Michio Kushi

Michio Kushi (久司 道夫, Kushi Michio); born 17 May 1926 in Japan, died December 28, 2014, helped to introduce modern macrobiotics to the United States in the early 1950s. He lectured all over the world at conferences and seminars about philosophy, spiritual development, health, food, and diseases.

Michio Kushi

Background

After World War II, Kushi studied in Japan with macrobiotic educator, George Ohsawa. After coming to America in 1949, Michio Kushi and Aveline Kushi, his wife, founded Erewhon Natural Foods, the East West Journal, the East West Foundation, the Kushi Foundation, One Peaceful World, and the Kushi Institute. They wrote over 70 books.

Kushi studied law and international relations at the University of Tokyo, and after coming to America, he continued his studies at Columbia University in New York City. Aveline preceded him in death (2001), as did their daughter (1995). Michio Kushi lived in Brookline, Massachusetts. He is survived by his second wife (Midori), four sons from his first marriage, and the resulting fourteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 88.[1][2]

Achievements
Former Kushi Institute building at 17 Station Street in Brookline Village, in background, adjacent to Brookline, MA MBTA D-Train stop
  • 1994 Kushi received the Award of Excellence from the United Nations Society of Writers.[3]
  • 1999 Mentioned in the Congressional record in recognition of the dedication and hard work to educate the world about the benefits of a macrobiotic diet.[4]
  • 1999 The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History opened a permanent collection on macrobiotics and alternative health care in his name. The title of the collection is the "Michio and Aveline Kushi Macrobiotics Collection." It is located in the Archives Center.

Michio and his first wife Aveline were founders of The Kushi Institute, located in Becket, Massachusetts through 2016, but formerly in a converted factory building in Brookline Village, Massachusetts, adjacent to Mission Hill, Boston.

For their "extraordinary contribution to diet, health, and world peace, and for serving as powerful examples of conscious living", they were awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in Sherborn, Massachusetts, on October 14, 2000.[5]

Criticism

Nutritionists have criticized Kushi's claim that a macrobiotic diet can cure cancer. Elizabeth Whelan and Frederick J. Stare have noted that:

Kushi's claim that cancer is largely due to his own versions of improper diet, thinking, and lifestyle is entirely without foundation. In his books, Kushi has recounted numerous case histories of persons whose cancer allegedly disappeared after following a macrobiotic diet. There are no available statistics on the outcome for all of these patients, but it is documented that at least some of them succumbed to their disease within a relatively short period. Reported testimonials of remission often uncovered the fact that the patients were also receiving conventional medical treatment at the same time.[6]

Both Kushi, at the time 90 years old, and his wife succumbed to cancer.

Books
  • 1976 Introduction to Oriental Diagnosis. Red Moon Publications. ISBN 9780906111000
  • 1977 The book of Macrobiotics. Japan Publications ISBN 9780870403811
  • 1979 The book of Do-In. Japan publications. ISBN 9780870403828
  • 1979 Natural Healing Through Macrobiotics. Japan Publications; (December 1979) ISBN 9780870404573
  • 1980 How to See Your Health: Book of Oriental Diagnosis. Japan Publications (USA) (December 1980) ISBN 9780870404672
  • 1982 Cancer and heart disease : the macrobiotic approach to degenerative disorders Japan publications. ISBN 9780870405150
  • 1983 Your Face Never Lies. Wayne; (May 1, 1983) ISBN 9780895292148
  • 1983 Macrobiotic pregnancy and care of the newborn. Japan publications. ISBN 9780870405310
  • 1983 The Cancer Prevention Diet. St Martin's Press. ISBN 9780722515402
  • 1985 Macrobiotic diet. Japan publications. ISBN 9780870405358
  • 1985 Diabetes and hypoglycaemia : a natural approach. Japan publications. ISBN 9780870406157
  • 1986 Macrobiotic child care and family health. Japan publications. 1986. ISBN 9780870406126
  • 1986 On the Greater View: Collected Thoughts and Ideas on Macrobiotics and Humanity. Wayne NJ. ISBN 9780895292698
  • 1990 AIDS, Macrobiotics and Natural Immunity. Japan Publications. ISBN 978-0870406805
  • 1990 The Gentle Art of Making Love. Avery Pub Group (May 1990) ISBN 9780895294357
  • 1991 The macrobiotic approach to cancer. Garden City Park. ISBN 9780895294869
  • 1991 Macrobiotics and Oriental medicine. Japan publications ISBN 9780870406591
  • 1992 The gospel of peace : Jesus's teachings of eternal truth. Japan publications. ISBN 9780870407970[7]

References
  1. New York Times obituary for Michio Kushi, January 4, 2015, access 1/5/2015
  2. Lewin, Tamar (January 15, 2013), "Michio Kushi, Advocate of Natural Foods in the U.S., Dies at 88", The New York Times
  3. http://www.kushimacrobiotics.com/pdf/201994.pdf
  4. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/1999/6/7/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/E1138-1
  5. The Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Recipients List Archived 2009-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Stare, Frederick J; Whelan, Elizabeth. (1998). Fad-Free Nutrition. Hunter House Publishers. p. 127. ISBN 0-89793-237-4
  7. http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?dscnt=0&frbg=&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BLCONTENT%29&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1489754312260&srt=rank&ct=search&mode=Basic&vl(488279563UI0)=creator&dum=true&tb=t&indx=1&vl(freeText0)=michio%20kushi&vid=BLVU1&fn=search
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