Hitching a ride with Farmer Esselstyn, M.D.
Where can you hitch a ride with a Mule-driving doctor on your way to the oatmeal bar?
PLANTSTOCK in upstate NY, of course!
Where can you run with Scott Jurek before breakfast and learn HOW NOT TO DIE before lunch?
You're right. PLANTSTOCK!
Where can you rub shoulders with T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and get Ann and Jane Esselstyn's autographs on their PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE COOKBOOK?
PLANTSTOCK! right again!
I think you get the idea--PLANTSTOCK weekend at the Esselstyn family farm in upstate NY was a weird and wonderful experience! WEIRD because we ate flavored balsamic vinegars with our steamed greens, blueberries and oatmeal for breakfast! WONDERFUL because it tasted so good, was good for our blood vessels and Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., our host, explained how all 425 of us were building up our endothelial fortress with each bite! (When you do that, you literally make yourself HEART ATTACK PROOF!)
I hope you don't think all we ate was oatmeal and vinegar! We had lots of KALE--Kale Ceviche, Kale Bruschetta and even Kale Cake plus you could purchase KALE T-shirts, too. And you haven't seen the best if you haven't seen Ann Esselstyn' s KALE STRIPPING DEMO! (Even the Esselstyn grandchildren got in on the act.)
Speaking of food, the 5 course sit down Saturday night dinner for 400+ in the great outdoors was lovely! Most memorable was the main course sweet potato lasagna topped off with a date nut chocolate dessert! No meat, no dairy, no oil, no problem.
In addition to the remarkable Esselstyns, Caldwell, Ann, Jane, and marvelous master of ceremonies, Rip, guest speakers included the movers and shakers in the Plant-based community, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Garth Davis, Dr. Doug Lisle, Dr. Richard Oppenlander, Scott Jurek, Rich Roll, James Wilks, all experts who understand the impact of food choice on personal health and climate disruption.
Dr. Richard Oppenlander addressed the global consequences of escalating demand for animal products. His challenge was urgent, deep and broad calling for the "giant step" of bringing an end to animal agriculture and questioning the limited effectiveness of such "baby steps" as Meatless Monday.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., author of THE CHINA STUDY, reflected on the slowness of established science to tell the truth about the power of nutrition, the almost nonexistent nutrition research funding and the absence of nutrition education in medical schools. Most interesting to me was his discussion of how high protein diets lower our Natural Killer Cells ability to repair cell damage. Animal protein consumption in excess of 10% blocks this repair activity. Our Western diet averages 17% animal protein! In addition animal based foods displace plant-based foods, the very foods that provide a broad and rapid nutritional effect!
Garth Davis, M.D.,author of PROTEINAHOLIC also addressed the consequences of our high animal protein consumption while Michael Greger, M.D., author of HOW NOT TO DIE, highlighted the latest scientific studies on how to fight disease and prolong life.
No plant-based event is complete without Dr. Doug Lisle's wit and wisdom regarding our psychological health. He did not disappoint.
We bring home from PLANTSTOCK a sense of exhilaration and hope that many share our concerns for personal and global health and that many are working to overcome the resistance to the transformational message of plant-based nutrition.It is impossible to keep this good news under wraps. Each time we share our personal stories of restored health we break through the wall of misinformation that keeps people from taking charge of their own health.
The future is filled with Hope!
(Rip Esselstyn holds Hope, munching on a carrot, in his arms).
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Dorothy Greet invites you on a journey to amazing good health and vitality through Plant-Based Eating.
A heart attack turned her life upside down at age 70.
Now, with a Cornell Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition, this retired clergywoman teaches free classes to community groups upon request.
To contact Ms. Greet, email dgreet@aya.yale.edu.
For more information on plant-based eating go to greetplantbased.blogspot.com.
