Product Description
Heralded by New York magazine as one of the city's most popular diets, macrobiotics has become the latest trend in dieting, thanks to high-profile supporters like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Speaking to the generation of young women looking to extend their healthy lifestyles beyond yoga and Pilates, macrobiotic chef and instructor Jessica Porter offers fresh, contemporary, and accessible insight into one of the world's oldest, yet most popular, diets. She explains that by eating good quality whole foods, any woman can experience physical, sensory, emotional, and intellectual freedom.

The effects of eating a macrobiotic diet can extend beyond basic health to weight loss, beauty, better sex, and peace of mind. Cooking tips and recipes are combined with Jessica's no-nonsense philosophy and witty anecdotes to create a lifestyle book that will inspire women to hit the kitchen with an understanding of how to strengthen their minds and bodies through food. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Just awful!
This is my first review on Amazon after hundreds of purchases. What a horrible book. It is totally stupid. Just somebody going on and on about how food is yin and yang. Very little instruction. Occasional rants about how she went off her diet and it was bad for her. This is a complete waste of money and time. Don't buy it! Just awful!

Hip Chick's Review
The book came promptly and in the condition it was promised.It's an amazing philosophy - but I'm wondering how realistic is it to impose on a family of 5.That being said, I do think it' inspired me to infuse our diet with many more healthy options and the recipes are worth trying.Mrse

This Changes Everything!
I have been trying new diets my whole adult life. Some worked and some didn't.
I have finally found what I was looking for!

The Hip Chick's Guild to Macrobiotics is a fun read & introduced me to a way of eating for the rest of my life!! It's so simple, it's healthy, it's easy & I feel fantastic!!!

Jessica Porter writes for us American Women. She's funny & understands the that we live in a culture where eating great is an oddity!
From the first few pages I found my viewpoint changing, I found I could easily incorporate a little change at a time and feel a lot better!

My husband is delighted with the recipes I have tried and with the 15 lbs I have dropped effortlessly! We're just getting healthier because of what I have learned here!

There are only about 80 recipes included in the book and the rest is devoted to the philosophy of macrobiotics which I've really enjoyed. I like to understand the way stuff works & by being able to 'think with it' have more easily adapted my own life style to a better way to eat & live.

I'm not yet 100% Macrobiotic and may never be but this book has absolutely improved my health, my attitude & my sex life!
I am a very satisfied customer!!
L.L.

Irritating Tone
I don't normally review books.I feel like this one was particularly bad, and that it is a waste of money.For example, the author spends three pages discussing the "macrobiotic relationship," followed by a description of how she got dumped.Seriously, I understood that the tone was supposed to be a bit chatty since she is a "hip chick" but come on, this is not necessary for a book.It is stupid, frankly, and I wondered how it ever got published.Some of the receipes are okay, but they are not all together, and can be confusing to find.I recommend sticking with another macro manuel; don't waste your money.

A pretty good read
I am about half-way through this book.It was hard to get started but once I dove in, I'm interested and am enjoying the read.The author talks about her getting started with macrobiotics eating and what she goes through in a fun way helping me understand why I'm going through the same experience. ... Read more

Product Description
A macrobiotic diet is beneficial not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. Consisting of nuts, grains, vegetables, and other foods that are primarily whole, living, and unprocessed, it combines foods in a way that balances the body’s energies. Modern-Day Macrobiotics is both a cookbook and a practical guide to understanding and adopting a macrobiotic lifestyle. Along with menus and complete eating plans – including a one-day tone-up, three-day detox, ten-day regeneration diet, and four-month healing diet – it helps readers tailor a diet to their specific needs. Nearly 80 recipes cover every meal of the day, including dessert, and are tagged with icons indicating what types of energy the dish imparts. Colorful reference charts help readers find useful information at a glance. Health benefits; buying and storing ingredients; shortcuts and ten-minute meals; and ordering in restaurants are also covered. Luscious, full-color photographs capture the vibrant flavors of this healthy, delicious diet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Perfect Way to Learn Macrobiotics, Especially If You Are An Ethnic Cook
I purchased this book after my doctor recommended I look into a macrobiotic diet to help balance my hormones.I spent time at a macrobiotic restaurant that has a small collection of books that they sell first, browsing through the various options.This one really jumped out at me, for a couple of reasons:

1)I did not grow up cooking American or European food.I learned how to cook based on Indian cuisine, and that is the type of food my family and I eat at home most of the time.This book teaches you the principles of macrobiotic cooking in such a way that you can adopt it to whatever cuisine is most familiar and comfortable for you.It's made it easier for me to adapt to this way of eating, since the flavor of my food is satisfying, but the content of it is better for me.

2)I liked out way information about macrobiotics was presented.The layout of the information is very clean and easy to understand.Symbols for the different qualities of food make it easy to remember the principles, and it's much easier to absorb the material when you don't have to read textbook-like pages.

3)The pictures of the food are appealing.At the end of the day, it's a cookbook and I want to feel like the food I make is going to be appetizing and presentable.

4)Simon Brown's writing style is educational, warm and inviting.I think anyone who reads this book as an introduction to macrobiotics will get a good start, and will certainly learn enough to be dangerous.

I'm really happy I got it, and I'm even happier that I am using the principles and recipes in the book.My husband is eating this way with me, and he's not going hungry, and neither am I.In fact, I started feeling better after 3 days, which is so encouraging.I think this is a must read for anyone who wants to learn the principles of macrobiotics and wants a simple way to enhance their diet, especially if you don't want to feel pressured or overwhelmed or intimidated.

Enjoy!

P.S.The Noodles recipe is awesome!

very educational
I read this book from cover to cover and found it to be very interesting and educational.I like the colorful pages and pictures; sounds very juvenile but kept my interest to learn more about this important subject.I would recommend this book but not the one it was coupled with by Amazon (Macrobiotics for Dummies -- a poorly edited book).As a beginner to macrobiotics, I would recommend this book to any other person looking into macrobiotics eating.

Awesome book.
Love this! I have given this to so many people as a gift. Great info and easy to read and use.

Modern Macrobiotic ?
I would say that this book is probably more enjoyable for someone who knows very little about Macrobiotic cooking. It is shallow on principles, but makes up for it with colorful pictures. Don't get me wrong; the book in worth the price, but I was looking for a more authentic read, and it fails in this area.

I am still in search of the first microbiotic cook book that was purchased in the sixties. I mistakenly threw it in a box headed for Goodwill, and have been trying to find an equal. Unfortunately the early standards of microbiotic cooking were much higher, as for health benefits I am sure that it is a toss up. I am not sure what is meant by modern?

I would say if you are new to microbiotic cooking that this is a good book, but if you really want to get into the core of macrobiotic cooking look elsewhere.

Modern-Day Joyous Macrobiotics
I've been through the wars with macrobiotics...from the endless brown rice only diet to the "raw" macrobiotics approach...for, off and on, forty years.This is the best that the macro-vision can testify to.A beautiful book, with engaging photographs, intelligent information, and, best of all, very rewarding recipes, all merging together to give the reader a healing and joyously appealing approach to a very diverse and often stringent lifestyle.

Macrobiotics can be so utterly daunting, so conservative, unbending, and foreign, that we often throw the baby out with the bath water.Brown's book is informative without being preaching; kind, and encouraging.Do try it out.It is enormously beneficial.
... Read more

Product Description

The definitive guide to incorporating a macrobiotic diet into your daily life

Do you want to make the most of macrobiotics? This practical guide uses a body, mind, and spirit approach to introduce you to the basics of this popular diet. You'll see how to use macrobiotic principles to enhance your health and happiness; prepare the right foods to increase your energy and fight off disease; and make lifestyle changes to support your new way of eating.

• Begin on the path to healthy living — understand the science behind macrobiotics and how to apply the principles to your daily life

• Heal the macrobiotic way — discover the foods and nutrients that influence good health and heal common diseases

• Plan for successful, non-stressful change — create a macro-friendly kitchen, shop smart, and introduce new foods to the family diet

• Make marvelous macrobiotic meals — prepare delicious, easy-to-follow recipes from breakfast to dessert and plan your weekly menu

• Take it on the road — make healthy restaurant choices

• Round out your macrobiotic lifestyle — get tips for exercise, creating a more nourishing environment, and developing a self-healing personality

Open the book and find:

• The basics of macrobiotic nutrition

• How to marshal your body, mind, and spirit to renew your health

• Ten tips for prompt, permanent weight loss

• Practical ways to eliminate cravings for unhealthy food

• More than 50 healthy, tasty recipes

• Time-saving cooking techniques

• Tips on managing your blood sugar with macrobiotic foods

• The right tools and equipment to stock a healthy kitchen

• A sample macrobiotic menu

Customer Reviews (9)

OUTSTANDING
I am new to the macrobiotic world. This book made it so easy for me to understand. I could not put it down. I am getting another one for my sister.

Written BY a Dummy!
I started reading this book but put it down because of all the typos I ran across.This book was apparently written or edited by a dummy -- because I lost interest from all of the typos.Maybe this doesn't bother other people, but I can say that there are probably better books out there that are more attrative to keep a captive audience.I'll read it someday, but have a couple more Macrobiotics books that I've been reading to educate myself.

Macrobiotics For Dummies
Never wanted to buy a book called for dummies.I have taken a couple Macrobiotic cooking classes.The Chef told me a good book to buy was Macrobiotics for Dummies.I have truly enjoyed this book.It contains all the information, I was looking for and it has great recopies and guides.Great book for beginners or people interested in Macrobiotic Cooking.
Macrobiotics For Dummies (For Dummies (Math & Science))

Best User Friendly Health Guide
The book Macrobiotics for Dummies, by Verne Verona, is the most user friendly health book on the market right now.There is a glut of books about macrobiotics and how to treat all of our health ills, but the thing that distinguishes this gem is the way it is written by Mr. Verona so that the reader can understand the information and immediately put it to use.The author's warmth and humor shines through every page and the reader feels like a friend is sharing his 40 years of macro experience with you, personally.Additionally, this book addresses more then nutritional needs.It details how one can change all aspects of life, including emotional, spiritual and nutritional perspectives while encouraging us to find meaning in our lives.If you want to make a profound shift in your attitudes, even if you are not macrobiotic, treat yourself to Macrobiotics for Dummies and your life will never be the same!

A Great Guide!
Not only was the book extremely informative, but the Kindle formatting was the best I've seen yet. ... Read more

Product Description
Wholesome and delicious recipes for cooking in harmony with nature.

Rooted in centuries-old principles, the macrobiotic diet consists of simple yet highly nutritious foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and beans, selected and prepared in harmony with the seasons. From lightly sautéed spring greens and refreshing summer salads, to harvest vegetables and hearty winter stews, this cookbook provides hundreds of easy-to-follow and flavorful recipes for complete and balanced macrobiotic meals. A combination of great taste and whole foods, this is traditional macrobiotic cooking at its best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

#1 Favorite Cookbook
I own ~50 cookbooks, and this is my #1 favorite.

The book emphasizes cooking fresh, seasonal produce absolutely as simply as possible.It might just be the ultimate minimalist cookbook.Some recipes are as simple as:"Chop kale, boil for 3 minutes."But ALL of these simple recipes are placed in the context of a meal, and all meals are placed in the context of a day in the week of a season of macrobiotic cooking.So you are not just learning to boil kale for 3 minutes, you are learning where to place the kale-boiling in your daily routine.

Yes, I agree the book would benefit from a few more seafood recipes.But at least it has some, which is more than many other macrobiotic cookbooks (at least the ones in English.)And the recipes include seafood as an easy side product (eg "you could add shrimp to this soup alongside the cabbage"), which is an authentic place for seafood in traditional macrobiotic cuisine.

I would also agree that strict macrobiotics is probably not the ideal dietary regime according to modern dietary science (no olive oil?no avocados?no spinach?_a lot_ of brown rice?)However, a few small changes to the menus (not necessarily to any of the recipes) and i think the book fits in with modern dietary recommendations perfectly.

Finally, the book also has an interesting set of suggestions for daily living: "walk barefoot on grass, or sand", "maintain active correspondence", and "chew each bite 50 times."Take them as interesting suggestions or leave them as crank science, but i think they make some sense.

Overall, the best cookbook i've found, and probably the first i will actually cook from cover to cover.

Macrobiotic diet simplified
I purchased this book for a friend living with ovarian cancer because I am convinced that following a macrobiotic diet since my ovarian cancer experience
12 years ago has been an important component of remaining in remission and because I find books by Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko easy to "digest."The principles and philosophy of macrobiotics, including eating locally grown, organic foods in harmony with their season, is explained well and clearly in this book and there are hundreds of simple, easy to follow recipes for anyone who is inspired to explore a macrobiotic diet for healing and health.
Dawn Nelson, author
Making Friends With Cancer

Bought as a gift, the recipient seemed pleased.
I bought this as a gift for somebody who wasexploring macro-biotics at the time. This was the book requested and they were very pleased.The book itself seemed to be of good quality and nicely laid out.Can't offer much beyond that.

nice idea....nicer food
I really have used and enjoyed this cookbook thoroughly.This is my second macrobiotic cookbook.Though I'm not eating a 100% macrobiotic diet I still appreciate the principals and ideas associated with the concept.The philosophies are laid out in the beginning of the book.

The book is formatted by the seasons. It gives three menus for each meal of the day for seven days per season.Some of the recipes repeat itself; however, they are usually staples of a macrobiotic diet anyway.

The only thing that may frustrate someone new to macrobiotics or this book is that it requires some ingredients that will need be hunted for.Most health food stores and oriental grocers will have what is needed. One thing worth mentioning about macrobiotics and the recipe book is that the food is extremely affordable.

Vegan cuisine is not macrobiotic cuisine
This cookbook's well-organized menus and recipes specific to each of the 4 seasons in a temperate climate zone is very helpful, but the book's title is misleading.The word macrobiotic is used in the book title, however all of the book's recipes are vegan.A little history is recounted here:During the first decade of macrobiotics in the USA, all the macro cookbooks featured a moderate use of fish and fish products.Fish products played an especially important part of soup recipes, such as miso soup.The alteration of traditional macrobiotic recipes in this cookbook to excise fish means that the authentic macrobiotic diet is actually not being represented here, and the fact that this cookbook does not discuss that omission makes it even more out of balance with mainstream macrobiotic thinking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

This is Awesome!
I was really happy to get this book. I was pleasantly surprised at how fat it was (and is)! So many recipes...just pages and pages. Unfortunately, there's no pictures to accompany them (bummer), but it makes up for it in content.

Excellent recipes. This is exactly the cookbook I was looking for -- I wanted simple, easy-to-prepare, "clean" meal ideas. I have been using (and loving) Tosca Reno's Eat Clean cookbooks, but it was time to add some fresh recipes to the mix.

I like that I don't have to substitute too many ingredients in here. Occasionally she'll suggest corn oil or some other ingredient that I won't use, but that's such an easy fix. I have an Oyama stainless rice cooker (love it, highly recommend it), so that makes things a lot easier. She recommends using a pressure cooker to keep the energy of the food inside, but I'm not going to run out and purchase one...at least not yet.

You won't be disappointed by this book, it's definitely a must-have, and definitely a keeper.

The best macrobiotic cooking book written
This book, with its yellow frayed pages, is still in our kitchen.The one I have is copyrighted 1985, so it is nearly a quarter of a century old. I bought this book a couple of years before I went to Becket, MA, to attend week-long seminars presented by Michio Kushi in the late 1980s. There have been many more such cookbooks written since then, but IMO none are better than this one.Alex Jack and the late Aveline Kushi did an excellent job with both the recipies and explaining the philosophy of macrobiotics in this book.

I still refer to this book regularly when I cook something new or when I need to be reminded of certain ingredients in a dish I have not made in a long time.I suppose I should buy another one that is in better condition, but mine holds sentimental value, because it reminds me of a prior period in my life.My diet is not as strict as it was in the 1980s, but it is still based on these principles. For anyone who is considering beginning a macrobiotic diet; a semi-macrobiotic diet; or just an improved healthy diet; I wholeheartedly recommend this book.The recipies are presented clearly; there are variations or options to many of the recipies presented; and the reasons behind the recipies are often given. My edition is 414 pages, so it is a great reference.

This book was instrumental in many people successfully changing their diets from an unhealthy diet to one that results in clean arteries; low cholesterol and triglycerides; and vitality.Dr. Colin Campbell's recent best selling book, The China Study, which scientifically proves the benefits of a similar diet, demonstrates that the macrobiotic diet is valid and it was ahead of its time when this cookbook was written.

Aveline Kushi's Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking
I love to cook, and I love to read about cooking.This book is one of the "root" cookbooks of a kitchen.This is a cookbook that combines health, mindfulness and eating.It is very helpful to understand the reasons behind macrobiotic practices, and the balances that help us feel really great!

A Must Have for health concious families.
This is the most useful book I've ever purchased! I never learned how to cook before and never bought a cookbook either, but this has made me come to know the value of the text by a author with so much love for food, health, and human kind.

A Natural Cookbook
This is a cookbook dealing only with natural ingredients.It covers all the different foods to cook, such as grains,vegetables, sea vegetables,beans et al.In addition to a range of recipes she supplies the rationale behind their use. ... Read more

Product Description

“Food is the chief of all things, the universal medicine. . . . Food transmutes directly into body, mind, and spirit . . . creates our day-to-day health and happiness.”
—from The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health

Even in medical schools, alternative medicine is blossoming. Two thirds of them now offer courses in complementary healing practices, including nutrition. At the heart of this revolution is macrobiotics, a simple, elegant, and delicious way of eating whose health benefits are being confirmed at an impressive rate by researchers around the world.

Macrobiotics is based on the laws of yin and yang—the complementary energies that flow throughout the universe and quicken every cell of our bodies and every morsel of the food we eat. Michio Kushi and Alex Jack, distinguished educators of the macrobiotic way, believe that almost every human ailment from the common cold to cancer can be helped, and often cured, by balancing the flow of energy (the ki) inside us. The most effective way to do this is to eat the right foods, according to our individual day-to-day needs. Now in this marvelous guide, they give us the basics of macrobiotic eating and living, and explain how to use this powerful source of healing to become healthier and happier, to prevent or relieve more than two hundred ailments, conditions, or disorders—both physical and psychological.

This encyclopedic compendium of macrobiotic fundamentals, remedies, menus, and recipes takes into account the newest thinking and evolving practices within the macrobiotic community. The authors integrate all the information into a remarkable A to Z guide to macrobiotic healing—from AIDS, allergies, and arthritis, to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. They also clearly explain what we need to know to start eating a true macrobiotic diet that will provide us with a complete balance of energy and nutrients.

Living as we all do in environmental and climactic circumstances that are largely outside our personal control, it is vital that we follow a healthy lifestyle, including a flexible diet that we can adjust to meet our own individual needs. The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health gives us precisely the tools and the understanding we need to achieve this goal. Use it to build a strong, active body and a cheerful, resourceful mind.






From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Macrobtioic Meals to Cure
I found the book helpful, although I was hoping for more complete daily menu ideas.Otherwise, very informative.

awful
I havn't gotten it yet, although I have been asked to review it. The book may be good - not that the crappy service provided by Amazon means anything. I ordered some books the day before from Book depository US and they arrived TWO WEEKS AGO yet I'm still waiting on Amazon even though they were all available when I placed my order.

Less is More
This book is well edited and laid out, fairly easy to read through (except I had trouble finding recommendations for Type II Diabetes--and they don't discuss some major cancers.)But the problem is, Kushi and Jack's recommendations for nearly every disease are close to identical--basically the macrobiotic diet--but rather than just saying so, they break the book down into disease-by-disease discussions and recommendations, with maybe minor tweaks for this disease or that one.It doesn't really break any new ground--the books smacks of $$$ motivation.Also, they will mention items, and then not put them in the index or describe them--"amacha" is one such example--mentioned once, but nowhere else to be found, especially not in the index.They also seriously propose that HIV and AIDS are not related, which is lunatic fringe pseudoscience at the very best, speaking as one who has lost many friends to AIDS, when they were first diagnosed HIV+.Also, in another book, I noticed Mr. Jack used macrobiotic principles to "prove" that Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare's plays--maybe fun for Mr. Jack but highly shaky at best, given that serious historians credit Shakespeare with writing his own work, as the Bard's contemporaries attest.Better to go with simpler books on this subject that don't get into muddy waters, by fine writers like Kristina Turner, Keith Michell, Craig Sams, and others.I'd also recommendDenny Waxman's Great Life Diet, but his claim to fame is that he helped heal Dr. Anthony Satillaro of cancer, when Dr. Satillaro died of this same disease later on.

The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health
I know nothing about this book. It was requested and purchased as a gift.
The service from Amazon was good, as usual.

Great guide for a natural life
This book is a great guide if you want to take control of your own health and well being. It covers just about every disease and illness that the average person would need to know of. They are explained in easy to understand language for the layperson. All you need is basic knowledge of the body and how it functions. It will guide you to a path of natural eating in a way to heal illness as well as your spirit.It will tell you what to eat and why as well as what NOT to eat for your condition.There are only a few recipes so it is not a cookbook. There are tables and guides to the types of foods to eat and their preparation for balanced living. Definitely for anyone interested in their own health and a natural and organic way of life. ... Read more

Product Description
The third edition of the "bible" of the macrobiotic movement.

Originally published in 1985, The Macrobiotic Way is a classic in its field. It is the definitive guide to macrobiotics, an approach to diet and lifestyle that promotes both inner peace and harmony with others and the environment. Now updated, it covers not only the central dietary principles, nutrition, and foods but also cooking techniques, essentials for a macrobiotic kitchen, menus and recipes, along with exercise, life philosophy, home and lifestyle, and the role of macrobiotics in healing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Macrobiotic Way
This book was purchased as a gift.I don't know much about the book, but the recepent requested it.The service from Amazon was
good, as usual.

The recipe for diabetis... or worse
The high carb, low fat, low protein diet described "The Macrobiotic Way" is a good recipe for damaging your insulin system, and consequently suffering from hypoglycemia and the accompanying symptoms, which may later develop into diabetis. My own experience and reading macrobiotic forums are evidence for that - There are numerous recipes for sweets (though sweeteners should be used in strict moderation according to this and other macrobiotics books), and people constantly complain about sweet cravings and their inability to lose weight. On a high carb diet, you will constantly be hungry and craving sweets.

Macrobiotics is also the perfect way to ruin ones digestive system. Excessive fiber, in addition to phytogens and other anti-nutrients contained in abundance in untreated whole grains will do that to you, as will protein and fat deficiency. No wonder the author developed colon cancer. His wife and daughter also died from cancer. Did I also mention that he wrote a book titled "The Cancer Prevention Diet?" I write this not to poke fun at other people's misery, but to warn against following their example and making the same mistakes.

The number of caloriesin equals the number of calories out.
By the way. Did the author once mention about calories? The book said Macrobiotics isn't a diet, but rather, a way of life. I grew up in Japan for 23 years and had a lot of exposure to Macrobiotics, not because it was my way of life, but rather, because the foods were readily available and inexpensive at my local Japanese grocery stores and nearly all restaurants. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend Macrobiotics for everyone.

If you're a tofu, miso soup, and sushi lover then by all means - dive into this book. However, this book does not provide recipes but will provide an insight on balancing your diet for optimum health.

A few things I disagreed upon while skimming through some of its chapters is one scenario case of an obese individual who was constantly suffering from bouts of fatigue, aches & pains until someone came up to him and told him that sugar was poison that's why she'd never put it into her body or keep it around her house. I call her a friggin' idiot. Sugar is the very stuff we're actually made from, it's what makes up our DNA structure (aka: our genes). We still need sugar for our activity level. The sugar we consume converts to glycogen for us to utilize into energy, otherwise, if we don't use it - it'll get stored in our liver to be utilized into energy for the latter. If we continue not to use the sugar we consume, eventually, the sugar gets stored in our body as fat which will contribute to the cause of sluggishness, fatigue, and eventually lead to the threat of other diseases. The number of calories that we need to consume should also equal the number of calories we expend into energy throughout our daily activities including exercise.

And what's this sample recipe where tea is served for breakfast and coffee for dinner? Shouldn't that be the other way around? How will you possibly fall asleep at night when you consume coffee in the evening? It takes approximately eight hours for our bodies to rid itself of caffeine. Not only is caffeine bad for our bodies and our health, but caffeine has been proven to even raise blood pressure? Yep ~ that's the Macrobiotic way of life alright. But hey ~ I love my American coffee, especially early in the morning, and I'm willing to take that risk for my health and well-being.

If it weren't for my major in Biology, I would've readily believed everything this book had to offer. If you really want to live the Macrobiotic way ~ I say - Live your life to the fullest and eat happy and don't judge anyone! Of all the hypes I've seen in commercials: Macrobiotics, Atkins, Vegetarian, High-protein, etc...I'd say the most delicious recipes so far that I've tried were the Mediterranean recipes w/c happens to be the most well-balanced diet of all the other diets combined.

Again, I've given this book a 3-star rating at least for posting its workout illustrations. Although, I've been a Yoga practitioner for a good two years. I'd also have to say, while Yoga provides wonderful health benefits for the young and elderly, NOT all Yoga positions are highly recommended for everyone. So please practice with caution.

AND

Learn to Practice in moderation...


Breathe & Meditate...


Eat....


Sleep...

Take this book with a B12 supplement
I was new to macrobiotics when I bought this book. I've found it to be a clearly-written, informative guide with one key inadequacy.

The book covers the key principles of macrobiotics, as well as discussions of the major food groups and their role in the macrobiotic diet. It also includes engaging testimonials from some well-known converts to the macrobiotic way. This is not a recipe book, but it does have several easy to prepare recipes.

The issue I have with the book is its discussion of vitamin B12. It is a fact that there are no adequate sources of B12 in plant-based diets. The authors falsely claim that soy foods such as tempeh are good sources of B12. This is not true; the B12 found in tempeh is not real B12 but an "analog" which is unavailable to the human body. However, if the reader includes in their diet some of the shellfish recommended for occasional use, the B12 issue can be resolved.

This book is due for a revision. Buy it along with a more extensive macrobiotic recipe book, as well as a B12 supplement if you're going to follow a vegan macrobiotic diet.

The Macrobiotic Way
Excellent comprehensive book on macrobiotics.This book explains macrobiotics as a way of life from how we eat to how we conduct ourselves.This book is recommended to anyone who wants to live a more balanced life with less stress, healthier eating, and more caring for others and the planet.Other excellent macrobiotic books include the Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics and The Cancer Prevention Diet. ... Read more

Product Description
Lose weight and boost energy levels. Prevent and treat disease. Enhance psychological health. Readers can gain all this and more by eating a macrobiotic diet. Macrobiotics is based on the benefits of eating seasonal, locally grown, and energetically balanced foods. In "The "Everything" Guide to Macrobiotics", readers learn how to adapt this lifestyle to fit their needs. Using food as a path to wholeness, readers achieve inner and outer healing when they whip up such recipes as: Forbidden Rice with Edamame and Orange Zest Mochi Waffles with Berry Lemon Sauce; Kale, Green Beans, and Carrots with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds; Garbanzo Beans in Mushroom Gravy; Roasted Squash and Sweet Potato Sauce; Poached Pears in Apple Cider. This helpful primer also features tips on incorporating changes into the reader's lifestyle that reduce stress while enhancing balance and harmony. The benefits of a macrobiotic lifestyle are only a few delicious recipes away! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Guide
Having several books on Macrobiotic Diet, I almost didn't buy another one. But this one is great, printed in a relaxing green ink. Well informed, and explained. Great appealing recipes, I have marked several for immediate cooking.
I encourage beginners to get a great understanding from this lovely author.
I await new cookbooks from her! ... Read more

Product Description
[INSIDE-FLAP COPY]
"Not only are you the best chef in the world...your amazing food helped me to be a happier, healthier person, balanced in body and mind."
--Madonna (from the Preface)

[BACKCOVER COPY]
"Mayumi makes beautiful, energizing food, which I have been lucky enough to enjoy many times over the years. I am thrilled that now everyone can have a chance to experience the effects of her meals, which are as healing and healthy as one can get!"
--Gwyneth Paltrow

"When people think of macrobiotics, they think of healing and recovery, but they rarely think of gorgeous, yummy food. Mayumi's Kitchen changes all that."
--Christina Pirello, Emmy Award-winning host of Christina Cooks on national public television and best-selling cookbook author

"Mayumi has long been one of my favorite chefs in the world-her cooking is infused with love, joy, and the spirit of a true artist. So it's no surprise to me that this wonderful book is as inviting as her food-gorgeous, friendly, and welcoming."
--Jessica Porter, author, The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics

"In this book and its recipes, Mayumi captures the beauty and spirit of macrobiotics and natural foods cuisine. She has inspired many toward a healthful lifestyle, and will continue to do so with this wonderful book."
--Dr. Lawrence Haruo Kushi, nutritional epidemiologist

"With years of innovative experience, Mayumi Nishimura brings food to life with a balanced sense of taste, color, and good nutrition. The recipes and artistic photography in Mayumi's Kitchen are sure to make your mouth water and your lips quiver! This is whole food kitchen inspiration at its best."
--Verne Varona, author, Macrobiotics for DummiesAmazon.com Review
Product Description
Macrobiotics--the healthy, nature-friendly way of life based on a diet of whole grains, vegetables, and beans--is now a global phenomenon. In recent years a number of Hollywood stars have taken up the macrobiotic diet because of its many benefits, which include higher energy levels, beautiful skin, a tranquil mind, and a greater sense of connection with the universe. In Mayumi's Kitchen, the woman who worked for seven years as Madonna's private macrobiotic chef shares with the world her dazzling recipes.

Mayumi Nishimura's unique style of cooking is healthful, intuitive, and easy to stick with. She draws her inspiration not only from Japanese food, which she grew up eating, but also from Chinese, French, Italian, and any number of other world cuisines, as well as from macrobiotic traditions. She believes that enjoyment, above all, is the key to sustainable healthy eating, and that means adapting her cooking to cosmopolitan tastes. The reader will thus discover in her book a number of familiar-looking dishes prepared with macrobiotic as well as more conventional ingredients, in both Western and non-Western styles.

The centerpiece of Mayumi's Kitchen is her ten-day detox diet. Here readers can enjoy a macrobiotic menu that will transform them from the inside out. Following this are meal-planning tips and recipes for more than fifty dishes, including such favorites as Salmon Soup, Avocado Rolls, Vegetable Lasagna, and Seitan Pot Stickers. There is even a party-food section with recipes for spring rolls, tempura, pizza, and more.

In all, Mayumi introduces more than 130 mouthwatering recipes, all lavishly illustrated with color photographs. Many are explained in terms of their nutritional value or energy quality, and unfamiliar techniques are made clear with step-by-step pictures. For beginners and lifelong macrobiotic practitioners alike, these dishes will wow and delight.

From Mayumi’s Kitchen: Brownies

These brownies proved incredibly popular with Madonna’s back-up dancers, whom I sometimes made snacks for while on tour. Brownies have since become a favorite birthday treat. Makes one 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20-cm) pan.

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup (110 g) unbleached white flour or barley flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup (80 g) maple sugar
• 1/4 cup (20 g) cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (90 g) sugarless chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsweetened soymilk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) rapeseed oil or other vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Oil a Pyrex or other square ovenproof pan. Or, for easier cleanup, line the pan with baking paper.

3. Place all DRY INGREDIENTS in one bowl and all WET INGREDIENTS in another. Mix well separately, then add the WET INGREDIENTS to the DRY INGREDIENTS and mix just enough to blend, using a spatula to prevent lumps.

4. Transfer to the pan, place on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 20 minutes (time may vary depending on the oven; test for doneness with a toothpick). When a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean, remove from oven.

5. Allow to cool before cutting into squares and removing from the pan.

From Mayumi’s Kitchen: Strawberry Tempeh Smoothie

I invented this recipe for a Japanese TV show. They wanted me to demonstrate how to use tempeh in several different ways. It tastes wonderful and feels healthier than store-bought protein drinks. For a sweeter flavor, add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or any natural sweetener of your choice. Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 1 oz (30 g) tempeh, steamed
• 8 to 10 strawberries
• 2 cups (480 ml) rice milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp maca powder (optional)
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Steam the tempeh for 15 minutes.

2. Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

good
its a basic microbiotic cookbook. i was looking for a little more flair and variety,but prob not gonna find it with this kind of a diet.

An interesting take on macrobiotic cooking
As a newcomer of macrobiotic cooking, this book opened up a whole new world for me, which is interesting and fascinating! The recipes are overall easy and accessible and appealing to all tastes! Thumbs up for Mayumi!

A must-have for healthy and delicious eating
I love this book.Mayumi's petit macro approach includes recipes that traditional Americans will love (pot pie, brownies, pizza) as well as please those who are already familiar with Japanese or macro cuisine.If you are able to obtain macrobiotic and Japanese ingredients and feel comfortable with them, I think this is definitely a must-have book.I am fortunate to live near an excellent health food store and 2 large gourmet supermarkets--essential for cooking from this book.(I only mention this as a warning of sorts, not as a sign of superiority!)It is not terribly expensive to make this food, but it may be difficult to find what you need in more remote areas.As for the food, it makes me feel light yet nourished.And it could not be more gorgeous! I hope to see more from Mayumi--her book Happy Petit Macro is still available only in Japan.(Note: there are minor typos, maybe only 3 or 4, that are thankfully not in the recipes--not a big deal to me, but worth a mention.)

Any macrobiotic or world cookery library needs this!
Mayumi's Kitchen: Macrobiotic Cooking for Body and Soul comes from a fine macrobiotic chef who cooked for Madonna and her family for seven years. Her approach to whole foods cuisine packs in over a hundred tested recipes and begins with a 10-day 'detox diet' to introduce newcomers to macrobiotic cooking, offering seasoned dieters a new look into dishes reflecting world cuisines and culinary trends alike. Any macrobiotic or world cookery library needs this!

This book has inspired me to write my first book review!
I found myself wanting to change over to a macrobiotic diet but felt intimidated by most macrobiotic cookbooks.A friend who is a macrobiotic chef recommended this book so I bought it.I fell in love with it immediately!The pictures are beautiful and the recipes are so well written.All the food, and I mean ALL the food, has been delicious.The 10-day detox is so great b/c I don't have to think about what to make next - it is laid out perfectly.What I love is that no matter what I make it comes out exactly as it looks in the book, which is very encouraging.Mayumi's seasonings and sauces are right on target.Her tofu mayonnaise is surprisingly better than regular mayo.This book inspires me to eat healthier.

The only complaint I have is that I wish there were twice as many recipes.Mayumi, please write another book soon!!! ... Read more

Product Description

"Anyone watching his or her weight can profit by using these 150 recipes and 30 menus.... Foodstuffs blend old and new tastes, ...each recipe includes nutritional and exchange information."

Customer Reviews (4)

Informative but a little outdated.
A lot of good solid information on macrobiotics, but too much text and not enough pictures.

simple; helpful and supportive
A simple, helpful and verydirect cook book. Especially helpful to those of us who either forgot the principlesor are beginninganew.This book does make it easier.

Great Cook Book
While some of the meals take more than an hour there are some that take as little as 20 min. I like the varity of the recipes and helpful hints and instructions with pictures. I would highly recommend this book.

Quick but not quick enough!!
this book is great except the evening meal takes 1 hr+ & a book is needed for people who can't do that!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Every Household Should Have this Book.
I live by this book. Every remedy that I have tried has worked! I can't stress enough the importance of the information within this books pages. Micho Kushi and his wife are very very wise people. Every household should have a copy of this book!

Easy and helpful home remedies, a book everyone should own
I would highly recommend this book to anyone, even if they aren't macrobiotic.The remedies are easy and best of all, completely natural.Michio Kushi is the leader of macrobiotics today and Marc Vancauwenberghe is one of the great teachers.Their knowledge of nutrition and natural medecine seems to be neverending!

a great home remedy book
easy, helpful remedies. would recommend to anyone ... Read more

Product Description
Macrobiotics for Life presents a complete, holistic approach to health that can be applied to the body, mind, and soul. Combining the concept of a healthy, natural-foods lifestyle with a philosophy of self-love, macrobiotic expert Simon Brown explains how food, exercise, and bodywork can create greater physical health. Written in an accessible, easy-to-understand style, the book takes readers through simple steps beginning with thought, exercise, and diet, and shows how to bring macrobiotic practice into everyday life. Topics include healing the mind (letting go of assumptions and judgments), healing the heart (listening to one’s emotions), and healing the body (caring for one’s skin, energizing one’s organs, and creating a healthy digestive system).

Brown offers extensive information about macrobiotic foods—tips for eating out, saving time in the kitchen, dealing with food cravings—and a variety of menu plans to help readers get started, including a time-saver weekly menu. A full range of nearly 100 recipes provides the essential resources for experiencing macrobiotics, and sixteen striking color photographs illustrate meals that are both delicious and nutritious to help readers see the variety of options that are available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

"Macrobiotics For Life"The best comprehensive book on Macrobiotics.
After reading Simon Brown's book "Macrobiotics For Life", one will undoubtedly feel as though they have received a multi-credited education in holistic studies. If you thought, as many do, that macrobiotics is aimed only at diet and food, then reading this book will open up new areas to delve into and explore.
Simon's approach and explanations are well defined and quite in-depth. He impressively takes on the responsibility in addressing many areas that others have been unable to accomplish. The myriad aspects contained within the studies of macrobiotics can at many times be confusing and difficult, causing the enthusiast to lose interest. Simon remedies this situation in the way he carefully outlines the various aspects and explains them in a clear and concise way. The topics that Simon discusses cover a wide range and the book is formulated in a way that is organized and coherent. It is very tempting to call his book a "holistic encyclopedia of macrobiotics". Simon brilliantly shares his inner wisdom by which he has acquired in his life experiences through macrobiotics and holistic understanding.
"Macrobiotics For Life" is also enjoyable in the sense that it doesn't fall into the category of dogmatic preaching like many of the other macrobiotic books I have seen over the years. Simon even advises against losing your own truth by becoming overly dependent on his own theories. However, once you ponder his theories, you will very likely feel the resonance of his thought, and that thought in my opinion, is very comfortable and valuable. After reading this book it is quite obvious Simon has gained a deep understanding of the subject not only through his dedicated studies but more importantly through his life experiences as a devoted macrobiotic. Simon continues to produce well written books and this one is at the top as one of my favorites. My congratulations to Simon on a job very well done.

Andy Nicola

Been there done that
Brown's a good writer, knowledgeable about his subject, and a prolific author with a really fantastic publisher and editor.However, this book is not nearly as useful IMO as his earlier Modern Day Macrobiotics, which was a fairly practical primer--this title has too much filler, too many discursive side issues. At times it seems like a thank-you speech at the Oscars or Tonys, with nods to the macro fringe like Phiya Kushi, Bruce Paine, etc., and of course there's an endorsement of the book on the back cover from his own sister.His earlier book, Modern-Day macrobiotics, is more sensible and down to earth, and Brown thankfully pulls away from Kushi's claims that macrobiotics can heal every disease there is, including cancer--the macro community seems to be gradually disconnecting from those assertions, profitable though they may be.Brown moves into some foods that were discouraged by Kushi et al--tomatoes, yoghurt, etc.There are many other writers on the subject who offer more substance and feel less in-bred--Kristina Turner, Keith Michell, Michel Abehsera, Craig Sams.When you take away the weird macro philosophy, you're left with a mostly-vegan, Japanese influenced diet that's probably pretty good for you, but I'd recommend Brown's Modern-Day book, or some of the other authors I mentioned here.

Comprehensive reference for Healthy lifestyle buffs
The author really knows his stuff.He goes through in detail many aspects of living a macrobiotic life, food and cooking.Essential for the library if you are thinking at all about living a happy and gracious life.

Macrobiotics- A Natural Wonder
Macrobiotics for Life by Simon Brown
Publisher- North Atlantic Books
Review by: Dr. Joseph S. Maresca

A main premise of the book is that good food, moderate exercise
and bodywork are conditions precedent to good health.
Body healing should happen through the skin, organs and the
digestive system.Death literally may begin in the colon.
So, eating foods rich in fiber are helpful in promoting colorectal
health.

There are a number of psychological aspects to maintaining
good health; such as, self love, a willingness to change in a
constructive manner and commitment to worthy goals.

The author mentions specific foods which promote health,
as well as foods that simply don't .We should consume
sea veggies, tofu, hummus, olives, herbs, mild spice,water
and herbal teas.We should limit junk food and foods which
promote a high glycemic index. Low glycemic foods are
apples, hummus, cashews, carrots and yogurt. These low
glycemic foods correlate with lower inflammation markers
in the blood chemistry.Improvement in the C-reactive
protein is associated with a lower glycemic index, and by
extension,lower glycemic foods and a reduced danger
of heart disease.

A strength of the book is that the author provides sample
meals that are easy to prepare like hummus. Watery veggies
are the calming foods which are high in soluble fiber.
The soluble fiber is good for the digestive system and/or
the gastrointestinal tract.

Exercise, breathing deeply, meditation, yoga and walking
also promote health. Food impacts the pH in our saliva.
Ideally, the saliva should have a pH of 7.4. The 7.4
statistic is only .4 beyond amphoteric (7.0) which is
neither acidic or basic.

Above 7.0 brings us into the basic range of pH.
When we die, our pH rapidly approaches zero.Therefore,
the pH is a good measurement of our health amongst
other statistics like blood pressure, a 550 or above expiry
rate on a pocket peak flow measurement device and clear urine.

A thorough understanding of macrobiotics will
lead to a lifetime of optimal health given whatever
limiting factors are uncontrollable in the proximate environment.
The book is well researched with over 25 contributing websites.

The acquisition is highly recommended for health buffs, as well as
medical providers.

Great New Book on Modern Macrobiotics
In Macrobioics for Life, Simon Brown presents a compeling new look at Macrobiotics, one that couches all its wisdom in an attitude of acceptance and a generosity of spirit. One particular feature I appreciate is the new information he offers on the value of keeping the blood alkaline to avoid disease, as well as giving the reader choices on how to do that. Vegetables, followed by whole grains, become the new most important food group. The colorful format with many photos is so lovely, it makes this reader feel like she is in a spa of the mind.

Meredith McCarty ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Taoist Interpretation of Macrobiotics.
Containing common sense advice on preventive medicine plus some very dubious diagnosis, the book: NATURAL HEALING THROUGH MACROBIOTICS (c. 1978) by Michio Kushi, is actually a very good introduction to the concept of the macrobiotic dietary approach to health emphasizing a diet of whole grains and boiled vegetables as staple foods, merged with the Taoist practice of internal alchemy to achieve immortality.

Offering the focused view that "only with the biological reconstruction of humanity on an individual basis through the basic means of daily life and diet, could world peace be established" (p. 19) coupled with the questionable belief that "Almost every modern degenerative illness, inlcuding cancer, heart-disease, and multiple sclerosis, results from the habitual excessive intake of foods which are either too yang, too yin, or both" (p. 29), author Michio Kushi then goes on for several chapters categorizing and identifyinig all the foods, diseases, and internal organs as to their yin or yang properties to apply that biological reconstruction of humanity.

Oversimplistic, or possibly even dangerous, views towards illness permeate this work, such as "Polio is a yin condition,and is caused by the excessive consumption of foods like fruit juice, ice cream and sugar" (p. 50) and recommended treatment for serious diseases by either varying the diet according to the principles of yin & yang; the administration of plasters (i.e. "For the treatment of pnuemonia use a Carp plaster" p. 99); or the application of accupunction.The book also suggested the technique of adjusting the body's pH level by consuming various foods measured by their yin & yang value, which conforms to the practice of internal alchemy by practicing Taoists.

The major value of NATURAL HEALING THROUGH MACROBIOTICS by Michio Kushi, is for the students of Taoist tradition and folklore, rather than for any pragmatic cure for debilitating diseases, mental health, or physical injuries.To help further understand the basis and reasoning of NATURAL HEALING THROUGH MACROBIOTICS, please read: A TAOIST COOKBOOK (c. 1994) by Michael R. Saso; and SEVEN TAOIST MASTERS (c. 1990) by Eva Wong, to help put macrobiotics and Taoist alchemy and diet into historical perspective.

Natural Healing Through Macrobiotics
Offers a clear, concise, explanation of how whole foods and oriental diet/natural medicine can reverse health conditions and prevent illness. Love this book. Puts you on a healthy-minded approach to body - mind. ... Read more

Product Description
A COMPREHENSIVE INTRODUCTION TO THE NUTRITIONAL AND ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF A BALANCED, NATURAL WAY OF EATING.

Since its original publication, Macrobiotic Diet has become the bible for people interested in a healthy way of eating centered around whole, grains, fresh vegetables, and other whole, unprocessed foods.

This completely revised and updated edition offers a basic, readable presentation of the nutritional and ecological principles behind the macrobiotic diet. This book explains the foods and cooking techniques that are central to the macrobiotic approach to eating, and it demonstrates how the diet can be used to lose weight, to increase energy levels, to prevent and treat disease as well as to promote psychological health. Specific dietary adjustments and modifications are suggested according to gender, age, and level of activity to help optimize the overall effects of a whole-grain based diet.

This new edition of Macrobiotic Diet is expanded to include information on natural foods that have recently become available; the latest research on cancer and diet; AIDS and diet; the U.S. government's landmark report on Diet and Health; and the China Health Study; as well as a wealth of information on the impact of our dietary choices on the earth's environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Macrobiotic
This is an excellent book that tells it like it is. It does an excellent job of relating what you eat to the status of your health.

Larger than Life
Macrobiotics first had its roots in America when Michio and his wife,Avelin came to this country in the 1950's with a vision that was"larger than life". Macro-bio-tics is exactly that. And theMacrobiotic Diet, as described in this book (among the many that existtoday) is one that doesn't just center around the do's and don'ts of propereating. It is a lifestyle; it is a way to think about one's body, mind, andsoul. When the macrobiotic principles of balance and nutrition are combinedwith yoga practice and meditation, the result is unity and wholeness. Thecircle is complete. Michio Kushi does not attempt to burden the reader withinstructions on what is good and what is bad. Although some novices to thispractice may run into the mistake of treating his "prescriptions"as limits in themselves, the book is meant to describe additions that canbe made to one's already existing diet, instead of just pointing out thatdairy and meat are "no no's". Though the macrobiotic approach mayintimidate or seem too strict at first, it is actually very flexible andopen. Otherwise, how can one expect to develop an open mind by following adiet that is limiting and rigid? The other critical point I'd like tonote is, however comprehensive the text, passive reading will neversubstitute for the magic and connection of actually PRACTICING macrobioticswith close friends and family members, or other people familiar with theapproach that would be willing to serve as a guide. Never think that youmust walk this road alone. The energy you get from macrobiotic cookingshould be a source of personal freedom and inspiration that carries youforward and brings you closer to people. One of the principle underlyingideas of macrobiotics is that the food you eat partially determines who youare--thus, in offering explanations for some of the ways to observe themacrobiotic diet, Michio talks about the chemistry behind the kinds offoods you would eat and how, depending on how yin or yang they are, thatmay affect your behavior and even personality. Thus, my advise is to usemacrobiotics to heal yourself of any tensions, stresses, or aggressivity(if you feel them) by "linking" yourself with others who followthis practice in hopes of speaking the same language and leading a morepeaceful life.

thank you very much for this opportunity to share, ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

welcome to the club
This diet is not scientific, not really Japanese.Michio Kushi makes you put away meat, he should do the same with cigarettes.My mom read this book, spent [money] on personal visits, applied the diet (depriving herself of vitamins, protein), waited 6 month to see effects (while not seing the doctor), talked to a "cured" patient from Chicago (phoned her from Boston).Where is she now?Well, heaven I hope, but surely not among the living.If you are sick, see the doctor, and if you prefer to die with all your organs, at least buy something to spend your time well, and not this useless, lying book, the proceedings of which will perhaps be used in advertising this harmful "diet".

A bit of honesty, please...
Sadly, both Michio Kushi's wife and one daughter have died of cancer. Being that they were Japanese, the healthiest and longest lived people in the world, this doesn't really speak well for the diet.

However, it does seem that macrobiotics, when taken with common sense, have been known to help cancer patients, some say to the extent of "curing" them. It's easy to find examples to prove everything and the contrary (and no one mentions the ones that have died of the various deficiencies that easily befall macrobiotics followers).

Follow your own instincts... and keep in touch with a trusted doctor!

Read it if you have cancer.
Eighteen years ago I began the macrobiotic diet and lifestyle after attending a "Diet and Cancer" seminar and having a consultation with Michio Kushi.It was 9 months after I found a lump in my breast.Ialso did a lot of work on myself in order to heal but the diet was/iscrucial as well. I am glad I eat that way, even now! I had the lumps takenout but no radiation or chemotherapy. ... Read more

Product Description
Michio Kushi's macrobiotic blueprint for the prevention and relief of disease.

Revised and updatedwith the latest research, new recipes, and practical suggestions for relieving 25 types of cancer.

Drawing on the most up-to-date cancer and heart research, Michio Kushi presents a ground-breaking dietary program that can be implemented safely and simply in the home at a fraction of the cost of usual meals and medical care.

As the risk and incidence of cancer increases, The Cancer Prevention Diet continues to be essential reading for anyone seeking to maintain or regain optimum health through natural means.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

This is a must have, if you have cancer and are going to try Macrobiotics
This book is different, because it is divided up by the different types of cancer.It tells you the SPECIFICS of what you need to add to or subtract from the normal Macrobiotic diet for dealing with your specific kind of cancer.He also gives you a rundown of what the dietary causes are for your cancer.You also need a good general Macrobiotic book that explains the diet/lifestyle.But you definitely need this book.The normal Macrobiotic diet is not what is recommended for specific kinds of cancers, according to this book. I went on the diet for breast cancer about 15 years ago, when I found a lump the size of a small egg.I followed the diet in this book for breast cancer to the letter, and in two weeks the lump was a third the size as it was originally, and in 3 weeks it was gone.I stayed on the breast cancer diet (from this book) for another week, and then went on the regular Macrobiotics for a while.I was able to add lots of things in when I went off the specific breast cancer diet, as it is pretty restrictive, even for macrobiotics.I don't know that I had cancer.I didn't go to a doctor and have anything done to find out.But I DO know that my lump went away, I felt great, and I had more energy than I ever had in my life.And I have never had a lump come back. This book is extremely good.I can only think some of the other reviewers did not realize exactly what this book was about and/or understand how to apply it.

If you are already using another book and have cancer, just keep on the regular macrobiotics until you get this one, to see the specifics for your kind of cancer.I recommend this book very highly!IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CANCER and are trying Macrobiotics in general, this book is good to have, but I would not think it would be really necessary for you.It would probably be good to have on hand if you were going to give help to someone who DID have cancer though.

Has Anyone Actually Read this Edition the The Cancer Prevention Diet?
Since no one seems to be addressing this particular edition of this particular book, I don't feel out of line to post this non-review review.
I have read the positive and negative discussions regarding Macrobiotics, the Kushi's personal health, etc.
What I would like to know is:Has anyone actually read this edition of this book?
How does it compare to the original edition that came out many years ago?
Is there anything new?
Are there any changes?
Would I benefit from reading this new version? or is it just a new release of an old edition with a few pages of introduction to macrobiotics to new readers, as many of the other reprints of old macrobiotic books have been?
Macrobiotics is great.I have read many of the books.Anyone would benefit from adopting the principles of the macrobiotic way of life.
However, Amazon is a site for selling books (among other things) not debating the principles of Macrobiotics.Reviews are supposed to help other customers decide if they should buy this particular BOOK.What about this particular BOOK?

Feel free to comment.I will gladly delete this post if someone would just address THIS BOOK and stop hashing out the pros and cons of Macrobiotics, Macro-neurotics, prevention or cure, the Kushi's personal lives....

Healthy oils are essential
Some of the ideas in this book are great; others are terrible.The important work that has been done since the 1980s concerning the essential, healing role that omega-3 fatty acids play in the human diet is not reflected in this book.Be very, very cautious if you use this book.Be sure to read widely to make up for the major deficits of scientific, nutritional knowledge that plague this author.

Informative and Well-Written
Once again, Mischio Kushi has written an informative and precise book on how to maintain your health, even when facing a diagnosis of cancer.

Like so much of the macrobiotic diet, this is a healthy and great diet to begin to feel great and regain your health.

Informative
This book is informative, but since cancer patients have to see a nutritiionist and eat whatever their body allows them to eat, this can be difficult.But, if the the patient can eat whatever they need to, this book has lots of good advice and suggestions. ... Read more

Product Description

“Food is the chief of all things, the universal medicine. . . . Food transmutes directly into body, mind, and spirit . . . creates our day-to-day health and happiness.”
—from The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health

Even in medical schools, alternative medicine is blossoming. Two thirds of them now offer courses in complementary healing practices, including nutrition. At the heart of this revolution is macrobiotics, a simple, elegant, and delicious way of eating whose health benefits are being confirmed at an impressive rate by researchers around the world.

Macrobiotics is based on the laws of yin and yang—the complementary energies that flow throughout the universe and quicken every cell of our bodies and every morsel of the food we eat. Michio Kushi and Alex Jack, distinguished educators of the macrobiotic way, believe that almost every human ailment from the common cold to cancer can be helped, and often cured, by balancing the flow of energy (the ki) inside us. The most effective way to do this is to eat the right foods, according to our individual day-to-day needs. Now in this marvelous guide, they give us the basics of macrobiotic eating and living, and explain how to use this powerful source of healing to become healthier and happier, to prevent or relieve more than two hundred ailments, conditions, or disorders—both physical and psychological.

This encyclopedic compendium of macrobiotic fundamentals, remedies, menus, and recipes takes into account the newest thinking and evolving practices within the macrobiotic community. The authors integrate all the information into a remarkable A to Z guide to macrobiotic healing—from AIDS, allergies, and arthritis, to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. They also clearly explain what we need to know to start eating a true macrobiotic diet that will provide us with a complete balance of energy and nutrients.

Living as we all do in environmental and climactic circumstances that are largely outside our personal control, it is vital that we follow a healthy lifestyle, including a flexible diet that we can adjust to meet our own individual needs. The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health gives us precisely the tools and the understanding we need to achieve this goal. Use it to build a strong, active body and a cheerful, resourceful mind.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A profound and revelatory book
See my review of the paperback edition at The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health: A Complete Guide to Naturally Preventing and Relieving More Than 200 Chronic Conditions and Disorders

very helpful
This book is like 3 books in one: one on theories behind macrobiotics, one on healing remedies through healing diets, and also one on key recipes. It's user-friendly layout can be read front to back or you can use the index in the back to look up specific ailments, remedies or concepts. There's also a self-referencing set up in that if a good food or recipe is mentioned in one of the chapters and is written in capitals, that means you can find the recipe in the back of the book. I got this book to simply develop my macro library, and I ended up not only healing a few aches and pains, but trying out a few new recipes that I now love. This book will always stay with me. It's useful to anyone at any stage of their macro adventures!

good but late
Book was in great condition, but the seller didn't "see my order" for almost 2 weeks, but then finally sent it. More the fault of not checking email or the notification system or something, otherwise it was great!

Insightful and empowering
It isn't written to offer dramatizations or win converts. This is a step-by-step manual for those who seek guidance to healing through macrobiotics. And you don't have to have a "condition" to benefit from the wealth of information found in this book. Use it for deeper understanding of your body's healing potential and see what it can do for you if you care to follow the advice. This book also offers guidelines on cooking and recipes, but buying a good cookbook as a companion will provide you with a well-rounded experience. Go ahead and try it. This is powerful stuff.

great book
I recommend this book highly. Only problem I saw with it was that sometimes the organization of the material was a bit confusing and the language seemed like it was written by a non-english speaker. ... Read more

Product Description
A classic collection of more than 150 innovative recipes, now updated and repackaged.

Andrea Bliss-Lerman, an expert chef and macrobiotic cooking teacher, has gathered together a collection of original and tasty recipes contributed by leading macrobiotic practitioners across the country. Featuring many of her own inventive recipes, this is a unique community cookbook that will attract a whole new generation of readers in an ever-growing market looking to foster greater health and well-being through nutrition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Too many wierd ingredients
This cookbook would be fine if you live in a place where there are lots of specialty health food stores.For the average person, though, the recipies call for too many strange and hard-to-find ingredients. A recipie I just chose completely at random to prove my point calls for, among other things, kuzu, kombu, light miso, and sesame butter.There were just too few recipies in this book for which I could have hoped to obtain all the ingredients.

The Macrobiotic Community Cookbook
I had been trying to follow the Macrobiotic diet, but was finding it really hard to do until I received this book.The recipes are clear, easy and the ingredients are defined.It has been extremely helpful, and it helps you to get more of the vegetables you need.

oh la la
A great and inventive way of looking at macrobiotics. Really exciting recipes that dont take 5 million hours.

tasty, many choices, includes tortillas from whole corn
Andrea Bliss Lerman has thoroughly researched these favorite recipes from many people in the macrobiotic community.The basics are all there and the desserts are delicious.I especially like the traditional tortilla recipefrom whole corn. It tastes really great made with blue corn.

tasty, many choices, includes tortillas from whole corn
Andrea Bliss Lerman has thoroughly researched these favorite recipes from many people in the macrobiotic community.The basics are all there and the desserts are delicious.I especially like the traditional tortilla recipefrom whole corn. It tastes really great made with blue corn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

health, happiness, peace...and nothing else?
People should always be careful of self-proclaimed gurus who have universal remedies...

I was a macrobiotic myself and gave up because I couldn't stand so many irrational restrictions and religious proclaims.

80% of macrobiotics is just vegetarian commom sense and has been around for millenia...but the remaining 20% is a dangerous mix of the Japaneselikes and dislikes in food, with more than a pinch of new age mumbo jumbo.

Look for a good vegetarian book for food and search in philosophy or religion if you want answers on the meaning of life.

Confusing and Difficult to Read
Warning: This book simply may have not been for me, so take the star rating with a grain of salt.

I wanted to like this book, having heard a great many good things about the Macrobiotic diet. And I understand that to understand the dietary and health theories behind Macrobiotics, it's important to understand the philosophical basis. However, the way this book is structured, I found it quite frustrating to read, and I honestly failed to follow many of the connections that it was trying to make between the philosophical systems and eating issues.

I'm not giving up on the subject matter completely, but I suspect that this was not the place to begin. Great appendixes, on the other hand, and almost worth it just for them.

The Book of Macrobiotics
A profound an logical study of Man and the Universe evolving as a whole. An extensive study which encompasses evolution of Man and the Universe,based on Eastern and Western knowledge. A guide to reestablish physical,psychological and spiritual quality of life as the fundamental means toachieving world peace. This is a book to raise consciousness and awarenessto continue human biological and spiritual evolution within a frame of aconscientious life style of continued transformation and awareness,enjoying the endless process of change and self-transformation, bringinghealth and happiness into our lives.

READ!
From food and nutrition to lifestyle and spirituality, this book covers EVERY aspect of macrobiotics.This is an important book. ... Read more