There are many paths to dietary enlightenment. Exotic location diets such as the Mediterranean and South Beach Diet are flavorful and heart healthy. Nutrient-specific diets like low carb or high protein will lead to weight loss and sometimes monotony.

This month I had the opportunity to learn of another path to good health through good food while spending four days at the Michio Kushi Macrobiotic Summer Conference.

Old hippies might remember macrobiotics. Michio and Aveline Kishi introduced and popularized macrobiotics in the United States. Its diet is based on balancing the opposing forces of yin and yang. Yin is expansion, cold and sweet, and yang is contraction, hot and salty. Foods are classified into yin and yang categories according to their tastes, properties and effect on the body.

Macrobiotic philosophy emphasizes paying attention to food. Examples are eating while seated, choosing local and organic foods, and lots of chewing. Numerous anecdotal reports exist of medical conditions improving dramatically on a macrobiotic diet.

I went to the conference thinking I was going to be eating brown rice and seaweed for four days. Instead I found salad bars, fresh fruit, delicious soups and amazing grain and vegetable dishes. The typical macrobiotic diet is primarily organic whole grains and vegetables. About 10 percent of the diet is protein foods like soy, beans and white fish, and smaller amounts of fruits, nuts and seeds. Sea vegetables and soup are also important. Macrobiotics do not eat dairy, meat, sugar or highly processed foods.

Macrobiotic will probably never be mainstream, but there are macrobiotic principles that are easy and benefit all of us. The three I pick are: add more greens to meals, consumer a variety of beans and eat mindfully.

For more info, go to www.kushiinstitute.org.

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian and on the faculty of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Her column runs every other week.

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