Although I don’t trust many diets recommended by doctors, there is one doctor I not only trust but also admire. His name is Shinjiro Honma. Yes, I have introduced him in this blog before. He is the author of books such as Byoki Ni Naranai Kurashi Jiten, A Complete Guide to A Lifestyle without Getting Sick, and Byoki Ni Naranai Shoku To Kurashi, A Diet and Lifestyle without Getting Sick.
He graduated from Sapporo Medical University. Then he worked for the university hospital and Hokkaido Pediatric Center as a pediatrician. In 2001, he went to the National Institute of Health in the United States where he conducted research on virology and vaccinology for 3 years. After returning to Japan, he worked at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Sapporo Medical University as the head of the unit.
In 2009, he moved to Nasu-Karasuyama city in Tochigi Prefecture to begin leading a sustainable lifestyle while working at a local clinic called Nanago Clinic. He grows vegetables using Natural Farming and makes fermented food such as miso and soy sauce in the traditional way. With his knowledge of bacteria which he gained from virology, he further researches on them through his practice of farming and fermentation.
He is also familiar with oriental medicine which helps him form a comprehensive understanding of health and medicine.
As a pediatrician, he often gives advice to people who practice natural parenting, especially in relation to bacteria and microbiota; how to deal with vaccination or germicides. He raises his children naturally, as well.
He writes articles for a health magazine called Sokai and a natural parenting magazine called Kuyon. He gives talks throughout Japan on healthy eating, natural parenting, and how to deal with vaccination.
The reason I respect him is that he has a holistic understanding of health, and is different from other doctors who specialize in just medicine, however experts they are in their own field. The fact that Dr. Honma grows vegetables and makes fermented food gives me credibility; he walks his talk.
I said that I modeled the young naturally conscious Japanese people whom I consider to be the healthiest people in Japan to create the Ikigai Diet, and also a lot of elements in the Ikigai Diet are based on what I learned from Dr. Honma.