The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health

June 23, 2003
This book from the authors of The Macrobiotic Way
and The Cancer Prevention Diet
offers an all-inclusive view of macrobiotics—from diet to medicine to lifestyle. The book first explains the macrobiotic diet's focus on complex carbohydrates, vegetables and whole form foods, rather than on fat and animal-based proteins. However, most of the book is about the impact of certain foods on specific health conditions. Readers who have tried acupuncture or other Eastern treatments may be familiar with some of this information, but the text is quite comprehensive, covering the spectrum of minor ailments such as nausea to major conditions like heart and liver disease. The authors discuss the connection between different parts of the body: "In traditional Oriental medicine, the ear corresponds with the kidney, with which it shares a similar shape. Kidney problems as a rule lead to ear problems, while hearing difficulties in turn show underlying urinary system imbalance." To remedy such imbalances, the authors recommend, for example, applying a compress of sesame or ginger tea to alleviate motion sickness. For the many people who have been confounded by a medical condition that doesn't respond to traditional medicine, this book may offer many helpful strategies, though clearly readers suffering from more serious, life-threatening diseases such as cancer or AIDS should not immediately shift to a macrobiotic way of life without consulting their physician. Overall, this is an excellent resource that should find a wide readership among people who want to feel healthier but have not been helped by traditional medicine.