Strengthening Health Institute

Celebrate the New Year with The Strengthening Health Institute!

2012-01-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

We invite everyone to join us for a delicious gourmet dinner at The Strengthening Health Institute on February 4, 2012, specially prepared by Executive Chef Susan Waxman and Garrett Brood. Following dinner, Denny Waxman will give his predictions for the new year, which will be followed by a dance party!

The Strengthening Health Institute
1149 N. 3rd Street 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215.238.9212
info@strengthenhealth.org

Macrobiotic PotLuck Dinner

2011-09-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Join us on Saturday October 1st at 5:30 - 8:30pm for our Macrobiotic PotLuck Dinner at the Strengthening Health Institute

No Pre-Registration Required.

Please Call for More Details 215-238-9212

Potluck Dinner

2011-06-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

Potluck Dinner
July 2nd, 2011
5:30pm - 8pm

1149 N. 3rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Free event - just bring a vegan macrobiotice dish to share!
Live music and group discussion to follow dinner!
Meet great people and enjoy delicious food!

For more information, call (215) 238-9212
or email info@strengthenhealth.org

Denny Waxman Comments on Coconut Oil

2011-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

In a recent article on philly.com, Denny Waxman was interviewed on the subject of Coconut Oil (Trans Fats).

In layman's terms, coconut oil is perfectly safe to use in moderation but perhaps to replace other oils rather than being added to the diet.

Denny Waxman, who co-founded Philly natural food store Essene Market in 1969 and has since moved on to health counseling, has seen similar food "scares" and crazes come and go. His brother Howard Waxman owns the 4th Street store now.

"I just like to sit back and watch any time a new super food comes out," Denny Waxman said. "We're always looking for the next 'wonder food,' the next thing that's going to transform us. Whatever it is, it never turns out to be what people thought it was."

Waxman is a longtime practitioner of macrobiotics, a diet that suggests choosing foods indigenous to your or similar climactic zones yields maximum health benefits. So while Waxman prefers sesame and olive oil, he said, coconut oil is not the health villain it had been made out to be.

And for vegans or gluten-free dieters, coconut oil can be a miracle ingredient. With the ability to take on both liquid and solid states depending on its temperature, it's been used to replace butter or other trans-fatty oils. It's also appreciated for its nutty, sweetening flavor.

"The [dietary] purpose of oil is to make food more digestible, absorb minerals, fat-soluble vitamins and calcium," Waxman said. "Cooking with oil steps up the ability to get more energy from food. But whether you're using sesame or olive or coconut oil, we should use it more sparingly than liberally."

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE

"It's chilly in Philly."

2011-04-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

It was "chilly in Philly" Susan Waxman said to the kitchen staff during out April CCP seminar. Drawing inspiration from the cold the kitchen staff constructed a snowman to display on the serving table out of polenta, a matchstick carrot, black sesame seeds, a radish sliver, sunflower seeds and other vegetable matter.

The students seemed to welcome this creative addition to the meal. Hopefully we can continue creating works of art at many seminars to come!

Refreshing Spring Rain and Summer Sunshine: Cooking Classes for you!

2011-04-05T06:15:00.001-07:00

It is raining this morning in Philadelphia. The rain coupled with the most warm air is a sure sign of spring! I hope you all take a walk in the refreshing outdoors on this beautiful day.

With spring in the air we at SHI are happy to announce that we have some cooking classes coming up in the next few months. The first cooking class will be taught by Carlotta Lala on April 30th from 1:30-4:30 PM. She is teaching a class entitled: "Conscious Cooking and Thoughtful Eating". This class is sure to jump start your macrobiotic practice and boost your April spring cleaning with delicious intentional macrobiotic dishes.

Before long we will have a heat wave sweeping over the city of Philadelphia, leading us into many bright and sunny summer days. For your summer dietary needs Debbie Albanese will be teaching a class entitled: "Its Summer Time and Living is Easy!". The date/time of this class is TBA but we are aiming to put it on our calendars sometime near the summer solstice. This class will surely prepare you for the warm summer months by giving you dishes/tips to change your dietary direction to beat the heat. It will also focus on simplicity and quick dishes to reduce kitchen time so you can spend extra time in the sun.

Both of these classes are $30 if you register in advance and $35 at the door. We hope you can join us for these exciting events! Please call 215-238-9212 or email Briel@strengthenhealth.org to register or with any questions.

Enjoy this refreshing day!

Your friends at the Strengthening Health Institute

SHI update: Another Successful Potluck and upcoming ATS

2011-04-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

We are thankful to say that we hosted another successful potluck here at SHI this past Saturday. We had about 25 people attend the potluck and bring delicious and healing food to share. We had everything from spring rolls and sweet potato samosas to brown rice. It was a delicious experience full of inspired conversation and good support. We hope you can join us for the next potluck which is scheduled for May 7th at 5:30 pm. The event is free, just bring a macrobiotic vegan dish to share with the group. Also, in order to minimize our environmental impact we are asking that everyone brings a reusable plate and utensils to the event.

We also have an exciting seminar coming up this weekend, April 8th - April 10th. An advanced training seminar entitled "Towards a More Western Macrobiotics". This seminar is filling up quickly, but we still have a few seats left if you are interested in attending.

Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.

Concerns Surrounding Recent Events in Japan

2011-03-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Concerns Surrounding Recent Events in Japan

We at the SHI, including my wife, Susan and all of the staff, wish to extend
our most sincere prayers of health and healing to the Japanese people, the
land and the ocean that has been effected by the devastation of the
earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plants.

With regard to the effect of the tragedy on imported macrobiotic staples,
namely the quality of present and future Japanese miso, umeboshi, shoyu,
wakame and other seaweeds, here are my thoughts. As of the earthquake on
March 11th and the subsequent tsunami, nuclear meltdown and radiation
release in Northeastern Japan, the most recent shipment of Japanese
macrobiotic foods was already at sea before the earthquake hit, according to
the suppliers of the SHI. The coming shipment is untainted but as far as
future supplies are concerned, seaweed will be most effected by radiation
fallout. If you have further concerns, please speak to your favored
macrobiotic foods importer.

Shoyu is made in Sendai, as are some misos, such as Onozaki, and they take a
long time to make. It takes eighteen months to make shoyu and two years for
miso. Hatcho miso comes from Okazaki, nine hours southwest from Fukushima.
Ryujin umeboshi plums come from Wakayama Prefecture in south-central Japan
and so should remain unaffected. In the end, a big part of the quality of
the product depends on the ingredients: wheat, soy beans, salt and waters,
as well as the environment in which they are made. We will have to wait and
see how the radiation settles, but for now, this might be a good time to
start exploring American macrobiotic products, e.g. South River Miso, Miso
Master Miso, Maine Coast Seaweed and California-made Umeboshi.

As for the plume of radiation headed for the west-coast of the United
States, the radiation levels are very low and most likely will have
dispersed to a non-threatening level, according to Scientific American on
March 16, 2011. Maintaining a diet that includes brown rice, miso soup,
moderate amounts of seaweed and adzuki beans are especially important for
keeping blood quality strong. Seaweed also has the unique ability to bind
with heavy metals, such as cesium, one of pollutants found in radioactive
fallout. However, over-consumption of seaweed creates a mineral imbalance
and could lead to thyroid problems and extreme weight loss, due to the high
mineral content of sea vegetables.

I recommend an increase in sea vegetable consumption only in a case of heavy
exposure to radioactive metals, and not otherwise. The current levels of
radiation on the west-coast to not warrant increased seaweed.

In the case of heavy exposure to radioactive metals, foods to avoid include
sugar, soft drinks, fruit, juices, chocolate and highly processed foods. It
is also important to avoid extreme yang foods such as meat, chicken and
eggs. Someone in Sendai or someone who has been exposed to the meltdown in
or near Fukushima needs a simple diet of brown rice, adzuki beans, strong
miso soup and a bit more seaweed, well cooked vegetables, such as nishimi
and kinpira, and drink small amounts of kukicha tea as a beverage. It would
also be imperative that all sugar, excess liquids and all extreme yin or
yang be avoided.

People living on the west-coast of the United States should maintain a
standard macrobiotic practice, making sure to include brown rice, miso soup,
adzuki beans and a normal amount of sea vegetables, no more than usual,
along with the usual variety of foods. I will keep you updated as more
information becomes available.

With continued prayers for Japan,

DennyWaxman

Potluck and Openhouse

2011-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

With our open-house and potluck this past Saturday was quite exciting for us here at SHI. In the early afternoon we made delicious open-house snacks: popcorn, hummus with olives and veggies, bancha tea, hot apple cider, mixed nuts and rasins and a delicious grape kanten. We blew up balloons and decorated with beautiful flowers. We had 20 enthusiastic guests come to the open-house and enjoy our snacks and listen to Denny give a brief introduction to macrobiotics, which I will be posting on Youtube momentarily!
Our Saturday evening potluck was very exciting. We had over 30 people show up and bring delicious dishes for everyone to share! We raffled off a "Great Life Diet" book as well as an SHI goodie bag. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the delicious food and we are all looking forward to our next potluck on April 2nd at 5:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Mediterranean Themed Macrobiotic Cooking Class and more news updates

2011-02-26T06:40:00.000-08:00

It has been an exciting week here at SHI! On Wednesday afternoon Susan, Garrett and Briel headed out to prepare for a cooking class Susan was teaching at the local Whole Foods. Susan taught a packed room of enthusiastic Whole Foods customers a Mediterranean themed macrobiotic cooking class. The students learned about basic macrobiotic principals as well as how to prepare couscous, a Greek with greens salad, puréed chickpea soup with basil and a poached pear with balsamic glaze! With our new ATS topics out last week we there has been a lot of interest generated in the programs. We hope that you can join us for one of them. Also, next weekend on March 5th SHI is hosting an open house with yummy and fun snacks as well as our first, but not last, potluck dinner of 2011!

Andy Davis performs the SHI theme song that he composed

2011-02-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Macrobiotic Dinner in Jacksonville and our first seminar of 2011

2011-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been enriching and eventful here at SHI. Two weeks ago Denny and Susan traveled to Jacksonville and gave a seminar for 20 people there. Denny and Susan both enjoyed the trip and said it was delicious, enriching and enjoyable.

Last week we had our first Comprehensive Certificate seminar of the year. The center was alive with 21 enthusiastic students. With the staff added to that count our kitchen team was cooking for 30+ people throughout the seminar and both students and staff enjoyed every bite! We have just a few spots left in the CCP class of 2011, call our office today so that you can join in on the excitement this February!

Our first macrobiotic seminar of 2011

2011-01-17T13:15:00.000-08:00

We just finished up our first seminar of 2011 here at SHI. We had a wonderful group of students for the Intensive. With just five students it was actually the smallest Intensive on record, and included two SHI employees! However, the intimate setting provided a unique supportive and peaceful learning experience. We set out on an exploration of yin and yang, macrobiotic history, philosophy, cooking, Do-in and diagnosis. All of the students left here with a greater understanding of macrobiotics and a healthier body and mind from sitting down to delicious and balanced meals over the five-day period.

Did you sit down and enjoy your regular meals today?

Invest in your health for the New Year with a Macrobiotic Program

2011-01-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! There are still a few spaces left for January's Strengthening Health Intensive. We hope you'll come jump start or re-energize your macrobiotic practice with a macrobiotic study intensive. It's not too late to sign up for the Comprehensive Certificate Program either. This one year program meets monthly and concludes in November.

All of the information is listed below or you can call us at
215.238.9212 for more information and to sign up.

Strengthening Health Intensive
January 12-16 and March 9- 13 (register early for savings*)

Deepen your understanding and appreciation for macrobiotics in a relaxing, rejuvenating setting, and enjoy three delicious macrobiotic meals per day prepared by our expert team of cooks. Main topics include:

• Understanding Yin and Yang
• The Seven Steps to Strengthening Health
• Nutrition and Digestion
• Transitional Symptoms and Discharge
• Food Classification and Choices
• Kitchen Set-up and Menu Planning
• Food Shopping and Storage
• Cooking Styles and Creating Variety in Meals
• Cooking Demonstrations and Classes
• Daily Exercise and Spiritual Meditation

Register at full price and each additional registration is only half price.
Students, take advantage of our student discount, $575
Family and Group discounts available

* Register for the March Intensive by February 9th and save $100!
Click here for more information.
Or call us at 215.238.9212

2011 Comprehensive Certificate Program
The Strengthening Health Institute's newly re-designed Comprehensive Certificate Program is a streamlined one year program. You will learn more through doing and interacting with fellow students. It is fashioned after the old macrobiotic study house, where people lived, ate, studied, discussed and played together.

The Comprehensive Certificate Program meets monthly and concludes in November. At each meeting during the year, the following five key areas will be covered:

• Macrobiotic Philosophy and Theory
• Shiatsu Massage and Do-In Self Exercise
• Oriental Diagnosis
• Cooking
• Macrobiotic Health Care for Oneself and Others

Cost:
$5495 Full Payment
$5800- Quarterly Payment Plan
$6000- Monthly Payment Plan

$3495 - Full payment to repeat the CCP

Learn more about the Comprehensive Certificate Program
Or call us at 215.238.9212

Advanced Training Seminar: April 8-10
The perfect way to continue your macrobiotic education

The April Advanced Training Seminar will cover a number of advanced topics ranging from Health Care and Diagnosis to Hands on Cooking and Shiatsu.

Learn more about the Advanced Training Seminar
Or call us at 215.238.9212

An interview with a CCP Graduate

2010-07-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

"An interview with a CCP Graduate" by Susan Beram
Susan Beram is a current CCP student, and recently interviewed a fellow classmate on how he got started in Macrobiotics

There are many fascinating people who are currently enrolled in the 2010 Comprehensive Certificate Program class. Each participant has a unique story about how his, or her, macrobiotic journey began. This column will help our readers to become acquainted with some of these interesting classmates.

Grant Goodwin's macrobiotic journey began in 1982 when his father was diagnosed with late stage prostate cancer. He had read the Anthony Sattilaro book, Recalled by Life, and was impressed by the doctor's amazing recovery from the same cancer. Grant traveled with his dad to the Kushi Institute where he learned the basics of a macrobiotic practice. Fast forward to November of 2006, and Grant, himself, received the diagnosis of early stage prostate cancer. He remembered his experience with his dad and decided to follow a macrobiotic diet and lifestyle to deal with his cancer. After consulting with a few different counselors, he met Warren Kramer in Austin, Texas, and, after a time, Warren suggested that Grant enroll in the 2008 SHI Cooking Intensive. He consulted with Denny and felt at ease as it reminded him of his dad's consults with Michio Kushi so many years ago. Grant continues to study and cook macrobiotically and his cancer is currently under control.

Susan: Grant, how has macrobiotics impacted your life?

Grant: I had a tendency to ignore my diet. I had not realized how stressed out I had gotten working long hours in a Management position. Now I have minimized my stress by working from home as an independent sales representative. I do all my own cooking and keep to the macrobiotic diet. I seldom eat out of the house. I am glad I was forced to cook for myself because now I am not dependent on anyone else. To do something this drastic, you have to change your whole life.

Susan: Was it hard to adjust to this new lifestyle?

Grant: It took me two and one half years to get comfortable with the cooking and preparation. At first, I thought I could not use any leftovers. Once I realized I could, things got a lot easier. That made a big difference.

Susan: What are you enjoying about the CCH?

Grant: It is great to come and connect with the other class members. Since there are no other macrobiotic people in Dallas, each month I look forward to talking with the other people in class and to having a support group. It is also a relief to not have to cook for a few days. I am learning from the lectures and cooking classes and I enjoy being around Denny.

Advanced Training Seminars

2010-07-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a letter that we received from a recent graduate.

The graduate program on spiritual development and ki sounded like a wonderful luxury, but on a practical level my life had gotten so busy that to go develop diagnosis skills seemed almost decadent. After all, I don't counsel and this summer I probably won't teach cooking. A dear friend mentioned she was going and I thought "Wonderful, I can't wait to hear what you learn!" Then another dear friend had the wild idea that she might just come (five hours of driving, three children under the age of nine . . .) and I heard myself say "You must come! There is always a way!" The least I could do then was to try to make it, I decided, thinking it would be very interesting to attend.

Time passed and the day came and all three of us somehow arrived. The funny thing now is to remember that it was ever even a question. For each of us, the places in life where we had gotten stuck, spinning our own wheels, with varying degrees of comfort, resignation and despair, all got addressed on a very deep level. Where we felt heavy, we now feel light. The places where we felt locked in feel like open fields. I am speaking about aspects of daily practice which had gotten subtly off, and which we couldn't quite catch ourselves, but the results of which we certainly could feel (children falling out of high trees, splitting open their knees, irritable husbands, etc.) Eating Susan's sweet cooking, delicate, strong and light, opened up our eyes. The company of like-minded classmates was also very nourishing. One of us came home having decided to start dance classes, after years of taking care exclusively of her children and husband and home. Another is bursting with ideas about macrobiotics and how to grow this movement. I am looking into doing a kind of theater which I never would have considered but even the thought of which makes me feel energized and happy. Before the seminar I was happy but dragging my feet.

On Friday night we did introductions and reports of out macrobiotic practices and work, then heard a lecture by Denny on integrity and honesty in macrobiotic teaching and counseling. We explored questions such as whether integrity is innate or learned and whether or not it can be developed. We discussed what lies are and their different types: white lies (to protect others) and bigger lies (to protect the self) and the biggest lie of all, a life lie: living at odds with your deepest values and who you really are.

The next morning we had cooking class with Susan. Her accuracy and subtlety brought home the power of food. Again, in little ways, I had been slipping and sliding, but when I re-encountered her high standard, I saw new ways to grow my life. I also realized I have been oversalting our food and learned a lighter way of making sweet vegetable soup which was very delicious. We made our own maki rolls for lunch and it was wonderful to have all the ingredients prepared and laid out for us, and to see all how others made theirs.

Patrick Riley gave a dynamic and energetic class on tsubos, power points along shiatsu meridians, and how to use them to alleviate pain. We considered maladies in terms of the five transformations, as well as the parts of the body, and which tsubos correspond to them. The class was so hands-on that even after hours of non-stop and rather rigorous and original lecturing, Patrick went around to make sure each of us had the point correctly, and if we didn't he showed us. He gave so much to help us understand. We also discussed the need to bring esoteric macrobiotic philosophical or spiritual ideas into regular language understandable by anyone.

We had a beautiful dinner, and in the evening, Denny gave a lecture on the question of whether or not there is a "healing diet" in macrobiotics. It was decided that the word "appropriate" or "accurate" is far better. A healing diet implies that one must DO something in order to get healthy. It gives the wrong impression of macrobiotic food. A healing diet sounds like a problem, something strict, instead of relaxed, enjoyable and delicious.

Denny explained that the intention in recovery is to recover personal health, but once healthy, the point of daily macrobiotic practice is other people's health. We also spoke of how the uniqueness of macrobiotics is that what we do for ourselves also helps others. It was characteristically profound and life-changing.

On Sunday morning we had a beautiful do-in class led by Susan. We did maka-ho exercises and many of us expressed the wish to stretch in such a way in daily life. It was so good to feel and do these simple exercises again. Afterward, we chanted as a group, and then with Denny practiced our ability to diagnose auras. We took turns coming up before the group and practicing our ability to receive information and ideas. We came up with marvelous suggestions, which is how my friend came to be signing up for dance classes and I for this acting group, something I wouldn't have dreamed of doing but now can't wait for.

My friends and I came away more refreshed, inspired and invigorated than we could have imagined during those sleepy telephone calls. We are set right again, full of gratitude to Denny, Susan and the SHI.

A Strengthening Health Institute (SHI) Graduate's Story

2010-06-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Sophia G.: Strengthening Health Institute (SHI) Graduate, 2010

Many SHI Comprehensive Certificate Program (CCP) students are relative newcomers to Macrobiotics. They have started eating well recently and want to learn more about the thinking behind the way of life or “diet” that has changed their health for the better. Almost all CCP students are adults with jobs and families who travel to Philadelphia to deepen their appreciation and understanding of something new and even a little strange to them.

Sophia G., who graduated from CCP in February, was decidedly different from most of her classmates. Sophia was only 16 when she started taking classes from Denny and Susan Waxman at SHI and Macrobiotics was not something new and strange to her. Her parents, John and Mary, have been eating a Macrobiotic diet for more than twenty five years. In fact, Sophia, the third of their seven children, was born in Japan where her parents lived for four years to study traditional cooking. Sophia has not only grown up eating this way but she also has been assisting her mother, an accomplished medicinal cook, since she was 12 years old.

So why did she come to CCP in Philadelphia to study?

Her family are Orthodox Christians who homeschool their children to foster their vocations or “callings” rather than to meet conventional education standards. Educational reformer John Holt called this cardiac intelligence focused parenting “un-schooling” and Sophia is a model “un-schooler.” Her two older sisters, one an athlete, the other a musician, are students at VMI and the University of Chicago.

Sophia, in contrast, hopes to be a nun in an Orthodox monastery. Her “studies,” consequently, are focused on her interests in music, church history and teaching, and on cooking. She makes pilgrimages to convents when she is not cooking for clients and studying the violin with her teacher at Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School.

She came to SHI because her mom and dad, both graduates of the Kushi Institute in the 1980’s, thought it the best place for her to learn the cooking skills and traditional thinking behind Macrobiotics.

As John, now a literary critic but once a teacher and the director of programs at the Kushi Foundation Berkshires Center, wrote us,

Mary and I urged Sophia to take SHI’s Comprehensive Certificate Program as part of her un-schooling because we believe that Denny and Susan Waxman are the best at what they do. The great improvement in Sophia’s cooking skills and her greater grasp of the Principle at the heart of traditional cosmology from her studies there is all due to the Waxmans’ unmatched experience and ability to communicate what they know.

Sophia says:
My parents have taught us for as long as I can remember that the right way to understand food is as an echo of the Eucharist. I certainly didn’t ‘get’ this idea of food and cooking styles, though, that they are transparencies of the Principle that creates us all, until my year studying with Denny and Susan. I will always be grateful to them for teaching me how to see people’s conditions in this light and for encouraging me as a young person and cook! I will be applying the lessons and using the skills I learned at SHI the rest of my life.

Mary, Sophia’s mother, wrote:
I was blessed to study with Aveline Kushi, Shizuko Yamamoto, and Wendy Esko when I started cooking years ago and I knew the difference these women made in my understanding of food and health. John and I recognized from our experience that Sophia, a good cook by nature, needed the formal instruction and experience she could only get with the best teachers and cooks if she were to begin reaching her potential. And there are no better teachers and cooks in the US than Susan and Denny and no better intensive program than CCP.

Sophia’s CCP classmates realized very quickly that this very friendly if barely five feet tall young woman with long hair and braces was not a child. Her skills in Susan’s classes and the questions she asked Denny, Susan, and the other SHI instructors reflected her intelligence, big heart, and keen interest in the subjects at hand. Sophia loved and was a big part of the lively discussions during class and over meals at CCP during her year there. Since graduating, Sophia has been cooking for clients in Florida, New Jersey, Missouri, New York City, and Southern California.

Every CCP class is made up of people with stories as different and interesting as Sophia’s. What they all have in common, what brings them to SHI, is a light burning in them to learn more about Macrobiotic cooking and traditional thinking. If you want to join the discussions, acquire the skills, and meet thoughtful, challenging people like Sophia, contact the SHI office today at 215-238-9212!

Sophia G. was a recipient of a CCP Scholarship

Controlling HIV with Macrobiotics

2010-06-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

“I am HIV positive. Macrobiotics chose me to follow its Path and not the other way around. I was diagnosed in May 2006, two days after my birthday. I was devastated. Fortunately macrobiotics found me, and I have never had to take anti-retroviral medications.” – Alejandro Aguilera

Alejandro’s HIV symptoms began while on a trip to Turin during the 2006 Winter Olympics. It started as night sweats and a viral rash. Shortly after returning to the US, he caught a cold which kept getting worse. He had to change his shirt at least five times in one night because he was soaked in sweat. As symptoms progressed and being knowledgeable of HIV, he feared the worse. He wept. He had doctors test for everything else and went to three anonymous testing centers. Finally, he was running out of options and while waiting for the anonymous results, he agreed to be tested by my doctors twice. He had no insurance at the time. Out of the five tests, three came back positive for HIV. He then decided to accept the virus now living in my body. He contacted his attorney and closest friends to share the diagnosis. Eventually, in time, he would contact his family.

Alejandro recalled a young Minneapolis bartender suggesting macrobiotics. The bartender had tried it with much success in regards to his condition but had given it up. He also mentioned a homeopath and a bookstore in South Minneapolis.

Alejandro’s soul sister in Minneapolis, Daniella took him that weekend to see the homeopath. It was at “Present Moment” bookstore that Daniella bought his first macrobiotic text for his birthday: Michio Kushi and Alex Jack’s “The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health”. He went home and devoured the entire section on AIDS and found himself agreeing with the precepts and principles. He proceeded to empty his pantry into brown grocery paper bags, and recycled his teflon and aluminum cookware. The next day, he returned unused groceries back to the neighborhood convenience store and then went to Target to buy stainless steel cookware. His next stop was the Wedge Community Coop to buy “MACRO” food. The cashier turned out to be macro and this was the beginning of a mentoring relationship. She would give him first pressure cooker and his first Le Creuset pot. She would eventually take him to Philadelphia to see renowned, Macrobiotic Counselor, Denny Waxman.

Alejandro witnessed his viral load diminish from over 300,000 copies per milliliter of blood down to a bit over 9,000 copies per milliliter. He also has a fluctuating immune system, CD4 count that keeps him in very good health. He has only had the flu once since becoming macrobiotic, and the only symptom which reminds him of his condition (and his humble existence) is the hairy oral leukoplakia on his tongue.

Emotionally and spiritually, Alejandro moved from anger and punching walls, to fear and endless tears, to a place of peace, light, service and redemption. He now suggests to others that: “If you want to LIVE and fully embrace your purpose in Life, then give macrobiotics a chance to change your point of view. It did that for me.”

Listen Now (or download)

Cancer of the Vocal Chords

2010-06-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

James Kirman, 84, is a guitar player and singer, In 1997 James experienced a hoarseness in his vocal chords. He went to his Doctor who referred him to a specialist who examined him and suspected that it was leukoplakia, a pre-cancerous condition. James went into the hospital and had it removed and his doctor confirmed that it was indeed, leukoplakia.

6 months later he became hoarse again. This time he went to see Doctor William Lewis who said it was leukoplakia squamous cell carnicoma but not invaded and had it removed. 6 months later, again he had leukoplakia squamous cell carnicoma and again had it removed. 6 months again, he had it again and again had it removed. It would come back one more time and James would have a total of five operations to remove the recurring leukoplakia!

In 1999 and before the fifth (and last) time that James would go into the hospital to have the leukoplakia removed his daughter went to a health seminar conducted by renowned macrobiotic teacher and counselor Denny Waxman, founder and Director of the Strengthening Health Institute in Philadelphia. She told her father to go see Denny for a consultation and that’s when James changed his diet and began following macrobiotics.

Now, ten years later James is still eating macrobiotically. His leukoplakia has never come back and both and he and his doctor are convinced that it was because of macrobiotics. He now sings as good or even better than before and often performs in retirement homes to audiences younger than himself!

Listen Now (or download)

New Program Dates

2010-05-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

ADVANCED TRAINING SEMINAR
Our Advanced Training Seminars will now follow a new format; it will consist of 3 lectures, 1 Cooking Class, and 1 Shiatsu Class.
The following topics will be covered:
• Macrobiotic Philosophy
• Workshop on refining your cooking techniques
• Developing Shiatsu
• Healthcare
• Macrobiotic Diagnosis

PROGRAM DATES:
• June 11-13, 2010
• October 8-10, 2010

Read more about our Advanced Training Seminars.
Please call 215.238.9212 for details or to register.

COMPREHENSIVE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The Comprehensive Certificate Program is an in depth seminar that builds upon the foundation of healthy living established during the Strengthening Health Intensive, and there are still a few seats available for the 2010 class.

The following five key areas will be covered:
• Macrobiotic Philosophy and Theory
• Shiatsu Massage and Do-In Self Exercise
• Oriental Diagnosis
• Cooking
• Macrobiotic Health Care for Oneself and Others

PROGRAM DATES:
• May 21-23, 2010
• June 24-27, 2010
• July 30-August 1, 2010
• September 24-26, 2010
• October 22-24, 2010
• November 18-21 2010

Read more about our Comprehensive Certificate Program.
Please call 215.238.9212 for details or to register.

STRENGTHENING HEALTH INTENSIVE
Register for July's Strengthening Health Intensive with a friend to get the second enrollment for half price and enroll by June 7 to save $100.

Let us do the cooking as our kitchen staff prepares 12 delicious meals while you learn The 7 Conditions of Health, Meal Planning, Cooking plus much, much more.

Be a part of this life-changing experience that has helped hundreds of people maintain and recover their health and well being through macrobiotics.

PROGRAM DATES:
• July 7-11, 2010
• August 25-29, 2010
• November 3-7 2010

Read more about the Strengthening Health Intensive.
Please call 215.238.9212 for details or to register.

Standing Ovation

2010-05-11T04:07:00.000-07:00

Check out Standing Ovation! It was made at the Jersey shore and Susan provided macrobiotic snacks and lunches for the cast and crew.

Through original songs and dance numbers, Standing Ovation delivers an optimistic tale of perseverance and passion that inspires the American dream in all of us. The film showcases a talented cast of kids as they learn the importance of friendship and family on a journey to fulfilling their dreams.

Grains of Truth

2009-10-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, cultures were known by the grains they ate; rice in Asia, corn in the Americas, oats in the UK, couscous in the Middle East and buckwheat in Russia, to name just a few. Grains have two key components that make them unique among the world’s foods. They are complete in themselves and they are endlessly adaptable.

In grains, the fruit and the seed have merged to become one. (In fruits, we eat the flesh and throw away the seed.) This oneness is the basis of the complete and balanced nutrition that grains give us. Looked at another way, we can say that grains represent and incorporate both the beginning (the seed) and the end (the fruit) of the plant kingdom.

Grains are adaptable in terms of both geography and climate. They can and do adapt easily and effectively to the varied geographical and climatic conditions of our planet. Therefore, they can be cultivated wherever food can be grown. Barley has the widest growing area of any grain. It can grow north beyond the Arctic Circle and as far south as Ethiopia. Grain can also be stored for hundreds of years, which makes it the ideal food to supply the basic nutrition of our planet.

I will elaborate further on the distinctive qualities of whole grains in future articles but in this first article on grains, I want to concentrate on the uniqueness of brown rice.

There are three aspects of brown rice that I find endlessly fascinating. The first is that brown rice can be cooked with any other food to the mutual enhancement of each.

Brown rice can be cooked with all types of animal food, including, beef, lamb, veal, pork, poultry, eggs, fish and seafood. (Just bring to mind the variety of rice dishes available in the world’s restaurants.) Rice can also be cooked with other grains, as well as with beans, seeds or nuts. We can cook barley with rice and chickpeas with rice. We can garnish rice with walnuts or sesame seeds. Rice can also be combined with different types of dairy food to create both savory and sweet dishes or used to mutual advantage with fruit or other sweeteners to create satisfying desserts.

The second fascinating thing about brown rice is that whatever you cook with it takes no longer to cook than does the rice. For example, if you pressure-cook rice with chickpeas or wheat berries, the beans will be tender in 50 minutes. If you cook chickpeas or wheat berries separately, they can take hours to reach that state.

The third, and perhaps the most endearing, thing about brown rice is that you can eat it every day of your life and yet it remains delicious to the taste. I will go so far as to say that brown rice seems to become more and more delicious over time.

There are mental and spiritual, as well as physical, benefits that come from eating a food that has this wealth of unique qualities. Brown rice can be said to open our minds. It gives us the ability to connect or synthesize different ideas, meaning that it can combine as easily with different ideas as it does with different foods. It promotes as sense of oneness with our surroundings.

With brown rice as the lynch pin of our diet, we can significantly improve and maintain the health of our bodies, minds and spirits.