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MACROBIOTICS
IN THE UNITED STATES: An Assessment of Services and Activities
Study
Areas in Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia Pittsburgh
Philadelphia,
PA
Map
of Philadelphia
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
Philadelphia has one of
the oldest macrobiotic communities in the United States. The East-West
Foundation was established in Philadelphia by the Waxmans (Denny, Judy, Howard and Marilyn)
in the early 1970's .
Many of
the students who started at that time became teachers. Some of the best
and most experienced talents
in their fields including Denny Waxman, with his Strengthening Health
Institute, Geraldine Walker, and Christina Pirello, the TV superstar
cooking teacher, continue to make their home there.
Denny Waxman counseled Dr Anthony
Sattilaro, one of the most well publicized cases of curing terminal cancer
with macrobiotics. It was Sattilaro's story recounted in Recalled By Life
that inspired many thousands of people,
hopeless in their quest for a viable solution to their cancer, to seek a
non-medical approach to their illness. In addition to Denny, Christina Pirello has created a whole cooking
style that reaches tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people each week
with her television program on Public Television, and her two awesome
cookbooks. Despite all the
counseling and cooking services made available by these and other skilled
and trained people, Philadelphians do not feel a sense of
"community," albeit a wealth of available services and resources.
Rooted for so long, the extent of macrobiotic services, and
practitioners, prevailing in the metropolitan area has few equals around
the country. On the other hand, none of the people serving the area has chosen
to become a leader to rally community functions, such as paid dinners,
potlucks, or newsletters. Although
some macrobiotic practitioners live on the New Jersey side of the
metropolitan area, macrobiotic services of any kind are virtually absent.
According to Judy Waxman the community has not diminished but has fractured into multiple
cells.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners: There are no regularly
scheduled paid dinners or potluck dinners at the present
time. Occasionally, Anita Devine, and Lindsay Gilmore organize a
spontaneous dinner.
Education
Centers:
Denny Waxman's
"Strengthening Health Institute."
Seminars:
At Denny Waxman's school.
Newsletter:
Denny Waxman about his
school, and "Christina Cooks" produced by Christina Pirello.
Support
Groups:
Informal only. Some
people get together ad hoc.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
Michio Kushi
Resident
Counselors:
Denny Waxman; also gives
consultations in New York. Geraldine
Walker; also counsels, lectures and teaches in Italy. Patrick Riley, Carlotta Lala, Susan Goodwin, and Melanie
Waxman.
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Judy Waxman, Geraldine
Walker, Susan Goodwin, Melanie Waxman, Christine Pirello, Marilyn Moser-Waxman
and Saul Goodman.
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
Christine Pirello, Lindsay Gilmore, Lear Blitzstein, Carlotta Lala,
Jim Caola, Elizabeth Sunderland and Deborah Albanese
Work
Study Programs:
Denny Waxman: Strengthening Healh Institute; Macrobiotic work/study
program
Other
Counselor Interests:
Denny Waxman: 9-star ki;
compass feng shui; Patrick Riley- shiatsu; Saul Goodman-shiatsu.
Promotional
Activities:
Advertising by Denny
Waxman and Christina Pirello on the Web, at Essenes and flyers, brochures,
mailings, phone, magazine ads and word of mouth.
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
Book collection at
Essenes is one of the finest in any health store around the country.
Web
Sites:
http://www.strengthenhealth.com/ ;
http://christinacooks.com/ ;
http://rosanna.com/
Cottage
Industries:
None.
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
Essenes in
Philadelphia; All Natural in Ardmore, PA, Center Foods Natural Grocer,
Cherry Street Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant, Kawabata's 2 restaurants, and
Southeast Restaurant all have macrobiotic plates.
Singapore Chinese Restaurant is also macrobiotic style and
vegetarian (we have eaten there often); in addition there are another 21
restaurants with vegan options, besides Fresh Fields supermarkets .
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Fresh Fields
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Bliss Inc, Center Foods,
Essene Natural Foods, Natural Goodness Market and Café, Collins Family
Markets Inc, Kimberton Whole Foods.
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
Selene Whole Foods Co-Op,
Weavers Way Co-Op, Mariposa Food Co-Op.
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Abundant Services:
Macro school, 6 counselors, 7 cooking teachers, 7 professional
cooks/caterers. Healthy
Activities: No scheduled
potlucks or dinners, 8 macro restaurants, newsletters.
First East West center in the 1970’s gave Philadelphia a strong
sense of community, but not now.
Area Description:
Philadelphia is
Pennsylvania's largest city, and one of the largest in the United States.
It lies in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware
River. It has one of the
nation's busiest freshwater ports, and is a national center of culture,
education, finance, and health care.
Its metropolitan area population is 4,922,200.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:
Ardmore, Bryn Mawr,
Collegeville, Devon, West Chester, Debtford, Douglassville, Doylestown,
Hatboro, Jenkintown, Manayunk,
Media, New Hope, North Wales, Penndel, Philadelphia, Plumsteadville,
Reading, Rydal, Wayne, Wynnwood In PA; Cherry Hill, Clementon, Magnolia,
Marlton In NJ
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Philadelphia, PA for this project who also earn money by providing
Macrobiotic
services
Pittsburgh,
PA
Map
of Pittsburgh
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
Pittsburgh had a very strong macrobiotic community in the 1980's,
but is almost without activities today. Deborah Barr sponsored
monthly dinners for 8 years in the 1980's; she also lectured, counseled,
and taught cooking. About 150 people came to the dinners. T here are several very experienced counselors
and cooking teachers in the area. Phillip
Jannetta, a well known macrobiotic author continues to lecture and
counsel
part time. He hopes to rebuild a macrobiotic community.
Pittsbugh could potentially become a strong
community again considering the number of macro people living in
the area.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
No paid dinners or potlucks.
Education
Centers:
None
Seminars:
Deborah Barr teaches and
lectures on attitudinal healing. She
also has had a natural weight loss program since 1990.
Rosemary Traill lectures at the library and classes at "Sweet
Water Center for the Arts" every 3-4 months.
Newsletter:
None
Support
Groups:
Sporadically Rosemary Traill
invites people.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
Denny Waxman used to
come till 1998.
Resident
Counselors:
Rosemary Traill, Peggy
Shaw, Deborah Barr, Phillip Jannetta .
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Heather Boyd, Peggy
Shaw, Rosemary Traill
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
Peggy Shaw .
Work
Study Programs:
None
Other
Counselor Interests:
Phillip Jannetta writes and
edits. Deborah Barr has a
holistic center with many modalities; she wants to speak, write and teach
art
and spirituality.
Promotional
Activities:
Public speaking,
networking, word of mouth, Co-op bulletin boards .
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
At local health foods
stores
Web
Sites:
NA.
Cottage
Industries:
None.
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
There are no
macrobiotic restaurants; 3 restaurants offer vegan options; Fresh Fields
and the East-West Co Op offer vegan food.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Fresh Fields (Whole
Foods)
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
City Farm, Today's
Market, Shadyside Natural Foods
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
East End Food Co-Op
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Abundant Services: 4 counselors & 3 cooking teachers. Dormant Activity: No paid dinners or potlucks; used to be strong
community in the 1980’s.
Area Description:
Pittsburgh lies in the
rolling hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, where the Monongahela and
Allegheny Rivers meet to form the Ohio River.
Steel production gave the city a booming economy but also severe
pollution. Most of the steel
mills are gone, but the city is still an important producer of steel, but
has a diversified economy. Its
metropolitan area population is 2,394,800.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:
Greensburg, Monroeville, Newtown, Pittsburgh, Wilkensburg.
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Pittsburgh, PA for this project who also earn money by providing
Macrobiotic
services
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.