Dad's going to become a cyborg today. A battery-powered device will be merged with his body to keep his heart rate from dropping too low (he's been having fainting spells). They refer to this surgery as a "procedure." How Orwellian... It accompanies the satins for cholesterol, his being borderline diabetic, and having high blood pressure. The "experts" believe diet is not a key factor. Yet, a low-fat low-salt diet is recommended for those suffering from bradycardia.
This frustrates me to no end. Because of the prevailing reductionistic mindset, believing everything can be broken up into bit'n'pieces and studied/treated individually instead of as a "whole system," the "experts" are doing nothing more then extending life a bit and treating symptoms --- totally ignoring the actual causes. Yet, Esselstyn and Ornish have proven you can reverse heart disease through a low-fat vegan diet, without drugs and machines. In denial, the aforementioned pros explain: people don't have the discipline and we don't make the same megabucks.
There's personal irony. This Mother's Day (to the day) is the anniversary of my Mom dying of breast cancer. I was 14 years old. It led directly to my quest to find out what might have caused her death and studying diet, health, nutrition, what's in our food, and eventually coming to the conclusion that going veg'n was one answer to avoiding these disorders.
The other answer was realizing that added fat, sugar, and salt, whether you are vegetarian or vegan, still contributes to developing many life-defying diseases. Aghast, I read daily recipe posts from vegans using such nutritional abominations as "1 cup of Earth Balance (fat fat fat)," or "2 cups of Veganaise (soy and fat)," or "1 cup of sugar (btw: those "wonderful" vegan marshmellows are basically corn syrup and sugar), " or "1 cup <insert product name> of faux cheese (soy and fat)," or "1/4 cup of reduced sodium tamari (2,800 mg sodium, well over a day's worth... yet how many veg'ns liberally soak their food with it, whether in a marinade, a dressing, or a stir-fry?)"
In my younger years, I could eat a box of light bulbs, down a case of beer with 2 large pizzas, make love all night, then run a marathon the next day. In my later years, that diet would make me ill and unable to run the marathon... But, to actually run life's BIG marathon successfuly means that we can't dietarily "sprint full tilt bozo" the first third, then expect the last two-thirds to be illness-free and that our bodies haven't been damaged by earlier abuses. That's a reality most won't accept. Being vegan isn't enough to protect you.
As McDougall has noted: "Moderation kills." ...and sustains your taste cravings. As such, we MUST to learn to fuel life's race properly with our diet, eating whole foods (oil, sugar, syrup, and sodium, are NOT whole foods), and avoid feeding taste addictions that, in the final analysis, can lead to what's happened to Dad: he didn't pace himself, and now he needs technology to do it for him.
What a sad but thought-provoking post. I read a LOT of vegan blogs and recipes, and understand exactly what you're talking about. I wish there was a harmless tasteless substance I could sub for all that fat - many times I have to just move on because I can't think of a work-around, no matter how good it sounds or looks.
I hope your dad will eventually read McDougall and Essey like you did.
[Thanks for your note... he was doing well for awhile having read Essy's book and the interview I did with him, but he's since lapsed somewhat.
Frustrating... amazing, too, that so many vegans who could give up the addictive taste of meat, eggs, and dairy, sometimes spend a lot of money and consume non-healthy alternatives to get back that taste!
I think it's the faux cheeses and mayo-subs that are the absolute worst. You're lucky that you seem to understand that look'n'taste don't always equal "healthy" or "advisable for consumption."
Anyway, Dad sent me an e-mail from his Blackberry (another addiction!) and the "procedure" was successful. Downside: three days in the hospital to monitor new medication.
Wanna guess how healthy the meals will be? Yarrrrghhh....
Appreciate the feedback! Best, Mark]
Posted by: BJ | 2009.05.12 at 18:57