Patricio Garcia de Paredes
Message
My life was influenced by macrobiotics at an early age. It all started with my mother. She struggled with poor health for most of her life and eventually her condition deteriorated to the point that she was given up hope for recovery from a conventional medical perspective. That was a turning point in her life as the situation required a different path and trying a new approach. As many people who lose their health today, she began to search and experimented with modest dietary changes, practicing yoga, herbal medicine and other alternative approaches. Eventually she found macrobiotics after attending a seminar by Michio and Aveline Kushi in Spain in the early 1970’s. And after implementing more comprehensive dietary and lifestyle changes she was able to recover her health. My mother’s story is not exceptional and for decades countless individuals around the world have been able to improve and recover their health by making changes in their way of life in a more natural balanced direction.
My story is different. I was around five when my mother began to practice macrobiotics. For me the changes came gradually as my mother first began to improve the quality of our food and then slowly implement changes in my diet in a more balanced direction. In my case eating well was simply the result of my mother’s wish that I grow up healthily and strong to pursue my dream later in life. My mother became a macrobiotic cooking teacher and opened a natural food store mainly to cater her students with good quality foods. So I grew up in a family where the kitchen became the source of our health. And in an environment where people came to learn cooking with my mother and buy wholesome foods mainly motivated by health reasons. This is where my interest in cooking began which I have contined to engage throughout my life whether as a home cook, professional chef or cooking instructor.
Right after finishing high school, I joined the Kushi Institute in the United States to pursue macrobiotic studies under the instruction of Michio and Aveline Kushi who continued to mentor me until their passing. After my family’s favorable experience with macrobiotics, it made sense to me at the time to learn more about it with the intention of one day teaching and sharing it to help others. Only then I began to realize the depth and wide scope of the teachings yet it’s simplicity and practicality. Macrobiotics contains the wisdom and essence of oriental culture adapted to modern times and integrated with scientific knowledge. It could be said that it integrates some of the best aspects of Eastern and Western culture for the benefit of humanity and to help us realize health and happiness in our daily lives. I also came to know about the dream of One Peaceful World and the vision of living in harmony on this planet. Something that I cherish and continue to pursue every day.
Macrobiotics has much to offer, whether for individuals, families, communities or the world at large. As we continue to move away from a more natural and traditional way of eating and living and adopt modern dietary and lifestyle habits health around the world continues to decline. Noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes have now become epidemic in most parts of the world. Poor health also weaken immunity with a higher risk of contracting communicable infectious diseases. And over time the situation worsen and we can now observe a whole generation of children and youngsters increasingly struggling with many health problems, widespread depression, confusion and loss of direction in life.
Awareness about the influence of our food and dietary practices on the environment have also been growing in recent years. Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture making it the largest human activity with a direct impact on nature and all forms of life. Pollution, deforestation, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity and high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change are some of the issues directly associated with food production. And as the conditions on the planet deteriorate and the climate becomes more unstable it is making it more difficult for farmers to grow our food. Meanwhile about one-third of all the food produced every year goes to waste. Obviously this is unsustainable and the way we produce and consume our food needs to change.
Economic development increases consumption and need for natural resources and energy. Leading to excessive competition and unnecessary tension and mistrust among nations that often escalate into conflict and war as we have seen time again. Today the possibility of atomic warfare looms over us in a way that has not been seen in a long time. These and other problems facing humanity is the reality of our times and current world situation. And this is what macrobiotics is trying to address. But it is important to realize that these issues cannot be resolved unless we all get involved. Food, health, environmental stewardship, love and concern for younger and future generations, peace and harmonious living should not be the responsibility of a few and we should not miss the chance to contribute to a better world starting by improving ourselves and living in a healthy harmonious way.
For decades macrobiotics has been playing an important active role helping humanity pass through these changing and increasingly challenging times. By guiding individuals and families towards better health through improvements in the way of life, promoting a more traditional balanced plant based way of eating, cultivating natural and sustainable lifestyles, encouraging growing and producing our food in more natural wholesome ways including organic foods, endorsing less invasive gentle ways of healing, engaging in cultural exchange and collaboration, fostering understanding among seemingly different views of life in particular between East and West among other endeavors. But our efforts are still inadequate and there is much more to be done.
In 2023 I established Global Macrobiotics School in the city of Nara, Japan as the base of my international educational activities. Nara is a beautiful city rich in history and culture where we conduct macrobiotic courses and workshops both presential and online in English. At the core of our activities we impart the Global Macrobiotics Program a certified and internationally recognized macrobiotic course that proceeds in three levels. This comprehensive course contains all the essence of macrobiotics and guidance for implementation and practice in daily life.
I also founded Global Macrobiotics an international network of individuals, schools and organizations dedicated to develop macrobiotic education and disseminate healthy sustainable lifestyle practices with the intention to have a global reach and play a more relevant role in society. As part of our network and together with my partners we have set up schools in China, Vietnam and Malaysia. Each school offers the Global Macrobiotics Program along with other activities in their respective languages and well adapted to their local culture and other considerations needed to sustain the practice of a healthy balanced way of living.
I take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in macrobiotics and our activities. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any inquiries about our services.
Let’s create a world of enduring health, happiness and peace together.
Nara, Japan
BIO
1970 Born in Barcelona, Spain
1975-1985 Introduced to the macrobiotic way of life by his mother Luisa Baranda. Began cooking at home and engaging in his mother’s activities to promote healthy living and natural organic foods.
1985-1988 Moved to Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. Worked at Erewhon natural food store and Satori macrobiotic restaurant. Graduated from Brookline High School.
1989-1994 Macrobiotic studies at the Kushi Institute in Brookline and Becket, Massachusetts and with mentors Michio and Aveline Kushi.
1994-1995 Begin teaching, imparting cooking classes and promoting healthy sustainable lifestyles in various locations around the world including South East Asia, Costa Rica, Peru, Europe and the United States.
1996-1997 Visit Japan various times with Michio and Aveline Kushi and engage in educational activities.
1998-2002 Chef at Kushi Garden macrobiotic restaurant in two locations in Tokyo. Impart cooking classes. Publish first cookbook Non Sugar Sweets. Recipes and articles featured in cookbooks and magazines.
2016-2020 Establish Kushi Macrobiotic School in Tokyo and serve as director and teacher.
2021~ Founder director of Macrobiotic School Japan (MSJ) presently located in Nara, Japan and providing education and services in Japanese.
2023~ Founder director of Global Macrobiotics School (GMS) and Global Macrobiotics international network with partner schools in China, Vietnam and Malaysia. Co-founder of Macrobiotic Global Institute (MGI) a non-profit based in the United States.