Allan and I went to hear Warren Kramer, world renown macrobiotic counselor and teacher speak last Friday night. The lecture, “Optimum Health Without Cooking A Thing”, was part of a three day weekend workshop in association with The Natural Epicurean cooking school in Austin, Texas.

What really struck me after the lecture was this:

Warren spent several years traveling around the world, cooking macrobiotic meals for the sick, some even with stage four cancer. He successfully healed terminally ill patients simply by implementing food and lifestyle changes. He has counseled and taught health and cooking workshops in every state in the United States. He studied extensively, for over ten years, with Michio Kushi who was instrumental in introducing modern macrobiotics to the United States in the fifties. Warren has given hundreds of lectures to thousands of people. His private consultation list gets longer every day. His credentials go on and on.

And yet, one of the first things Warren emphasizes in his workshops, lectures and consultations is something we already know, but few of us do: sit down to regular meals. This means not in front of the computer, not looking over bills, not watching T.V., not at 2 a.m., and certainly not in a car. The good news is, the steps to begin your journey toward a long and healthy life could not be simpler or more affordable.

Sit Down When You Eat.

Eat Meals At Regular Times.

Of course there is more to it than this, but this is the initial concept. Warren himself says that these concepts are so simple and so basic that most people automatically say, “Oh yeah, I know that!” but they don’t do it. It seems very few understand the powerful impact that these two steps, when practiced day in and day out, can have toward attaining and maintaining optimum health.

If you didn’t see my Hot Pockets post, I included a couple funny videos. One is for their commercial which promotes eating standing up, a.k.a. their Eat Freely campaign. Warren talks about being free too, but he speaks of being free to do whatever we want in this life and having good health. One of his goals is to dispel as many misconceptions about macrobiotics as possible in his lifetime.

Misconception #1: Macrobiotics means eating brown rice, miso soup and steamed kale.

Warren Kramer describes macrobiotics as

“An orderly approach to diet and lifestyle.”

It’s not all about the food, it’s about guiding your life and making smart choices.

Misconception #2: Eating organic means you will be healthy.

Makes sense to me. Can you say organic chips and hot sauce? He says that every where he goes he hears the same refrain. People assure him that they eat organic this or that, so know they are healthy. Warren disagrees. He says when and how you eat is more important, in many ways, that what you eat. There is much more to balance and health than merely eating foods without toxins in them. Food is powerful, and what I am finally realizing is that having structure and order in our lives is even more important than the food we consume.

Watch excerpts from Warren Kramer’s lecture for more ideas on how to begin your own personal pathway to health.

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