"As long as we continue to take in
excessive nutrients, chemicals, and other factors that serve no purpose in the
body, they must continue to accumulate somewhere in order to continue our
normal living functions. If we don't allow them to accumulate in limited areas
and form tumors, they will spread throughout the body, resulting in a total
collapse of our vital functions and death by toxemia. Cancer is only the
terminal stage of a long process. Cancer is the body's healthy attempt to
isolate toxins ingested and accumulated through years of eating the modern
unnatural diet and living in an artificial environment."
-
Michio Kushi, The Cancer Prevention Diet
Macrobiotic Diet and
Research
There were not many clinical studies to assess the potential
of the Macrobiotic diet for alternative cancer treatment, but for the researches,
which were completed, the results were more than encouraging. One of the studies on Macrobiotic diet and
nutritionally linked cancers (including pancreatic cancer), published in
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, has exposed very interesting
results: "The retrospective study of pancreatic patients disclosed that
1-year survival was higher among those who modified their diet than in those
for whom there was no evidence as to diet alteration".
Mean survival for the 23 patients was 17 months, vs. 6
months for the control group. Median survival was 13 vs. 3 months for the
controls. The actual case histories of the patients using the macrobiotic diet
were fascinating. In one instance, the patient had survived 7 years when
hospitalized for fever and abdominal pain. The patient died during surgery, and
upon autopsy they found that the cancer was still on the head of the pancreas,
but it had not increased in size over the years. Case 2 offered a similar type
of result. There the patient showed no progression of the cancer for the 5
years of using the diet. However upon resumption of his standard diet the cancer
seemed to spread and he died 2 years late. Patient 3 practiced the macrobiotic
diet as well as chemo and monoclonal therapies. After 9 years he was in
excellent health and no mass could be defined in the pancreas. Finally in case
no. 4, the patient had basically no conventional therapy but went on the
macrobiotic diet. After 5 years he remained in good health, while a CT scan
after 3 years showed that the tumor was still present.
Other scientific
studies have shown increased survival rates in both pancreatic and metastatic
cancer in those following a macrobiotic diet as well. One study of note, cited
in "Unconventional Cancer Treatments" in 1990 by the U.S. Congress
Office of Technology Assessment, followed six patients with advanced
malignancies. Vivian Newbold, a Philadelphia physician, documented all six
cases of remission. CT scans and other medical tests revealed no presence of
tumors after careful adherence to a macrobiotic diet.
The macrobiotic approach is based on the view that we are
the result of and are continually influenced by our total environment, which
ranges from the foods we eat and our daily social interactions to the climate
and geography in which we live.
In considering all factors that influence our lives, the
macrobiotic approach to health and healing views sickness as the natural
attempt of the body to return to a more harmonious and dynamic state with the
natural environment. As what we choose to eat and drink and how we live our
lives are primary environmental factors that influence our health and create
who we are, the macrobiotic approach emphasizes the importance of proper
dietary and lifestyle habits.
The macrobiotic approach is based on principles, theories and
practices that have been known to philosophers, scholars, and physicians
throughout history. The term "macrobiotics" comes from Greek
("macro" meaning "large" or "long", and
"bios" meaning "life") and was first coined by Hippocrates,
the father of western medicine. Its most recent development stems from Michio
Kushi who was inspired by philosopher-writer George Ohsawa. George Ohsawa
published numerous works in Japanese, English and French, which combined the
western traditions of macrobiotics with 5,000 years of traditional oriental
medicine.
By using macrobiotic principles to address and adjust environmental, dietary and lifestyle influences, thousands of individuals have been able to prolong their lives by recovering from a wide range of illnesses including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many others (view some of these recovery testimonials on our library pages). The macrobiotic approach to health recovery can be used along with conventional and alternative medical treatment and intervention and is compatible with and adaptable to all forms of religious and traditional cultural practices.
Some traditional and basic macrobiotic practices include eating more whole grains, beans and fresh vegetables, increasing variety in food selections and traditional cooking methods, eating regularly and less in quantity, chewing more and maintaining an active and positive life and mental outlook.
General dietary and lifestyle guidelines for persons living in a temperate, four seasons climate have been established by Michio Kushi. These guidelines outline basic dietary proportions along with healthier lifestyle habits and are not intended to define a specific regimen that one must follow, as additional adjustments are required for individual application which will vary according to personal situations. If you are seeking specific advice we recommend that you visit the Kushi Institute and meet with a Macrobiotic Counselor. The Kushi Institute's week-long training program "The Way to Health" is also recommended, as it gives you the skills and knowledge to put your counselor's advice into practice correctly.
Following are Michio Kushi's standard macrobiotic dietary
and lifestyle suggestions.
Macrobiotic Diet
The standard
macrobiotic diet provides a framework that is modified depending on one’s age,
sex, level of activity, personal needs and environment. It incorporates a
respect for traditional food and for climatic and seasonal influences on food
availability and personal and societal activity. It is also based in large part
on the application of Eastern philosophical principles of yin and yang and related
expressions of energetics such as the theory of five transformations. Thus, the
macrobiotic diet is tailored to meet the needs of an individual rather than
reflect a rigid set of structures.
Standard food
categories and general daily proportions for persons living in a temperate
climate include:
1.
Whole Cereal Grains
• 40 - 60% by weight
• Organically grown, whole grain is recommended, which can be cooked in a variety of cooking methods.
• Grains include: Brown rice, barley, millet, oats, corn, rye, wheat, and buckwheat. While whole grains are recommended, a small portion of the recommended percentage of grains may consist of noodles or pasta, un-yeasted whole grain breads, and other partially processed whole cereal grains.
• Organically grown, whole grain is recommended, which can be cooked in a variety of cooking methods.
• Grains include: Brown rice, barley, millet, oats, corn, rye, wheat, and buckwheat. While whole grains are recommended, a small portion of the recommended percentage of grains may consist of noodles or pasta, un-yeasted whole grain breads, and other partially processed whole cereal grains.
2.
Vegetables
• Approximately 20 - 30% by weight
• Local and organically grown vegetables are recommended, with the majority being cooked in various styles such as lightly steamed or boiled, sautéed with a small amount of unrefined, cold pressed oil, etc. A small portion may be used as fresh salad and a very small volume as pickles.
• Vegetables for daily use include: green cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, pumpkin, watercress, parsley, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, dandelion, mustard greens, daikon greens, scallion, onions, daikon radish, turnips, burdock, carrots, winter squash such as butternut, buttercup, and acorn squash.
• For occasional use in season (2 to 3 times a week); cucumber, celery, lettuce, herbs such as dill and chives. Vegetables not recommended for regular use include: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, spinach, beets, and zucchini.
• Local and organically grown vegetables are recommended, with the majority being cooked in various styles such as lightly steamed or boiled, sautéed with a small amount of unrefined, cold pressed oil, etc. A small portion may be used as fresh salad and a very small volume as pickles.
• Vegetables for daily use include: green cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, pumpkin, watercress, parsley, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, dandelion, mustard greens, daikon greens, scallion, onions, daikon radish, turnips, burdock, carrots, winter squash such as butternut, buttercup, and acorn squash.
• For occasional use in season (2 to 3 times a week); cucumber, celery, lettuce, herbs such as dill and chives. Vegetables not recommended for regular use include: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, spinach, beets, and zucchini.
3.
Beans & Sea Vegetables
• Approximately 5 - 10 % by weight
• The most suitable beans for regular use are azuki beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Other beans may be used on occasion. Bean products such as tofu, tempeh, and natto can also be used. Sea vegetables such as nori, wakame, kombu, hiziki, arame, dulse, and agar-agar are an important part of the macrobiotic diet as they provide important vitamins and minerals.
• The most suitable beans for regular use are azuki beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Other beans may be used on occasion. Bean products such as tofu, tempeh, and natto can also be used. Sea vegetables such as nori, wakame, kombu, hiziki, arame, dulse, and agar-agar are an important part of the macrobiotic diet as they provide important vitamins and minerals.
4.
Soups
• Soups may be made with vegetables, sea vegetables, grains,
or beans. Seasonings include miso, tamari soy sauce, and sea salt.
5.
Beverages
• Recommended beverages include:
• Roasted bancha twig tea, stem tea, roasted brown rice tea, roasted barley tea, dandelion root tea, and cereal grain coffee. Any traditional tea that does not have an aromatic fragrance or a stimulating effect can also be used.
• When drinking water, spring or good quality well water is recommended, without ice.
• Roasted bancha twig tea, stem tea, roasted brown rice tea, roasted barley tea, dandelion root tea, and cereal grain coffee. Any traditional tea that does not have an aromatic fragrance or a stimulating effect can also be used.
• When drinking water, spring or good quality well water is recommended, without ice.
6.
Occasional Foods
• Recommended fish include fresh white-meat fish such as
flounder, sole, cod, carp, halibut or trout.
• Fruit or fruit desserts, made from fresh or dried fruit, may be served two or three times a week. Local and organically grown fruits are preferred. If you live in a temperate climate, avoid tropical and semitropical fruit and instead, eat temperate climate fruits such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, berries and melons. Frequent use of fruit juice is not advisable.
• Lightly roasted nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds. Peanuts, walnuts and pecans may be enjoyed as an occasional snack.
• Rice syrup, barley malt, amasake, and mirin may be used as sweeteners.
• Brown rice vinegar or umeboshi vinegar may be used occasionally for a sour taste.
• Fruit or fruit desserts, made from fresh or dried fruit, may be served two or three times a week. Local and organically grown fruits are preferred. If you live in a temperate climate, avoid tropical and semitropical fruit and instead, eat temperate climate fruits such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, berries and melons. Frequent use of fruit juice is not advisable.
• Lightly roasted nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds. Peanuts, walnuts and pecans may be enjoyed as an occasional snack.
• Rice syrup, barley malt, amasake, and mirin may be used as sweeteners.
• Brown rice vinegar or umeboshi vinegar may be used occasionally for a sour taste.
7.
Recommended condiments
• Gomashio, seaweed powder (kelp, kombu, wakame, and other
sea vegetables), Sesame seaweed powder, umeboshi plums, tekka, pickles and
sauerkraut made using sea salt, miso, or tamari.
8.
Additional Dietary 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-chemicalized shoyu or tamari soy sauce and miso may also be used as seasonings.
• Salt should be naturally processed sea salt. Traditional, non-chemicalized shoyu or tamari soy sauce and miso may also be used as seasonings.
9.
Foods to Eliminate for Better Health
• Meat, animal fat, eggs, poultry, dairy products (including
butter, yogurt, ice cream, milk and cheese), refined sugars, chocolate,
molasses, honey, other simple sugars and foods treated with them, and vanilla.
• Tropical or semi-tropical fruits and fruit juices, soda, artificial drinks and beverages, coffee, colored tea, and all aromatic 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 industrialized food including all canned, frozen, and irradiated foods.
• Hot spices, any aromatic stimulating food or food accessory, artificial vinegar, and strong alcoholic beverages.
• Tropical or semi-tropical fruits and fruit juices, soda, artificial drinks and beverages, coffee, colored tea, and all aromatic 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 industrialized food including all canned, frozen, and irradiated foods.
• Hot spices, any aromatic stimulating food or food accessory, artificial vinegar, and strong alcoholic beverages.
10.
Macrobiotic Lifestyle Suggestions
• Eat only when hungry.
• Proper chewing (around 50 times or more per mouthful) is important for good digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
• Eat in an orderly and relaxed manner. When you eat, sit with a good posture and take a moment to express gratitude for the food.
• You may eat regularly two or three times per day, as much as you want, provided the proportion is generally correct and each mouthful is thoroughly chewed. It is best to leave the table satisfied but not full.
• Drink liquids moderately, only when thirsty.
• For the deepest and most restful sleep, retire before midnight and avoid eating at least 2 to 3 hours before sleeping.
• Wash as needed, but avoid long hot baths or showers which deplete the body of minerals.
• Use cosmetics and cleaning products that are made from natural, nontoxic ingredients. Avoid chemically-perfumed products. For care of the teeth, brush with natural preparations.
• As much as possible, wear cotton clothing, especially for undergarments. Avoid wearing synthetic or woolen clothing directly on the skin. Avoid wearing excessive accessories on the fingers, wrists, neck, or any other part of the body.
• Spend time outdoors if strength permits. Walk on the grass, beach or soil up to one half hour every day. Spend some time in direct sunlight.
• Exercise regularly. Activities may include walking, yoga, martial arts, dance, etc.
• Include some large green plants in the home to freshen and enrich the oxygen content of the air. Open windows daily to permit fresh air to circulate, even in cold weather.
• Keep your home in good order, especially the areas where food is prepared and served.
• To increase circulation and elimination of toxins, scrub the entire body with a hot, damp towel every morning or every night. If that is not possible, at least, scrub the hands, feet, fingers and toes.
• Avoid using electric cooking devices (ovens and ranges) or microwave ovens. The use of a gas or wood stove is preferred.
• Use earthenware, cast iron, or stainless steel cookware rather than aluminum or Teflon-coated pots.
• Minimize the frequent use of television and computer display units. When using a computer, protect yourself from potentially harmful electromagnetic fields with a protective shield over the screen and other safety devices.
• Sing a song!
• Proper chewing (around 50 times or more per mouthful) is important for good digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
• Eat in an orderly and relaxed manner. When you eat, sit with a good posture and take a moment to express gratitude for the food.
• You may eat regularly two or three times per day, as much as you want, provided the proportion is generally correct and each mouthful is thoroughly chewed. It is best to leave the table satisfied but not full.
• Drink liquids moderately, only when thirsty.
• For the deepest and most restful sleep, retire before midnight and avoid eating at least 2 to 3 hours before sleeping.
• Wash as needed, but avoid long hot baths or showers which deplete the body of minerals.
• Use cosmetics and cleaning products that are made from natural, nontoxic ingredients. Avoid chemically-perfumed products. For care of the teeth, brush with natural preparations.
• As much as possible, wear cotton clothing, especially for undergarments. Avoid wearing synthetic or woolen clothing directly on the skin. Avoid wearing excessive accessories on the fingers, wrists, neck, or any other part of the body.
• Spend time outdoors if strength permits. Walk on the grass, beach or soil up to one half hour every day. Spend some time in direct sunlight.
• Exercise regularly. Activities may include walking, yoga, martial arts, dance, etc.
• Include some large green plants in the home to freshen and enrich the oxygen content of the air. Open windows daily to permit fresh air to circulate, even in cold weather.
• Keep your home in good order, especially the areas where food is prepared and served.
• To increase circulation and elimination of toxins, scrub the entire body with a hot, damp towel every morning or every night. If that is not possible, at least, scrub the hands, feet, fingers and toes.
• Avoid using electric cooking devices (ovens and ranges) or microwave ovens. The use of a gas or wood stove is preferred.
• Use earthenware, cast iron, or stainless steel cookware rather than aluminum or Teflon-coated pots.
• Minimize the frequent use of television and computer display units. When using a computer, protect yourself from potentially harmful electromagnetic fields with a protective shield over the screen and other safety devices.
• Sing a song!
Anti-carcinogenic
properties
Many aspects of
the dietary pattern promoted under standard macrobiotic dietary recommendations
have been suggested to have anticancer effects. For example, whole grains have
been emphasized as a centerpiece of macrobiotic dietary recommendations for many
years. There is growing evidence that whole grain consumption decreases the risk
of cancers at various sites. The effects of whole grains on cancer prevention
are probably not limited to dietary fiber effects but may also involve effects
on estrogen metabolism, glucose and insulin metabolism, and oxidative processes.
A wide variety of vegetables are also recommended for regular consumption. The
evidence that vegetable intake is associated with decreased risk of cancer is
large and consistent and was reviewed in the American Institute for Cancer
Research and World Cancer Research Fund report. This report noted that
increasing consumption of vegetables and fruits from ∼250 to 400 g/d may be associated with a 23% decreased risk of cancer
worldwide. It has been suggested that sea vegetables, promoted in macrobiotics
and an important part of traditional East Asian cuisine, may decrease risk of
breast cancer and endometrial
cancer. These associations may be accounted for in part by the antitumor
activities of fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide found almost exclusively in
brown seaweed, and fucoxanthin, the carotenoid responsible for the brown color
of brown seaweed.
The role of beans
and bean products, particularly soyfoods, in cancer prevention continues to
garner substantial interest. The interest in soy is based in part on the lower
overall cancer rates in the Far East, where soy foods are a traditional part of
the diet, compared with the U.S. and other Western countries, where soy foods
are consumed in much smaller quantities. Some evidence shows that soy intake is
associated with decreased risk of hormone-dependent cancers such as those of
the breast, endometrium and prostate and may also decrease risk of other
cancers such as those of the stomach, although this may be limited to non-fermented
soy foods. Soy foods and other legumes may decrease risk of cancer because of
the presence of various compounds that may have anticancer effects, including
protease inhibitors and saponins. There has been a particular interest in the
role of phytoestrogens such as genistein and daidzein, which are found in high
concentration in soy beans. These isoflavonoid compounds may not only influence
estrogen metabolism but may also have antioxidant and antiangiogenesis effects
and may influence signal transduction and inhibit the action of DNA topoisomerases.
Phytoestrogen exposure through the macrobiotic diet is discussed below.
Some foods that
are linked to increased cancer risk are minimized in standard macrobiotic
dietary recommendations. In contrast to the cancer-prevention effects of whole
grains, refined grains, which are not recommended in macrobiotics, may actually
increase risk of cancer. With the exception of fish, animal food intake is
generally minimized in macrobiotics. There is growing evidence that red meat
intake increases the risk of cancers of the colon and rectum as well as cancers
of the prostate, pancreas and perhaps other sites. Eggs may be associated with
increased risk of colorectal and ovarian cancer, and dairy food intake is
associated with increased risk of cancers of the prostate, kidney and ovary. A
preference for natural, organically grown foods would minimize exposure to
pesticides, herbicides and other such chemicals. Although the association of
dietary exposure to such chemicals and cancer risk is controversial, some reports
have suggested that exposure to such compounds should be minimized.
American Cancer
Society Warning
Prevention of
cancer through various dietary factors has been demonstrated by long-term
studies and endorsed by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the
American Cancer Society (ACS). However, ACS is very cautious to accept the
positive cancer treatment results, provided by macrobiotic diet due to the
perceived shortcomings.
The ACS has
stated that the macrobiotic diet may provide inadequate nutrition for cancer
patients, is unsafe, and may cause malnutrition and death. Other statements have also reported certain deficiencies
in various nutrients - specifically vitamins D and cobalamin (B12),
iron, calcium, protein-calorie malnutrition, and linear growth retardation.
While considering
macrobiotic diet, or any other diet, as a matter of fact, you are strongly advised
to discuss your intentions with your doctor. Note that patients with cancer
have unique nutritional requirements and need to exercise particular care with
any diet. Even more careful approach should be applied for infants and children
with cancer, since adequate nutrients must be supplied for growth as well as
the metabolic requirements of the individual disease challenges.
Sources and Additional
Information:
