There has been a lot of controversy about the possible harms of dietary supplements over the years. The October 17 report on NPR has raised this question yet again.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141411363/americans-urged-to-reconsider-use-of-dietary-supplements

The last time I heard T. Collin Campbell (“The China Study”) speak, he stated that his research showed that it was the food and not the nutrient that gave the benefit and that the results of supplement use were unpredictable.

Common sense and experience tells us that a varied plant based diet along with life-related activity and a positive attitude are the basis of sound and lasting health. I recommend having a grain and a separate vegetable dish with every meal and making sure that you are trying to have regular variety in your diet. Brown rice and steamed kale with every meal do not count as variety—don’t be afraid to mix it up! More details can be found in my book “The Great Life Diet.”

The slow insidious displacement of home cooked and communally shared family meals by the industrial food system has fattened our nation and weakened our family ties. Read article.

If your goal is to break a bad habit or cut back on food and shed a few pounds, then a simple but overlooked trick could come in handy: go for a walk. Read Article

Catching up with e-mail while you eat lunch? Watching television? You may end the day eating more than you think. Read article

This week we travelled to Jacksonville, Florida, at the invitation of Marlene Pendley. The group was international, four people from Venezuela and three from Bogota, Columbia. Susan taught two “international” cooking classes and I took these cultures into account in my lectures. It was a great success and very enjoyable.

Two of the students had just completed Anthony Robbins’ seminar, in which a vegan diet was promoted. The students felt our information complemented and refined that introduction very nicely.

We are already looking forward to returning to Florida.

Although it seems like the depth of winter now, the season turns on February fourth. Spring, and a new year, begin then. We can start to get ready in the next couple of weeks to slowly transition our diets. We can gradually lighten our diets, introducing more quick-cooked dishes and pulling back on baked, heavy and dense dishes.

A new group comes to the SHI for the CCP this week for our one-year certificate program. Again we are beginning in a snow storm, so this is an intrepid group. We hope to post a picture of the new class soon.

A reminder: There will be a macrobiotic dinner potluck at the SHI on March 5th. It is free of charge. Please bring a vegan macrobiotic dish to share. All are welcome.

As a 47 year old woman who spent most of my adult life struggling with weight, body image and health, Bridgette Kossor was at the end of her rope, trying yet again, to lose weight and feel good. By the end of 2006, she found herself at her heaviest weight, 268 lbs., on medication for high cholesterol and blood pressure, and sleeping with a machine for sleep apnea. Her doctor suggested gastric bypass surgery, which shocked her into taking some kind of real, responsible action to take care of herself. Her friend, Barbara Panno, had told her about Macrobiotics earlier that fall, but she wasn’t ready to consider making this kind of change, until her “light bulb moment”, months later. She could no longer keep doing what she had been doing for years; dieting and exercising with no real connection to the food or herself. She had no idea what Macrobiotics was, but she knew that she needed to find out.

Bridgette met with Denny Waxman in 2007 for her first macrobiotic health consultation. He gave her his recommendations for eating a wide macrobiotic diet and changing her lifestyle to better balance her insides, along with her outer appearance. She enthusiastically jumped into this new way of thinking about her food, cooking and eating; within 6 weeks her cholesterol numbers reduced drastically (LDL was cut in half), and within 4 months she lost 52 pounds without even trying. Her medications were no longer needed since her blood pressure and cholesterol were within normal ranges for the first time in years. She no longer needed a machine to sleep with, since her sleep apnea also disappeared. By the end of her first year of macrobiotic practice, she lost close to 90 lbs. For someone who has spent her whole adult life in a dysfunctional relationship with food and her body, this approach to food, cooking, health and community was not only simple, but invaluable. read article and listen to audio

In October of 1984, about four days after his wedding day John was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Greatly dissatisfied with past experiences with the medical profession and the options being offered him, he decided to seek other options.

Two years prior to this diagnosis John had read two books on Macrobiotics, “You Are All Sanpaku” by George Ohsawa, and “Natural Healing Through Macrobiotics” by Michio Kushi. The philosophy of diet and healing as explained by these two men made the most sense to John, he decided to give macrobiotics a try.

Just weeks after receiving dietary guidelines from world renown macrobiotic counselor, Denny Waxman, the transformative effects on John’s health could be felt. One and a half years into his new diet, feeling healed, John went off his diet and suffered major setbacks as the cancer returned and spread. read article and listen to audio

Christina Campion suffered from chronic alternating anorexia and bulimia throughout her entire life. By age 30, at 5′ 7″ and weighing only 75lbs, it was clear to her that she had to change her life drastically if she were to stay alive. She went to see various Macrobiotic counselors in the US and in the UK but their guidance did not seem to help her.

Christina finally had the good fortune to meet renowned Senior Macrobiotic Counselor, Denny Waxman, on one of his trips to London. Denny was the first counselor to accurately diagnose her condition of Hypoglycemia. read article and listen to audio

Finally, a long overdue scientific correction is happening. The human genome project is failing to advance the cause of human health, as promised. There is a fundamental but frustratingly and long overlooked reason why this is happening. read article