HOW I HEALED ARTHRITIS ON THE MACROBIOTIC PATH: By Jane Quincannon  

The Rice Paper: Healing Stories; Fall 1995; Editor: Luz Rodriguez Arpan

The blue skies, crisp air and magnificent mountains of Colorado beckoned this North Carolina woman; so in 1980, I resigned from my teaching job, packed my hiking boots and down coat and flew off to Denver. I was ready  for some fresh air and fresh insights - a sort -of Rocky Mountain natural high. I found it in Boulder, one of the most beautiful and friendly cities in America. It was great to be in the right place, at the right time, with freedom, friends and enough funds to live simply.

A real "health nut," I thought I was doing all the right things for my body. I ate lots of salads, fruits, cheese and yogurt and took lots of vitamin pills washed down with huge glasses of fruit juices and distilled water. Each day in restaurants I ate delicious vegetarian meals. Daily exercise included invigorating hikes in the hills of Boulder. My spirits were high and life was good, except for one thing. With all of my "right" way of living, I was beginning to develop arthritis.

My heels, hips, knees and feet hurt terribly and constantly. I also experienced intermittent pain in my wrists and fingers. I hobbled around feeling debilitated and frightened of the future. Would I have to endure this pain for the rest of my life? Would it get worse?

Whenever I see an advertisement for some over-the-counter medication, which supposedly relieves "the minor pain of arthritis," I become annoyed. Some arthritis sufferers may experience only "minor" pain, but many more suffer agonizing pain - pain that awakens them at night and keeps them awake in spite of Aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin, etc.

I decided to visit an orthopedic physician who confirmed that I did indeed have arthritis and wrote me a prescription for Cortisone. From his office, I went directly to a library and looked up the drug in the PDK (The Physician's Desk Reference). Listed in this book were four columns of the side effects of cortisone; the main one being bone loss. I realized that drugs were not the answer to my problem and began to read everything I could find about arthritis.

One piece of information I discovered worried me very much. It seemed that arthritis was, in many cases, a cyclic disease. That is, the pain I was now experiencing might go away, but would probably return. Joints affected by the disease could become swollen and inflamed - so swollen that I might not be able to use them at all. Even if one attack of the disease might go away leaving the joints only slightly damaged, another attack could occur and another until the joints were permanently deformed and had lost all flexibility.

Further research informed me that over 40 million Americans have reported cases of arthritis with an estimated equal number of unreported cases. That means 80 million people suffer from some form of arthritis spending 50 billion dollars each year on medical costs, drugs and treatments to alleviate the pain. Most books offered few insights into t: cause, only ways to "live with the pain."

I was soon to learn how the universe may sometimes give us a nudge down the right path. A friend invited me to her "back-to-the-earth" style wedding, where she served a vegetarian feast including brown rice and hummus. I had eaten brown rice occasionally, but the hummus (made of seasoned chickpeas) was both new and delicious. The next morning I felt terrific. My pain was noticeably diminished.

I racked my mind to discover why the pain was so much better. What had been different the day before? I wondered if it had been the food I had eaten at the wedding. Could food have that much to do with my arthritis pain? None of my doctors had ever discussed diet; yet eating those foods had made a difference. I believed my body was telling me something.

My next step was to locate a professional to guide me to a health diet. While visiting a local health food store, I asked the owner which local nutritionist he could recommend. I was directed to Lino Stanchich, macrobiotic educator and counselor. A specialist in natural food macrobiotic theory and Oriental philosophy, Mr. Stanchich (Lino to everyone) counseled in a Boulder clinic with two physicians and an acupuncturist. Several of my friends who had received counseling from Lino told me macrobiotic eating had improved their energy levels. But was I ready for macrobiotics?

The diet appeared to be healthy, but extreme. The notion of giving up all dairy foods seemed ridiculous. But perhaps the change was what I needed. My only alternative would be to continue down the path of more pain, pain-killers, drugs and surgery - ending in a wheelchair. And I didn’t want that! I made an appointment for a consultation with Lino.

At my first meeting with Lino, I was impressed by his friendly exuberance as well as by his vast knowledge of foods and their effects. He gave me practical information, useful methods, clear guidelines, and answered all of my health questions. Most importantly, he inspired me to begin take charge of my own health. I knew my recovery was up to me.

I went into my kitchen, a room I had previously used only for b1ending chilled fruit juice and powdered protein shakes. Using macrobiotics cookbooks and God's natural grains, beans and vegetables, I began prepare the foods that would heal me. It was difficult, but much easier than living with a lifetime of pain.

Feeling the need to learn more about macrobiotics than was contained in my cookbooks, I took classes at a local center. Macrobiotic cooking teachers were kind enough to allow me to assist in their cooking classes. I learned about the miraculous qualities of rice, millet (which I had never tasted), barley, and all the nutritionally powerful grains. Common  vegetables such as onions and carrots and unfamiliar vegetables such as daikon and burdock became new medicinal treasures. I savored the rich taste of miso soup and sea vegetables, encouraged perhaps by my knowledge of their healing qualities. To me, a simple meal of soup, grains, beans and vegetables satisfied my taste buds and my very soul. I felt I had come home.

Through macrobiotics I learned fascinating facts about my body, its organs, systems, and functions. I knew I had kidneys, but had never given them a thought until now. I learned how these small yet vital organs are connected to the health of my bones and joints. Eureka! This was the answer. My dietary habits had depleted the minerals in my bones and the energy in my kidneys. The macrobiotic diet provided the high-mineral foods to revitalize my kidneys. Its low fat foods allowed my body to eliminate years of accumulation, creating a greater flow of blood and energy through my entire body.

Within one week my pain had totally gone. My energy increased. I breathed easier, slept more soundly and felt more hope and inner power than ever before. I got the message loud and clear. Macrobiotics was my solution. After twelve years, I continue practicing the macrobiotic way of life and continue to be free of arthritis. I am deeply grateful to each of my macrobiotic teachers for sharing their profound knowledge and wisdom and, with tireless dedication, for creating books, classes and institutes in which people learn the macrobiotic way of life.

Almost from the start I was asked to teach others. I discovered that, like myself, people are truly hungry for information to lead a healthy, balanced life. To teach macrobiotics is a great privilege and joy. When people ask me what I do, I am tempted to say, "I teach people to save their lives."

References: A Natural Approach to Arthritis by Michio Kushi and Cooking for Health Arthritis by Aveline Kushi

Jane Quincannon has been a teacher of macrobiotics for the past twelve years and has studied with the world's leading macrobiotic educators. She is presently on staff of The Kushi Institute in Becket, MA. Jane also produces educational videos and is a certified yoga instructor.