook with Miso. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1978. Lessons of Night and Day. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1985. . Macrobiotic Food and Cooking Series: Diabetes and Hypoglycemia; Allergies. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Macrobiotic Food and Cooking Series: Obesity, Weight Loss, and Eating Disorders; Infertility and Reproductive Disorders. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1987. Kushi, Aveline, with Alex Jack. Aveline Kushi's Complete Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking. New York: Warner Books, 1985. Kushi, Aveline and Michio Kushi. Macrobiotic Pregnancy and Care of the Newborn. Edited by Edward and Wendy Esko. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1984.
Recommended
Reading
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. Macrobiotic Child Care and Family Health. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986. Kushi, Aveline and Wendy Esko. Aveline Kushi's Introducing Macrobiotic Cooking. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, 1987. Aveline Kushi's Wonderful World of Salads. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, 1989. The Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1985. The Good Morning Macrobiotic Breakfast Book. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1991. The Macrobiotic Cancer Prevention Cookbook. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1988. . Macrobiotic Family Favorites. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1987. The New Pasta Cuisine: Low-Fat Noodle and Pasta Dishes From Around the World. Tokyo & New York: J a p a n Publications, 1991. The Quick and Natural Macrobiotic Cookbook. Chicago, 111.: Contemporary Books, 1989. Kushi, Michio, The Book of Do-In: Exercise for Physical and Spiritual Development. Tokyo & New York: J a p a n Publications, Inc. 1979. The Book of Macrobiotics: The Universal Way of Health, Happiness and Peace. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986 (Rev. ed). Cancer and Heart Disease: The Macrobiotic Approach to Degenerative Disorders. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986 (Rev. ed). Crime and Diet: The Macrobiotic Approach. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1987. The Era of Humanity. Brookline, Mass.: East West Journal, 1980. How to See Your Health: The Book of Oriental Diagnosis. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1980. Macrobiotic Health Education Series: Diabetes and Hypoglycemia; Allergies. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Macrobiotic Health Education Series: Obesity, Weight Loss, and Eating Disorders; Infertility and Repro-
ductive Disorders. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1987. . Natural Healing through Macrobiotics. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc. 1987. On the Greater View: Collected Thoughts on Macrobiotics and Humanity. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1985. Your Face Never Lies. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1983. Kushi, Michio and Alex Jack. The Cancer Prevention Diet. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1983. Diet for a Strong Heart. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1984. Kushi, Michio, with Alex Jack. One Peaceful World. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1987. Kushi, Michio, with Edward and Wendy Esko. Gentle Art of Making Love, The. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1990. Kushi, Michio and Aveline Kushi, with Alex Jack. The Macrobiotic Diet. Tokyo & New York: J a p a n Publications, Inc., 1985. Kushi, Michio, with Stephen Blauer. The Macrobiotic Way. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1985. Lerman, Andrea Bliss. Macrobiotic Community Cookbook, The. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1989. Mendelsohn, Robert S., M.D. Confessions of a Medical Heretic. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1979. Male Practice. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1980. Nussbaum, Elaine. Recovery: From Cancer to Health through Macrobiotics. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986. Nutrition and Mental Health. Washington, D.C.: Select Committee on Nutrition and H u m a n Needs, U.S. Senate, 1977, 1980. Ohsawa, George. Cancer and the Philosophy of the Far East. Oroville, Calif.: George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation, 1971 edition. You Are All Sanpaku. Edited by William Dufty. New York: University Books, 1965.
Recommended
Reading
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. Zen Macrobiotics. Los Angeles: Ohsawa Foundation, 1965. Price, Western, A., D.D.S. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. Santa Monica, Calif.: Price-Pottenger Nutritional Foundation, 1945. Sattilaro, Anthony, M.D., with Tom Monte. Recalled by Life: The Story of My Recovery from Cancer. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1982. Scott, Neil E., with Jean Farmer. Eating with Angels. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1986. Tara, William. Macrobiotics and Human Behavior. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1985. Yamamoto, Shizuko. Barefoot Shiatsu. Tokyo & New York: Japan Publications, Inc., 1979. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Translated by Ilza Veith, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979.
Macrobiotic Resources
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Other Programs
T h e Kushi Institute offers a variety of introductory, intermediate, and advanced level programs on all aspects of macrobiotics, in Becket and in cities throughout North America. Special programs include an annual Macrobiotic Summer Conference with participants from around the world, and ongoing seminars by Michio Kushi on topics such as macrobiotic health care, spiritual development, and philosophy. For information on any of these programs, contact: Kushi Institute of the Berkshires Box 7 Becket, Massachusetts 01223 (413) 623-5742
Michio Kushi, the leader of the international macrobiotic community, was born in Japan and studied international law and political science at Tokyo University. He came to the United States in 1949 and is the founder and chairman of the Kushi Institute, the Kushi Foundation, and One Peaceful World. He has given seminars on Oriental medicine and philosophy at the United Nations and served as advisor to governments in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. He is the author of several dozen books including The Cancer Prevention Diet, The Book of Macrobiotics, The Macrobiotic Way, and One Peaceful World, and lives in Becket and Brookline, Massachusetts with his wife, Aveline, also a leading voice in macrobiotic education. Edward Esko helped pioneer macrobiotic education in North America in the 1970s and '80s. He began studies with Michio Kushi in 1971 and has taught macrobiotic philosophy and health care throughout the United States and in Europe, South America, and Japan. He is on the faculty of the Kushi Institute of the Berkshires, and has co-authored or edited several popular books including Natural Healing through Macrobiotics, Doctors Look at Macrobiotics, and Macrobiotic Child Care and Family Health. He lives with his wife, Wendy, and seven children in Becket, Massachusetts.
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Index
Agriculture, 13,14,26,28, 29 AIDS, 9,41 Allergies, 20,48 American Cancer Society, 67, 72-74,120 American Diabetes Association, 66 American Heart Association, 66 American Medical Association, 65,74, 77 American Society for Clinical Nutrition, 66 Anatomy, human, 24-25 Anemia, 79 Anger, 158-159 Animal foods, 102-103, 103-105,108,115 Antibodies, 21 Anti-insulin, 61 Appetite, 156-157 Appreciation, 159-160
Ascorbic acid. See Vitamins, C. Awareness, 16 Beans, 36,39,103,105-107, 129-130 Benedict, Dirk, 2 Beta-Cartone, 118,122,128. See also Vitamins, A. Beverages, 30,37,144-145. See also water. Biopsies, numbers of, 10 Bladder. See cancer, bladder. Blampied, Doug. See case histories. Blood, cleansing of, 43 Blood pressure, 2,92 Body scrubbing, 42 Bone marrow harvest, 32 Bone marrow transplant, 32 Bowel motility, 42,43 Brain tumor, 11,150-154
171
Breast cancer. See cancer, breast. Breasts, 55-57 Brown, Virginia, 2. See also case histories. Burkitt, Denis, 28 Burkitt's Lymphoma, 28 Calcium, 86, 89,90 Campbell, T. Colin, 77 Cancer absence of, 27 bladder, 59,135-137 breast, 2,19-20, 46-47,5657, 62,100,101-102,108, 130.131 causes of, 13, 24,25,27, 45-46, 61-62,69, 70, 77-79, 99-100,108-110,114-116 classifying, 107-110,114 colon, 2,11,25,43, 62, 72, 110,114-115,123,127,128, 130 control of, 13,14 incidence of. See rates of. liver, 2,130 lung, 55, 72,101-102,115, 128.132 and modern life, 10,12-14 ovarian, 58 pancreatic, 2, 5, 6, 7-8,11, 61 patients, exceptional, 147149 patients, recovered. See cancer patients, exceptional. prevention of, 15,24,42,43, 46, 62, 64, 77, 93,127,128 prostate, 32,58, 75-77,99, 100,108 rates of, 9,10,14,23, 25-26, 27,109,114-115,128,131 recovery from, 2,11,76,93.
See also case histories, skin, 2,10,14,49-51,116, 128,130 spine, 31, 87 stomach, 72,130 symptoms of, 13 treatment of, 13. See also case histories, urethra, 135-137 uterine, 58,87-88
Index
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Casein, 47 Caspersen, Carl, 43 Cell wars, 21 Change, 12,16,18, 80 seasonal, 30 Chemicals, 22-23 Chewing, 41 China Study, 77-79 Chlorophyll, 118,128 Cholesterol, 52,53, 59,69, 78-79,92,123 Circulation, 41,43,92. See also blood pressure.
guidelines for, 68, 70-71, 72-73, 74, 77, 77-78. See also diet, macrobiotic guidelines, macrobiotic, 2,11,24,32, 33-40, 66-67, 68-69, 73-74, 78-79 macrobiotic guidelines, 80, 121,124,128,130,132-133, 133-134,138,139,141, 141-142,143,145 macrobiotic, nutritional overivew of, 79-86, 89-90 modern, 23, 24, 27,29, 30, 48, 61,65-66 standard American, 67 traditional, 25-28
harmony with, 28-30 Epidemiology, 13,23,44 Eskimo, 29 Esko, Ed, 76,169 Estrogen, 108 Excess, 30,33,46,48,52-59, 100,108,116 Exercise, 42,43,46 Existence, nature of, 12 FAO/WHO. See RDA. Fat 40, 65, 68, 70,72, 77 deposits of, 33,53-59, 60, 61 Fatigue, 156 Faulkner, Hugh, Dr., 2, 6, 7-8. See also case histories. Fawcett, Anne, 2 Fiber, 65, 66,118,122 Fibroids, 58 Fighting spirit, 149,154 Fish, 36,133-134 Flavors, 140 Fluorescent lights, 13,14,43 Food industry, 13 Foods. See also specific names of. charcoal grilled, 116 to minimize, 37-38 occasional, 36-37 Fossil fuels, 23 Fruits, 37,134,138 Fucoidan, 131-132 Gallbladder, 61 Gilmour, Dawn, 152 Glucosinolates, 118,128 Gomashio, 38,141 Graham, Saxon, Dr., 126 Grains, 160 whole 34,39,103,105,118, 119-121 Greenhouse effect, 23 Hanley, Ed. See case histories.
Index
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Kramer, Bonnie. See case histories. Kushi, Michio, 7-8,20,33,50, 112,136,152,169 Lapenta, Sara, 20 Lee, Barbara. See case histories. Leukemia, 109,131 acute myelogenous, 31-33 chronic myelocytic, 111-114 Lifestyle, 13,14,18,20, 24, 40-44 Liver, 61 Love, 17-18, 21,33,154-155 Lungs, 55 Macrobiotic approach, 15, 64,155
Mental outlook, 2 Metzger, Betty. See case histories. Microwave ovens, 13,27,43 Minerals, 40. See also specific names of. Monte, Tom, 2,32 Mucus, 33,153-159, 60, 61 National Academy of Sciences, 67,69-72 National Cancer Institute, 66
Macrobiotic Way, 20
Macrobiotic Way of Life Seminar, 33,34,167 Materialism, 10,12 McCarrison, Sir Robert, 27-28 McGovern, George, 67 McKenna, Marlene. See case histories. Meat, 110. See also animal foods. Medication, 22,33, 48,107 Medicine, Oriental, 159 Meditation, 16-17 Melanoma, 49-51,114. See also cancer, skin. Memory, 157-158
Pierello, Christina. See case histories. Polysaccharide, 126 Prosperity, 21 Prostate gland, 57-58. See also cancer, prostate. Protease inhibitors, 118,121, 122,130 Protein, 27,40,47, 65, 81-82, 83 Radiation, 132 Radioactive strontium, 132 Rain forests, destruction of, 24 Rashes. See skin, diseases of. RDA (recommended dietary allowances), 80 Recalled By Life, 2,32,51,151 Recovery. See cancer, recovery from.
Recovery: From Cancer to Health through Macrobiotics, 2,151 Refined Carbohydrate Foods and Disease, 28
Remission, 32,33 Reproductive organs, 57-59 Research cancer, 5-6,9,13,14, 56-57, 120,121,126,127-128,131, 132 macrobiotic, 11 nutrition, 9,28,56-57,92-93, 108 Retinol. See vitamins, A. Riboflavin. See vitamins, B2 Rice bran, 120 Robbins, John, 23 Salt, 28,38, 40,43 Sanders, Mona. See case histories. Sattilaro, Anthony, Dr., 2,32,
123,151 Saxe, Gordon, 5 Schweitzer, Albert, Dr., 28,51 Seasonings, 142-143 Seasons, 29,33 harmony with 30, 33 Seeds and nuts, 37,138-139 Self-reflection, 16,155 Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, 66, 67-68,120 Shiitake mushroom, 126 Shoyu, 38 Sickness, 15,21. See also specific names of. causes of, 18 response to, 18 Sinuses, 53 Skin, diseases of, 47,48 Sleep,157 Snacks, 139,141 Sobel, David, Dr., 155 Sodium alginate, 132 Soups, 34,39,122,124 Sour taste, source of, 37 Spiritual awareness, 148-149 Spiritual values, 10 Spontaneous regression, 8, 11,113 Stayman, Susan, 2 Stress, relieving, 12,17,21,43
Index
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Tekka, 38,142 Third World, 66 Toniolo, Paolo, 57 Troll, Walter, Dr., 121 Tulane Study, 5 Tympanostomy, 54-55 Umeboshi plums, 38 Understanding and sensitivity, 147-148 U.S. Department of Agriculture, 66 Uterus. See cancer, uterine. Vagina, 58 Vegetables, 36,39,103,106, 124-129 sea, 36,39,106,130-133 Video display terminals, 44 Visualization, 17 Vitamins, 40
A, 85 B2, 82-83 B12,84-85 C, 82 D, 85-86 Walking, 42. See also exercise. Water, 40 Wattenberg, Lee, Dr., 127,128 Will and determination, 149, 154 Willet, Walter C., Dr., 110 Williams, Roger W., Dr. 27 Yin and yang, 2, 74, 97-99, 100 as cancer promoters or inhibitors, 114-116 in classifying cancers, 107-110,114 in food, 102-107