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| Forums: January 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: "Push-back" | |||
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| veveveveggie
Joined: 12/28/09 Posts: 114 |
"Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 9:21 AM First off, I would like to thank the doctors who are taking time to join our forum. It is good to have you here. Dr. Don mentioned a push-back from the government, industry and medical community as the vegan diet becomes more popular. As we know, the government subsidizes the meat industry. It's easy to understand why the meat industry wants us to consume meat. I don't understand why the medical community would have an interest in whether or not people eat meat. My elderly aunt said her doctor told her to eat "high-quality protein" because she doesn't eat enough food. Why would her doctor say this instead of addressing why she doesn't eat more. What might we expect in this "push-back?" |
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| Caroline
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 8 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 9:46 AM As a doctor, I can tell you we didn't learn the truth about nutrition in medical school. While I feel like my own knowledge has evolved over the last 30 years due to my own interest in the subject, most doctors just don't know what to tell people. I have only recently come to realize that the American Academy of Family Physiscians gets its information abut Osteoporosis from the National Dairy Council!!The medical community is essentially clueless. |
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LaniMuelrath
 Location: California Posts: 561 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 10:19 AM Caroline's answer probably underscores the single biggest reason; the focus in med school is not on prevention so much as treatment, and the pharmaceuticals are always there with their solution. We all know medicine plays an important role in the accute situation and in other realms as well, but the preventative wellness piece is missing! So it may well be just a matter of not knowing, lack of knowledge, and shortage of time - or maybe even interest? - to investigate. It's interesting to note that our plant-eating friendly docs who have written about it somehow observed how eating in other cultures seemed to impact health - I'm thinking Dr. McDougall and Esslestyn here - which opened their eyes to application to their own patients. I agree it will be interesting to see, as PCRM type dietary plans go more mainstream - what happens in medicine and mainstream media. I've been doing some investigative writing regarding Rip Esslestyn's Engine 2 Diet and last night heard him say "I believe in 5 years that there will be just as much stigma to eating meat and dairy as there is to smoking." As in "take that burger outside!" Think it's possible? Lani Lani Muelrath, M.A. CGFI, CPBN
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| Mariberry
Joined: 01/02/10 Posts: 297 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 11:45 AM I stopped asking my own doctor for nutritional advice when he didn't know what stevia was. I sometimes call him Dr.Google because with some questions I ask he leaves the room, then comes back with the answer so I figure he's dashed out to google the question. I picked up my copy of The China Study yesterday. Also, while surfing through my bookmarked recipe sites found a response from Dr. Campbell to Dr. Joseph Mercola. The link is: I'd love to see the big rainforest destroying, artery-clogging burger chains have to eat a big ol' piece of humble pie! All we are saying is "Give Peas a Chance" |
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| Caroline
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 8 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 1:40 PM Lani, I hope you are right, but I'm not so confident. The meat and dairy industries have so much power that its hard to see how we overcome their influence. People underestimate how political our food culture is. |
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| shanna
Joined: 12/30/09 Posts: 287 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 1:54 PM I'm so glad to see you all talking about this. FOOD POLITICS by Marion Nestle, along with The China Study, opened my eyes to this reality a couple of years ago. The situation is just shocking to most people--definitely a "matrix" moment! When this comes up in conversation I frequently feel like I need a tinfoil hat. An essential step is the reorganization of the Dept. of Agriculture so that it is not responsible for both promoting agricultural products like meat and dairy AND advising the American public on health and nutrition. That's a contradictory mission and we're bound to fail as long as it's the case. Just exactly how to make that happen is tougher than simply wishing, alas. In addition, the health care system needs thorough revamping (don't we all know it after this last year in politics)--with everything from a new emphasis on prevention and nutrition in med schools to regulation of the pharmaceutical industry (which exerts similar political power to industrial food and also puts quite a bit of pressure/enticements on doctors themselves). Since these changes are huge and seem overwhelming, the best thing we can do is continue to focus on the personal changes we can make, influencing our family/friends/work/social circles and SPREADING THE WORD. When the majority of Americans wake up, we can change things. That process begins with information. Thank you all for being part of it! |
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| manxie
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 16 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 5:02 PM Take heart: I really do think that there are more and more doctors out there advocating (or, at least, suggesting investigation of) a vegan lifestyle. My endocrinologist is all for it. In fact, he told me that he attended a presentation on veganism and its positive impact on diabetes at a recent conference. I am taking part in the Kickstart with his blessing. Of course, on the other side of the coin, is my former (emphasis on "former") nutritionist. She felt that veganism = eating disorder. I just couldn't convince her that animals aren't a food group! |
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| LaniMuelrath
Location: California Posts: 561 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 7:47 PM Oh, man, that kills me when I hear "vegan=disorder". It's not that it is said so directly, but the derision with which it is meant is enough. I think that it is often perceived as a criticism just by what it says, and people become defensive. Kind of knee jerk. Without you saying anything. And Caroline, to clarify, I said that is what Rip said, not that I am confident of same. One can be hopeful yet you know what, it is each individual stepping forward in confidence and matter-of-factness about their position that will be exemplary to those around us. This grass roots approach does affect public opinion. Maybe there is some hope there? Lani Lani Muelrath, M.A. CGFI, CPBN
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| veveveveggie
Joined: 12/28/09 Posts: 114 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Monday, January 18, 2010 at 9:52 AM I think we will see more about meat eating vs. nut-job vegans in the movies. I saw one, but I can't remember which movie it was. Movies are an effective campaign media; it's called product placement, I think. Smoking is a good example. No pitch involved, just the visual of the lead person smoking. In the case of meat eating vs. veganism, making the vegan into a loser is still popular with the masses. There will be more cases of meat related food poisoning making news. This has a chilling effect for a brief time, but can be a tipping point for people who are inclined towards a plant based diet. The tactic will be to marginalize us as fanatics and the like in whatever one way media they can. They won't touch the sanitation issue with a ten foot fork though. I don't know what other tricks they have. Jean |
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smday
 Location: Kansas City Posts: 52 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Monday, January 18, 2010 at 11:42 AM It took 40 years to get smoking rates in the US from 42% to just under 20%. So 5 years is way too optimistic, in my opinion, to see a big reversal in the animal protein consumption rates in the US. I think it will be a long, slow, painful process that is just now in the early stages. The proposed health care reform legislation has NOTHING in it to promote nutrition as a means of reducing future health care costs. As I pointed out in an earlier post, even one of the 21-day kickstart celebrity trainers (Bob Harper) is still clueless. |
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| Caroline
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 8 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Monday, January 18, 2010 at 12:03 PM There is some hope for change with the Obama administration in power. There is some evidence that Michelle Obama is at least interested in the issues of food and nutrition. |
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| smday
Location: Kansas City Posts: 52 |
RE: "Push-back" Posted Monday, January 18, 2010 at 12:18 PM Don't pin any of your hopes on any administration. This change will have to come from the bottom up (not the top down). Just watch how fast Iowa (and other states) would turn from blue to red if the current administration gave more than a bit of lip service to reductions in animal protein. |
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For other issues, though, he's an absolute star and I feel tremendously lucky to have him as my doctor. We all have our limits.
It's nice to feel less alone here in this Kickstart program. | New Topic Reply Subscription Options |
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