by Peggy Kingery, from the November 2000 Newsletter

Webster defines digress as "to turn aside, especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing or speaking." This month I take off my apron and prove the accuracy of Webster’s definition by discussing another side of macrobiotics that’s almost as important as the food we eat: how we live. Macrobiotics recommends a number of practices that complement a balanced, wholesome diet and help us live a healthier and more natural life.

First of all, live each day happily without worrying about the state of your health. Keep active mentally and physically. Learn a new skill, take a class, or read a book that makes you think. Work in your yard or garden, scrub your house until it shines, or take your Bowser for a walk to the nearest park.

Appreciate nature. Go outdoors every day; walk barefoot when weather permits! Take a walk in the woods, go birdwatching, or sit in your yard and thank our Creator for the beauty around you. Planting a vegetable or flower garden helps us connect with the natural world, too. Soil nurtures life. When you spend time building it and caring for plants as they grow, you draw that life to your own body.

Keep in touch with family and friends. Try to encourage family members, especially your spouse, to make positive living changes with you, but be respectful of their freedom of choice. Be firm in your commitment to better health, but don’t criticize or nag others. Keep in mind the expression "one grain, ten thousand grains:" for every seed of wheat given to the earth at planting time, the earth returns 10,000 or more at harvest. In the same way, share the love and energy you’ve received to help others achieve better health and happiness.

Every day, scrub your body with a hot, damp towel to stimulate circulation and relieve energy stagnation. Try not to take long hot baths or showers as they drain your body of minerals. Try to get to bed before midnight and to get up early in the morning.

Use natural soap and other body care products. Most commercial soaps and cosmetics are damaging to the healthy bacteria on the skin. It may take up to four hours after using unnatural products to replace the protective "acid mantle" on your skin. Wear cotton rather than synthetic or wool clothing against your skin. Keep jewelry as simple, graceful, and natural as possible.

Try to minimize time spent in front of the TV as it emits radiation that can be physically draining.

Microwave ovens, hair dryers, Walkmans, and other electric devices also disrupt and deplete the body’s natural flow of energy and are not recommended for regular use. Use a gas stove for daily cooking instead of electric or microwave. I’ve read of people who’ve used a Coleman stove because they were unable to get a natural gas line to their house! Use earthenware, cast iron, or stainless steel cookware instead of aluminum or Teflon-coated pans.

Most of us eat and drink too often and too much, resulting in fatigue and obesity. By eating two or three well-balanced macrobiotic meals a day, your appetite will be completely satisfied. Eat until you’re full, but not stuffed. Most important, make sure to chew each bite thoroughly: 50 times per mouthful or until the food is liquefied. Doing so stimulates secretion of starch-digesting enzymes in your mouth and aids in the proper digestion of complex carbohydrates. Try to avoid eating for three hours before bedtime.

Keep your home clean, orderly, and bright, especially the kitchen. Arrange plants throughout the house to freshen and enrich the air. Replace synthetic towels, sheets, blankets, and carpets with natural fiber ones. Incandescent full-spectrum lighting is better than fluorescent lights; wooden furniture contributes to a more healthful atmosphere. Open windows to permit fresh air to circulate—even in winter. During colder weather try not to keep your house too warm. A slightly cool indoor temperature will help your body adapt better to the cold outdoors. In summer, use a fan instead of air conditioning.

Most of all, greet everyone and everything with gratitude. Be grateful for your ancestors and those in your life right now; for your material goods; for your health, no matter what state it’s in; and for nutritious food and the hard-working hands that brought it to your table. A moment of prayer or silence before meals is the best way to express this thanks and gives you an opportunity to slow down before eating.

The traditional holiday of giving thanks is just a few weeks away. It’s time to end my digression, put my apron back on, and begin planning which healthful dishes to serve for my Thanksgiving feast. In the meantime, there’s dinner tonight to think about. This creamy pasta dish is the perfect comfort food for a frosty fall night.

Pasta With Butternut Squash and Lima Beans
(serves 6)

1 - 3" strip of kombu, soaked and diced
1 cup lima beans, soaked 6-8 hours
shoyu to taste
2 tbsp. unrefined oil
1 onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. thyme
3 ½ cups winter squash, cubed
2 cups water
10 oz whole wheat penne pasta

Place kombu on the bottom of a saucepan. Add beans and water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer about 1 hour until beans are tender. Season with shoyu when beans are nearly cooked.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and stir 1 minute. Add squash and beans and sauté 3 minutes. Add water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta. Drain and return to the pot. Add squash mixture and toss to blend.

Peggy Kingery recently returned from a week of macrobiotic study at the Vega Institute and would love to share her experiences with anyone interested in hearing more about macrobiotics! She can be emailed at king6619@uidaho.edu.

 

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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