A Hero For Our Times... Sandy Pukel By Michele Bege Abundance. November 2003 

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On a quiet street in Coconut Grove is the Oak Feed Natural Food Marketplace. This is the backdrop for very important work. Work that involves Love, Light and Hope, work that is from the heart of a special man. A man who has dedicated his life to helping other people find the way to health and happiness. Sandy Pukel is a hero. He has kept true to his vision, he has not relinquished his principles . his intention like his heart is pure. It is with awe and respect that we honor our hero of the month Sandy Pukel.

Sandy is a macrobiotic counselor. He sees people about changing their lifestyle and healing their bodies. Most of the people that come to him for help are very sick. Some have been told to go home and wait for death to come. Sandy greets them with warmth that can only be real and gives them hope. He knows. He has seen it time and time again. People who do make the changes and become well. Sandy knows that many people have overcome cancer and other life threatening illnesses by following this lifestyle. He also knows that many will become well and then abandon the lifestyle. They think that it is okay because if they get sick again, they can always come back and get well. Sandy admits he wonders why they are willing to gamble with that prospect.

The lifestyle is not one that is easily assimilated into our modern lives. It takes a little time to wrap your brain around the idea. It involves cooking, planning, taking care of yourself and focusing on positive aspects of life. It is difficult, but not impossible to eat out in a restaurant. It involves the elimination of toxic substances and the focus of healing your body, before all else. There is a level of commitment required, commitment to yourself. Over thirty years ago, Sandy Pukel picked up a little book called You Are All Sanpaku by George Ohsawa. This book and conversations with a macrobiotic friend forever changed Sandy's life. He began studying and practicing macrobiotics. The word macrobiotic may conjure visions of brown rice, but it involves much more. It does involve whole grains, but is really a way of living and thinking. Sandy describes macrobiotics as the best-kept secret on the planet. 

As Sandy began this journey his life became very different. He embraced the philosophy, the lifestyle and became one of the leaders of this movement. Sandy started a macrobiotic center in South Florida and still remains the voice of expert advice in the area of Southern Florida.

He has not only aligned his life with his purpose, he has broadened his purpose. If you ask Sandy why he follows a macrobiotic lifestyle, he will tell you because it helps to promote peace on the planet. When I asked him to explain this, he told me that when someone sees the glow, sees how happy you are- they want that too, so they ask you what you do. It's a lifestyle that leads to inner peace, which is the beginning of what we all want...World Peace. Sandy admits that there have been sacrifices along the way...and says that he is not sure if his sacrifices would be the same given the choices again. For someone with the constant connection with serious illness and fear he is a happy soul. His manner is light and it seems he is always smiling, but deep in those eyes you see the depth of his soul. Sandy Pukel is a man of principle. He cares. He cares about you, and me . about the global community of which he is a part., about making the world a better place...and for his efforts, it is.

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