Macrobiotic Diet

You may never have heard of the Macrobiotic Diet, but this page will help you get a grasp on what it is and how it can help you. The word macrobiotic is rooted in the Greek language and means "long life". It is based on three basic self-healing principles:
#1 - Eat in harmony with nature.
#2 - Balance natural forces in cooking.
#3 - Use food to create desired effects.

Macrobiotics is an approach to physical and emotional wellness through consuming foods that are balanced energetically (between yin and yang) and nutritionally. It is typically a well-balanced diet with high fibre, low fat, lots of vegetables and grains, vegetable protein, and limited meat, with an emphasis on eating seasonal organic food. Variety is worked into the meal to ensure that a wide range of nutrients are consumed for balance and enjoyment.
Macrobiotics is found to be helpful for the following:
• Slimming• Maintaining heart health • Anti-aging• Keeping diseases away • Radiant complexion • Lowering bad cholesterol • Sparkling eyes • Preventing cancer • Keeping bad cholesterol in check • Balancing blood pressure

Once I decided to give the macrobiotic diet a try the first thing I realized that I needed to do was to cut out unnatural eating habits.

Here are some examples of eating habits that are not natural to our diet:
1. Foods filled with sugar , chemicals or fat. This includes junk food and fast food.

2. Large consumption of animal foods. This includes meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.

3. Any kind of food that is processed or frozen.4. Foods that were shipped from another country.5. Food that is microwaved.6. Food that is refined. This includes white sugar or white rice. 7. Foods that are out of season.
Whole Foods Meals that are based on whole grains and vegetables were the staple foods world-wide long before meat and potatos became the standard meal in most American homes. Of course, groups like the Eskimos had to rely on meat when growing food wasn't practical.
Grain based meals add up to a balanced and healthy diet:
Grains & Vegetables which make up 75-80% of a grain based diet provide complex carbs, fiber, protein, fat, Vitamins A, B, C, E, iron and calcium.
Soup makes up 5%, and provides warmth & stimulation to aid digestion.
Beans, Fish, Occasional Seeds, Nuts, Meat, Eggs and Dairy makes up 5-10% of this diet and provides enough protein and fat + added calcium, iron and B vitamins.
Sea Vegetables, Fruits, and Fermented Foods make up the remaining 5-10% and provide calcium, iron, vitamins, trace minerals, carbs, fiber, vitamins & minerals. In fermented foods like yogurt and miso the live enzymes help to aid digestion.

A macrobiotic diet isn't simply a diet plan. It's a way of life. If you're drawn to the concept of eating a natural, organic, plant-based diet (with a little fish) and embrace a Zen-like spirituality in both your life and food selections, then a macrobiotic diet may be for you.
Originally from Japan, the principle behind the macrobiotic diet combines tenets of Zen Buddhism with a Western-style vegetarian diet.

The macrobiotic diet regimen supports an Eastern philosophy of balancing foods to attain a balance of yin and yang. To achieve that balance, foods are paired based on their sour, sharp, salty, sweet, or bitter characteristics.
Yin foods are cold, sweet, and passive while yang foods are hot, salty, and aggressive. Some foods are prohibited because they contain toxins or fall on the far end of the spectrum, making it difficult to achieve and respect a Zen-like balance.
Early versions of the macrobiotic diet included several stages that became progressively more restrictive and ending with a diet of brown rice and water -- considered the ultimate in yin and yang. Today, the Americanized version is a modified vegetarian plan.
Although not scientifically proven, a macrobiotic diet of wholesome, nutritious foods may protect against cancer and other chronic diseases.

What You Can Eat
Practitioners of the macrobiotic diet prefer locally grown, natural foods prepared and eaten in the traditional manner, such as baking, boiling, and steaming. Lots of grains, vegetables, beans, fermented soy, and soups -- supplemented with small amounts of fish, nuts, seeds, and fruits -- are the basis of the macrobiotic diet menu. Other natural products, however, may be included to accommodate individual needs or during dietary transition.

It is essentially a "flexitarian" diet plan -- a mostly vegetarian diet that allows you to eat occasional meat or fish -- with rules governing eating, cooking, and lifestyle practices such as eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly.
Foods should be consumed in their most natural state and processed foods are not recommended. Other excluded foods are fatty meats, most dairy, sugars, coffee, caffeinated tea, stimulating beverages, alcohol, chocolate, refined flour, very hot spices, chemicals and preservatives, poultry, potatoes, and zucchini.
The diet also allows you to consume certain fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers in limited quantities. Excluded foods are considered to be extreme, overstimulating, or too concentrated and therefore not capable of achieving balance.
Vitamin and mineral supplements are frowned upon, yet seeking nutritional balance may be impossible without them, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Consult a registered dietitian to help you balance the yin-yang and nutritional completeness of your plan. Otherwise you could end up with nutritional deficiencies," she advises.

Here's a breakdown of a typical macrobiotic diet:

Meals that are based on whole grains and vegetables were the staple foods world-wide long before meat and potatos became the standard meal in most American homes. Of course, groups like the Eskimos had to rely on meat when growing food wasn't practical.
Grain based meals add up to a balanced and healthy diet:
Grains & Vegetables which make up 75-80% of a grain based diet provide complex carbs, fiber, protein, fat, Vitamins A, B, C, E, iron and calcium.
Soup makes up 5%, and provides warmth & stimulation to aid digestion.
Beans, Fish, Occasional Seeds, Nuts, Meat, Eggs and Dairy makes up 5-10% of this diet and provides enough protein and fat + added calcium, iron and B vitamins.
Sea Vegetables, Fruits, and Fermented Foods make up the remaining 5-10% and provide calcium, iron, vitamins, trace minerals, carbs, fiber, vitamins & minerals. In fermented foods like yogurt and miso the live enzymes help to aid digestion.

How It Works
Followers of the macrobiotic diet believe that food and food quality impact health, happiness, and well-being. Eating natural food that is closer to the earth and less processed is healthier for the body and soul. One of the objectives is to become more sensitive to the food you eat and how it affects your life. Ultimately, this awareness will enhance your life and health.
What you can eat may be adjusted according to the following:
Season
Climate
Activity
Age
Sex
Health and any other personal considerations
What the Experts Say
A well-managed macrobiotic diet can be nutritionally sound. The ADA approves of carefully planned and monitored vegetarian diets for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, childhood, and adolescence.
The macrobiotic diet is low in fat and high in fiber. Because of all the soy products, it is also rich in phytoestrogens, which may reduce the risk of estrogen-related cancers, such as breast cancer. There is no scientific evidence that a macrobiotic diet will reduce breast cancer, however eating a diet low in fat, high in fiber, and rich in plant foods containing phytochemicals may offer disease protection.
Blatner says she likes the focus on healthy foods that are low in fat and high in fiber, but she also recognizes the potential nutritional deficiencies. "Nutrients of concern are vitamins D and B12, iron, protein, and calcium if you are not careful," she says. Whenever you eliminate food groups, it can create deficiencies and affect your health. Her advice: Good nutrition should be considered first before balancing for yin and yang.
Food for Thought
The macrobiotic diet focuses on foods typically lacking in most American diets. Eating more natural foods, whole grains, vegetables, and beans could be beneficial to most people. Adopting it, however, may prove to be much more difficult because it often requires major lifestyle changes.
If you're interested in trying a macrobiotic diet, start slowly. First, incorporate just a few concepts, such as eating less unprocessed foods. Then add more whole grains and so on.
"Aim for a gradual approach before jumping in with both feet," Blatner suggests.
Adopting the macrobiotic diet takes a great deal of dedication and commitment to a lifestyle that is much bigger than your average diet plan.

Relax... sleep, de-stress and enjoy your charmed life

So it’s November. It is starting to get cold and dark outside and everywhere you go you see the word, ‘detox‘. I am also thinking along those lines but what is different is that each of us are detoxing with you. I will try and help you through this cash strapped November but instead of completely detoxing, I want you to feel pampered to. It’s just no fun when people tell you, ‘don’t do that, don’t eat that’, and just ‘don’t’ in general. I want to encourage you to, do and make and be.
November is a month where it’s really difficult to get motivated. But if you manage to motivate yourself this month it’s likely that you will be encouraged to keep up your new regimes for more than just one day. By the way I am writing this whilst lying on my bed - but I have exercised (for four whole minutes) and had a healthy breakfast and lunch.
Before you carry on reading, if you are at home go and make yourself a big mug of tea, relax and unwind. This could be the start of your girls day or night in.
This day isn’t all about pampering it’s about so much more. charge and making plans. Organize your wardrobe, kitchen cabinets and any cupboards that are so full they are about to burst. Discard the things you no longer need, and discover things you’ve neglected. It’s also about making some home made beauty products and absorbing yourself in your home.
Now I hope this doesn’t make me sound like your mother but I want you to go and tidy your bedroom and bathroom. You will enjoy the later part of your day so much more if you have a lovely haven to laze in. Also don’t forget to make sure your biggest and snuggliest towels are available - OK so there is my first ‘don’t’.
By doing all of this you will have given yourself a very good workout and you will have everything just as you need it. Please don’t despair if you haven’t got the items I am going to include in the ingredients list as they are all readily available in most good supermarkets, chemist or your local health store.
Now the fun stuff begins, you have cleaned out your cupboards and you now know what goodies you have to put to use for your pamper session. I have always been a woman who has enjoyed a good night out but as I have gotten older, I have appreciated the benefits of having a night in. We all spend so much time and money in making our homes lovely that we forget that they are ours to relax in and appreciate.
If like me you find yourself at a loose end, wondering what everyone else is doing, stop and think about what you are doing, there is no point in feeling like you are missing out. Instead make your evening lovely and therapeutic and I could almost guarantee that you wake feeling fresh and rejuvenated the next morning.
Can I let you into a secret? At this time of the year women, a sweeping generalisation I know, often go into hibernation. We cover up and hide every part of our body and actually neglect our skin. Then spring raises its head and miraculously we think that a couple of days of moisturising a razor blade and maybe a new hair cut will make us look better, healthier and ready for the months ahead. Why bother spending time, energy and money I hear you ask? Well you should bother because after almost four months of not taking care of ourselves both inside and outside it could be classed as neigh-on neglect. If we take care of ourselves from now, come April when our bodies are exposed to the world they would have received five whole months of TLC and your skin will be soft and lovely and you won’t be a fuzzy-wuzzy bear with fuzzy-wuzzy hair, which is a head start on all those women not reading my blog..

Your cupboards - ingredients needed

You won’t need them all today but over the next eight weeks I will be introducing you to new recipes.

Oats (preferably organic)
Sea salt or rock salt
Milk
Brown sugar (the softer the better for face but rougher for knees and elbows)
Virgin olive oil
Lemon
Pear, apple or banana
Honey
Double cream
Baking soda
Epsom Salts
Essential oils
Shower cap
Body brush
Five home made natural recipes to get you started
Pear face mask

Ingredients: 1 pear (as ripe as possible), ½ teaspoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of double cream
Peel and core the pear. Cut the pear into small pieces to make it easier to mash. Put the pieces into a bowl and mash into a smooth paste. Add the honey and double cream. Spread the mixture evenly over the skin on the face and neck. Leave for about 15 minutes. Rinse the face and pat dry with a clean towel.

Oatmeal mask
Ingredients: Oatmeal and water
Mix 2 tablespoons of oatmeal with a little water (or milk) in a small bowl. When it is in a paste form it is ready to use. Spread the mixture evenly over the face and neck. Leave for approximately 15 minutes. Rinse the face and pat dry with a clean towel.

Brown Sugar Exfoliator
Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to a half tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to mix. Apply the mixture to your body using circular motions. Rinse the body with warm water.

Honey and Olive Oil Hair Mask
Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with honey with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Apply to hair from root to tip; this is mild enough to be used on the scalp. Cover hair a shower cap. After 15 minutes shampoo and rinse well.
Salt bath

This will help aid the removal of toxins and relax you
1 cup of sea salts, 2 cups baking soda, 1 cup Epsom Salts, 1 to 2 tablespoons Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps - "All-One!"per bath (optional - Dr. Bronner helps to keep the skin from drying) and essential oils (optional - lavender is very good to aid relaxation)

The proper method is to combine the sea salts, baking soda, and Epsom salts in a bowl and blend them. Pour ¼ of the mix into the bath while the tub is filling. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons glycerine to keep your skin from drying out (more for dry skin, less for oily skin) and essential oils of choice.

The quick way is to scatter the individual parts in the bath just before you step in. Try both methods to see what suits you best.
When you step out of the bath wrap yourself in a big towel and enjoy feeling of being relaxed.

Put on your pyjamas, make a warm mug of almond milk with some agave necter and then go to bed and sleep.

In the morning, the house is tidy, your mood lightened and you will be ready for the day ahead whatever it may bring.

Please note - I am not a alternative specialists or a doctor. But all of these recipes have been made, used and enjoyed. However, if there are any contraindications as to why you shouldn’t try these recipes then please don’t. Do not take hot baths and salt baths if you have heart trouble, high blood pressure or are diabetic.

Hi Loves, I been in Mommy mode this month. I have been nesting and feeling extra nurting towards my family. I been thinking alot about my God daughter Sofia who just turned 4 and our niece Annika who turned three yesturday. We live 2000 miles from my Husband side of the amily. We miss them so muchI enjoy the simple things in life like being barefoot in the kitchen cooking with my boys. I came across this on the web.



What should a 4 year old know?
I was on a parenting bulletin board recently and read a post by a mother who was worried that her 4 1/2 year old did not know enough. "What should a 4 year old know?" she asked.

Most of the answers left me not only saddened but pretty soundly annoyed. One mom posted a laundry list of all of the things her son knew. Counting to 100, planets, how to write his first and last name, and on and on. Others chimed in with how much more their children already knew, some who were only 3. A few posted URL's to lists of what each age should know. The fewest yet said that each child develops at his own pace and not to worry.

It bothered me greatly to see these mothers responding to a worried mom by adding to her concern, with lists of all the things their children could do that hers couldn't. We are such a competitive culture that even our preschoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn't be a race.

So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know.

She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.
He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn't feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.
She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.
He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he'll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.
She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she's wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvelous. She should know that it's just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that-- way more worthy.

But more important, here's what parents need to know.
That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.
That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high ACT scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.
That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children "advantages" that we're giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.
That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children's toys and they wouldn't be missed, but some things are important-- building toys like legos and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too-- to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it's absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.
That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That's not okay! Our children don't need Nintendos, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US.

They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 MPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they're a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.

And now back to those 4 year old skills lists.....

I know it's human nature to want to know how our children compare to others and to want to make sure we're doing all we can for them. Here is a list of what children are typically taught or should know by the end of each year of school, starting with preschool:
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum
Since we homeschool, I occasionally print out the lists and check to see if there's anything glaringly absent in what my kids know. So far there hasn't been, but I get ideas sometimes for subjects to think up games about or books to check out from the library. Whether you homeschool or not, the lists can be useful to see what kids typically learn each year and can be reassuring that they really are doing fine.

If there are areas where it seems your child is lacking, realize that it's not an indication of failure for either you or your child. You just haven't happened to cover that. Kids will learn whatever they're exposed to, and the idea that they all need to know these 15 things at this precise age is rather silly. Still, if you want him to have those subjects covered then just work it into life and play with the subject and he'll naturally pick it up. Count to 60 when you're mixing a cake and he'll pick up his numbers. Get fun books from the library about space or the alphabet. Experiment with everything from backyard snow to celery stalks in food coloring. It'll all happen naturally, with much more fun and much less pressure.

My favorite advice about preschoolers is on this site though:
http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/early.htm

What does a 4 year old need?

Much less than we realize, and much more.

Miso Soup

Hi Guys, at this time of year I crave soups all the time. I prepered this satifiny soup this afternoon. My kids love this yummy soup and eat it all up..

Ingredients:

. 1 large sheet nori seaweed, shredded
· 2 teaspoon fresh ginger juice
· chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish
· 6 cups filtered water
· 3-4 shitake mushrooms
· 1/2 cup Wakame Seaweed Flakes
. 1 teblespoon dried bonito flakes
· 2-3 tablespoons mellow white Miso ( I use
. 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
. 2 tablespoons of roasted sesame seeds ( love Eden 's ogainic Gomasio~ seeds w/ sea salt)
. 2-4 large garlic clove, minced

hot pepper sesame oil to taste

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes

Fabulous Giveaway

*Image adapted from www.novica.com*

AMAZING! Recycled Pop-top backpack,'Gleam'~artisan "Neide Ambrosio"

Hi My Loves,

I wanted to share this Fabulous Giveaway with all of you.. I am so excited about highlighting the Eco Diva's Beauty and Fashion Website. Thanks, Elena Lipson~You Rock and I truly enjoy reading you blog! Your website is loaded with such valuable "Eco Style" information thanks for sharing!

Healthy Blessings,

Venus

Hurry Diva's Enter ASAP!!!


http://theecodiva.com


Giveaway} $150 Gift Certificate To NOVICA.com

Novica.com, in association with National Geographic, is an incredible global platform for artists and artisans around the world to showcase and seel their creations in a Fair Trade environment. Novica.com offers everything from Jewelry and Sculpture, to Handwoven Blankets and Tapestries.



One of Novica’s latest divisions is one of my favorites, Handbags. Featuring bags made from eco-friendly materials such as cotton, hemp and silk, Novica brings together an amazing group of artisans from exotic locations such as Bali, Brazil and Thailand.



Here is your chance to choose from the many original designs and get yourself something special for the holiday season.

To Enter Simply do the following:

1 – Comment and mention one item you plan to buy with the gift certificate! {please don’t forget to leave your e-mail address!}

2 – Follow theEcoDiva blog via Google Friends on the right hand side of this site

Extra Entries {let me know which you did by leaving a comment}:

* Share this giveaway on Twitter and follow @theEcoDiva
{you can tweet daily, just remember to leave a comment each time you tweet.}


* Share this giveaway on Facebook
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One Winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced December 1st, 2009.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday ~To Our Precious Niece Annika!

Happy Birthday to you.. Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday To our Precious Little Niece Annika..... 3 Years Old.... Happy 3rd Birthday Our Little Princess. We are so very sorry we couldn’t be there with you, but we are always thinking about you. We wish you the very best in life and always have a fabulous time. ~Wow Sweetie how you have grown. What a beautiful little girl you are. You are such a Doll, Baby!! We are so glad to hear you had a great day at school today and you had so much fun with your friends enjoying "Yummy Cupcakes" that Mommy brought in to your class. (That is so cool!) As always many prayers going your way for your continued journey in life our Sweet Angel Annika.

***Lyrics to the Norwegian Birthday Song with an English Translation and YouTube Videos

~Here are lyrics to the Norwegian Birthday song “Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år!”

*~Hurray for You for Celebrating Your Birthday).

It’s a birthday song written by Margrethe Aabel Munthe (1860 – 1931):

Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år!
(Norwegian)

Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år!
Ja, deg vil vi gratulere!
Alle i ring omkring deg vi står,
og se, nå vil vi marsjere,
bukke, nikke, neie, snu oss omkring,
danse så for deg med hopp og sprett og spring,
ønske deg av hjertet alle gode ting
og si meg så, hva vil du mere? Gratulere!

Høyt våre flagg vi svinger. Hurra!
Ja, nå vil vi riktig feste!
Dagen er din, og dagen er bra,
men du er den aller beste!
Se deg om i ringen hvem du vil ta!
Dans en liten dans med den du helst vil ha!
Vi vil alle sammen svinge oss så gla’
og en av oss skal bli den neste – til å feste!

Here’s an English translation I found…

Hurray for You for Celebrating Your Birthday!

Hurray for you for celebrating your birthday!
Yes, we congratulate you!
We all stand around you in a ring,
And look, now we’ll march,
Bow, nod, curtsy, we turn around,
Dance for you and hop and skip and jump!
Wishing you from the heart all good things!
And tell me, what more could you want? Congratulations!

We wave our flags up high! Hurray!
Yes now we’ll really celebrate!
The day is yours, the day is great,
But you’re the best!
Look in the ring who you want to choose!
Dance a little dance with who you want to!
We’ll all turn around together so joyfully,
And one of us shall be the next – to celebrate!

Here you can hear the first verse (which is how it’s traditionally sung)…

www.mamalisa.com/.../lyrics-to-the-norwegian-birthday-song-with-an-english-translation-and-youtube-videos


Hope you enjoy the Birthday Song Annika, We Love You!!!

Give yourself the same love and attention that you would give to a lover, a baby, family or good friends..

Healthy Wishes, Venus