Maria Kitsou is a Japanese national and a Japanese citizen, however, she is actually an American by birth. She studied in the United States, earned a Master’s degree and then entered Japan to pursue her Doctorate. After obtaining a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, she served as a research associate at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Los Angeles, California. Since then, she has traveled the world, sharing her knowledge and experiences as a physician, researcher, teacher and publisher. Her first book, a joint publication with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was entitled, “integrative medicine: anatomy, physiology, diagnostic & therapeutic alternatives.”
Maria shares her life’s journey in “The NCCAM Reader: Nine Bridges of Power” and “The NCCAM Guide to Integrative Medicine: Principles, Practice, Theory and Models.” The nine bridges are: Nationality, age, profession, gender, ethnicity, physical stature, relationships and many more. Each of these nine topics is addressed in detail and lightly touched on in the body of the work. Maria’s goal with this book is to help readers explore their own minds, bodies and passions and create their own individual “life bridges.” Additionally, the ten chapters contain tips and guidelines for integrating traditional medicine with alternative health principles and terminology, as well as the different approaches to nutrition and health.
Maria’s writing is very personal yet comforting. I felt connected reading about her many travels, dealing with her diabetes, her love of dogs, love of life and so much more. The positive messages she shares about being strong and positive despite obstacles are very encouraging. I felt that reading about her love of life and how she juggled those elements, while conquering them all, was extremely helpful and inspiring. Reading about someone who is a diabetic, loves dogs and runs marathons may seem like a small thing, but it connects you to a person who is tough, smart, enjoys life, is strong and could have made an excellent doctor, lawyer, or just anyone who has what it takes to be successful at what she chose as her life’s passion.