spring eating macrobiotic way

Wow, finally spring is here. It seemed like the weather chaged so suddenly in the last couple of days.
At every seasonal change it is a good time to look at our eating patterns to accommodate our needs. As the the environment around us changes how and what we eat should change as well.

In Spring, there are rising and upward energy everywhere. No wonder... spring is a new beginning for many plants and animals.
For us it is a good time to cleanse. some may decide to do a simple fasting to get rid of the heavy foods that you may have consumed over the cold months. ( I certainly did!)

Food that is good for Spring is
with upward energy
 - young shoots of vegetables, green leafy vegetables dandelion is one of my favourite in spring!)
these are often quite pungent in flavour as well.
-sour foods
foods such as lemons, umeboshi is great as it helps to dissolve fatty elements of food
pungent food
- many pungent herbs can be used. such as
 fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill etc.
raw and sprouted food
if you are cooking, it is best cooked for a short time in a lighter style. (quick saute or light steaming)

Of course you need to consider your own constitute as well.

This is the time to give attention to your true nature. go for a walk! moderate excise daily gives you refreshing and upward energy.

make your own miso traditional and chickpea miso experiment

I make my own miso every year. Usually in winter so apparently miso has a gentle start to start fermenting as the temperature is not too high.
If you have made miso yourself before you know that it is not as hard as lots of people assume.  I have always made miso with soy beans but have been wanting to try to make some with chickpeas.
The thing about miso is (like other fermented products) you make it but you don't see the result straight away. It is not up to you. You provide the source and the environment and hope for the best. out of your control! :-) it is kind of philosophical isn't it?
Anyway making miso yourself is great, obviously because of the taste and assured quality. Also it is said to provide you sort of probiotic bacteria that YOU need because the miso was fermented with them in your environment. There are very good quality miso that you can buy in Australia, such as organic MUSO and SPIRAL brands. But if you would like to make some yourself I have included a step to take

Ingredients






soybeans or chickpea 600g
filtered water
Koji 600g
salt 190g plus extra (use good quality salt!)

1. rinse the beans briefly and cover with filtered water over night. Make sure to put plenty of water as the beans expand quite a lot

2 drain the soaking water. (It is not traditional but I have sprouted the beans as you can see. fermentation makes the otherwise hard to digest beans more digestible anyway but sprouting also does the same. it improves nutritional levels too. If you don't want to wait till the beans to sprout that is fine.)

3 cover with fresh filtered water. cook till the beans are beautifully soft to the consistency that you can mash with your finger. I have used pressure cooker for this. It took only 30mins or so but if you are cooking the beans in a pot it may take for a couple of hours. Make sure to keep adding the water.







4 leave the cooked beans in a pot with the cooked water over night. it will encourage all the flavours to be reabsorbed into the beans.

5 Next day prepare koi by mixing together with salt. use your hand so they are mixed together really well.








6 heat the beans once more till it starts to boil. Turn the heat off.

7 drain the beans and start mashing (I have cheated by using a food processor because i was making bigger batch but using pestle and mortar is ideal) reserve drained water and add if needed
It shouldn't be too smooth tough. it is best to leave it quite rough.

8 when the beans are cool enough to handle, about body temperature mix in the prepared koji mix. make sure they are well mixed

9 Now it is time to put the mixture into a container. The important point is to press it down firmly so that no air is trapped in between. It is best to do it in small batches to make sure of this.

10. smooth out the surface then cover with the extra salt.
11 cover with either a cloth or baking paper and put on a heavy weight to press down to accelerate the fermenting process, as well as prevent the air to spoil the miso.

12 you can start using the miso from 6 month if you would like. longer you leave the miso stronger the flavour is.

super food "seaweed"

Seaweed is something that lots of people overlook when they talk about vegetables. It is packed with concentrated minerals and also very versatile. It is quite handy to have in your pantry as it keeps for a long time.

So what is so powerful about the seaweed?
In general this is what has been found

The seaweed has virtually contain all the minerals found in the ocean, that is one hundred or so minerals and trace elements! They are in the most assimilable form because they are integrated into living plant tissue.
-They are high in calcium (can contain up to 10 times more calcium than milk), iodine (important for thyroid function) and iron (up to 25 times more iron than beef), as well as folic acid, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
Fluorine is another minerals found in seaweed. As it is in a natural form (not like chemical fluoride found in water supply) it is not harmful and found to boost the body's defence system and strengthens body and teeth.

The seaweed may help prevent cancer by inhibiting the growth of vessels that feed the tumour and by their ligaments, which can block the hormonal signalling of estrogent dependent cancers.

They help alkalising to the blood, neutralise the negative effects of the modern diet and detoxify and transform certain toxic elements into harmless salts, which are excreted through the intestine.

They are found to boost weight loss and deterring cellulite build up. used to lower cholesterol and reduce fat build up in the blood.

The properties of seaweeds are cooling and moisten dryness. In macrobiotic seaweed is considered yin but more yang compared to land vegetables. This is so because of the fact that the seaweeds are tougher and commonly sold seaweeds are dried, which make them more yang.

Types of seaweed.
for those of you who are not so familiar with seaweed here are different types seaweed available.

Arame - mild in taste. great in salad
Hijiki - concentrated in minerals. not available in australia
kombu - used to treat various diseases such as goiter, arthritis, high blood pressure, prostate and ovarian troubles etc etc. )The list goes on! use in stock
kelp - available in powder or capsule form
wakame - great in soups
agar agar - readily used like gelatine
nori - best known used for sushi
dulse - often found in flake form. one of red seaweed varieties
irish moss - used as carrageenan

brown rice sushi 

(maki-zushi and ura-maki) -nori

 use of irish moss

 arame seaweed salad

 use of agar agar

adjusting your diet for winter macrobiotic and raw

Yesterday was the first day of winter. I have to admit I am not too excited about the idea of being cold for the next couple of weeks. However winter is an important season for preparing for spring.
Macrobiotic and Chinese medicine teach that the organs we need to be careful in this season are kidneys and bladder. When they weaken you may have troubles controlling your body's water systems. You may experience water retention, poor circulation, muscle fatigue etc, as well as endocrine problems.
In the winter you may include more salty flavour. Make sure you are taking good quality salt such as miso, soy sauce or tamari, mineral rich salt (celtic, pink, Himalayan ) as well as seaweek. Winter root vegetables like carrots, burdock, lotus roots, taro are great as well.

Because I am eating quite high percentage of raw foods I have to be careful I am not having too much of cooling foods. The basic rule is to eat seasonally. I still see cucumbers and tomatoes around (they are even organic). I would try to use more produce that grow in winter.

winter fuits-
apple
blood orange
cumquat
custard apple
grapefruit
kiwifruit
lemon
lime
mandarin
nashi
navel orange
pear
persimmon
quince
rhubarb
tangelo

Winter vegetables
Asian greens
beetroot
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
carrot
cauliflower
celeriac
celery
fennel
horseradish
jerusalem artichoke
kale
leek
okra
olives
onion
parsnip
peas
potato
pumpkin
silverbeet
spinach
swede
sweet potato
turnip

Also include warming spices, such as cinnamon, cardamon, turmeric, ginger, cloves. Be careful not to overdo spicy spices such as chilli and cayenne. They do warm you with a small amount but when it is too much it will induce sweating and cool you down.

If you are cooking, you may decide to use a cooking style that provide you with more heat, such as slow cooking, stew, baking. Even if you are making raw dish such as soup and stir fry it may be warmed to 42 degrees. Don't eat food straight from the fridge or freezer!

I have been finding myself wanting to eat more FAT! coconut butter and other coconut product, cocoa butter, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds... you name it! Because I am small I know this is the way my body is trying to keep warm. So I welcome this craving at this time. But if you are trying not to gain weight be careful not to overdo with fat, even they are in a whole and healthy form of fat. It still adds calories.

craving. when just one bite doesn't work!

Everyone who knows me know I eat really well because I believe what I take into my body in regardless of what form (food, water, air and energy from people and environment etc) do have a big impact on my well being.
But I am also not perfect. I do slip sometimes. A couple of days ago was the perfect example. I was so busy during the day I didn't eat much. When I got home from picking my daughter up from school and made dinner I was so hungry! We had a good healthy dinner and then the dessert time... There was brownies in the fridge, left over chocolate cake and we made chocolate sauce to cover frozen strawberries and blueberries with. And we ate them all.... I don't buy any packaged desserts or sweets and all of these fantastic raw desserts were what I made. But It doesn't mean that we should consume them like this, especially before going to bed! The chocolate gave us the high and we were running and dancing around like crazy girls with Destiny Child (!) and even after we went to bed we were so wired up and couldn't go to sleep.
Next day I woke up so early and thought to myself. That was amazing... it reminded me how food can have such incredible effects on us.

So for breakfast, This is what I had.



bitter green juice with umeboshi extract
kale, daikon, ginger, lemon juice and 1 tsp umeboshi extract.


Highly palatable foods (low-nutrient, high-calorie, intensely sweet, salty, and/or fatty foods) are readily available, and it produces the biochemical effects in the brain that are characteristic of substance abuse. It works like the drug.
Many of us have experienced this. One taste of these foods and then feeling the intense demand from our brain, saying "MORE!" These feelings come from the dopamine reward system. Dopamine helps control our motivation and pleasure. It enables us to to see the reward and to take us toward them.
When people have low level of dopamine (due to many reasons, such as disorders, long term abuse, obesity etc.) they are less sensitive to the dopamine effect and tend to over consume for the emotional HIGH. There is a study that suggests overeating diminishes the reward from palatable food, driving further overeating and future weight gain.

Our addictive behaviors varies by genetic predisposition and emotional state. Nevertheless, highly palatable food has physiologically addictive properties that will make almost anyone experience a lack of control. “Just one bite” doesn’t work because that single bite activates the dopamine reward system, causing the brain to demand more.

I am not saying to cut down these foods from your diet all together. I feel that as long as you realise the effect that can have and know how to balance it out, a bit of slip from usually nutrient focused diet is not too much of a problem. Just enjoy and get back on the track of things.
If you do have a really big problem with addiction like behaviour, then I feel that you should stay away from it all together.

Also it is important to look at the reasons behind these behaviours. Is it emotional or physical? Are you getting everything your body and mind needs from inner health as well as foods you are taking.
When you have a food craving ask yourself this. Is my body asking for something it needs, or is it remembering something it's addicted to?

As a guideline only I have listed possible cause in food cravings for certain foods.

CRAVING FOR SWEETS craving a simple sugar foods such as cookies, icecream and other quick blood raiser can mean two things.
You may be experiencing withdrawal from processed sugar and craving for the sugar high. Or your body may be needing more glucose in your body. Try fresh fruits and vegetables and if you are having legumes in your diet it will give you the starch that the body needs and also the fibre to stabilise your blood sugar.
CRAVING FOR SALTY FOODS Even though our sodium requirements is pretty low it is possible that you may be low in sodium. If you eat lots of potassium rich foods, sweat more the needs for sodium increases. Stay away from table salt but have celery, seaweed, raw cultured vegetables. It can also be an addiction to salt.
CRAVING FOR RICH FOODS calorie dense foods such as cheese, butter, nut butter, fast food and heavy dessert can be due to simply more calorie needed. If you are on vegan or raw diet especially the diet can be quite bulky and low in calories. Include higher calorie foods that are also healthy, such as avocado, banana, root vegetables, coconut, olives and nuts and seeds.
CRAVING FOR CHEESE AND GLUTEN PRODUCTS Both dairy and gluten-containing grains contain opioid peptides—amino acid sequences that affect the brain in the same way opiates do, targeting your endorphin receptors to give you fell good hormones. The problem with this is it is very addictive and also bring many problems nutritionally to many people.

grains good or bad for you?

So I have been hearing a lot about people avoiding grains in their diet. Coming from macrobiotic background, which emphasises a lot on the benefit of whole grains, especially brown rice, I found it very interesting.

They say...
- grains are not good for your digestive system
carbohydrates in grains can feed bad bacteria in your gut. We all need good bacteria in our gut as they keep the immune system strong and help prevent disease causing bacteria which if build up, leads to a large number of autoimmune diseases. Too much bad bacteria can lead to a lot of problems; including candidiasis.

-many are gluten-intolerant
Current reserch estimated that about 1 percent of the population suffer from celiac disease. Also some researchers said 30-40% of people can be gluten intolerant, higher if you are from european descent.

-grains can cause inflammation
Because grains have a high starch content they are inflammatory foods, especially if they are refined. Due to the inflammatory nature of the grains, they are linked to joint pains and arthritis. Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints. Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two. So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint – leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and more inflammation.

-grains are new on the scene
Before the agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering of goods and our body haven't adopted the fairly new products well enough to digest it properly

-phytic acid content
Grains contain phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevent proper absorption of essential minerals and vitamins, such as iron, calcium. magnesium, copper and especially zinc.


-Anti-nutrients
Other antinutrients in whole grains include enzyme inhibitors which can inhibit digestion and put stress on the pancreas; irritating tannins; complex sugars which the body cannot break down; and gluten and related hard-to-digest proteins which may cause allergies, digestive disorders and even mental illness

Many diets suggests eliminating or reducing the amount of grains.
such as raw vegan diet, no grain diet by Dr. Joseph Mercola, paleo diet etc.

And there are other experts who say that including grains in your diet is essential.

They say whole grains are...
Low in saturated fat but is a source of polyunsatured fats, including omega-3 linolenic acid.
Cholesterol free.
High in both soluble and insoluble fibre and resistant starch.
An excellent source of carbohydrates.
A significant source of protein.
A good source of B complex vitamins, including folate.
A good source of many minerals, such as iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and zinc.
A good source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help lower blood cholesterol levels.
they've been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and other health problems.

It is very confusing.

I decided to consciously cut down the amount of grains to see how I would feel. I found myself craving for sweets. It is understandable as grain supply carbohydrate and my body was creaming for quick energy from sweet foods. I did feel lighter after a meal but needed to be refuelled more often.

No surprises here. I knew the answer all along. That is BIOCHEMICAL INDIVIDUALITY. everyone is different. what the body is like, what they want from their lives and what they want to get out of from the specific diet they choose. Foods are amazing things. It can heal or create diseases but also if you are not suffering from major illnesses you can choose how far you want to take it.

So I have added grain back to my diet, though way less than what macrobiotic suggests (which is 40-60 percent). My emphasis is on vegetables, especially green vegetables. When I consume grains this is what I like to do for better absorption and improving the nutrient value
-always soak over night
-sprout and/or ferment if possible
-consume different variety
-consume grains with gluten less. if I do, make sure to sprout
-chew well to induce the production of ptyalin, which turns carbohydrate to maltose. The enzyme, maltase can break down maltose in the digestive system.
-include more less inflammatory grains more, such as millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat. (note most of them are not really grain to start with)

I believe everyone needs to experiment and find their own balance.

macrobiotic cooking class by Deco Nakajima

I do try to expose myself to other people's cooking and teachings as much as possible to learn things from them and the experiences (good and bad!). Because I have been quite busy lately I hadn't had a chance to do so for a while.
When I heard that Deco Nakajima was coming to do a macrobiotic cooking class all the way from Japan I knew I had to take this opportunity.
For those of you who don't know her, She has a place called Brown's Field, macrobiotic farm just out of Tokyo. It is a centre of sustainable living where people from around the world come to experience macrobiotic and organic living.

I did meet her once when I was at a macrobiotic conference in japan a couple of years ago but didn't get to talk much.
On Sunday I feel like I got to know her a bit more as I stayed after the class to help her and her team clean up. I also run cooking class and I know how good it is to have an extra hand cleaning up afterwards!

Dishes include
soba sushi (with tempeh and avocado)
carrot and green beans with walnut miso dressing
millet ball
marinated mehijiki and lentils
brown rice balls and more

Deco's demonstration was so smoothly done, especially considering she needed to be translated. Her passion for nourished food and organic, sustainable living was such a great thing to feel....

thanks for the pleasant afternoon.

tokoroten (ところてん)

this is what it looks like before

Tokoroten is often appears in Japanese cuisine, made from agar from seaweeds. Most commonly used is tengusa (Gelidiaceae) and that is what I used today. You can probably substitute it with agar agar for a similar effect but the texture is quite different. Traditionally tokoroten is pressed against a devise and shaped into noodles. the flavours suchas vinegar, soy, hot pepper sesame or sweet flavourings can be added when served.
I don't have the proper devise but cutting it is fine enough. served with ume vinegar and thinly sliced lemon peel it is light and refreshing.

great for hot summer days!

my favourite grain at the moment - organic wild rice

Quinoa has been my favourite for a long time and still is. But lately I have been using wild rice quite a lot. (though not that lot as it is quite expensive) I love its nutty flavour and chewiness. It also can be used in raw dishes after sprouting them.
Here is some information on this great grain.

It is not a true rice but related to corn more closely. sometimes refereed as "water grass". It was once gathered in canoes by Native Americans.

Healing properties of wild rice - cooling. beneficial to the kidneys and bladder. diuretic
nutritional facts - like many other grains it is high in complex carbohydrate and fibre and low in fat. Excellent source of vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium. Excellence source of vitamin B and provide good amount of folate as well.
You will find both lysine and methionine in wild rice. (many grains are low in lysine.) It also contains beneficial amount of linolenic acid which is good for your heart.

How to prepare
Just like any other grains you can steam, boil or bake wild rice.
cook until tender and kernels pop open.
steam 3 cups water : 1cup wild rice
boil 5 cups water : 1 cup wild rice - drain after 40 minutes or cooked
bake 2 cups water : 1 cup wild rice

My favourite method is
1. soak wild rice over night
2. sprout (kernels pop open)
3. either steam for a couple of minutes gently or just throw them in salads!

This is what I just had.
Rustic wild rice sushi (raw)
1 sheet of Nori
enough sprouted wild rice
avocado slices
miso
rocket
grated beetroot
lemon juice




you can go creative here. Instead of wild rice you can use brown rice, quinoa, grated vegetables such as cauliflower, turnip etc.
Fillings can be endless..

amazake recipe

When I did a demonstration at World vegan day in Melbourne I took a few food samples to show how cooking can change the energy of the food.
One example was brown rice.
you can have savoury cooked brown rice and also fermented sweet drink/sweetener amazake which is also made from brown rice.
which one do you think is more yin?
remember yen food tends to be colder, sweeter and has more expanding and relaxing energy.

Even though they are both made from the same ingredient, brown rice, amazake is more yin because it has been fermented, sweet and more liquid.

cooking method changes it as well. pressure cooking, cooking in a pot, in a rice cooker, in the oven... They all create different end product.

Anyway, Here is Amazake recipe that was requested on the day.

Make brown rice porridge
-brown rice soaked over night 1 cup
-water 5 cups

rinse and drain the brown rice
cook with water for about 50 minutes.
turn the heat off and rest for 15 minutes.

alternatively you can cook left over brown rice with extra water till it becomes porridge texture

Amazake
-brown rice porridge 2 cups
-koji 2 cups
-salt (optional)

Mix in Koji with brown rice porridge
leave in a warm place for about 6 hours (depending on the temperature and humidity)
When it is done boil the amazake to stop the fermentation (optional)
when it is cool put in a blender and blend till smooth

If you use amazake as a drink add enough hot water. It can be served hot or cold. specially good with grated ginger

emotional detox after changing diet (raw or eliminating certain foods you used to be addicted to)

I always talked about how changing ones diet has a huge effect on their well beings physically and emotionally. When you improve your diet and start eating healthy it may take a while but your body will start responding positively. For some people the transition process is easy but some it is harder as they experience detoxification.
there are lots of information out there when you go through physical detoxification.
All the toxins that you may have accumulated over the years may come out in different ways such as acne, digestive problems, headaches, other bodily aches and pains, bad breath and body odour etc.
Emotional detoxification can occur as well and the same sort of reasons can be applied. Depression like symptoms, extreme emotions, frustrations, anger may come out. And also because you have eliminated foods that were harder for your body to digest and process you may experience the detoxification faster. That is why in many detox programmes they recommend either single ingredient (in macrobiotic its brown rice only) or liquid (juice or water fasting).
Another thing that can contribute to the emotional up and down is society pressure to eat "mainstream". It doesn't matter if you decide to become vegan, macrobiotic, raw or just eat healthy there are people who may comment on your decision negatively. It may isolate you from some occasions and social events.


There are a few things that I would recommend to do when you are going through the tough times

1, know that you will be OKAY in the end of this tunnel and it is beneficial to your health. Maybe it is a good opportunity to really go low and think about why you are going thorough this detox and the negative feelings are coming out. Remember these emotions are something that you have accumulated in the past and didn't get to process. Possibly it is the time to sort it out.

2. slow down the detox process
If you are not prepared to do a drastic change, especially the previous diet was very different from what you are trying to do now, you can transit more slowly. If you have decide to go 100 % raw you may start with 80% then 90% then 100% when you are ready.
Also you can add more food that take more time to be digested. you will lose some energy in that way but it can slow down the detox effects as well.
exercise is good as the body needs to repair and build after the exercise so detoxification process will slow down and endorphins which can help a person to feel more peaceful and happy, are released.

3 take some herbs.
There are many safe herbs you can take such as st Johns wort, valerian, camomile etc.

4 Make sure your nutrition is adequate. Many vitamins and minerals are associated with depression like symptoms. Vitamin D, B, essential fatty acid, DHA, folic acid

5 simplify your surroundings. If you are surrounded by things and people who don't support you and your decision are they really worthy of your time and energy?

6 don't beat yourself up. One mistake does not kill you. In an ideal world it has to be easy to live naturally and healthfully. But you are not in the ideal world... We are doing the best we can and that is the most important thing. One fall then you can get up again, right?

Good luck

group cooking class- winter

Thanks for the wonderful people who came to my group cooking lesson yesterday. Cooking and eating are such basic human activities and doing this together make people come together. We all shared their stories, beliefs and struggles and enjoyed everyones positive energy. Another way to motivate healthier, kinder living.

The menu was...
Piping hot brown rice and amaranth gratin topped with tofu cream
Apple and raisin chutney
Comforting winter chickpea miso soup with kudzu
Raw green and red salad with ginger and ume vinegar dressing
And
Almond and amazake tart with goji, blue berries and crunchy raw cocoa nibs

I will be running another spring session in September. Also a dessert class of course with no dairy, eggs, refined flour or sugar.

I am also thinking about hosting a lunch, to bring people together.
Let me know if you are interested.

yin and yang

In macrobiotic we talk about yin and yang principle a lot.
Yin is an expanding energy and yang is more concentrated, contracting energy. like everything else some foods are more yin than others or vice versa. nothing can be purely yin or yang but can be seen as containing more or less of each quality, compare to other foods.
For example meat is considered to be very yang and refined sugar is considered to be very yin. The goal is to find ourselves balanced physically, mentally and emotionally between these two states as having too much of either yin or yang energy can throw our physiology and mentality out of balance.

The effects of each food will be different for different people as well. A person who is normally more yang might have a piece of cake and might not feel the imbalance after, while someone with more yin quality may.
You may decide to eat accordingly in order to achieve a specific emotional state. If you feel that you are feeling more stressed, and aggressive you may decided to include something more yin in your next meal. (I am not suggesting here to eat white sugar loaded ice cream here! because it is so extreme that throws you right out of balance, bring the feeling of inactiveness, depressed and spaced-out feeling) It might be more leafy vegetables, fruits or desserts that are made of quality sweeteners, such as rice syrup, amazake or maple syrup


this principle can be quite complicated more mysterious as you go deeper into the philosophy but they are very interesting.
How yin attracts yang and yang attracts yin (yin oxygen attracts yang hydrogen making water, Yang boys and yin girls)
On the other hand we may make choices that violate the actual force. (yin repels yin and yang repels yang). Like trying to put minus and minus together on magnets. too much alcohol (extreme yin), staying with a job that crush you day after day. We deny ourselves our attractions because we will be enslaved by the temptation. That will cause some unhappiness in your life.

It is important to stop to see how you are feeling and your body is feeling. When it's time to let go of something let it go. let the universe or natural force (or whatever you'd like to call it) do their thing you will feel happier and more balanced.

(I know I'm not perfect. it is hard sometimes....)

sustainable fish

I have always said macrobiotic is not really a diet but it is a lifestyle. there are people who do eat red meat occassionally and still say they practice macrobiotic. That is because they know how to balance some extreme products, following seasons and are able to listen to their body.
I want to talk today about including fish in the diet. I do have to admit Seafood has some great nutritional values. Many macrobiotic population has fish, mainly mild white fish. ( balancing out with more ying food such as potatoes, tomatoes and dessert etc.)

There is a concern about its sustainability and also a murcury in the seafood.
sustainability...
sea cage aquaculture---
fish escapes from the cases
dissolved and solid fish waste from sea cages pollute waterways
potential to transfer disease from caged fish to wild
sea cage fish are fed a diet that uses wild fish to make fishmeal
potential death or entanglement of seabird, dolphins, seals that are attracted to the sea cages
habital loss


over fishing ---
Say no to these fish Replace with
Blue Warehou (aka snotty trevally),Replace with King George or Sand whiting
Swordfish Replace with Skipjack tuna
Commercial Scallop Replace with no suggested replacement
Eastern Gemfish (aka hake)Replace with bream
Orange Roughy (aka deep sea perch) Replace with King George or Sand whiting
Oreo (aka deep sea dory) Replace with King George or Sand whiting
Sharks and Rays (aka flake or white fillet) Replace with flathead
Silver Trevally (aka white trevally) Replace with King George or Sand whiting
Southern Blue-fin Tuna Replace with Skipjack tuna
Atlantic Salmon from aquaculture Replace with wild Australian salmon
Barramundi from aquaculture Replace with wild Barramundi
Mulloway (aka jewfish) from aquaculture Replace with wild Mulloway
Snapper (aka red bream) from aquaculture Replace with bream
Yellow-tail Kingfish (aka kingfish) from aquaculture Replace with wild kingfish

seafood and health....
human-made toxins
natural toxins
poor handling

If you do have fish on occasion, only choose the lowest mercury types such as shrimp, tilapia, haddock, scallops, squid, trout, hake and ocean perch. Never eat the high mercury content fish- swordfish, shark, tuna, snapper, lobster, grouper and sea bass. It is probably safest to avoid fish completely – healthy levels of omega-3 fats can be maintained by regularly consuming flaxseeds and walnuts and taking a clean, low-dose DHA supplement or a clean fish oil supplement.
select small fish in the lower food chain

Australian Marine Conservation society has released Australia's sustainable seafood guide. check out their website www.amcs.org.au

organic

I was talking to someone last night about organic produce.
I am a huge fan of organic. I do believe strongly that they are healthier for your body and that is why lots of people started choosing organic produce. There are other reasons. you are supporting generally small farmers and produces, using less chemicals means less damage to our environment and it tastes better!

But there are some occasions you do not have the choice. There is a product that you can use to wash the veges and fruits but does it work? I suppose so. But vinegar and baking soda works as well. (and cheaper!)

You may check out the list below to see whats are the most contaminated and the least.


THE MOST CONTAMINATED FRUITS & VEGETABLES:
1.PEACHES: Over 94% tested positive for traces of 45 different pesticides.
2.CELERY 94% tested positive for 29 different pesticides.
3.APPLES: 92% tested positive for 36 pesticides.
4..SWEET BELL PEPPERS: 68% tested positive for 39 different pesticides.
5.CHERRIES: 91% tested positive for 25 different pesticides.
6.IMPORTED GRAPES: 86% tested positive for 35 different pesticides.
7.NECTARINES: 97% tested positive for 26 different pesticides.
8.PEARS : 94% tested positive for 35 different pesticides.
9.POTATOES: 79% tested positive for 29 different pesticides.
10.RASPBERRIES: 59% tested positive for 39 different pesticides.
11.SPINACH: 83% tested positive for 36 different pesticides.
12.STRAWBERRIES: 90% tested positive for 36 different pesticides.
THE LEAST CONTAMINATED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:
1.ASPARAGUS
2.AVOCADOS
3.BANANAS
4.BROCOLLI
5.CAULIFLOWER
6.SWEET CORN
7.KIWI
8.MANGOES
9.ONIONS
10.PAPAYAS
11.PINEAPPLES
12.SWEET PEAS

raw versus cooked

I think I have written about raw food before. (see under raw vegan food (nutrition)) Maybe because it is summer (autumn now I suppose) I have noticed I have been eating things raw more. As my interested grew and more research I did I started finding more reasons to include raw food in my diet.
However traditional macrobiotic diet did not include much uncooked food, except fermented products such as pickles. Ayurveda way of eating also discouraged too much raw food. it is believed that raw food can weaken one's centre, making digestion and assimilation weak, bring on anger and also has a danger of parasites and microbes.
So which is true?
MODERATION!
You don't have to be a completely raw all the time or cooking things all time, right?

Even my macrobiotic baked sweets are healthier than lots of others, still using processed flour( even wholemeal flour are processed) and oxidation of oil are a bit of concern. so maybe raw dessert using no dairy, refined sugar and fat I think are better option? a raw chocolate truffle for anyone?

ume extract

I think I have talked about acid and alkaline ration in the past. I am careful with what I eat but sometimes, I feel the body is out of balance. That could be a stress, pollution, or just plain run down from the hectic everyday living.
This is a product that is my rescue remedy for almost everything! Ume (japanese plum) is known for its alkalising effect. This extract is a concentrated extract made from hand picked plums grown in the Southern part of Kishu (Wakayama Prefecture), grated by an enamel grater, filtering the juice through a cotton cloth and obtaining the extract after carefully condensing it in an earthernware pot. This is 1kg of plums condensed into 20g, a sort of clump of plums,"mumefural" also containing citric acid, and beginning with calcium, also contains minerals such as iron, potassium and magnesium. it is extremely sour. You can dilute it with water and sweetner if you like or you can use for a dressing, sauces etc. I usually scoop a tiny bit out and just lick it off the spoon....

relationship between the diet and mind

I was talking to someone who has just started eating more in a macrobiotic way. She included brown rice in her diet and eating more wholesome foods. It was great to hear that she was feeling so much better not just physically but emotionally.
That is what the diet does to your mind.
Lots of people don't realise the connection. If you have lots of things in your food that burdens your organs it will affect your emotional health as well as your body.
For example If you consume overly refined sugar your pancreas, (where insulin is produced) kidney, (where the nutrients are triaged and glucose is stored) and adrenal glands are affected. the person is not getting any nutrients from the over processed food to compensate the extra work that the body has to do. The body may have to use more vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, E and C from the body (if any left!) to deal with it. The deficiency in these vitamins can often result in anxiety and emotional problems.

seminar with David Briscoe

I went to a seminar with David Briscoe on Tuesday night. He is an experienced macrobiotic and wholefood
educators and counsellor from USA.

He talked about the way to re-balance your health through acid and alkaline balance.

Acid producing food (highly concentrated protein, fat foods and refined carbohydrates, especially sugar) can affect your health quite negatively. lots of common western diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, arthritis, diabetes, obesiity, allergies, immune disorders, osteoporosiis are said to be related to consuming the food that contributes the acidity in your internal fluid.

so what is an alkaline forming food?
vegetables!
so it is another reason to include more of it in your diet.
Another useful food to remember also is Umeboshi. This tart tasting pickled fruit is a superfood from Japan. you can also get a concentrated ume extract as well.
I use it to make a dressing, spread and it is great with any grains. When I make a rice ball to take with me I often put umeboshi with the rice because of its anti bacterial properties.

first day of winter

1st of June today. already the first day of winter.
Even though I do complain about how cold or hot it is I like having 4 seasons. It makes you appreciate and look forward to more comfortable seasons.
And also you will always find positive things about any climate.
In winter I like the warm snuggly bed. I seem to sleep deeper and more soundly in winter. I love warm soups and stews with ginger. more creamy , well seasoned comfort food can be tolerated in this sort of climate. seeing the shiny frost in a morning sun. pressure cooked brown rice. clear crispy air. lots of reading and quiet times at home.
what do you like about this weather?


In winter....
it is time to rest, meditate and restore your energy
Food should be...
cooked longer.
promote centering and sinking quality by adding bitter and salty foods to your dishes.
warming grains like quinoa, amaranth and oats