Reading For Healing

Because of a health situation, I've decided to pursue a macrobiotic lifestyle. I needed to find alternative ways to help myself rather than to give in hopelessly, and helplessly, to surgery. I figure I should do whatever I can to feel better and move myself into a more positive frame of being before resorting to any kind of conventional solution.

The first thing I had to do was get information. I did find some websites that I've started reading through, but no matter what new interest I pursue I always like to start with books. I usually like to start with two on any subject as it's more comprehensive.

One of the books I'm reading is The Hip Chick's Guide To Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter. The title and the cover design alone made me want to check this book out, and its 5-star rating on Amazon didn't hurt either. When I finally got it in the mail and started reading it, I realized that it's got a lot more going on than just the pretty graphics.

As I came to find, macrobiotics is as much a spiritual thing as it is about eating, so be prepared to get serious for the first part of the book as Ms. Porter explains the philosophy behind the practice. Thankfully, her writing style is very down-to-earth and humorous, so it made the heavier stuff a lot easier to digest.

In addition to the diet, the philosophy, which is of Eastern origin, is what really attracted me to macrobiotics. I've been on a certain spiritual path for a few years now, and have always been interested in Eastern philosophies, so this all ties into it quite nicely.

The second half of the book is where she gets into the food. She explains the core foods, which are grains and brown rice, then gives some recipes. I couldn't help moving right into the food section to see what recipes I can try. The problem I'm having is that so much of the ingredients are unfamiliar and unavailable in my immediate area. It's not like I can just run across the street to the supermarket for wakame seaweed or umeboshi vinegar. Thankfully, there are many health food stores in NYC, and two different Chinatowns. For the more obscure stuff, I can always go online.

The other book I'm reading is The Self-Healing Cookbook: A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods With Whole Natural Foods by Kristina Turner. This is definitely more of a cookbook than Hip Chick's. It's got lots of recipes and gets more into the way foods affect your moods and how to deal with certain ailments through food choices.

There's a lot of overlap between the two books, which is good, and each has their own particular focus. Changing one's life isn't easy, and I've definitely got my work cut out for me, but armed with these books I believe I'm off to a very good start.