Gayelord Hauser
Encyclopedia
Dr. Benjamin Gayelord Hauser (1895–1984), popularly known as Gayelord Hauser, was an American
nutritionist
and self-help
author
, who promoted the 'natural way of eating' during the mid-20th century. He promoted foods rich in vitamin B and discouraged consumption of sugar
and white flour. Hauser was a best-selling author, popular on the lecture and social circuits, and was nutritional advisor to many celebrities.
, Germany
to Christian Hauser, a schoolmaster, and Agate Rothe. At the age of sixteen, young Helmut joined his older brother, the Reverend Otto Hauser, a pastor, in Chicago, Illinois; shortly thereafter they moved to Milwaukee. Young Hauser sailed to America as a steerage passenger on the SS George Washington, and underwent immigrant inspection at Ellis Island
on 14 August 1911.
Not long after settling in the USA, Hauser was stricken with tuberculosis
of the hip which, before the development of antibiotics in the 1930s, was almost always fatal. After several operations proved fruitless, his case was declared hopeless and Hauser consulted a naturopath, Dr. Benedict Lust. Lust recommended a regimen of warm baths, clay packs, and herbal remedies. Hauser’s condition subsequently improved and he soon followed Lust’s recommendation to seek further treatment in Switzerland to see if the new “food science” (Nahrungswissen) had anything to offer him. A monk, Brother Maier, put him on a strict diet of salads, fruit juices, vegetable broths, and herbs. Within weeks the tubercular hip went into remission, permanently cured.
Hauser then embarked upon studies of “food science” in order to become an expert and spread a message about “the power of food.” He studied in Vienna, Zurich, Dresden, and Copenhagen. He now returned to the USA, changed his name, and set up office in Chicago. He toured the Midwest touting the value of his five “wonder foods”: yogurt, brewers yeast, powdered skim milk, wheat germ, and especially blackstrap molasses
. Hauser believed in the healthful effects of “whole foods” and urged people to avoid starch, gluten, sugar, and excessive consumption of meat. When enriched white breads were introduced in the 1950s, Hauser denounced them as “devitalized.”
Hauser continued his studies in the USA, receiving degrees in naturopathy and chiropractic
from several American institutions. In 1925 Hauser joined his brother-in-law, Sebastian Gysin, in the Milwaukee firm of Modern Products, which already manufactured an herbal laxative developed by Gysin, called Swiss Kriss. Hauser helped to market a series of food products produced by Modern Products. Modern Products continues to this day, and Hauser’s line of seasonings and broths are found in most health food stores. Another company, Gayelord Hauser of France, markets an even more extensive line of food products and publications in that country.
In 1927, Hauser moved to Hollywood, California
, where his “natty good looks and brash, exuberant approach” soon made him popular among movie makers. First Adele Astaire
, and later Marlene Dietrich
, Paulette Goddard
, Gloria Swanson
, and, most famously, Greta Garbo
all sought his advice and guidance. Also among those seeking his counsel in later years were Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia, Baron Philippe de Rothschild
, Grace Kelly
, Ingrid Bergmann, Jeanne Moreau
, and the Duchess of Windsor.
A tireless promoter, Hauser began his prolific writing career in 1930 with Harmonized Food Selection, with the Famous Hauser Body-Building System, and continued through his final revision of Gaylord Hauser’s New Treasury of Secrets in 1974. His books were translated into twelve languages, he had a popular column in the Hearst
newspapers, and his most famous book, Look Younger; Live Longer (partly ghost-written by Frances Warfield Hackett), was condensed in Readers Digest.
Hauser was friends with Greta Garbo until the end of his life and they may have been romantically involved. Garbo was also friends with Frey Brown, a promising young actor who had left his career in the early 1940s to be Hauser's male domestic partner. Garbo and her close friend Mercedes de Acosta
would spend time at Hauser and Brown's houses in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Italy.
After purchasing a villa in Taormina, Sicily in 1950, Hauser spent much of his time there with Frey Brown. After Brown's death in 1979, Hauser sold the villa and returned full time to Hollywood, where he remained in vigorous good health until shortly before his death on 26 December 1984 from complications of pneumonia.
, as well as sugar and flour lobbies. In 1951 the Food and Drug Administration
seized copies of Look Younger; Live Longer, which promised to add five “youthful years” to your life, on the grounds that it was promoting the sale of one brand of blackstrap molasses
. As late as 1967, Hauser was dismissed as a crank and compared with such obvious charlatans as Dudley J. LeBlanc
, promoter of the cure-all Hadacol
.
By the 1970s, however, the tide began to change as scientific researches validated many of his progressive notions on nutrition and health. Many now regard him as the founder of the natural food movement and a pioneer who was decades ahead of his time.
, Belgium
and the Argentina School of Nutrition in Buenos Aires
.
• A statue stands in his honor in Kyoto, Japan.
• He is quoted in the song "Monotonous
" by Eartha Kitt
with the line "Gayelord Hauser sends me vitamin D".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nutritionist
Nutritionist
A nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
and self-help
Self-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who promoted the 'natural way of eating' during the mid-20th century. He promoted foods rich in vitamin B and discouraged consumption of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and white flour. Hauser was a best-selling author, popular on the lecture and social circuits, and was nutritional advisor to many celebrities.
Background and education
Gayelord Hauser was born Helmut Eugen Benjamin Gellert Hauser on 17 May 1895 in TübingenTübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to Christian Hauser, a schoolmaster, and Agate Rothe. At the age of sixteen, young Helmut joined his older brother, the Reverend Otto Hauser, a pastor, in Chicago, Illinois; shortly thereafter they moved to Milwaukee. Young Hauser sailed to America as a steerage passenger on the SS George Washington, and underwent immigrant inspection at Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
on 14 August 1911.
Not long after settling in the USA, Hauser was stricken with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
of the hip which, before the development of antibiotics in the 1930s, was almost always fatal. After several operations proved fruitless, his case was declared hopeless and Hauser consulted a naturopath, Dr. Benedict Lust. Lust recommended a regimen of warm baths, clay packs, and herbal remedies. Hauser’s condition subsequently improved and he soon followed Lust’s recommendation to seek further treatment in Switzerland to see if the new “food science” (Nahrungswissen) had anything to offer him. A monk, Brother Maier, put him on a strict diet of salads, fruit juices, vegetable broths, and herbs. Within weeks the tubercular hip went into remission, permanently cured.
Hauser then embarked upon studies of “food science” in order to become an expert and spread a message about “the power of food.” He studied in Vienna, Zurich, Dresden, and Copenhagen. He now returned to the USA, changed his name, and set up office in Chicago. He toured the Midwest touting the value of his five “wonder foods”: yogurt, brewers yeast, powdered skim milk, wheat germ, and especially blackstrap molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
. Hauser believed in the healthful effects of “whole foods” and urged people to avoid starch, gluten, sugar, and excessive consumption of meat. When enriched white breads were introduced in the 1950s, Hauser denounced them as “devitalized.”
Hauser continued his studies in the USA, receiving degrees in naturopathy and chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
from several American institutions. In 1925 Hauser joined his brother-in-law, Sebastian Gysin, in the Milwaukee firm of Modern Products, which already manufactured an herbal laxative developed by Gysin, called Swiss Kriss. Hauser helped to market a series of food products produced by Modern Products. Modern Products continues to this day, and Hauser’s line of seasonings and broths are found in most health food stores. Another company, Gayelord Hauser of France, markets an even more extensive line of food products and publications in that country.
In 1927, Hauser moved to Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where his “natty good looks and brash, exuberant approach” soon made him popular among movie makers. First Adele Astaire
Adele Astaire
Lady Charles Cavendish , better known as Adele Astaire, was an American dancer and entertainer. She was Fred Astaire's elder sister. Her birthdate was often given as 1897 or 1898, but the 1900 U.S...
, and later Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
, Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard was an American film and theatre actress. A former child fashion model and in several Broadway productions as Ziegfeld Girl, she was a major star of the Paramount Studio in the 1940s. She was married to several notable men, including Charlie Chaplin, Burgess Meredith, and Erich...
, Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
, and, most famously, Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
all sought his advice and guidance. Also among those seeking his counsel in later years were Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia, Baron Philippe de Rothschild
Philippe de Rothschild
Baron Philippe de Rothschild was a member of the Rothschild banking dynasty who became a Grand Prix race-car driver, a screenwriter and playwright, a theatrical producer, a film producer, a poet, and one of the most successful wine growers in the world.-Early life:Born in Paris, Georges Philippe...
, Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
, Ingrid Bergmann, Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau is a French actress, singer, screenwriter and director.She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française...
, and the Duchess of Windsor.
A tireless promoter, Hauser began his prolific writing career in 1930 with Harmonized Food Selection, with the Famous Hauser Body-Building System, and continued through his final revision of Gaylord Hauser’s New Treasury of Secrets in 1974. His books were translated into twelve languages, he had a popular column in the Hearst
Hearst
Hearst may refer to:People* Amanda Hearst* Garrison Hearst, NFL running back* George Hearst* George Randolph Hearst, Jr.* Hunter Hearst Helmsley, WWE professional wrestler* John Randolph Hearst* Lydia Hearst-Shaw* Michael Hearst* Millicent Hearst...
newspapers, and his most famous book, Look Younger; Live Longer (partly ghost-written by Frances Warfield Hackett), was condensed in Readers Digest.
Hauser was friends with Greta Garbo until the end of his life and they may have been romantically involved. Garbo was also friends with Frey Brown, a promising young actor who had left his career in the early 1940s to be Hauser's male domestic partner. Garbo and her close friend Mercedes de Acosta
Mercedes de Acosta
Mercedes de Acosta was an American poet, playwright, and socialite, best known for her numerous lesbian affairs with Hollywood personalities including Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Alla Nazimova, Eva Le Gallienne, Isadora Duncan, Katharine Cornell, Ona Munson, Adele Astaire and, allegedly,...
would spend time at Hauser and Brown's houses in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Italy.
After purchasing a villa in Taormina, Sicily in 1950, Hauser spent much of his time there with Frey Brown. After Brown's death in 1979, Hauser sold the villa and returned full time to Hollywood, where he remained in vigorous good health until shortly before his death on 26 December 1984 from complications of pneumonia.
Controversy and Legacy
Making health recommendations despite not being a medical doctor, Hauser was criticized almost from the start by the recognized medical authorities, especially the AMAAmerican Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
, as well as sugar and flour lobbies. In 1951 the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
seized copies of Look Younger; Live Longer, which promised to add five “youthful years” to your life, on the grounds that it was promoting the sale of one brand of blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses, or simply blackstrap, is the dark, viscous molasses remaining after maximum extraction of sugar from raw sugar cane. This residual product of sugar refining is used in the manufacture of ethyl alcohol for industry and as an ingredient in cattle feed...
. As late as 1967, Hauser was dismissed as a crank and compared with such obvious charlatans as Dudley J. LeBlanc
Dudley J. LeBlanc
Dudley Joseph "Coozan Dud" LeBlanc was a colorful and popular Democratic and Cajun member of the Louisiana State Senate whose entrepreneurial talents netted him a fortune through the alcohol-laden patent medicine known as "Hadacol." He is also considered the "father of the old age pension" in...
, promoter of the cure-all Hadacol
Hadacol
Hadacol was a patent medicine marketed as a vitamin supplement. Its principal attraction, however, was that it contained 12 percent alcohol , which made it quite popular in the dry counties of the southern United States. It was the product of four-term Louisiana state Senator Dudley J...
.
By the 1970s, however, the tide began to change as scientific researches validated many of his progressive notions on nutrition and health. Many now regard him as the founder of the natural food movement and a pioneer who was decades ahead of his time.
Published works
- Types and Temperaments with a Key to Foods (1930),
- Food Science and Health (1930),
- Child Feeding: Written for Mothers (1932),
- Keener Vision Without Glasses (1932),
- Here's How to Be Healthy (1934),
- Eat and Grow Beautiful (1939),
- New Health Cookery (1930),
- Dictionary Of Foods (1939),
- A Training Course In Health-Eating (1940),
- Diet Does It (1944),
- Better Eyes Without Glasses (1944),
- The Gayelord Hauser Cook Book (1946),
- Look Younger, Live Longer (1950),
- Be Happier, Be Healthier (1952),
- Diet Does It: Incorporating the Gayelord Hauser Cook Book (1952),
- Gayelord Hauser's New Guide to Intelligent Reducing (1955),
- Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Invitation to Beauty (1961),
- Gayelord Hauser's Treasury of Secrets (1963).
Trivia
• Hauser’s doctorates are honorary degrees from the University Philtechnique in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Argentina School of Nutrition in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
• A statue stands in his honor in Kyoto, Japan.
• He is quoted in the song "Monotonous
Monotonous (song)
'Monotonous' is a popular song written by June Carroll and Arthur Siegel for Leonard Sillman's Broadway revue New Faces of 1952. The song was written based on the experiences of its singer Eartha Kitt...
" by Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
with the line "Gayelord Hauser sends me vitamin D".
External links
Footnotes
- Annual Obituary, 1984.
- U.S. News & World Report, "Healthy Celebrity", 15 August 2005.
- Barry Paris, Garbo (New York: Knopf, 1995), page 370.
- Garbo's Taormina Vacation
- Fads, Follies and Delusions of the American People, by Paul Sann, Crown Publishers, 1967.
- “Gayelord Hauser” in American National Biography, Oxford University Press, 1998, article by Caroline Joan S. Pickart.