There is hope.

There is nothing on earth that I would not give up, excepting of course, two things and two things only, truth and nonviolence.
–Gandhi

This last weekend I met one of Dr. Campbell’s assistants, a recent college graduate of Cornell who now works for Dr. Campbell’s Foundation. We had an interesting conversation. I asked her what her educational background was. Expecting her to say something like nutrition, or some field in the sciences, she replied that she had majored in Africana Studies, with an emphasis on the civil rights movement in the United States. She pointed out that there are many similarities between the civil rights movement and the plant-based nutrition movement. There are a few leaders who are willing to stand up for the truth, while others are content (or not informed) to maintain the status quo. Further, she said something that inspired me which was something along the lines of: “It does seem very discouraging, considering what we are up against. But I believe good will ultimately prevail.”

I believe that too. Good will prevail. But it takes people to stand up for what is right and to fight for it.

One such example, in recent years, is the decline in smoking which has been a direct result of the litigious take down of the tobacco industry. A generation or two ago, smoking was very much common place–something that could be done nearly anywhere, even in hospitals, schools, and airplanes. It has now become taboo in most social circles, as people have become aware of the disease promoting effects of its consumption as well as some very damaging lawsuits against the industry.

What has to happen for good to prevail is for people to be willing to take a stand, even at great personal costs. Integrity, in the truest sense, is the choice to live what you know to be true.

I believe I may have shared this excerpt before, but it’s one of my favorites. It demonstrates how upside down the world can be. John here, refers to Dr. John McDougall.

In this environment (medical profession), diet was considered quackery. John
would ask, “Doesn’t diet have something to do with heart disease?” and his
colleagues would tell him that the science was controversial. John continued to
read the scientific research and to talk to his colleagues and only became even
more baffled. “When I looked at the literature, I couldn’t find the
controversy. It was absolutely clear what the literature said.”
Through those years, John came to understand why so many physicians claimed diet was controversial: “The scientist is sitting down at the breakfast table
and in one hand he has a paper that says that cholesterol will rot your arteries
and kill you, and in the other hand he has a fork shoveling bacon and eggs
into his mouth, and he says, ‘There’s something confusing here. I’m
confused.’ And that’s the controversy. That’s all it is.”
(The China Study, p. 330-331)

Try as I might, I cannot deny what I know to be true. You and I don’t have to become victims of our palates. We don’t have to live in fear of a premature death caused by a chronic degenerative condition. We have so much more power over our health and our happiness than we acknowledge. I know these things to be true, and I cannot escape the absolute weight of the responsibility to share with others.

For this reason, while it would be much easier to just live my own life and worry only about myself and my little family, I do what I can to share this message. While there are moments of discouragement (am I really doing any good here, or is all of this in vain??), I have seen friends and family, received emails, and have met personally, individuals whose lives have drastically improved by their decision to adopt a whole-foods, plant-based diet.

I’ll leave you with an example of one such person. My brother-in-law, a firefighter (and for that matter, a very “manly” man) who follows the Engine 2 Diet (plant-based, but still consumes a small amount of meat 2-3 times a week), wrote the following email to the Rip Esselystyn:

Rip and the E-2 crowd,

I’m a professional firefighter/paramedic in Salt
Lake County, Utah. I’m 28 years old, married w/ 2 kids. I’ve been a firefighter
since 2002 and absolutely love the job.

I had a physical, with blood
tests done, in August. Bought the book in September, read it in a week. After
the 28 day program I had another health screening. My cholesterol dropped from
172 down to 121 and my body fat went from 18% to 13.5%. Making me almost heart
attack proof! I feel amazing, powerful, and energetic; like I am 18 again.

I’m always troubled by the LODD statistics, Heart attack is always at
the top of the list. I don’t want to become another statistic. Also, I wanted to
prevent disease and build my immune system as much as possible because, lets
face it, we are exposed to a lot of carcinogens, disease, germs, and other bad
stuff.

I just wanted to write and tell you how excited I am about my new
health and wellness status; a big portion of this thanks goes to y’all! Thanks
for helping me get motivated. I really appreciate your efforts and research; the
program has changed my future.

I have a great support group with my
wife, several of our close friends, and a few other firefighters at work. We’re
making it together.

I’ve also read The China Study, taken some of the
Wellness Forum classes, and read what I can from the others: Popper, Ornish,
Barnard, McDougall, Caldwell Esselstyn, etc.

Thanks again,

Stephen