Home
About
the Project
44 Study Areas
Macrobiotic Summary Report
Healing Stories
Books and Links
The Rice House
Contact
us
MACROBIOTICS
IN THE UNITED STATES: An Assessment of Services and Activities
Study
Areas in Florida:
Miami-Ft Lauderdale Orlando Sarasota
Miami-Ft
Lauderdale, FL
Map
of Miami-Ft Lauderdale
Summary
and Impressions of the Macrobiotic Community: The Miami Area
has had one of the most active and spirited macrobiotic community
in the country under the sparkling leadership of Sandy Pukel. In April, 1970, Sandy
started macrobiotics in the Miami area and it grew to become a resource for
the entire State of Florida. He started giving classes--cooking and lectures--together with Leon
Matsil, and was joined by Mona Shwartz who came to help out.
Sandy established the Macrobiotic Foundation of Florida in 1973.
Someone named Neal (last name unknown) invited Michio and Aveline
Kushi to Miami to conduct a seminar in the early 1970's. Sandy invited Michio to stay at his
house and by not accepting any payment from all the revenues generated but
rather diverting it to the Macrobiotic Foundation, he endeared himself to
the Kushi's.
For the next 20 years, Michio and Aveline came to Miami every year. Meanwhile, Sandy
established macrobiotic centers in seven other cities in Florida. When
Michio and Aveline came, they would work together to give all
these centers their support. Sandy
also organized spring camps and children's summer camps as well as informal macrobiotic
family oriented gatherings. These annual camps were organized for 6 - 10 years from the
1980's to the early 1990's. Winter
programs were big affairs held at a major Miami Beach hotel. Many senior teachers
participated in these programs. The
deal that Sandy created was that these teachers' flight tickets were paid
by the Foundation, but the teachers did not earn salaries.
On the other hand, they were free to earn money from counseling.
Based on George Oshawa's "Ignoramus Club", Sandy created
an American version. About hundred teachers paid $100 to join. This entitled
them to meet annually after the winter program for discussions on a
variety of topics. Macrobiotic activity flourished in the Miami-Ft Lauderdale area for many
years under Sandy Pukel's leadership with many teachers. Lino Stanchich
lived in Miami Beach in the mid to late 1980's, and Warren Wepman lived
many years in the area. Cooking classes, served meals and educational
programs were available in the center. In 1992, Hurricane
Andrew destroyed the center. Property losses of many of its members
resulted in their scattering in and out of the south Florida area.
An ongoing macrobiotic presence has been
maintained in the Fort Lauderdale area by visiting counselors, an
excellent macrobiotic chef and cooking teacher, and group support dinner
meetings. A fter a period of dormant
activity, Sandy with his unique energy and leadership is guiding the
renaissance of macrobiotic interest in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and beyond.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
Not now.
Sandy just reopened his Oak Feed health food store together with a
Japanese restaurant and meeting hall. He is planning to renew macrobiotic
life in the Miami area as it once was.
Education
Centers:
None. Many referrals to the
Kushi Institute and Asheville came from Miami.
Seminars:
"Taste of Health," an annual event co-sponsored by the
City of Miami and the Miami Herald. Between
10,000 - 30,000 people came to a park to taste foods from many US health
companies. These fairs were accompanied by performers.
Lectures were also held.
Newsletter:
None.
Only phone call follow up.
Support
Groups:
There was a weekly
free group with a psychologist or medical doctor for years attended by
about 50 people. It is now at the Coconut Grove public library
monthly. In the Boca Raton area, Dena Axelrod has organized weekly dinners
at Wild Oats for years; the health store prepared macrobiotic food for
that day. The store recently closed, and she is looking for an
alternative place. These dinners were an important support group
function in Broward County. About 15 - 30 people attended.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
Lino Stanchich.
Resident
Counselors:
Sandy Pukel
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Gayle Stolove, Zeli
Melhuish; Luis Molina in Spanish. Luis also lectures at health food stores, restaurant, or the
Marriott Hotel.
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
Gayle Stolove, Zeli Melhuish,
Ed Stevenson, Carlos Sichi.
Work
Study Programs:
Sandy is planning this with
the reopening of his Oak Feed Store.
Other
Counselor Interests:
None
Promotional
Activities:
Newspaper articles, ads
for his restaurant
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
Joy of Life; a magazine
Web
Sites: http://www.edenfoods.com
Cottage
Industries:
Used to be 3 tofu factories; now there is one. Seitan and miso both started with the Oak Feed store.
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
"Shaky at Best" will
be the new Japanese restaurant to open shortly by Sandy Pukel.
Veggie Express has a macrobiotic plate; 19 restaurants, excluding Wild
Oats and Whole Foods supermarkets, with vegan options.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Whole Foods and Wild
Oats
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Oak Feed, Natural Food
Market, Health Depot, Tunie's Super Save Nutrition Center, Nutrition
S'Mart, Nutrition Depot, Natural Life Market, Nutrition World, Country
Corner Health Foods, Nutrition Cottage, Nutrition Wise.
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
None.
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Moderate Services:
1 counselor & 3 cooking teachers; 2 caterers; visiting
counselor every 3 months. Moderate
Activities: Monthly pot
lucks, newsletter. Weekly
dinner @ Boca Raton; very active macro center from 1973
until Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Activities
will shortly be generated again with renewed
energy of Sandy Pukel.
Area Description:
Miami is a world famous resort city.
Its recreational areas and warm weather attract about 13 million
visitors yearly. It is
located on Florida's southeast coast at the mouth of the Miami River.
Its metropolitan area population is 3,192,600 including the Miami
and Fort Lauderdale areas.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:
Boca Raton, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort
Lauderdale, Highland Beach, Hollywood, Lauderhill,
Margate, Miami, Miami Beach, Pembroke Pines, Plantation .
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Miami-Ft Lauderdale, FL for this project who also earn money by providing
Macrobiotic
services
Melbourne
and Vero Beach, FL
Summary
and Impressions of the Macrobiotic Community: Deva
Jhyana Karuna and Dr. Florence Licata lead a macrobiotic presence in this
area. Dr. Licata is the president of the Macrobiotic Association of
the Space and Treasure Coasts. She lives in Vero Beach
Florida. There are monthly potlucks organized by the Macrobiotic
Association. Deva Jhyana Karuna has studied Macrobiotics for 33
years with a varied of teachers including Michel Abeshera, Herman Aihara,
Michio Kushi, Jacques de Langre and their wives. He maintains a
website at http://www.macroWAVE7@yahoogrouups.com.
Orlando, FL
Map
of Orlando
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
The Macrobiotic Foundation
of Central Florida was established by Harriet MacNear in 1987. Her
extraordinary leadership created and sparked a community of practitioners
that have maintained a high level of activities to this day despite
Harriet's untimely passing in June, 1999.
There are over 120 family and single members of the Foundation, of
which about 40-50 are active. The
Foundation sponsors visiting counselors to lecture and give personal
consultations about four times a year, three potluck dinners per month
(one is a paid dinner), and workshops every two to three months.
All these events are well attended.
Given the foundation of activity in the area, the community spirit,
professionalism of those people active in the Macrobiotic Foundation of
Central Florida, macrobiotic community life has flourished unabated to
this day. The moving to the
area of Patrick McCarty and his wife Vashon, has also added considerable
depth and direction to the community.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
There is one dinner a
month; every two of three are pot lucks, and the third is a catered
dinner.
Education
Centers:
None.
Seminars:
There
is a monthly study group at Patrick McCarty's house. Two seminars a year are scheduled with a speaker invited from
out of town to lecture, counsel and/or teach cooking.
Newsletter:
A newsletter is issued every
2-3 months of upcoming activities of the Macrobiotic Foundation.
Support
Groups:
Only within the
framework of Pat McCarty's study group.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
Past visiting teachers
have included Verne Varona of Omaha, NE (recently moved from the LA area),
Jeremy and Susan Higa of Great Barrington, MA--lectures and cooking
classes; Patrick Verre--French chef who incorporates macrobiotics into his
cooking; David Briscoe—lectures on macrobiotics.
Resident
Counselors:
Patrick McCarty
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Rocky Price, Ceri
Mauerman, Krista Berman, Vashon Sarkisian, Beverly Owens, Jeff Barrett,
Carlos Ablenado
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
John Procacci, caterer; was
the chef at Chamberlin's health food store; Peggy Singleton from Daytona.
Work
Study Programs:
With Patrick McCarty
Other
Counselor Interests:
Carlos Ablenado is a
fencing instructor; Beverly Owens is a mental health counselor, Rocky
Price is an artist for Disney World
Promotional
Activities:
Newsletter, mailings.
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
The Foundation
maintains a lending library; the books are brought to events.
In addition, books are available at the local health food stores.
Web
Sites:
NA
Cottage
Industries:
None
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
No macrobiotic restaurants.
11 restaurants with vegan options, including Chamberlin's and Whole Foods
health food stores
.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Chamberlin's, Whole
Foods
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Economy
Health Food Center, Sunshine Health Foods, More 4 Less .
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
None.
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Abundant Services: 1 counselor & 7 cooking teachers, cooks,
caterer. Harriet MacNear
started teaching in 1987, until June, 1999. Abundant Activities: Macro Foundation; monthly pot lucks,
newsletter, regular study group. Macro
foundation started in the late 1980’s.
Area Description:
Orlando is a popular
winter resort and tourist center. Its
warm climate has helped make it one of the fastest growing cities in the
United States. Walt Disney
World Resort opened about 15 miles southwest of the City in 1971. A large number of retired people have settled here because of
its climate. Orlando's
metropolitan area population is 1,224,900.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:
Altamonte Springs, Casselbury, Fern Park, Lake Mary, Orlando,
Sanford, Winter Springs
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Orlando, FL for this project who also earn money by providing
Macrobiotic
services
Sarasota, FL
Map of
Sarasota
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
Dr Roger Romano, a
chiropractor, introduced macrobiotics to the area in 1992. His
interest stemmed from his father's recovery from bone cancer. He began an organization called "Suncoast Macrobiotic
Foundation",
but it faded in 1993 when Roger's father passed on. Macrobiotic activities were
then spearheaded by Larry and Judy McKenna until they moved to the
Kushi Institute 3 and 1/2
years ago. Lynn Bursky a resident cook, is interested in changing
the community's macrobiotic dynamics through her cooking.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
Lynn Bursky invites
people to sit down dinners at her home about every two months. She
is planning to work part time now, so will devote more energy to her
macrobiotic activities. There are no scheduled pot luck dinners.
Lynn delivers cooked meals to people's homes. Michael Reilly had pot
luck dinners at his home for 3 - 4 years, but stopped some time ago.
Education
Centers:
None.
Seminars:
None.
Newsletter:
None.
Support
Groups:
None.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
None.
Resident
Counselors:
Brent MacPhail
did counseling in the past.
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Lynn Brusky
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
Lynn Brusky cooks and
delivers food to people's homes.
Work
Study Programs:
None
Other
Counselor Interests:
Lynn Brusky is a CPA
working as a corporate tax director.
Promotional
Activities:
None
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
Some at local health
food stores
Web
Sites:
NA
Cottage
Industries:
None
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
No
macrobiotic restaurants; Vegan options at 1 local restaurant in addition
to 3 supermarkets.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Good Earth
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Granary #2. Mother
Earth #4, Richards Whole Market, Honey Bear Health Foods Inc
Natural
Food Co Ops:
None.
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Moderate Services: No
resident or visiting counselors & 1 part time cooking teacher.
Dormant Activity: Occasional dinners only. Strong community until MacKenna’s moved to
Kushi Institute in 1988.
Area Description:
Sarasota lies on
Sarasota Bay on Florida's west coast.
Its chief industry is tourism. It was the winter headquarters of
the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1927 to 1960.
Its population is 51,000.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:
North Port, Sarasota, Venice .
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Sarasota, FL for this project who also earn money by providing
Macrobiotic
services
Return
to Top
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
This
work was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U48/CCU409664-09
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are
solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent
the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.