I have worked with many people who transitioned from a dairy free macrobiotic diet to including dairy foods in their diet. Often, people would begin to include them due to having diagnosed nutritional deficiencies.  Permanent intolerance to dairy products did not develop even after abstaining from them for years.
 
There can be psychological issues for some people around the consumption of dairy products due to biased information and fear mongering. Because of the impact of fear, some people experience effects from eating dairy. They expect problems to occur such as mucus in the lungs or will attribute health problems to dairy that are caused for other reasons in their eating or condition. Once this psychological issue is overcome they are fine and can eat healthy dairy products. Some people may prefer goat or sheep’s dairy products. If someone has a diagnosed real dairy allergy, they may have to avoid dairy products.
 
I have clients who did not eat dairy products for decades and successfully reintroduced them without any of the mucus myths occurring and only good results. Some have used dairy products successfully for healing. They use high quality grass fed products most of the time or organic.
 
Starting slowly is key as each person is unique and modern living has created many anomalies that never existed before. I have had people able to tolerate dairy products from grass fed animals who couldn’t tolerate commercial dairy products.
 
If someone without a diagnosed dairy allergy has a real reaction to reintroducing dairy, an explanation of why this may happen is that dairy can act like a probiotic creating beneficial bacteria which may initially create some distress for certain people.  
 
I have an updated macrobiotic study program where people can learn a Full Spectrum Macrobiotic Approach for the 21st century including the introduction of dairy and animal foods for those who choose to incorporate them along with how to be safe on vegan diet for others. https://www.macrobiotic.com/diagnosisnutrition-health-coach-training-program-21-classes.html

As states slowly open up after the Corona virus lock down, many people are working from home, staying home more or slowly going out. Stir craziness is probably a mild phrase to describe what people are experiencing at this time.

Here are tips on how to keep your balance and stability of mind during the slow opening phase of most states:

1. Eat balanced meals rather than eating more or overindulging in comfort foods. Have full spectrum macrobiotic meals. Most people should include grains or grain products, 3-6 oz of animal protein often with beans substituting a few times per week, natural fats that are saturated like butter or coconut oil with some monounsaturated fats such as olive, cooked and some raw vegetables, non-vinegar pickles, salt seasonings, spices or herbs with some natural sweets or fruit, natural beverages like tea and some juices.

If your health permits drinking please avoid the desire to calm your self with too much alcohol as this will lead to more stressful emotions. Excessive alcohol consumption weakens the nervous system which makes you more prone to stress.

Try to be creative and make delicious satisfying meals. As restaurants open up, pick ones that have good quality fare like farm to table, natural ethnic foods and natural food varieties.

Avoid too much snacking on natural chips, cookies and similar foods.

2. Beyond work, set goals for yourself to do your own projects making or learning things rather than spacing out in front of the screen, computer or TV. Of course, some of this is fine. Lots of people because of exhaustion due to work and responsibilities have more passive activities like watching videos on the screen. Here is an opportunity to make a learning habit to develop your self in different ways, skills and expertise. 

3. If you are not already doing it, learn chi gong. Chi Gong is an amazing system of exercises that offers incredible benefits for the body and mind. Practicing will enhance your vitality, improve your digestion, calm and improve your mind, strengthen your immunity along with many other functions in the body. High level practices can even reverse aging. I will have a video available in the near future with a high quality Qigong set. You can start with simple practices outlined in the books by Tom Bisio, Bagua Nei Gong 1 and 2.  

4. Start to practice Qigong Breathing and some simple meditation practices: Decoding the Dao by Tom Bisio is a good resource.
 
5. Study philosophy. A philosophical approach to life can help you deal with challenges in a healthy way. Avoid New Age theories on philosophy as they tend to be fostering the ego or self. Read Aldous Huxley’s “The Perennial Philosophy” to get insights into how to begin or continue explorations into the mystery of life that science can not answer. An excellent contemporary take on the Stoic philosophers are in Ryan Holiday’s books. You can explore the teachings of the mystics of the great religions as they asked and sought the answers to the bigger philosophical questions of life.  You can choose to study the mystical tradition of the religion that you were born into or explore others that are interesting to you. 

6. Spend time with the family or friends in the old fashioned way of board games, gentle conversation at meals, walking and other activities. 

7. Take time to appreciate nature and the arts. Spend time listening to great music and being with nature. 

8. Take a break from technology, social media, computers, etc. for a day or weekend to spend your time in other good old fashioned ways. 

It is hard to understand the truth of what is happening whether in politics or health from regular news sources owned by a few corporations. Whatever the truth is of the current health crisis, strengthening the lungs keeps your immune system strong.
 
The connection between your lungs and the immune system is made in ancient Chinese medicine. This medical system developed a different way of understanding the body independent of western biology and medicine. It has been an effective system for promoting health and healing for thousands of years.
 
Wuhan province in China has terrible air pollution which contributed to their recent health issues by causing weakened immunity. Modern Chinese leaders have forgotten their culture's own wisdom about the link between health and our lungs while pursuing methods of development that bring people out of poverty while at the same time causing serious health issues. Italy is said to be the most polluted country in Europe. This is another place where people have recently had high levels of sickness and deaths attributed to the coronavirus.
 
Ancient Chinese medicine is based on energetics. The lungs are related to overall vitality through the function of extracting the finest energy from the air. This energy combines with the essential energy derived from food fueling all functions of the body including the immune system, known as wei chi, the most aggressive and strong energy of the body.
 
When the energy of the body is abundant from optimal lung function, easy to digest and nourishing food, good sleep, rest, and the right amount of activity; the immune system is vital and strong and can protect us from viruses, bacteria and toxins.
 
There are many things that you can do to strengthen your lungs. Too start, I will offer simple suggestions. Creating what is called a damp condition promotes weakness and congestion in the lungs. The suggestions below help avoid this.

• Eat moderate amounts of good quality fats from saturated and monounsaturated fats such as butter from grass fed animals, coconut oil and olive oil. Avoid fried and rancid fats in regular commercially prepared foods as these congest and weaken the lungs. Saturated fats strengthen the lungs.

 

• If you eat dairy products choose grass fed products in moderation. Commercial dairy products from cattle in confinement congest the lungs.

 

• Limit white flour products as they can congest the lungs.

 

• Eat foods that in China are said to have a metal energy (based on the 5 element theory) which strengthen the lungs. This includes moderate portions of grass fed meat or wild salmon, brown rice, sea salt, miso and root vegetables.

 

• Eat regular but moderate amounts of foods with preformed vitamin A such as sardines, liver from naturally raised animals, butter from grass fed animals and eggs from pastured chickens. Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene from plants does not convert well to vitamin A.

 

• Limit sugars, fruit juice, raw salad, alcohol, excessive water consumption and fruits. Avoid commercial pastries with poor quality ingredients and limit natural pastries.

 

• Prepare Astragalus tea or take high quality Astragalus supplements. Astragalus is the premier immune, lung and energy tonic of Chinese tonic herbalism. Studies have shown it to be beneficial for cancer, anti- bacterial and anti-viral. Choose high quality Astragalus supplements prepared from a concentrate. You can also rinse a ½ ounce of the root. Add the slices with 4 cups of spring water to an enamel covered cast iron or ceramic pot. Bring to a boil uncovered and simmer until the liquid reduces by 1/3 or ½. Remove the Astragalus. Save the tea. Add 2 cups of fresh spring water with the slices. Bring to a boil and simmer until 1 cup of the tea remains. Discard the slices. Separate into 2 doses.  Drink 2 times per day between meals. Refrigerate the leftover tea. Heat up before drinking. You may prepare extra for up to 2-3 days.

 
Air pollution in Wuhan Province: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50688880/polluted-air-could-be-an-important-cause-of-wuhan-pneumonia
 
Air pollution in Italy: https://www.lifegate.com/people/news/luxembourg-bans-glyphosate
 
Four Seasons Herbs: https://shop.fourseasonsherbs.com/astragalus-huang-qi-high-grade-1/4-lb.htm