Eat Zinc

Zinc is a very important mineral for over all metabolism and reproduction.
recovery of skin, hair, cells, DNA, all need this mineral.
also relates to mental health, too.
stress, moodiness, depression are said to be linked to lack of zinc.
and one more thing.
sex!

our human body has 2g of zinc, and we need about 15mg of zinc everyday.
even though it's just tiny amount, this mineral affects all sorts of body/mind function!

what to eat?

brown rice, and other whole grains.
sea vegetables
soy beans, and soy products such as tofu, natto, miso, tofu skin
azuki bean
sun dried daikon radish, shiitake mushroom
nuts --- be careful since nuts contain lots of oil
also important is to absorb zinc efficiently into your body, we need amino acid.
soy sauce is a very good source of amino acid.

now you know what im going to say, don't you?
yes, macrobiotic meal is PERFECT!

how about stewed hijiki with dried daikon and dried tofu, miso soup with wakame, and of course, brown rice!

My Winter Pick, Chinese Cabbage

One of my favorite winter vegetables is chinese cabbage.

i like the beautiful green color and also the softness, which is very easy to digest. ---good for young kids or the elderly!

since this vagetable is grown in cold--yin-- season and environment,
it's considered yang food, which is suitable to eat in yin season.

and nutrition rich, too!
good protein, full of vitamnin C, B2 and calcium, ---who said you need milk to take calcium?!---and other important minerals such as kalium, iron, magnesium.

and easy to cook : )
saute, stew, soup, pickle..., this big leaves absorb any flavor so well that it can be used for any dishes.
if you eat meat or fish, it helps digestion, too.

other health benefits include,
cool down fever. --- try when you have cold
cleanse the colon, good for constipation ---good for beautiful skin : )
balance your mood / good for depression ---thanks to niacin in it.
and even prevent cancer!

this season, try this delicious and helpful veggie : )

Appreciate japanese turnip : )

from autumn to early winter, japanese turnip, called kabu, is in high season.


this white, delicate and even humble vegetable can be eated in various ways.





i like to thin slice, press with pinch of salt and mix with umeboshi vinegar.


or in miso soup, it adds some sweetness to it.

marinate with turnip tops, umeboshi vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce is just delicious...

but the best way to appreciate the whole turnip is, just steam.

close your eyes, take deep breath, and chew very slowly.

and feel the gentle, subtle sensation on your tongue.....

no need of salt or sauce..... just you, turnip!

yes! you can eat carrot tops!

yes, you! not a rabbit!

in macrobiotics, we eat almost all the parts of the food, including skin, root and tops.

in fact, those parts are most nutritious and delicious, too : )

macrobiotics also says that each food completes in a whole form as we human do.

the root part, which we normally eat, has yang energy, which is downward, hard, and warm, while tops has yin energy, light, loose, cool and upward.
so by eating whole carrot, you take both yin yang balanced energy.

recipe

1 remove hard stem
2 boil carrot tops 1 minutes
3 put in cold water and squeeze water out
4 cut
5 in a bowl, add 1tbs soy sauce, 1tbs mirin or apple juice, and 1 tbs grinded sesame, mix.
chew well and enjoy!

other option is stir fry or in miso soup.
try your own recipe and be creative!