macrobiotic food mirrored Japanese with a fever and gooey discharge in the middle of the Arizona desert.
cuisine, but that it was more deeply (from my eyes, nose, mouth and stool) Everyone thought I would not make
focused on healing food. He referred associated with the detox process. it, except Dr. Hamilton, a young
me to a macrobiotic counselor in Los During this time I stuck with my mac- doctor at the ER trauma center. In
Angeles, Cecile Tovah Levin. He also robiotic diet and remedy drinks, and the hospital, while my heart stopped
told me about Aveline Kushi (who the discharge continued for fi ve long for about 12 minutes, I had an out-
turned out to be Japanese) and her weeks. Following this episode it took of-body experience. Dr. Hamilton
husband, Michio Kushi. With nothing me an entire year in order to not feel brought me back to life after mak-
to lose, I decided to embark on this “sick,” and to actually feel as ing the decision to put a needle to
road, at the gentle behest of the wise though I was getting better. Looking my heart sac. When I came back
and kind Mr. Kikuchi. back, after having studied macrobiot- to life, I experienced excruciating
ics for all of this time, I fi nally under- pain. I soon discovered that I had
The Breakthrough
stand why it took an entire cycle of been tied to the bed railing because
All of my life I’ve felt that no matter
seasons to release the build-up of tox- of my thrashing about. The doctor
what I want or don’t want to do, I
ins accumulated over a lifetime, and explained that he could not adminis-
should at least give it a try fi rst. Re
now realize how we are indeed one ter pain medication because it would
grets are part of life and I decided
with nature. My recovery from have caused my heart to stop again.
that if I regretted anything, it would
cancer took more than a full cycle of Many tubes ran through my mouth
be from not having tried something
seasons, but it was a valuable time for and into my lungs and abdomen. I
rather than having tried it. I bought
me, helping to seal my resolve to work had compound fractures in both
Michio Kushi’s book
knees, extending through
Cancer Prevention
the tibia and fi bula, and the
and Aveline Kushi’s
doctors considered amputat-
Complete Macrobiotic
ing my left ankle, which was
Cookbook and started
totally crushed. My heart and
to try out the recipes. I
lungs were badly injured, and
also called Cecile Tovah
I suffered several broken ribs.
Levin. Before I could
My doctor told me I may never
see her, however, I was
walk again, and advised me to
instructed to write down a
eat meat to strengthen my
great deal of information
bones. The hospital nutrition-
about myself, including a
ist thought I was stubborn
comprehensive list of the
and crazy for not eating the
things I had been eating.
hospital food. As devastated
This was not easy to do
as I was, I knew that this was
in a short time, especially
no time to undo the healing
while nursing myself.
effects of macrobiotics.
The process, ultimately,
was an important step in The Homecoming
learning about myself, After three weeks I felt I
about how I was brought was not getting better in the
up, and about the effects hospital, where one could
of my diet. She advised get no peace. The doctors
me on what to do, and I had to follow
in macrobiotics. Sure enough, a
and staff were doing their job, but
everything to a tee. At the time, I felt
job as a macrobiotic food consultant
the level of noise, commotion and
too weak to attend any of her classes
came along at the right time. This job
disruption from constant checking,
since I was plagued with symptoms
kept me motivated to learn more and
prodding and being awakened in
of a very bad fl u; I couldn’t even get
to take better care of myself.
the middle of the night was taking
out of bed. I needed someone to con- its toll. One time the nurses who
fi rm what I was doing, but none of my
The Test
started to change the bandages on
friends knew anything about macrobi-
On September 8, 2001, while driving
my leg were called away, leaving me
otics, and I felt alone and scared.
back home to Los Angeles from the
with my wounds open for over two
Kushi Institute in Becket, Massachu-
hours. Another time I was happy to
The Cleansing setts, having just completed my fi rst
fi nally have my hair washed, except
The macrobiotic diet had triggered a Level IV study with Michio Kushi to
for the fact that it was three in the
detoxifying effect, and I soon realized become a macrobiotic counselor, I had
morning. I knew I should be grateful
I had been “sick” for several weeks a life-threatening automobile accident
to be alive and in their care, but at
organicshoppermag.com 23
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