Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Yin and Yang


Yesterday's afternoon walk - talk about snow!
I thought it would be nice to share a bit more about what draws me to MacrobioticsAside from the actual power of the food we put in our bodies, I'm intrigued by the philosophical aspect of the Macrobiotic Diet.  In other words, Macrobiotics is not just about the food.  It's also about the energy and balance that food can provide.  It's truly about finding harmony with oneself.  I think that's really amazing.  This part of the Macrobiotic Diet, I still have a lot to learn, but I find it fascinating.

Eating is one of the most crucial things we do everyday.  And if I can find balance and peace from within based simply on the decision of what I choose to eat then that makes me really powerful.

I know it might sound a little odd all my talk about tranquility, but keep reading on about this Yin and Yang stuff - it might just make sense to you too! 

(Everything I'm sharing is from my own personal Macrobiotic research. I'm not an expert, just genuinely curious!)

So foods have Yin and Yang qualities.  Therefore, when we eat something incredibly Yang or intensely Yin, we become off balance.  For example, when you have something highly concentrated in white sugar, the food is taking you on that "sugar high".  Excess consumption of this Yin food (amongst others) over time can cause our body to become weak. 

Extreme Yang Foods

meat, poultry, eggs, salty cheeses, caffeine, food additives & preservatives, sodium in processed foods

Extreme Yin Foods

white sugar, milk, cream, butter, ice cream, tropical fruits, nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers)

Blend of Yin & Yang - Optimal

whole grains, whole grain products, natural sweeteners, unrefined vegetable oils, unrefined sea salt, beans, bean product, vegetables, fruits (local and in season), seeds, nuts, seasonings, pickles, nonstimulant beverages

Examples of the Western cuisine balance of Yin & Yang:

Yang: hamburger with Yin:  french fries
Yang:  Cheese  with Yin:  Wine

That's why these items pair well.  It's our way of finding that balance; although, it's not quite the way to do it.

Overall, I try to do my best to select foods according to their balance of Yin and Yang.  The optimal category above is where I'd say 90 percent of my food comes from.  I have not fully elimiated caffeine, tomatoes, eggplants and bell peppers.  I really only drink decaf coffee/lattes at this point though.  But I make a conscience effort not to seek out extreme Yin or Yang foods.



I can absolutely say that by eating whole grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and reducing excess consumption of processed food, I feel really good.

That's my Macrobiotic sharing for today.  If you're new, click here to see all my posts regarding the Macrobiotic Diet!

What foods make you feel your best?

12 comments:

  1. Aww, love the puppy picture!

    Interesting post! I think that I do a pretty good job of blending the yin and yang! :)

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    1. Thank you! We had a fun time outside! I try to do my best but I'm definitely not perfect at it.

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  2. Great post! I have always been intrigued by macrobiotics and while my diet follows it very closely I have never 100% delved into it! I love your posts on it, learning so much!

    I would just say be careful with decaf coffee and make sure you are getting swiss water process kinds- other wise it's all chemicals :(

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    1. Thanks so much for the tip!!! I know I need to check out better coffee for sure!

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  3. Great insight! I find the description of various foods and their yin vs. yang principles very interesting - Thank you for sharing :)

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  4. Snow! My goodness!
    I agree with you 100%! Food is what fuels us! Why shouldn't we be feeding ourselves with premium fuel?

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  5. I'd like to think I fall in the optimal range, but apparently the no no night shade veggies are some of my favorites (peppers and tomatoes!) I wonder what it is about the nutrients in those veggies that makes them so far off.

    Always interesting to read about!

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  6. Great post! I've been interested in the macrobiotics approach, but I'm not sure I could do it entirely. Foods that make me feel at my best are almonds, walnuts, almond butter, carrots, berries, oranges, greens, bananas and protein.

    By the way, I just found your blog and I'm enjoying reading through your posts! I love your blog title, too! I am a latte girl; I have to make one every morning!

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  7. It's tough for me to do it entirely as well. I love all your snacks - yum! I'm so happy you found my blog, thanks so much for reading!!! Love those lattes :)

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  8. I just discovered your blog and I love it! I'm very interested in macorbiotics, it makes so much sense to me.
    Elle
    http://yourhappyhealthblog.blogspot.com/

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