Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet is part of an overall health and wellness philosophy originating in the Far East.

The Macrobiotic Diet is considered to help men and women achieve a natural balance in their lives, allowing them to live longer and more actively.

The term macrobiotics was first used by the Ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates, and literally means "great life." Proponents of the macrobiotic lifestyle emphasize consuming a simple and natural diet.

In the 1920s, the Japanese philosopher, George Ohsawa created the first macrobiotic diet. In an attempt to cure himself of disease, Ohsawa began consuming a strict diet, made up of brown rice, sea vegetables, and water.

Ohsawa soon believed that this diet helped to cure him of his disease, and began creating ten different versions of his macrobiotic diet, which focused on consumption of whole grains, low-fat foods, and certain fruits and vegetables.

The Concept of Yin and Yang: George Ohsawa's macrobiotic diet is based on the Japanese concept of yin and yang. This concept dictates that all parts of life are governed by two oppositional forces, known as yin and yang.

In order to maintain a natural balance in life, these two forces must be kept in balance, particularly through diet.

The macrobiotic diet focuses on eliminating foods that have large amounts of either yin or yang in them, in favor of foods with more balanced levels of these two forces. All foods are classified according to their taste and texture: yin foods tend to be more sweet, while yang foods tend to be salty.

Followers are then asked to eat only those foods that have the greatest balance of yin and yang.