That Lemony Feeling

Macrobiotics basically breaks down food into two categories: Gathered or expanded. The classification is based on factors like howit grows, the state in which it8217;s found in nature, its sodium and potassium content and its effect on the body.

Ahuja explains: 8220;Whole grains like rice or millet represent wholeness, as one grain can give birth to a thousand grains. Root vegetables like carrots, that taper towards the end, are more gathered. So, people who have prob-lems focussing would have to include more of these in their diet.8221; Brown rice, a whole grain, is gathered and has a calming effect, as it burns slowly yet steadily. It8217;s also known to increase in-tuitive power. 8220;Whole grains generally make you more centered and con-nected,8221; adds Ahuja.

Similarly, leafy vegetables like spinach that grow in a more 8216;ex-panded8217; fashion are good for tension-related problems.

8220;All food items can be basically cat-egorised as gathered or expanded, with whole grains as the centre. The trick is to strike a balance between the two opposing categories. Once you have identified the groups, related practices like cooking and cutting can be addressed,8221; she says.

No matter how scientific it sounds, macrobitoics is no recent discovery. 8220;Vedas have defined everything as en-ergy.

In older times, food was eaten in its natural form. The Chinese call the system Yin and Yang while science de-fines it as electron-proton,8221; says the 23-year-old practitioner, trained at Kushi Institute in West Massachusetts. Already popular in the West, macrobi-otics was introduced in Europe in late 19th century by Japanese philosopher George Ohsawa.

Though it is yet to gain much ac-ceptance in India, it is increasingly finding favour among the health-con-scious globally. It is also being used for treating diseases like cancer, diabetes, asthma and osteoporosis.

For example, lotus root helps to check asthma an expansive disease as it has the property of dissolving mu-cous. For diabetes another expansive condition, macrobiotics recom-mends smaller meals, consisting com-plex carbohydrates and minerals.

Interestingly, macrobiotics blames most diseases on sugar. 8220;It sugar causes acidity, leading to a withdrawal of calcium from the bones. The result is osteoporosis. Cancer cells also grow in acidic blood. So, while many doc-tors say tomatoes can check cancer because of lycopene, it8217;s true only for specific cases. Tomatoes increase acid in the blood,8221; says Ahuja. Macrobiotics also treats men and women differently. Men, it says, should go for more gathered food while women would benefit from expansive ones. For example, Salmon, a gathered food, is not so advisable for women. Their diet should include more white fish.

However, even macrobiotics has side effects. For example, certain defi-ciency diseases like anaemia. Well, every diet has pros and cons. The key is to choose what works best for you.

MACROBIOTIC MEALS

WHOLE GRAINS like brown rice, bar-ley, millet, oats, corn, rye, whole wheat . The most balanced diet on the yin/yang scale with a score of 50 to 60 per cent.

VEGETABLES like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, turnip, onion and pumpkin should be eaten more as compared to celery, lettuce, mushrooms and string beans. Score:25 to 30 per cent.

BEANS AND SEA VEGETABLES to be taken in small amounts. Chickpeas, lentils and tofu are rich in vitamins and minerals. Score on the yin/yang scale: five to ten per cent.

SOUPS AND BROTHS like miso, veg-etables and bean soups. Score: five to ten per cent.

MEAT AND EGGS are extremely yang in nature while refined sugar is ex-tremely yin and should be avoided.

IN THE ELEMENTS

FIRE Is an expansive energy. Re-lated to sadness and joy, the heart and small intestine. Found in bitter food like green kale.

EARTH Is a downward energy. Related to worry and fulfillment, the spleen and stomach. Sweet foods are rich in it.

METAL Is a contracted energy. Connected to grief and hope, the lungs and large intestine. Pungent items like garlic release this energy.

WATER Is a floating energy. Re-lated to fear and will, the kidney and bladder. Found in salty foods like seaweed.

TREE Is an upward energy. Re-lated to anger and kindness, the liver and gall bladder. Sour foods like lemons are rich it. Each ele-ment nourishes a specific part of the body.

For example, if you have prob-lems in the stomach, consume more earth foods.

DIVINE SIGNATURE

According to macrobiotics, God left his signature on everything he created, indicating its use.

Here are some examples.

CARROTS A slice of carrot resembles the iris and pupil. Hence, it8217;s good for the eye. Similarly, carrot joints are good for strengthening joints.

WALNUT Resembles the brain.

PUMPKIN Its round shape resem-bles the stomach. So, it8217;s good for digestion

KIDNEY BEANS As the name suggests, these benefit the kidney.