| Edgar J. Saxon | |
| Birth Date: | 1877 |
| Death Date: | 1956 |
| Occupation: | Naturopath, writer |
Edgar J. Saxon (1877-1956) was a British environmentalist, naturopath and alternative health writer. He was a pioneer of the organic movement.[1]
Saxon was born Ernest Savage and later changed his name to Edgar J. Saxon.[2] He was born at the East End of London and moved to Wimbledon as a child.[1] He worked for an office firm but took a day off in 1897 to walk the hills to the River Dee.[3] He suffered from foot pain so decided to take his boots off and put his feet in a waterfall.[3] He stated that his feet had been cured the next morning by an energy in the water unknown to science and he considered himself restored by a "nature cure". He believed that people in modern society had become alienated from the healing properties of nature.[3]
In 1908, Saxon met Charles William Daniel at his bookshop in Amen Corner, off Ludgate Hill.[2] In 1911, Daniel founded The Healthy Life magazine, of which Saxon became editor and owner in 1920.[1] It was renamed Health and Life in 1934 and Saxon edited the magazine until his death in 1956.[4] The magazine has been described as an "essential source for students of the alternative health movement in Britain". It promoted health foods, herbal medicine, homeopathy and social nudism.[1]
Between the wars, Saxon created the first health food restaurants known as "Vitamin Cafés" and a naturopathic centre in Wigmore Street, London.[1] Saxon established a bookstore, school of reform and lectured at Conway Hall.[1] He was founding member and former president of the Nature Cure Association of Great Britain.[5]
Saxon advocated organic farming and raged against the industrialization of modern society.[3] He criticized chemical companies and the use of fertilizers. He wrote against adulterated foods, pollution and waste.[3] Saxon promoted a diet of "honest foods", by this he meant whole foods, which are grown without artificials or processed and refined.[1] He campaigned against the use of sugar and white bread.[1] Saxon's books were published by Charles William Daniel.[6]
Saxon promoted vegetarianism but criticized veganism as he believed it would lead to impoverished soil through lack of humus.[7]