Healthy Monday: Macrobiotics with Christina

From our friends at Healthy Monday…

Christina Pirello was just 26 when she was diagnosed with cancer. She chose to embark on a strict macrobiotic diet that helped clear the terminal illness. Since then, Christina has written five health books, created her own cooking show and pushed for nutrition education in schools.

You were diagnosed with terminal leukemia in 1983. Rather than give up hope, you completely changed your diet. What affect did it have?

I was a junk food vegetarian before I was diagnosed. Then, I changed to a macrobiotic diet: all whole grains, vegetables, beans, tofu or tempeh. No oil, no bread, nothing refined. After just two months, my doctor noticed a significant improvement in my condition. In fourteen months, my cancer was gone!

What is a macrobiotic diet? How does it differ from the standard American diet?

A macrobiotic diet is simple… it consists of whole, unprocessed, seasonal foods cooked in a simplistic, healthy way. It’s all about the energy that food creates in us. One major difference, of course, is cutting meat. It’s a key step.

Your Emmy Award-winning cooking show, Christina Cooks, has been on public television stations since 1997. To what do you attribute its continued success?

Well, to this day it remains the only show of it kind! Our focus is how food works in the body, and how it makes us feel. I think people really want to do the best for themselves – but they’re often confused how or even where to start.

You’ve used your personal experience and nutrition expertise to create The Christina Pirello Health Education Initiative. When speaking at schools, what misconceptions about diet do you typically encounter?

Oh, lots of them…mostly people think certain foods are healthy when they’re absolutely not. Parents find themselves trapped, because the ad campaigns targeting kids are so effective. When I go into schools, I gently guide parents and kids towards a better relationship with healthy food choices – so they can do it in their own lives!

What simple dietary changes can readers make today to start feeling better and living a healthier life?

Eat more veggies…the rest will follow. As you start to feel better from eating veggies, you’ll naturally begin to make better choices on your own. Simple, right?