From: altar@beaufort.sfu.ca (Ted Wayn Altar)
Subject: Re: HELP: macrobiotics in DC area
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: dc
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 18:29:12 GMT

Mark Jeantheau writes:

>Can anyone direct me
>1) to organizations that help people learn the ways of macrobiotics  and/or
>2) to MDs that base their curative practices in macrobiotics.

>I'm particularly interested in the cure of serious illness through
>macrobiotics. Prefer organizations/physicians in or near Montgomery County.

Mark,

     While I think your interest in eating better is laudable and
you certainly have the right to pursue whatever dietary regime
you think fit, I would, however, strongly caution against the
"macrobiotic" approach.  Of all the various vegatarian groups,
the macrobotic communities seem to be incurring the greatest
number of nutritional problems, like that of B-12 and iron
deficiency among some their infants (see Dagnelie et al.,
"Increased risk of B-12 and iron deficiency in infants on
macrobiotic diets" AM. J. CLIN. NUTR. 50:818-824, 1989)  Their
dietary recommendations are essentially founded not upon good
nutritional information and centuries of good experience, but
rather upon a type of religious or magical thinking involving
elements of animism, transductive reasoning, reification of the
subjective, causation wrongly inferred from mere similarity or
contiguity of associated events, etc.


Let us consider their fundamental classification of objects being
Yin or Yang.  Ohsawa in his BOOK OF JUDGEMENT (1966) traces the
macrobiotic theory to the the Yin and Tang theories of 4000 years
ago.  In general, the concept of Yin was sky and its antagonistic
principle was Yang, the earth (resemblence to Manichaeism is not
historically accidental).   Since sky was the generator of all
phenomena, all have Yin, but at the same time phenomena were also
recognized as being passive and empty and therefore also of Yang.
This paradox led to the idea of things being relative and having
more of one property than the other.

Now, by association with being more "sky" or more "earth",
dietary foodstuffs may be Yin or Yang by virtue of its properties
of heat (Yang) or cold (Yin), vertical (Yin) or horizontal (Yang)
form, weight (Yang is heavy), colour, taste, moisture content,
chemical composition, and geographical region (living things in
cold regions are Yang).  We can see how the typology develops out
of the crudest and most superficial similarities of things with
either "sky" or "earth".

Kushi in his macrobiotic book (Cancer & Diet, 1980) makes some
outrageous claims of cures for cancer.  According to Kushi, two
types of cancer are to be classified by macrobiotic theory.  The
first kind results from an excess of animal foods such as eggs,
meat and fish and is therefore Yang.  The second is caused by
excessive intakes of soft drinks, sugar, citrus, stimulants,
chemicals and spices, all of which are Yin.  Supposedly, Yang
cancers occur in the deeper parts of the body while Yin cancers
at the periphery of the body.  The rule, however, is not
consistently held since stomach cancer is Yin by virtue of the
stomach here being Yin, but if the growth develops in the
contracted regions of the stomach it is therefore Yang.  The cure
is then to manipulate an imbalance between Yin and Yang through
eating more Yin or Yang foods, in opposition to the cancer bieng
either a Yin or Yang type!  Anyway, you can see how confused and
naive this approach really is and any exaggerated and unfounded
claims should always makes us skeptical.

     This wouldn't be so bad if it was all harmless and benign,
but there are well-documented cases of malnutrition and even
deaths resulting from macrobiotic diets.  See the Prassic Country
Grand Jury, 1966, enquiry into 4 such death resulting from Zen
Macrobiotic ("Zen Macrobiotic diet hazardous: Presentiment of
Passaic Grand Jury", PUBLIC HEALTH NEWS, 1966: 132).

     Again, please don't take my word for it but do take into
account the considered views of some accomplished authorities on
this matter.  Below are just such experts on this matter and
maybe take a look at these references for yourself.

Permit me first to cite from Professor John Robson's very good
review(`Zen Macrobiotic Diets' in Jelliffe & Jelliffe,
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF FOODS, 1982.):


    While very large numbers of people are adequately
    fed on vegetarian diets, there can be problems related
    the quantity and quality of vegetarian diets.  Studies
    indicate, however, that this concern is less important
    than the likelihood of energy deficits and deficiencies
    of vitamin B12.  Vegans who avoid all animal foods have
    been identified as being particularly at risk, yet
    these risk are negligible compared with those who follow
    the Zen Macrobiotic cult.  It is important, therefore,
    to identify the risks of Zen Macrobiotic diets and
    to make the risks known to the public, and to differentiate
    the harmful nutritional practices of this cult from that
    of vegetarianism as practiced by large numbers of
    surprisingly well-informed persons"



The following is from "The Hazards of Macrobiotics"
by Valerie Richards (Nutrition Health Review - Fall 1990)

       Passions flare when the subject of macrobiotics is
     discussed. Its advocates endorse the diet to be in full
     harmony with nature and human needs. Herman Aihara and
     Michio Kushi brought it to the United States and expanded
     macrobiotic thought to include ideas on world government and
     peace, meditation, and diagnosis of health problems. Among
     its proponents are practitioners who believe that cancer can
     be cured by a strict macrobiotic diet. The American Medical
     Association considers it "a major health problem."
     
       In my opinion, the diet is unbalanced in supplying the
     body with important nutrients. Although brown rice is an
     ideal food, many teachers of macrobiotics eventually narrow
     the regimen down to where brown rice is the principal
     ingredient.
     
       Since the emphasis is upon grains (50%) and only 5% of raw
     vegetables, the supply of vitamin C and vitamin A are
     practically nonexistent. The use of seaweed and sea
     vegetables introduces considerable sodium into the diet,
     hardly practical for maintaining healthful blood pressure
     levels.
     
       Most people think of macrobiotics as a vegetarian diet.
     By definition, including fish in the regimen violates
     vegetarian principles.   Also in short supply are vitamins
     D, B2, along with zinc, calcium, and iron.
     
       * Richard A. Kunin, M.D., writes in Meganutrition (McGraw
     Hill): "My own observations confirm that extremely dangerous
     undernutrition can accompany a prolonged and overzealous
     adherence to the macrobiotic diet."
     
       * Paavo Airola, Ph.D., wrote in Dr. Airola's Diet and
     Cookbook: "The macrobiotic diet ... with emphasis on rice
     and soy products, (is) heavily salted, cooked, and fried ...
     "
     
       * The textbook Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy, by Kraus
     and Mahan (Saunders) describes the macrobiotic diet: "The
     dietary pattern progresses through ten steps ranging from
     the lowest level diet, which includes 30 percent animal
     products, 30 percent vegetables, 15 percent salad, 10
     percent soups ... to the highest levels that contains 100%
     cereals. Several deaths and vitamin deficiencies have been
     reported among individuals who attempted to reach the
     highest and most extreme levels of the diet."
     
       * Jane Brody, syndicated writer and author of Jane Brody's
     Nutrition Book, wrote: "The macrobiotic diet excludes nearly
     everything but grains ... is extremely unbalanced and
     hazardous for everyone, especially for someone who is still
     growing."
     
       * Dr. Jean Mayer, a leading authority, in his book for
     Consumer's Union, A Diet for Living, wrote: "The most
     harmful package of notions is expressed by rigid adherence
     to the macrobiotic diet ... "
     
       There are certainly some aspects of the macrobiotic diet
     that can contribute to a well-balanced nutritional regimen.
     The extremes that are characteristics of many dietary dogmas
     are the pitfalls that must be avoided.