In macrobiotics, a person’s physical capacity is evaluated as either having a strong constitution or a delicate/weak constitution. Strong and weak constitutions are based on the health, mental and emotional makeup, and active lifestyle of the mother during pregnancy and continues developing during the first six years of life. Nevertheless, the pregnancy is the most important time for physical development because the mother’s blood and hormones nourish the growing fetus and in the first trimester starts the formation of major systems and organs. Fortunately, through macrobiotics, both strong constitutions and delicate constitutions can lead a long vibrant life if they build healthy habits and consume a nutritionally dense diet.

A strong constitution is a person who’s received a proper balance of high quality minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates from their mother during their growth in the womb. For that reason, people with strong constitutions are often characterized as having extra energy, easier time recovering from illnesses, stronger healing ability, and capability to overcome challenges. This means they start with many advantages compared to someone with a weak constitution.  However, cons to a strong constitution is a stubbornness to changing lifestyle and diet, ignoring signs of illness, and difficulty to take advice. So if a strong constitution continues a poor diet that lacks in nutrition and consumes processed foods, it will lead to sickness later in life.

Unlike a strong constitution, a weak constitution, also referred as “delicate constitution”, is a person who’s received not enough nutrition, stability, and activity during development in the womb. With a weak constitution, a person lacks energy, deals with physical limitations and struggles maintaining physical health. As a result, this constitution is often quicker to change and incorporate healthy habits into their lifestyle. Even though a weak constitution started physically behind a strong constitution, they are still capable of gaining strength and vitality, living an energetic and bright life with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle.

No one has control over their constitution development in the womb but what we do have charge over is how we treat our bodies later on. Both constitutions start with different physical makeup strengths but both can end up with illnesses if they continue consuming foods that lack in nourishment and keep to unhealthy habits. We recommend both constitutions to start building a plant based diet into their life. Every healthy habit counts no matter what constitution. Learn about macrobiotics by setting up a macrobiotic consultation with Denny Waxman.

Other resources include:

• The Ultimate Guide to Eating for Longevity by Denny and Susan Waxman – a practical handbook for lasting health with recipes and menu plans. – Available on Amazon.
• Strengthening Health Institute (SHI) – Macrobiotic Courses (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced)
• SHI Macrobiotics Blog
• SHI Macrobiotics Upcoming Webinars

For more interesting articles about nutrition, macrobiotics, and living a healthy lifestyle, please visit Denny’s macrobiotic blog.