Macrobiotic diet is one of those things you have probably heard of, but never knew what it exactly means. It is said that macrobiotic diet can prevent and treat different types of cancer, though there no conclusive studies that show that truly is the case.

The founder of macrobiotic diet is George Ohsawa and he drew from Japanese and oriental folk medicine to create a new version of health philosophy. It revolves around the concept of yin and yang; these are the opposite yet complimentary forces that govern the Universe. People who choose macrobiotic lifestyle tend to observe these forces in the world around them and use to them to achieve more balance in their everyday lives. The same principle is adapted to the macrobiotic diet as well.

Foods are observed through their yin and yang properties, so the whole purpose of macrobiotic diet is to achieve the balance between yin and yang foods as well. Some of the types of yin foods would be fruit juice, milk, sugar and cream, while yang foods include fish, poultry, eggs, meat and hard cheeses. Many people are drawn to macrobiotic lifestyle and diet to treat cancer, the belief behind it is that the cancer and other degenerative diseases are a result of imbalance of yin and yang and this imbalance can be cured by proper choice of food.

The macrobiotic diet follows some general guidelines which include eating soups daily, small amounts of seaweed and fruits, 25 – 50% of vegetables, 10 – 20% of beans and bean products and 25 – 50% of whole cereals. The rest of the diet consists out of seafood and fish, nuts, seeds, seasonings, sweeteners and beverages. The diet is also adjusted according to unique personal considerations but also taking into account gender, climate, season, activity, health condition etc. Macrobiotic followers prefer less processed and organically grown food and the food is prepared by the methods of steaming, blanching, boiling and sometimes eaten raw.

The food is also chosen and cooked according to the season, in spring the food that is being used is lighter in quality and prepared with light cooking style such as steaming or cooking for shorter periods of time. The same is applied during the summer time. In autumn and winter the accent is on food with more stronger and concentrated quality, such as heavier grains and root vegetables.

For people who decide to adopt macrobiotic lifestyle it is suggested to ease into it gradually and with a consultation with an macrobiotic expert, who will adapt the diet according to unique needs of the individual.