(May 17, 1926 – December 28, 2014) was a Japanese educator who helped to introduce modern

macrobiotics A macrobiotic diet (or macrobiotics) is a fad diet based on ideas about types of food drawn from Zen Buddhism. The diet tries to balance the supposed yin and yang elements of food and cookware. Major principles of macrobiotic diets are to reduce ...

to the United States in the early 1950s. He lectured all over the world at conferences and seminars about

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

, spiritual development,

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...

, and

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...

Background

After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Kushi studied in Japan with macrobiotic educator,

George Ohsawa George Ohsawa (born ; October 18, 1893 – April 23, 1966) was a Japanese educator who was the founder of the macrobiotic diet. When living in Europe he went by the pen names of Musagendo Sakurazawa, Nyoiti Sakurazawa, and Yukikazu Sakurazawa. He ...

. After coming to America in 1949, Michio Kushi and

Aveline Kushi Aveline Kushi (February 27, 1923 – July 23, 2001) was a Japanese teacher who was an advocate for macrobiotic diets and world peace. She opened Erewhon, considered the first natural food store, in Brookline, Massachusetts in the early 1960s. Kus ...

, 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 Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

and

international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...

at the

University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

, and after coming to America, he continued his studies at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York City. Aveline preceded him in death (2001), as did their daughter (1995). Michio Kushi lived in

Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton, A ...

. 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 Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of t ...

at the age of 88.

Achievements

Brookline Village, Brookline, MA MBTA D-Train stop

* 1994 Kushi received the Award of Excellence from the

United Nations Society of Writers The United Nations Society of Writers is a club for United Nations staff registered with the United Nations Staff Socio Cultural Commission in Geneva, and is known under the acronyms UNSW and SENU, corresponding to ''Societé des écrivains des Na ...

. *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. *1999 The

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is t ...

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 Becket is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,931 at the 2020 census. History Becket was first settled in 1740, and was o ...

through 2016, but formerly in a converted factory building in

Brookline Village Brookline Village is one of the major commercial and retail centers of the town of Brookline, Massachusetts. Located just north of Massachusetts Route 9 and west of the Muddy River, it is the historic center of the town and includes its major c ...

, Massachusetts, adjacent to

Mission Hill, Boston Mission Hill is a square mile (2 square km), primarily residential Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, bordered by Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Fenway-Kenmore and the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, Brookline. It is ...

. 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 Sherborn is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Boston's MetroWest region, is in area code 508 and has the ZIP code 01770. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town population was 4,401. Sherborn shares its highly ...

, on October 14, 2000.

Criticism

Nutritionists have criticized Kushi's claim that a macrobiotic diet can cure cancer.

Elizabeth Whelan Elizabeth M. Whelan (; December 4, 1943 – September 11, 2014) was an American epidemiologist best known for promoting science that was favorable to industry and for challenging government regulations of consumer products, food, and pharmaceutic ...

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.

Books

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

References

External links

Smithsonian Institute's Michio and Aveline Kushi Macrobiotics CollectionMore information: www.michiokushi.orgKushi Institute in MassachusettsKushi Institute in Zagreb, CroatiaKushi Institute in Barcelona, Spain
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kushi, Michio 1926 births 2014 deaths People from Brookline, Massachusetts Japanese educators People from Becket, Massachusetts University of Tokyo alumni Columbia University alumni Japanese expatriates in the United States Macrobiotic diet advocates