Just a quick update in terms of the marathon powered by plants.  On the one hand running a marathon is not particularly significant, but I wanted to highlight it, as with the culture we live in the dominant idea is, that if  you don’t eat meat and dairy then you are sickly, feeble and weak. ( or if you are not now, you soon will be!)
I have been vegan for 12 years and vegetarian for 20 years before that. Â I completed the marathon in 3 hours 35 minutes coming in 3rd out of 29 competitors. Â Yes the Broome marathon is rather small. Â My son quipped when I told him my result, that I made top 30!
I was by far the oldest participant and ran this marathon 7 minutes slower than my time in the Adelaide marathon 24 years ago.
I have just bought a book today titled, Plant-powered Men:Inspirational Men Share their Secrets of Optimal Health and Boundless Energy compiled by Kathy Devine. Â I am looking forward to reading it and touching base with some fellow travellers-my tribe.
I think there is an interview in there about a group called Extreme Vegans who do demanding outdoor activities. Â I might chase it up as I think I am ready!
Yours in health
Gary
This is great!.
Congratulations! My brother in-law has been running the Boston marathon for over 30 years. He told me recently that after being a vegetarian for many, many years, he is now back eating small amounts of meat. (He has been, like I am, a fan of the Pritikin way of life).
My wife died of a heart attack aged 27 although on autopsy the cause of the heart attack remained a mystery. Naturally, I became interested in heart problems and read the Pritikin diet book. I asked my Dr what he thought of the diet and he said, “it is too extreme, no-one would ever stick to it”. This is 31 years ago and unfortunately the advice you are likely to get from your Dr hasn’t changed(not in my experience anyway) in the last three decades. Many people I talk to who have serious chronic conditions(common ones are various forms of inflammatory bowel disease and reflux problems) are not given any information about diet, just medication.
I am so sorry about your wife’s death, at such a young age too. I could n’t see on your Facebook page if you “liked”Jeff Novick. He used to work for the Pritikin center (my in-laws went to the center in the 90’s, met Nathan Pritikin). Jeff is the only one who will answer your questions on Facebook. I think he is coming out with a book pretty soon. He is my favorite. You can subscribe to his newsletter too.
Diseases are big business for doctors and the pharmaceutical industry. Most doctors get such huge kick backs prescribing drugs, it is shameful! It is up to us to educate ourselves and live a simple, healthy life.
Having been a veggie for over 35+ years I will confirm that protein for health is not only procured thru consuming ‘meat’! Now at 68 I find it more important to think about the saying ..”you are what you eat”. Stay healthy by staying way from meat and drugs. The body is amazing at it’s ability to cure itself with the right healthy ingredients. Fruit, veggies, nuts etc.
Just think how fast you would have run if you imagined some broccoli waiting for you at the finish line.
Congrats on the marathon.