Although macrobiotics is more than a diet—in fact, its principles can be applied to all areas of life—this book focuses on its applications to diet and health. A macrobiotic regimen promises many blessings, among them greater energy, relief from pain and illnesses, renewed enjoyment of food, a more fulfilling sex life, and improved sleep.

This clear and concise book introduces the concept and basic principles of macrobiotics, describes a macrobiotic diet, and lists foods to avoid. Short, inexpensive, easy to read, and to the point, this is a great place to begin your exploration of this powerful approach to self-responsibility for health and happiness.

As a complete and utter novice to Macrobiotic dieting & lifestyle, I couldn't ask for a better definitive guide! This book avoids the lofty, philosophical language usually associated with natural & so-called alternative diets, and you don't have to drive a 1970 Volkswagen van to be in sync with its format! The staple foods are clearly explained (along with detailed definitions of the Asian foods, which may be fairly obscure to most Americans, me included). I became interested in this diet when Madonna brought it mainstream, but had reservations about my ability to manage it myself .... would I need a staff of professional celebrity-worthy chefs, like Madonna probably has, or could I follow its format on an every-day basis, including shopping & stocking the kitchen? With this book, the answer is yes. I recommend it not only for a macrobiotic diet, but also for vegan dieters (as it excludes dairy & eggs, as well as meat).

How we eat is as important as what we eat. For decades Lino Stanchich has researched, experimented with, taught, and served as a living example of the benefits that flow from details such as how much we chew, our meal schedules, and our states of mind at meal time. In this book he introduces a number of simple, powerful practices that anyone can implement to complement the intentional selection of foods and cooking techniques taught by other macrobiotic teachers.. By chewing very well, for example, Lino explains that we can improve digestion dramatically, reducing the energy we expend to extract nutrition from food and minimizing the burden on our digestive organs. In fact world-renowned macrobiotic guru Michio Kushi tells his counseling clients and students that chewing well can cut in half the time required to recover from degenerative illness. This small book can make a big difference in your outlook on life and on your health.

The challenge with a gradual approach to a better diet is this: When we are still eating any extreme foods (e.g. meat, milk, sweet drinks and desserts, etc.), the strong energy of these non-human foods is a more powerful negative influence on health than the subtle, slow, and steadily healing effect of true human foods (whole grains, vegetables, etc.). And when we eat any food that is extreme in one way, we will naturally crave a food that is extreme in the opposite way to create the balance the Universe demands for all its creatures. Creating balance through extremes makes healing much more difficult. That said, if gradually is the only way that will work for you, then this book can be a very useful ally.