Macrobiotic diet could help turn you into a happy Natural Woman - Scottish Daily Record
Oct 10 2011 By Melanie Harvey
penninghame house, newton stewart
HAVE you ever seen one of those really healthy-looking women? You know the type, you can't quite place their age but they have shining eyes, clear skin and the type of energy associated with a 16-year-old.
No, they haven't had surgery and the chances are they aren't popping every supplement off the chemist's shelves - it is a lot simpler than that.
Well, it is if my experience at one of Scotland's premier health retreats is anything to go by.
Sadly, I only spent 24 hours at Penninghame House in Newton Stewart, Dumfriesshire.
However, I know if I spent a full week on one of their courses, combining macrobiotic eating and other healthy living, I might just be a shiny happy woman.
Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow are probably the most famous examples of people following a macrobiotic lifestyle - but don't let that put you off.
The people I met at Penninghame have a lot more meat on their bones than Madge and Gwynnie, even if a morsel of meat never passes their lips.
They also have a calmness about them that can only be achieved by avoiding the highs and lows brought about by drinking too much tea and coffee, and the blood sugar inbalance from eating too much junk.
It was with a certain amount of trepidation that I arrived at the imposing 19th century manor house on a rainy Friday.
I was at Penninghame for the Natural Woman taster course, ahead of the week-long retreat taking place later this month.
As I was shown to my sumptuous room, I did not know what to expect and was nervous about my first sip of bancha tea and bite of a biscuit - which, I was assured, did not contain so much as an ounce of sugar.
They were surprisingly good and it was with a much happier heart that I set off to meet health guru Marlene Watson-Tara for my consultation.
She asked me a series of questions about my diet and lifestyle and, with a quick look at my eyes and fingernails, she told me all I needed to know - my liver and adrenals were struggling after 39 years of processed food and a liking for a glass of white wine.
I had been kidding myself that my social tipple and irregular bar of chocolate were not really doing me any harm, but Marlene was straight with me - to ensure my well-being they had to go, along with bread, caffeine and so many other staples of my diet.
I used to think I was pretty healthy, with no problem eating my five-a-day, brown rice and wholemeal bread - and banning meat from my diet since I was 15.
How wrong I was. Marlene took copious notes and promised to send me a full programme of what I should and shouldn't be eating.
Then it was off to get changed for the evening's gourmet dinner.
I was still struggling to imagine how we could eat such a dinner without sugar, fat, or even a bit of fish, when I joined my fellow natural women in the main hall for a drinks reception.
The drinks were sugar-free apple juice and sparkling water, but the chat was lively and I was soon feeling a lot more at ease.
The five courses that followed were simply stunning. Delicately battered courgette, miso soup, pea risotto, bean burgers with sweet potato and chocolate mousse for dessert.
When I tasted my first mouthful of mousse I didn't know what to expect as the rumour round the table was it was made from seaweed. It tasted amazing, as good as any I have had in any restaurant.
We were joined by the founders of Penninghame, Ray and Marie Butler, who created the retreat after adopting a macrobiotic diet helped Ray lose weight and beat snoring, and Marie transform her skin and her life.
By 10pm we were all exhausted, so it was off for an early night to prepare for 8am chi ball with Marlene.
I won't lie and say I bounced out of bed the next morning but once I was in the hall I was looking forward to the next hour.
A type of yoga done holding a specially scented ball, the next 60 minutes were all about stretching and breathing and I felt fabulous once it was over.
So it was off for breakfast and more of the ever-present miso soup. One of my fellow natural women, who had completed the full course earlier in the year, said she had winced at the thought of soup for breakfast but now she wouldn't be without it.
I opted for porridge, not the usual oats, but millet mixed with rice milk - a slightly different texture and flavour but more than edible.
The sourdough bread was lovely and, with a homemade peanut butter spread, made a great breakfast.
There was more bancha tea but I skipped the green vegetable juice.
An hour with Marlene imparting her wisdom followed and I have to say, this woman talks a lot of sense.
She is s horrified by the state of the Scottish diet and even more so by the so-called diet foods that are on offer for those who want to shed weight - packed with chemicals.
Marlene's motto is: "If it has more than three ingredients, don't eat it."
She was also full of good advice on how women can eat to ease the effects of the menopause and generally improve health.
From there we moved on to Penninghame's newly fitted-out cook school, a lovely bright room conversion that made me feel as though I was on Masterchef.
I tried hard to make my miso soup just like Marlene's, but it didn't quite hit the spot if I am honest.
I had much better luck with my short-grain wholemeal rice and tofu, cooked with ginger and spring onion. It was fascinating to cook in a kitchen where every ingredient was natural and good for me.
By 5pm, it was all over and, after just three sips of coffee in 24 hours, I will admit to a headache and some tiredness.
The next day, however, I was in the supermarket trying in vain to find the ingredients to a better life.
My dairy and bread intake is I definitely down and I have developed a real liking for bancha tea. A few days after I got home Marlene's name popped up in my email basket.
What followed was pages of advice and recipes for me to follow.
What became clear to me was Marlene's passion for the health of others - she promises to help people with a plethora of health problems by overhauling their diet and lifestyle.
I have already recommended Penninghame to a friend with severe irritable bowl syndrome.
I want to be one of those shiny happy ladies and Penninghame is just the place to become that woman.
Log on to www.penninghame.org or call 01671 401414.
10 Oct, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNF5v7ABE2MjPj68lCNESAzVKNf8pQ&url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/life/women/health-and-fitness/2011/10/10/macrobiotic-diet-could-help-turn-you-into-a-happy-natural-woman-86908-23479375/
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