My Healing Journey Part 3 | Let thy food be thy medicine
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
Laurence held up a vibrant organic carrot with the greens attached, and explained:
The downward contracting Yang properties of the roots were centering and grounding, like an anchor into the earth.
The upward expansive Yin tendencies of the flexible wispy greens that grow towards the sky, sway in the breeze and absorb energy from the sun.
"Whole organic foods, grown in healthy soil contain more nutrients. Once food is processed it declines in vitality, and looses vitamins."
Nuggets of wisdom kept coming.
"All life on earth is subject to and benefits from the electromagnetic energy field between earth and sky. Whole foods contain this energy. Mechanically altered and processed food does not."
The universal wisdom Laurence explained was a light bulb moment!
At the time, the extent of my knowledge of grains and beans was limited to Uncle Bens White Rice, Quaker Oats, barley inside Campbell's Beef & Barley canned soup, canned beans that were in mom's "beans on toast" or homemade Chili Con Carne.
The day after the cooking class we stopped at Teva on our way home from work and stocked up with grains, beans, veggies, nuts, seeds, sea vegetables, and new foods I had never heard of: tamari, arame, nori, miso and tempeh. We also bought several macrobiotic cookbooks and books on the philosophy and theory behind it. When we got home, I completely cleaned out the fridge and cupboards. And dove into figuring out how to cook and follow a strict 100% vegan macrobiotic. We started drinking bancha twig tea that contains no caffein.
There were lots of "No's." No animal products, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. This meant no more enjoying chocolate, ice cream or sweets of any kind. No bread, muffins, flour or processed food. No juices, and especially not tropical fruits.
I followed these strict guideline to the letter. Yes it was extreme. I was so eager to not feel how I was feeling any longer. I couldn't wait to get to the other side. I'd swung the pendulum so far in the unhealthy direction. I needed to swing it equally as far in the other direction to completely undo all the damage. As fast as possible.
If I had consulted a macrobiotic counselor, they would have transitioned me gradually, and advised me to be less strict. But I didn't know what I didn't know.
It triggered an overwhelming withdrawal three weeks in. I had read enough theory in the macrobiotic books to understand what was happening, and trusted the process.
Detoxing deeply and rapidly is exhausting on the system. For the first year and a half I slept a lot, more hours than I was awake. Napping often between reading, learning, cooking and slowing improving. I started feeling healthier, happier, with more mental clarity, and greater stamina.
September was always a significant month. As the weather turned cooler and the setting sun came earlier, I felt this very acutely. I'd get very depressed and suicidal the thoughts returned. Even thought my health was improving, each year when September rolled around, that familiar dark, heavy, futile feeling overtook me. It would last for a few hours, and for many days.
Later I learned the significance of September/seasons/food and their effect on our moods. More about this later!
After 5 years of following this regime, one day I was sitting at the kitchen table and started to feel down. Realizing it was September, I lamented, "Oh great, its that time again." To my surprise, as I sat there a few more minutes, the thoughts and feelings did not become crushingly dark and heavy. They passed! It struck me to such an extent that I felt myself smile and my posture perk up. Oh my god, I was really healing!
At the cellular level, every organ of my body was transforming to a healthier version than it had ever been.
At the Kushi Institute we learned of about Dr Hugh Faulkner, a physician from the UK who had consulted Michio to cure his pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer was and still is considered an automatic death sentence. But Dr Faulkner wanted to prove this wrong, and followed Michio's recommendations. He published two books documenting his miraculous healing journey: Against All Odds: A Doctor's Recovery from Terminal Cancer Through Healthy Eating, and Physician Heal Thyself.
Michio told us that "Dr Falkner had a "medical mind" and considered the food as a prescription he could go off of once the cancer was gone. He returned to eating bacon and meat and sugar thinking that because he was cured he didn't need the "medicine" anymore." The cancer returned, and he passed away from the disease.
Michio often said: "All diseases are curable, only people are incurable."
I took these words to heart.
When I returned home from the Kushi Institute, my cooking became less extreme, but I never strayed far. The pendulum had swung far enough for long enough to feel brave enough to expand my repertoire and find a happy medium. Maybe a tomato or potato here or there. Perhaps orange juice occasionally. Don't mind if I treat myself to some homemade maple-syrup sweetened cakes or pies, as long as its within healthy parameters.
Instead of cheating and reverting back to animal products, dairy and sugar, when I missed the delicious dishes from the past - like moms incredible baking and gourmet meals - I'd get creative and concoct recipes that tasted like our familiar favorite foods using wholesome vegan ingredients.
Those recipes were compiled into my first cookbook, self-published in 1996: Fast & Fun Food, For People on the Go (by Karen Claffey). It's sold out and out of print.
Macrobiotic is the opposite of the microscopic view, looking at the individual parts of foods: protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, calories, etc. Macro = large, and biotic = life. It's a large view of life that considers our geographical environment, the seasons, and our lifestyle. A person in the Yukon would make different dietary choices compared to a person living in the Caribbean. A construction worker might need a different diet than a classical musician.
Macrobiotic eating is the way our ancestors eat, before modern food processing, and before innovations in transportation allowed us to ship food from all over the world.
Macrobiotic teaches us how to adjust our diet and lifestyle, whether our goal is healing, fitness or to improve our mental health and wellness.
If you're still with me, congratulations! I am honored and happy you're interested.
Continued in Part 4
Macrobiotic Cooking for a Healthy Heart, Mind & Body
Learn to make a complete balanced meal to boost your immunity, detox your blood and organs, and nourish your heart and soul!
Gingered Vegetable Miso Soup with Wakame & Tofu, Brown Rice, Adzuki Beans & Buttercup Squash, Arame Sea Vegetables with Carrots & Onions, Oriental Cabbage Quick Pickles, Steamed Broccoli with Lemon Miso Tahini Dressing.
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