Expanded Macrobiotic Thinking

By Sheldon and Ginat Rice

This paper has two main purposes: to broaden our understanding of the factors contributing to good health, and to expand macrobiotic thinking to incorporate additional complementary health modalities.

Diane Howarth and Michael Varbaek, longevity researchers and world class athletes, were featured presenters on the 2012 "Taste of Health" Caribbean cruise. These documentary film makers examined seven world communities where longevity is disproportionately high: Loma Linda, California; the Hunzas in Pakistan; Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica; and the Barbagia coastal mountains in Sardinia, among others. They concluded that wellbeing incorporates both diet and lifestyle, rendering the best dietary practice without a complementary lifestyle insufficient for good health.

Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, also researched four of these same communities. Like Howarth and Varbaek, Buettner identified common denominators of long life in the communities he studied. These components to longevity and good health are:

Diet
Movement
Community
Connection
Attitude

The first component of health is the common sensical factor of diet. Particularly impressive were the variations of food choices found among the various communities studied. Sardinians, for example, eat meat, goat milk and bread, and drink wine daily. Okinawans eat port, raw fish and pickled cabbage, while Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California, believe that nuts add significantly to their good health and longevity.

Perhaps the method of dietary practice doesn't matter as long as the belief and confidence in one's chosen cuisine is strong and assured. No single menu can be "best" for everyone. The Taste of Health kitchen boasted macrobiotic, vegan, gluten free and oil free menus for its 1250 passengers. Its bookstore was stacked with myriad volumes advocating each of these disciplines and others. Conversations with many of our fellow passengers on the cruise revealed a firm and clear belief that their particular diet choice was the perfect one for them, whether or not they had tried any other regimen. Adherents of each modality reported feeling consistently better as they progressed. There is no better proof of a suitable lifestyle than feeling good, looking good, and enjoying consistent, vibrant energy.

Since the term macrobiotics means "great life," it makes sense to acknowledge and incorporate these and other dietary programs under the umbrella of a macrobiotic lifestyle. Each of us knows intuitively whether we are heading toward wellness or disease. All dietary choices that support one physically, emotionally, spiritually and intuitively should be considered macrobiotic. For example, whereas a plant based diet benefits most people, individual needs, including animal food, sometimes improves one's health condition.

Movement is Howarth, Varbaek and Buettner's second factor for longevity, something certainly supported in macrobiotic teachings although often less emphasized than food choices. The researchers emphasize briskly walking for at least a half hour a day in addition to the natural movement of an active lifestyle.

Community, or the social structure in which one lives, is the next aspect of lifestyle in support of health. Community involvement is an opportunity to care for others and receive their support. As a leading macrobiotic teacher and counselor in Israel, Ginat feared condemnation but instead relished the support of a loyal macrobiotic community when she became ill, as she recounts:

Ginat: I healed breast cancer through spiritual means in 1999 when it rocked my world after twenty years of macrobiotic practice. Surgery halted the rapid progression of the illness, but when it seemed that the chemotherapy was more harmful than helpful, I stopped my treatments in the middle of the protocol and chose to forego all further medical care. In its place, I turned to study Louise Hay's "Power of the Mind" and Abraham-Hicks "Law of Attraction" teachings, among others. Releasing old, toxic thought patterns, I amended my diet and lifestyle to a more relaxed and allowing acceptance of myself and others.
I feared censure by my macrobiotic students and friends for manifesting the very illness that I had treated in so many clients. Instead I was embraced by loving supporters who tended to me, cooked for me, sang to me and made me laugh. This strong sense of community boosted my morale and helped me triumph over the difficulties I faced. I healed completely and have had no recurrence of cancer in the twelve years since.

Connection is the fourth longevity-related trait. Documents and testimonies from the holocaust indicate that within the impossible reality into which Jews were thrust, mutual help and a commitment to the other were commonplace. The individual had little chance of survival without the sense of togetherness, and this unity is what carried people and helped them endure another day.

A second poignant example of the importance of connection is the story of a small group of Soviet prisoners in a Siberian gulag. These daring souls escaped their labor camp and trekked through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and over the Himalayas to British India in 1941, Their triumph was chronicled in a book entitled The Long Walk, by Slavomir Rawicz.

A second poignant example of the importance of connection is the story of a small group of Soviet prisoners in a Siberian gulag. These daring souls escaped their labor camp and trekked through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and over the Himalayas to British India in 1941. Their triumph was chronicled in a book entitled The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz. Survival was possible only by virtue of the deep attachment and shared camaraderie amongst them.

It is clear that a positive attitude, the fifth benchmark, contributes mightily to good health. Developing faith that the universe (God) unconditionally adores and supports us allows a consistent perspective of appreciation. Training oneself to seek positive aspects includes looking for ways to feel better on a daily basis. This is much more effective than hoping to eliminate an unwanted health condition sometime in the future. If someone suffers pain so intense that there is no possibility of feeling good in the present moment, they can withdraw into sleep, meditation or some activity to take their mind off the distress. Then whenever possible, they may seek some aspect in which they feel better or have hope for potential well-being. Healing a particular health condition may or may not come about in time, and is a specific rather than an encompassing aspiration. The longer term intention of wellbeing is always available now.

A wonderful example of the influence of a positive attitude on health is the life story of Alice Herz-Sommer.

A 108 year old holocaust survivor and author at age 104 of A Garden of Evil in Hell. Her outlook can be summed up as, "I know about the bad but I look at the good." An accomplished pianist, Alice survived the Terezin concentration camp together with her son by playing for the Nazis in over 100 forced performances. She still practices the piano several hours each day.

Some people have been known to heal through the power of their minds alone without altering eating habits. Those who seemingly heal through dietary means alone are actually making mental or emotional changes even if they are not consciously aware of it. Sheldon's experience of healing exemplifies each of the five factors of spiritual health: diet, movement, community, connectedness, and attitude:

Sheldon: In the late 1980's when a CT scan showed a malignant growth between my bladder and spine, I was convinced that precise food practices would heal my cancerous tumor. Dietary discipline was relatively easy for me; I simply followed proffered guidelines of what foods to teat, what to avoid, and how to chew.
I focused on wellbeing instead of illness with a clear and overwhelming knowing that I would heal. In the process I felt better and better. Each morning I got up, cooked, exercised and went to work, putting one foot in front of the other to do what needed to be done. From my present understanding of Law of Attraction I realize that when we focus on a desire passionately and without contradiction, we manifest it.
I did not share my medical diagnosis with my family, coworkers, friends or community. I feared that the stress of their well meaning pity would reduce my will to persist on such an unconventional path to recovery. As I was dropping old, unhealthy relationships I found myself developing a sense of community with new, like minded friends who were seeking a positive lifestyle through self reflection and an affirming attitude.
In time I began to release the anger and blame surrounding my unhappy marriage. I let go of all the material assets I held jointly with my ex-wife and avoided a stressful breakup when we parted. These patterns of thought paved the way for my eventual recovery.

Health in all it aspects, requires a common approach to life. For some, this is a natural attribute. For others, acquiring this skill may be the most important achievement for lifetime of wellbeing. Feeling better is always our own journey, and always within reach. As evidenced on the Taste of Health cruise belief is a large part of success. This is expanded macrobiotic thinking.

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