Vegetables cut in quarter-moon shapes.

Name George Ohsawa gave to his live-in study center in Tokyo, Japan, established in 1947. Other names include “Maison Ignoramus” (“Ignoramus House”) and “A New School.” Ohsawa believed humbly admitting ignorance—for instance, of the laws and order of the universe as he understood them—was the necessary starting place for self-development.

See Stages of Sickness.

A complex network that includes the thymus, spleen, lymph nodes and lymph tissue, stem cells, white blood cells, antibodies, and lymphokines. This system protects the body from pathogens and other foreign substances, destroys infected and malignant cells, and removes cellular debris.

Nitsuke of imo, or one of the Japanese potatoes.

“Incurable disease in man is a misnomer and a product of the imagination. I have seen thousands of incurable diseases such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, leprosy, and paralyses of all kinds cured by macrobiotic practice in ten days or a few weeks. I am convinced that there is no incurable disease in all the world if we apply this method correctly.” Zen Macrobiotics, 27.

This is a difficult concept for most people to understand. Ohsawa felt that the first step in healing any disorder is to search for and recognize one’s own actions that contributed to the disease. The second step is to find the underlying cause of the disorder and to work on that rather than merely curing only the symptoms of it.

The conventional nutritional approach holds that each individual needs certain quantities of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals every day, based on a statistical average of everybody’s needs. This makes the recommended daily allowances easy to comprehend but does not allow for the uniqueness of each individual’s changing needs. It eventually leads to stagnant thinking. The macrobiotic approach maintains that what works for one person will not necessarily work for another, and that what works one day may not work the next. Therefore, using macrobiotic principles means determining the best foods based on one’s current condition and environmental factors. In other words, a macrobiotic dietary approach requires a change in thinking from a static view of life to a dynamic and flexible one.

Diseases that are caused by a weak immune system that allows viruses or bacteria to penetrate into the body. The quality of red and white blood cells is most important in dealing with any infectious disease.

General suggestions are breastfeeding for at least nine months (one year preferred), the introduction of soft whole grains at about six months old, and soft vegetables at about one year old. Kokkoh is recommended if breastfeeding is not possible.

Invisible world theorized to be beyond the visible, physical world of space and time where space is unbounded, time is eternal, and thinking is completely free (unlimited). George Ohsawa recommended understanding beyond the yin and yang thinking of the physical world to what he called the world of infinite spirituality or the Order of the Universe, and to identify one’s place in this order. “Why do we view space as three-dimensional? Because we see it through the body, which is three-dimensional. Why do we understand time as one-dimensional? Because we measure it by the commonly accepted one-dimensional standard. If we were to measure space by the standards of the Infinite Spirit (yin) instead of by those of the physical body (yang), we could then understand how it is infinite. We could also understand that there are really no dimensions of time, neither past, present, nor future.” Order of the Universe, pg. 60.

The unlimited, boundless, endless, invisible, and unmeasurable primal source of all things, including humankind. Other names for the Infinite World include: Infinity, Infinite Pure Expansion, Oneness, God, Spirit, Nature, the Tao, Taikyoku, Perfect Consciousness, Ether-Universe, Instinct-Intuition, Supreme Judgment, and Seventh Heaven. Since all things and people are considered to be created and continually nourished by the same source, everyone and everything is connected.

Another name for Oneness or perfect consciousness. Instinct is a natural spontaneity or quality that leads to adaptability. Intuition is innate supreme judgment leading to an automatic inner knowing or feeling.

Therapies administered inside the body rather than applied externally. These are referred to as home remedies in macrobiotics. The main macrobiotic internal treatments are various recipes (main dishes of whole grains; side dishes of vegetables, beans, or grain and vegetable combinations; and beverages) that have been anecdotally shown to have some positive effect. See also Juices, and Fasts or Fasting.

An innate supreme judgment leading to an automatic inner knowing or feeling. It is the manifestation of wholeness itself and the only way one can understand the Infinite World before polarization.

“What has a beginning has an end.” This principle negates the law of identity and contradiction in time. Individual life begins at birth and will end at some time. In a similar way, a sickness that begins one day will end in the future. This law is another way to say that everything in life changes over time. This is the first of Seven Laws of the Order of the Universe. See Logic, Aristotelian.

George Ohsawa’s name for what Samuel Butler called “Erewhon” and Lewis Carroll referred to as “Wonderland,” referring to the kingdom of heaven or the Infinite World (the world of nowhere and nothing). Ohsawa was fond of pointing out that Erewhon is close to nowhere spelled backwards.

Iodine is a yin, acid-forming essential micronutrient that stimulates circulation, helps in the oxidation of fats, and determines the energy level of the entire body. A lack of iodine leads to thyroid problems. The most common cause of goiter (thyroid enlargement) is iodine deficiency and, as a result, commercial salt has been fortified with synthetic iodine (“iodized”) since 1924. In macrobiotic practice, unrefined sea salt is preferred because it contains many additional alkaline-forming minerals and trace nutrients. Dietary sources of iodine include sea vegetables, especially kelp and untoasted nori; green leafy vegetables and other vegetables grown organically in iodine-rich soil; fish, especially cod and tuna; and sesame oil.

Iron is a yin, alkaline-forming mineral that is essential for the transport of oxygen to the tissues and the maintenance of oxidation throughout the body. It also is needed in the process of respiration and activates the formation of bone, brain, and muscle tissue. There are two forms of iron in foods: heme and non-heme. The heme form comes from animal foods and the non-heme form comes from plant sources. The heme form is absorbed better but both animal-food eaters and vegans alike can get plenty of iron in their diets. Lack of iron is one cause of anemia because the body can’t make enough healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells, leading to symptoms like dizziness, low energy, and lightheadedness. Consuming too much iron also has health risks and iron supplements are not recommended unless instructed by a health professional.

Plant sources of non-heme iron include sea vegetables, sesame and pumpkin seeds, beans, millet and other whole grains, green leafy vegetables, sesame oil, soba, beefsteak leaves, and miso. Animal sources of heme iron include red meat, poultry, fish, milk, and other dairy foods. Macrobiotic books recommend cooking non-acidic foods in a heavy cast iron pot or fry pan because some of the iron leaches into the food. Foods containing phytic acid (like whole grains), calcium (like dairy products), and polyphenols (like coffee and tea) can significantly reduce iron absorption. Soaking grains overnight or for about eight hours neutralizes phytic acid whether or not the soaking water is used or discarded. Absorption of non-heme iron is enhanced by eating foods high in vitamin C, vitamin A, or beta-carotene, and/or by eating meat, fish, or poultry with plant sources or iron.