George Ohsawa, a philosopher and writer, came to the United States in the early sixties and brought us the macrobiotic diet and lifestyle. Macrobiotics is a philosophy and a holistic approach that stresses the importance of proper dietary and lifestyle habits. For many years, it was clear that all the books on this subject were heavily influenced by Japanese culture, written by Japanese people (or with their outlook) and featuring Japanese cooking and Japanese ingredients. It became apparent there was a need for a book making macrobiotics more practical, more universal, more down to earth, more fun, tastier, more creative, sexier, less restrictive, more appealing, and without all the Japanese clothing. This book provides us with all this, without watering macrobiotics down or weakening it. There were just too many unneeded limitations, and too much cultural influence that simply did not translate. Why use expensive, hard-to-find Japanese vegetables, few soups, tea with caffeine (bancha), buckwheat noodles with white flour, refined couscous, no salads, very limited seasonings and condiments, few fresh green and yellow vegetables, all that salt, no supplements, no natural hormones, almost no raw foods, and no fasting? This book is for all cultures around the world. There are so many natural health books today about the right foods to eat, and so many contradictory philosophies.

How can one know what is valid and what is not? So many authors are very convincing. The answer is very simple-- results . The macrobiotic way of eating is the only proven way of curing "incurable" illnesses such as the various cancers, diabetes, heart and artery problems, arthritis, osteoporosis, and the wide variety of illnesses that plague modern society, especially in the developed nations.You have to experience this for yourself. Nature is the greatest healer, and our diet and lifestyle will allow Nature to heal us. If we are in harmony with the Natural Order, we will be healthy and happy. If we are ignorant of the Natural Order, we will be sickly and unhappy. Buddha said ignorance (to ignore), not sin, is the root cause of suffering.

This is simple,clear, practical, and realistic. We are literally what we eat. Diet causes illness, and diet cures illness. We must take responsibility for our health, and our very destiny. We must treat the cause of our illness, whether this is mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual, and not just try to remove the symptom. You cannot cure yourself by being butchered, poisoned, and irradiated. Make better food choices, take proven supplements, balance your hormones, fast weekly, end any bad habits, and exercise. This is what natural health is all about.