Testimonials

Five years ago, I underwent a total knee replacement. My wife, Carole, is very careful concerning her diet and she suggested that I exercise the same discipline concerning my diet as well. Under the direction of Denny Waxman, and with the help of his wife, Susan, and Carole, a healing diet was recommended.

I remained in Philadelphia for six weeks, doing my exercises and watching my diet. After the initial six weeks, my surgeon and his staff were so pleased with my progress that they felt it was unnecessary for me to return to Philadelphia for the normal twelve-week post-op check-up. When I returned to Williamsport to continue my therapy, the therapist inquired where I had the operation since she had never seen anyone recover as quickly as I had. I attribute my quick recovery, my loss of forty pounds, and the fact that I was able to get off the pain medication so quickly, to the discipline I followed concerning my diet.

I must write and share a huge thanks for the latest macrobiotic “miracle.” I have been praying for years that I might be able to help guide my daughter to understand herself better through macrobiotics. After following Denny’s recommendations for two weeks, Cleandra has just had a migraine-free menstrual period for the first time in four years!

Even after only a few days after meeting with Denny she said to me that she was feeling really well and better than she has in years. Her skin color and texture was improved. Wed, her husband, said he had been skeptical, but upon seeing how much happier and healthier she is, he is changing his mind. Thanks so much.

From Brownies to Brown Rice

        For years, I had numerous problems with my digestive tract. My mother used to refer to it as “nervous stomach.” I always leaned towards sweets; brownies were my favorite. Every time I ate them though, I felt lousy. In addition to my stomach problems, I also experienced bouts of depression, anxiety, and numerous upper respiratory infections. I went through life in constant acceleration mode. My doctor used to call me a racehorse.

As I grew older the problems became more severe, more chronic. I developed acid reflux, worse depression and anxiety, constant fatigue, and insomnia. I was given many different medications. Five years ago, one medication I was prescribed tore up my stomach and left me with gastroparesis, a condition where what little food you eat takes forever to digest, causes much pain, and nausea.

Eventually, I found a wise endocrinologist who discovered I had an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s disease, which he explained was likely the underlying cause of my many health issues. My stomach remained a disaster despite the new thyroid medication. In June 2007, I had a jejunum tube installed which allowed my body to by-pass my stomach and receive liquid nutrition.

Regardless, I still felt lousy and tired. I was a mess; my thyroid remained out of control, my hair fell out, my body ached. One afternoon in late August, I was at Dunkin Donuts with my dear friend, Maureen. Ever patient and helpful she said, “Trudi, do you remember those books I loaned you three years ago about the macrobiotic diet? Just try reading about it. I really believe it will help you. You’ve tried everything else. What do you have to lose?” I finally agreed to read them.

When I was done with them, I told Maureen I would like to look into macrobiotics. After several phone calls and internet searches, I found Denny Waxman, who was only two hours away. He was the counselor mentioned in the book “Recalled by Life” by Anthony Sattilaro that I read.

I got in touch with him, told him I was sick, down to my last dollar and on my last nerve. He responded to my weariness and hesitation by telling me he would need to examine me in person, but believed macrobiotics could help me. On August 26^th, Maureen and I headed to my first appointment with Denny.

He was cordial, but very professional: he asked a few questions about my health, the usual sort of thing. He then leaned in and made his examination. “Your problem is with your pancreas and lungs. This is what is causing your stomach problems. No surprise, as Hashimoto’s is an endocrine disease and my asthma had become worse. What did surprise me was that he told me he would be able to help, but I had to follow the diet he outlined for me very strictly. No meat, no dairy, no sugar—ever. I couldn’t see how he could expect me to eat rice, vegetables or anything else when I tried to explain that there was nothing that I could eat because food caused so much pain. He said the food I was eating and had been eating my whole life was the problem. He also explained how I lost my relationship with food from living off of a feeding tube for two years.

He insisted that my body would gradually heal itself with whole foods and acupuncture. He then smiled and said, “You’re going to feel so much better.” It lit a spark within me. He ordered the use of special teas, issued strict cooking instructions, moderate exercise, meals taken at certain times and to walk everyday—rain or shine. I had to be in bed early and up early. I had to replace my electric stove with a gas stove and use no microwaves. I had to chew my food at least 50 times with each bite and to take meals without multi-tasking. I was to follow the diet to the letter and to make an appointment to see him in three months.

What he started me on was the first step, which was tailored specifically for the illness I had. Japanese people feed their babies and sick old people the diet I was on consisting of brown rice milk, rice cream, and nishime vegetables.

My stomach loved my first few dishes of rice milk and it was quite surprising. In addition, I managed a cup of miso broth and some tea. The bloating and irritation resulting from liquids with gastroparesis did not happen with this diet. At first I wasn’t able to manage more than that when I unhooked the pump for the morning. Gradually, I was able to eat more. It took three weeks before I could take a second small meal around noon, which consisted of rice cream and bancha tea. I did experience bloating and pain, but to my surprise it disappeared in about an hour.

I started walking almost every day, and I was so out of shape. Over a short period I was able to walk for a half hour and eventually worked my way up to 45 minutes. The more I walked, the better I felt. I found an excellent acupuncturist. After three sessions with her, I notice a distinct difference in how I felt. Throughout this treatment and the macrobiotic diet, I really started to feel, as Denny said I would, so much better.

About a month in, I was able to include nishime steamed veggies with rice and tea at lunch time. I was able to incorporate other grains as well, such as oatmeal and millet. Dinner was still out of the question; it was still too difficult and painful.I switched to a gastroenterologist my internist recommended to me because he felt this man would be more helpful. I told the doctor, somewhat hesitantly, that I was working with a macrobiotic counselor in Philadelphia who started me on the diet. I told him how my condition had been steadily improving. I produced a copy of the basic macrobiotic food diet and the foods I was presently eating. He read it over and said to my amazement, “I don’t know who this man is, but he just saved your life.” Because I was able to manage two small meals, he cut back the feeding tube time from 18 hours/day to 14-16. After performing some routine tests and procedures he informed me that the food I was eating was what was actually healing my stomach, not the medications. He said that the diet would be an essential part of my recovery. At the end of the appointment he said, to my astonishment, exactly what Denny said, “The body will heal itself. It knows how to.”

I went into the strange world of going to bed promptly at ten p.m. an getting up at five a.m. I spent no less than four to five hours a day at the stove carefully preparing rice creams, beans, lentils, miso soups, special drinks, and teas. I began to feel much, much, better. Better than I had ever felt in my life. My mind cleared up—foggy thinking vanished.

My internist was seeing me every month to follow my progress and he noticed my weight steadily dropping. I weighed 124 pounds before the macrobiotic diet and each time I saw him, I was 5 pounds lighter. I read about people on the macrobiotic diet losing considerable amounts of weight in the first year, so I was not concerned but my weight continued to drop. It finally held at 106 pounds. I was thinner than I anticipated, but I felt great.

My endocrinologist finally reduced my thyroid medication when my levels were normal. One January and February of 2010 I found myself dipping into the candy dish telling myself that a hard candy now and then wouldn’t be a problem. It was enough to drive my thyroid levels out of the normal range. My endocrinologist made a specially compounded dose of natural thyroid for me. Instead of bumping me from 60mg to 90 mg, he ordered 75 to see if I could stabilize on that dose. I wish I could say it worked, but another blood test showed my thyroid levels to be even higher than the last test, so he bumped me to 90 mg after all. I called Denny to let him know my thyroid was giving me problems again. He recommended the changes I needed to help me get back on track.

Finally, in April, I was able to get in the third meal: rice cream, nishime squash and tea. I experienced considerable irritation and bloating for about an hour, but then it would disappear. At a visit with my endocrinologist, I was describing my progress and it was the first time I saw him smile. He said, “Trudi, you did it—you broke the cycle. You have awakened your stomach and it is now functioning.” He then cautioned me that I still had a long way to go and ordered the feeding tube for 8-10 hours a day. He also told me to stop my medications from time to time to see how my body was tolerating it. I’m still working on that.

Once into macrobiotics, I began to feel the flow of the exact right time to cook, the right time to eat and the most efficient time to get things done; I felt “in sync.” I look forward to the day when I don’t need the supplemental feeding at all. I’ve made incredible strides and now enjoy a much happier, healthier life. I no longer have any “thyroid crashes” and my energy seems boundless.

I still have a long way to recovery, but as I was making a pot of miso soup one morning, the strangeness or the situation struck me. I have a nasty autoimmune disease, which is named after the Japanese doctor, Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, who discovered it, and I am experiencing and amazing recovery through a diet brought to this country by another Japanese gentleman, Mr. Michio Kushi. Denny was right, I have never felt better in my life and all I had to do was switch from brownies to brown rice.

I discovered macrobiotics while seeking a better, healthier way of eating. Two years prior, I was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder called Hashimoto thyroiditis and also struggled with seasonal asthma. I took macrobiotic cooking classes in my hometown with Phyllis Reynolds. The classes were very helpful, but I needed to know what I needed to eat more specifically.

Phyllis recommended Denny Waxman to me and I immediately set up an appointment. After seeing Denny Waxman the first time, my asthma symptoms went away immediately. My thyroid symptoms have improved greatly as well. Denny got me on track with food and home remedies that helped combat my health issues and made me feel, and look 100% better.

After going to Denny a few times, I decided to join the Certification group to gain a better understanding of macrobiotic cooking, macro-food 101, philosophy, and shiatsu. These were the tools I needed to balance myself so that I could balance my family and teach them better food choices so they would have a healthier future.

Taking the Certificate course has changed my life for the better. Macrobiotics has made me live more mindfully, think more mindfully, and has given me a new look at life through the word “energy”. I am now feeling so much better health-wise, thanks to Denny and his knowledge. I will continue to share the knowledge Denny and Susan have given me. I will also continue to spread the word of macrobiotics and how helpful Denny Waxman has been to my family and to me. Thank you.

Denny, my name is Gordon Mackie. Back in the early 80s, I consulted you regarding my Crohn’s disease at the East West Centre in London. The dietary and general good living advice I received from you, and later Jon Sandifer led me to lead a very full and healthy life. Crohn’s is no longer detected in my bowel. I still follow the basic principles of macrobiotics and I am forever grateful for the quality of life it has given me.

Macrobiotics saved my life. 18 years ago, I was incapacitated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, from which I had been suffering for 14 years.  I had lost hope of ever recovering.  Then I discovered macrobiotics and Denny Waxman, and my fortunes began to change.  Denny gave me a clear direction of how I could recover my health and guided me every step of the way.  He showed me that my diet and lifestyle contributed to my illness and how, by reversing these factors, I could heal myself.  For me, it was a miracle.  With a lot of hard work, I was able to reclaim my health and my life.

Three years later, Denny guided me through a natural and healthy pregnancy and childbirth.  Afterwards, he counseled me in raising my child according to the macrobiotic lifestyle.  My son, now nearly 15 years old, is incredibly healthy, happy and vibrant.

I began to study with Denny Waxman as soon as I began counseling with him.  I completed the two-year Macrobiotic Counselor Training Program at the Strengthening Health Institute and continued with the Graduate Studies Program.  Every time I sit in his classes, I continue to be overwhelmed with inspiration and joy.  I can say from my vast experience that Denny is an educator, counselor and motivator par excellence.  With his keen intuition and his mastery of macrobiotic theory, he offers amazingly effective solutions and recommendations.  He clearly explains how macrobiotics is a way of understanding the universal laws of nature, so we can make better choices about how to direct our lives.  These macrobiotic principles can be applied to all spheres of life, including diet, activity and lifestyle, in order to achieve harmony and balance. His teachings extend far beyond individual self-healing however.  He teaches how this universal macrobiotic understanding can also be used to create practical approaches to healing environmental, societal and global ills.

Denny Waxman is a serious thinker and true visionary with a large world-view, working to promote personal and planetary health.  He is the kind of inspirational leader of which the world is in short supply.  He is uniquely poised to lead us through these troubled times, by showing us how we can rediscover our common sense and intuition to live to our full potential and create a more peaceful and joyous world.