Q: Is the macrobiotic diet a fad or is it actually a beneficial diet, especially for those diagnosed with cancer?
A: Because it is said to be based on the traditional (pre- Westernization) Japanese diet – including whole grains, vegetables, beans, and modest amounts of fish – one might argue that the macrobiotic diet is hundreds or even thousands of years old. So it does not appear to be a passing fad.
Moreover, because it is essentially a vegetarian regimen, with several additional positive features, the diet may be beneficial as long you don’t take it to extremes. Such healthful eating might help to prevent numerous diseases, including cancer, but there’s no evidence that it is an effective treatment for patients who already have cancer.
The core of macrobiotics is the goal of achieving balance – in life generally but particularly in what individuals put into their bodies – between the opposite but complementary forces of “yin” and “yang.”
A food that is yin, according to macrobiotic principles, induces ethereal qualities such as lightness, coolness, and mental processes; by contrast, yang foods are characterized by intensity, heat and physicality. In the macrobiotic construct, certain fruits (particularly from the tropics) are deemed yin, with refined sugar extreme yin. Yang foods, for the most part, come from animals, with red meat being the most yang.
A diet rich in unadulterated grains, organic vegetables, and beans, supplemented occasionally by nuts and fish, is a step in the right direction. Moreover, the diet is free of meats, eggs, sweets and processed foods – all associated with poorer health.
Doctors should have no problem with it, provided that it is undertaken with care. Despite their positives, vegetarian diets (including macrobiotics), if not carefully managed, can result in nutritional deficiencies, including inadequate intake of protein, Vitamin D, calcium, and iron, among other essential nutrients.
Undertaking the macrobiotic diet, or any other significant dietary change, should therefore be done as a team effort – involving the individual, a physician and, if possible, a nutritionist.
Dr. Brent A. Bauer, director, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
