Go natural for good health

With a history of more than 2,000 years, macrobiotics is said to be “the art and science of health and longevity”. It has also been described as “a natural and holistic approach to health which encompasses the relationships and effects of diet, lifestyle, and environment.”

“Macrobiotics demonstrates how ‘pure food’ (whole and natural food) is able to heal the body. A macrobiotic diet complements medicine and we emphasise on ‘prevention is better than cure’,” says June Ka Lim, 55, holistic nutritionist and macrobiotic counsellor.

“For some people who fail to eat properly, it may be too late to heal with diet after they have serious illnesses. The healing process would take longer, too.

“Macrobiotics can help the cancer patient on how to eat to strengthen his body after chemotherapy and lessen the side effects,” says Lim, who introduced macrobiotics in Malaysia in 1993. “The patient is advised on a healing diet to discharge radiation residues or he would not have the appetite to eat. We revive the appetite first, then we heal with pure food.”

Dr Sagen Ishizuka, a Japanese army medical officer, founded macrobiotics in Japan in the 18th century. George Oshawa and Michio Kushi brought the deeply rooted Eastern vegan wisdom to the West in the 1950s.

Lim, who studied macrobiotics at Kushi Institute in both Europe and the United States, says a group of victims exposed to radiation during the Hiroshima atomic bombing in World War II benefited from a macrobiotic diet that included taking miso soup every day. Macrobiotic miso was also brought into the Soviet Union to help victims of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe.

Eating miso (a vegan food containing vitamin B12) is said to be helpful in lowering cases of stomach cancer, balancing stomach acid, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing stroke and detoxification. Miso is believed to combat radiation poisoning as it contains dipicolonic acid which binds with heavy metals and is purged from the body.

Yin-yang principles

The macrobiotic diet is centred on the ancient oriental principles of yin and yang (balance and harmony). Macrobiotics involves eating whole grains, natural (organic) foods and local, seasonal ingredients.

Lim says such a diet can help one maintain optimal health, mental clarity, emotional calmness and overall regeneration of the body.

“Eating food in whole form means eating a whole radish, together with skin and leaves. Otherwise, you will lose 20% of the nutrients,” says Lim.

To season food, macrobiotics uses naturally aged and brewed soy sauce instead of commercial soy sauces. “Naturally aged soy sauce undergoes a longer fermentation period and it has more powerful enzymes and higher antioxidants,” she says.

Macrobiotics also applies to the principles of eating right. “If you eat without knowing the principles of eating, you’ll upset your digestive system.

“Some people may eat healthily by opting for a strict organic food diet, but they would not be doing the right thing if they exclude salt and oil completely. Without salt, there is no electrolyte balance in the body. Without oil, how is your body going to absorb nutrients?”

Macrobiotics also advocates “eating in harmony with nature”.

“Organic food is grown in harmony with nature. There is no spraying of chemicals, so there are no pesticides or chemicals used to boost the growth of vegetables and fruits. This protects the soil and sustains the ecosystem and the environment. Growing vegetables the organic way also ensures higher nutrients. Healing of the body (through foods) is expedited,” says Lim.

Healthy enzymes

In recent years, there has been a trend of eating enzymes (made mainly with fruits) for health reasons, particularly to activate the digestive system. Some housewives even make their own enzymes.

However, Lim cautions that homemade enzymes, although beneficial, may not have as much bifidus bacteria as commercial ones. She says care should be taken to prevent contamination of the enzyme when preparing it at home.

“Cover the bottle of enzyme drink properly during the process of fermentation. If other bacteria invade it, the good bacteria would be gone. Some people add too much sugar and even honey when making enzymes and this turns it to alcohol. And if you add sugar to cold fruits, the end results are very yin (cooling) to the body.”

She says making enzymes with rice malt will not result in high alcohol content. The enzyme drink may not be as sweet but is tasty.

“Enzyme drinks with alcoholic content can be addictive. There’s no goodness in this enzyme drink and, if taken over a long period, may cause blurred vision.”

Lim shares a simple method to make fruit enzymes correctly: Slice one organic red or green apple, pat dry and put into a sterilised bottle (or decanter with tight cover). Pour in one litre of boiled, cooled water and two to three tablespoons of organic rice malt. Stir and cover. Keep in the refrigerator to ferment for three to four days. Other fruits such as lemon, papaya and grapes can also be used. However, enzyme drinks made from pineapple and dragon fruit are more cooling, says Lim.

For those keen on cooking the macrobiotic way, look out for Lim’s second cookbook, Introduction to Tropical Macrobiotics, which will be out by the end of November. The book covers the principles of yin and yang, food intake, cooking rice the healthy way, combining meals in a balanced way, and features 50 recipes. Lim’s first book is Basic Vegan Cooking.

Macrobiotics is for anyone who cares about their health, says Lim. “It’s a misconception to say that macrobiotics is an expensive lifestyle.

“Ultimately, you end up saving more if you maintain a healthy diet. Macrobiotics is a preventive diet and a lifestyle that everyone should embrace to live a quality life,” says Lim.