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Macrobiotic Community of

San Diego, CA

San Diego Area #2

Community Description
Area Description	San Diego is the sixth largest city in the United States, and an important base of operations for the United States Navy. It lies in the southwestern corner of the country and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and by Mexico on the south. It has one of the finest natural deepwater harbors in the world, and is a major tourist center. Its metropolitan area population is 2,498,000.
Municipalities With Macrobiotic Services Or Activities	Carlsbad, Coronado, Encinitas, Escondido, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solano Beach, Valley Center.
Summary and Impressions of the Community	Mina Dobic brings to the San Diego and nearby Los Angeles area one of the most dynamic personalities in the macrobiotic world today. Her dedication to macrobiotics and the many people in her care keeps Mina and her loyal assistant Tiffany Gates, busy around the clock. Community activity in the area was very active until the Macrobiotic Center closed in 2000; there is a sense among those people we interviewed that at least some of this activity will be resumed in the near future. David Jackson ran a small macrobiotic center in 1983; Cecille Levin counseled for many years in the Los Angeles and San Diego area. Macrobiotic Association of Southern California operated from 1993 to 2000, but has disbanded.
Macrobiotic Community Assessment	Healthy Services: 2 resident counselors, 2 cooking teachers, visiting counselor. Moderate Activities: Annual Health Classics seminar; women’s potluck recently started; strong sense of community—was stronger until Macro Center closed in 2000. Original macro center started in 1983.

Professional Services
Resident Counselors	Dr Gordon Saxe, Mina Dobic.
Resident Cooking Teachers	Nida Mansour, Sahada Mansour
Visiting Counselors and Cooking Teachers	Verne Varona
Professional Cooks or Caterers	Nida Mansour, Sahada Mansour

Interviewed Macrobiotic Practitioners
Mina Dobic
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	20 Years
Community Functions	Health educator, counselor, cooking teacher, lecturer. She is part of the University of Minnesota research.
Macrobiotic Study	Levels I, II and III at the Kushi Institute (KI); worked in their kitchen 3 years.
Alternative Healing Modes	No
Tiffany Gates
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	24 years
Community Functions	Mina Dobic's assistant; she has worked with her for 9 years. Scribes during Mina's consultations, coordinates her schedule, organizes her client's kitchens, teaches Mina's clients and explains Mina's recommendations. She operates a bed and breakfast at her home, and has live-in people who need healing. She also constructs menus for Mina Dobic. In summary, Tiffany is a macrobiotic guide for Mina Dobic, and her service to her and the community has few if any parallels.
Macrobiotic Study	With Mina Dobic
Alternative Healing Modes	Nones
Dr Gordon Saxe
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	20 Years
Community Functions	Medical doctor--preventive medicine, public health. Conducts research. He did a study on macrobiotics and pancreatic cancer at Tulane University--published in early 1990's. At University of Michigan, he became an expert on diet and breast cancer.
Macrobiotic Study	He received a PhD in epidemiololgy research in the late 1980's and an MD degree in 1992 from Michigan State. He is now medical director of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and on the faculty of the University of California, San Diego. He went to a conference with Michio Kushi and Anthony Sattilaro in the Poconos in the early 1980's, lived in Murray Snyder's study house in Baltimore between 1981 - 1983, and is certified as a macrobiotic counselor by the Baltimore East West Foundation.
Alternative Healing Modes	Yoga, Meditation
Chuck Lowery
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	28 years
Community Functions	General Manager of Pacific bakery http://pacificbakery.com/
Macrobiotic Study	Attended cooking classes at Macrobiotic Center of San Diego, French Meadow Summer Camp in 1982, Vega Study Center. He co managed the center from 1983-85. He co-founded Pacific Bakery in 1987.
Alternative Healing Modes	Herbal remedies, Acupuncture, some supplements.

Support System
Paid or Potluck Dinners	Used to be quarterly potlucks at the Macro Association of Southern California. Miriam Goldstein just started up a women's Saturday potluck.
Education Centers	None
Seminars	Annual Health Classics Seminar in San Diego (a second seminar each year in Malibu; Los Angeles County). Dr Gordon Saxe lectures occasionally.
Newsletter	None. There used to be one.
Support Groups	None. There seems to be a strong sense of community among San Diego macrobiotic people, from the long period of the Macro Association's activity.
Work Study Program	None
Publications, Books, Cassettes	At local health food stores.
Web Sites	http://goldminenaturalfood.com/; http://pacificbakery.com/; http://www.healthycrowd.com/; http://edenfoods.com

Natural Food Sources
Macrobiotic Restaurants	Jyoti Bihanga and Oragami Restaurants are macrobiotic or serve macro dishes; another 13 restaurants serve vegan dishes, in addition to whole food supermarkets.
Natural Food Chain Stores	Henry's (Wild Oats), Whole Foods.
Independent Natural Food Stores	Jimbo's Naturally, Boney's Market.
Natural Food Coops	Ocean Beach People's Food Co-Op.
Mail Order Buying Clubs	None
Cottage Industries	Pacific Bakery, Nana's Cookie Company

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