Shintani Seminar

Down to Earth recently co-sponsored a health workshop hosted by well-known Hawaii physician Dr. Terry Shintani and his non-profit organization, the Hawaii Health Foundation.

The workshop, called “You Can Reverse Disease in 10 Days,” was held at the Toho No Hikari building, formerly known as the MOA True Health Center in Honolulu. It was attended by over 100 people seeking help with different health problems or concerns. At the workshop, they learned how much of their health problems are diet-related and how easy it is to reverse following a plant-based diet.

Dr. Shintani shared nutritional weight-loss research that helps individuals lose weight and control blood sugar levels by eating more of the right kind of carbohydrates.

He spoke of the Hawaiian Paradox. “In Hawaii, the healthiest state in the union, the Native Hawaiians have the worst health in the nation.” Ironically, his research showed that the healthiest cultures ate a diet similar in macronutrient content to that of the ancient Hawaiians, and also practiced lifestyle principles similar to those of ancient Hawaii. Their diets consisted of large volumes of unrefined carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein (mostly from vegetable sources), and few fats.

Dr. Shintani showed attendees how to:

  • Identify the "good" carbohydrates, from whole-grain pasta and pita bread to sweet potatoes and brown rice, as well as an array of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables
  • Use a plant-based diet to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and control blood sugar levels to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis, cancer, stroke, and other serious illnesses

With cooking demonstrations presented by Dr. Shintani and Tandis Bishop, workshop participants learned how to make quick, healthy, wholesome dishes.

“People were amazed at how easy it is to eat “healthy,” said Bishop. “It was a very practical workshop because not only did Dr. Shintani elaborate on the nutritional benefits of the meals being demonstrated, but there were plenty of samples to go around, proving the point that healthy foods can be quite tasty,” she explained.

Dr. Shintani also discussed common unhealthy lifestyle habits, how to make easy changes, and other topics such as “Calories & Fat: Controlling Weight and Cholesterol”, “Carbohydrates and Proteins”, how to correct chronic conditions and, of course, the importance of a plant-based diet.

“The workshop was a huge success,” added Bishop. “It equipped everyone with the tools they needed to get started on the path to better health through a plant-based diet, including the knowledge, recipes, and coupons from Down to Earth.”

Down to Earth’s co-sponsorship of Dr. Shintani’s health workshop supports the company’s mission to promote a healthy lifestyle to island communities. Since its founding in Hawaii 1977, Down to Earth has been working with hospitals, schools, and numerous groups and organizations to help educate the general public about how easy it is to improve their health and the health of their loved ones through a vegetarian lifestyle.

Terry Shintani, MD is the author of the “Eat More, Weigh Less Diet", "HawaiiDiet”, and “The Good Carbohydrate Revolution.” He has been featured in Newsweek, on CNN and CBS News, ABC national radio, and Dateline NBC. Dr. Shintani received his master’s degree in nutrition from Harvard University and both his medical and law degrees from the University of Hawaii. After medical school and studying nutrition at Harvard University, Dr. Terry Shintani returned home to Hawai'i with a sense that local people needed to return to their traditional native diet for both health and spiritual reasons.

Dr. Shintani is board certified in preventative medicine and is a member of the national advisory board of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Associate Chair of the Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine.

Hawaii Health Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to promote world health. For over 10 years, they have conducted 700 community programs and presentations on health to tens of thousands of people.