Sanae Suzuki | マクロビオティックわの会

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Sanae was born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.
After graduating from high school, she studied abroad in California, United States.

Sanae is a Macrobiotic food and nutrition counselor, cooking instructor, registered practitioner of the Bach Flower Foundation in the UK, yoga instructor, and herbalist. She is also a holistic therapist for people and animals (including acupressure, moxibustion, Reiki, animal Reiki, animal communication, nutritionist and massage therapist for dogs and cats), and a Vipassana meditator.

1993: After being diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, Sanae studied the macrobiotics diet and nutrition under the guidance of Cecil Levin, a senior teacher who studied under Michio Kushi, at the East West Macrobiotic Center in Los Angeles. While adjusting her health, attended Cecil Levin’s cooking classes and became his assistant one year later. She then became a certified macrobiotic chef.

1995-2001: Worked as a macrobiotic consultant at Erewhon Natural Market, conducting weekly cooking demonstrations and monthly cooking classes to promote macrobiotic diets. Also worked as a private macrobiotic chef, creating macrobiotic food for Hollywood movies.

1996-1999: Served as sous chef in the kitchen at the Kushi Institute Summer Conference.

1996-1997:
– Obtained certifications in massage, finger pressure therapy, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, and acupressure for hands and feet.
– Became a certified natural nutritionist for dogs and cats.
– Began making homemade macrobiotic food for dogs and cats.
– Obtained certification as an animal massage therapist.

1997: Traveled to 7 European countries to learn from macrobiotic teachers (such as Krim Yoshimi, Madame Riviera, and Rene Levy) and worked as an assistant in cooking classes.

1997-1998: Completed Levels I-III at the Kushi Institute and worked as an assistant in the institute’s kitchen.

1998: Obtained a degree in herbal medicine and became certified as an aromatherapist.

1999: Opened the Healing Studio “Mugen” in Santa Monica, offering healing sessions such as cooking classes in English and Japanese, massage (including shiatsu), and seasonal potluck parties. Also published a macrobiotic book. Completed Level 1 and 2 of the British Bach Flower Foundation course.

2000: Worked as a massage therapist for Hollywood celebrities such as Madonna. Completed Level 3 of the British Bach Flower Foundation course.

2001: Completed the Kushi Institute Counselor Training Course Level IV Part 1. During a cross-country trip in the United States, had a near-death experience and was in a coma for three days after a car accident in Arizona. After being in cardiac arrest for 12 minutes, she miraculously survived. She was told by doctors that walking was no longer possible, but by continuing the macrobiotic diet and living on a wheelchair for four years, she slowly started being able to walk with the help of a cane.

2003: Obtained Level 1 in Reiki.

2005: Completed the final course of the Kushi Institute Counselor Training Program Level IV and began working as a Macrobiotic Counselor.

2006: Received the Macrobiotic Cooking Evaluation Certificate from Kushi Institute International. Held cooking classes and lectures with her husband, Eric Lechasseur, at KIJ (Ebisu and Kobuchizawa).

2008: Opened Seed Kitchen, a vegan macrobiotic restaurant, with her husband Eric Lechasseur, who is a private chef and a Hollywood celebrity. Began offering cooking and lecture classes at the restaurant and contributed to the community classes for 8 years, targeting those interested in vegan and macrobiotic diets.

2011: Second vegan macrobiotic restaurant, Seed Bistro, opens.

2013: Obtains certification as a registered practitioner of the Bach Foundation in the UK.

2014: Along with her husband, Eric Lechasseur, serves as head chef for the fundraising dinner held at the Kushi Institute.

2015:
– Obtains one-year training and certification as a yoga instructor (started in 1985).
– Obtains certification in Animal Communication Levels 1 & 2.
– Obtains certification as a Chokuden Reiki Master.
2016: Seed Kitchen permanently closes.

2017: Sanae was diagnosed with stage IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a rapidly progressive cancer with a life expectancy of one month according to the doctors. Despite wanting to overcome the cancer with macrobiotic food and holistic therapy like she did with ovarian cancer, she realized that the cancer was progressing too quickly and decided to undergo chemotherapy treatment (EPOCH chemotherapy, which is a strong chemotherapy administered 24 hours a day for five days in combination with rituximab) with the readiness to even give up her life. She underwent six months of treatment, and miraculously, with the help of macrobiotic food and holistic therapy that she continued alongside chemotherapy, she managed to mitigate the side effects of the chemotherapy and recovered two years later.

2018-present: Participates in two monthly meetings as a member of the Los Angeles Cancer Support Community and volunteers regularly.

2019:
– Became certified as an animal Reiki practitioner.
– Obtained a certificate in animal Bach flower seminars.

2020: Obtained a certificate in nonviolent communication and cancer care herbal medicine.

2021: Obtained a certificate as an international educational instructor level 1 from the British Bach Flower Foundation.
21 years after a near-death experience in a car accident in Arizona in 2001, Sanae was finally able to hike without a cane.

Currently, at a small healing studio in Santa Monica, Sanae offers macrobiotic healing food counseling and private healing sessions (including acupressure, Reiki, moxibustion, flower remedies, etc.), as well as serving macrobiotic remedies and herbal teas (including herbs grown on their home rooftop and wild herbs) for clients to enjoy.

She also teach seasonal herbal workshops (based on the principles of yin-yang and the five elements), including how to choose herbs, make remedies, cook, grow, and make skincare products. In addition, she teaches seasonal macrobiotic diets and cooking methods (through lectures) at a nearby garden center and offers macrobiotic counseling and batch flower classes online.

Using her own experiences and knowledge, Sanae provides counseling on macrobiotic holistic care and a slow lifestyle that can be adapted to people who also incorporate Western medicine in their lives when necessary. She offers private cooking classes and spiritual support through batch flower remedies.

Sanae holds counseling on handmade healing food for dogs and cats, incorporating animal communication and animal Reiki. She volunteers with animal rescue groups, Vipassana meditation, and the Los Angeles Cancer Support Community.

Sanae and her husband Eric Lechasseur along with our five dogs and two cats, live in Santa Monica. We go to our mountain lodge in North Fork village (near Yosemite National Park) every season to enjoy hiking and harvest wild herbs.

Books:
２００７年季節のマクロビオティック料理本「Love Eric and Sane」出版。
２００９年癒しのマクロビオティック料理本「Love, Sanae」出版。
２０１５年マクロビオティック犬の手作りフード本「Healthy Happy Pooch」出版。

Message

When I first heard the words of Mr. Sakurazawa who said “Everything changes,” a streak of light ran through my body. I realized that if I lose my flexibility and couldn’t change, I would become ill or suffer from a serious accident, both mentally and physically. That was inevitably an important time for me to change.

I experienced this change in universe through macrobiotics, which saved me from not changing. I discovered a self that could have the courage to change things that I could change and the calmness to accept things that I couldn’t change, as well as the wisdom to discern the two.

Through the Western medicine I received during a traffic accident that resulted in a near-death experience in 2001, and the Western medical treatment I received during my stage IV lymphoma in 2017, I realized the importance of balancing emergency western treatment with the macrobiotic nutritional whole-person medicine.

I want to continue to share the macrobiotics life that I have experienced and to carefully and slowly sow the seeds of happiness beyond everyone’s hearts, bodies, knowledge, and spirits, and to help everyone “harvest happiness.” That is my wish.

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