PlantPure Nation
PlantPure Nation is a 96-minute documentary film recently released (2015) that tells the story of how scientists, doctors, researchers, and other supporters are working to spread the word of the health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.
Twelve years ago, T. Colin Campbell, an American biochemist and Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, published The China Study, a book that examines the relationship between the consumption of animal products (including dairy) and chronic diseases – heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Read more 
Carnism and Melanie Joy
We don’t see meat eating as we do vegetarianism – as a choice, based on a set of assumptions about animals, our world, and ourselves. Rather, we see it as a given, the “natural” thing to do, the way things have always been and the way things will always be. We eat animals without thinking about what we are doing and why, because the belief system that underlies this behavior is invisible. This invisible belief system is what I call carnism. ~Melanie Joy
Turkey Time
The Thanksgiving meal is about as American and traditional as it gets with nearly every family in the United States celebrating this national holiday – most with a roasted turkey on the table. Although many dishes have changed little in the past hundred years – bread stuffing, cornbread, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans – the turkey has changed dramatically. Before I tell you how the turkey has changed, I want to say this is not about shaming those who choose to eat turkey. The purpose is to inform the reader of what many turkey farmers, cooperatives, processors, and food companies don’t want consumers to know about the turkey on your table. Read more
Twelve Superstars
Today is Election Day. Many of us will flock to the polls and cast our votes for the candidates we want to represent us. Although the really big election day is a year away, the essence of leadership is heavy on many people’s minds with all the presidential debates. As we make our choices today and in the future, let us not forget about the people who are making a difference by making this world a better, healthier, and more compassionate place. Read more
Medical School and Nutrition Education
Doctors…..cannot be expected to properly treat patients or guide the prevention of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome if they are not trained to identify and modify the contributing lifestyle factors. ~Kathaleen Briggs Early, Kelly M Adams, and Martin Kohlmeier
Recently, my friend (a doctor) told me her son graduated from University of Virginia’s medical school and had no more than a few hours of nutrition education throughout the four-year program. Although I heard that medical students are rarely required to take a course on nutrition, I didn’t know the specifics which led me to do some research which revealed the following information: Read more
Thoughts on Living Vegan
Veganism often leaves people perplexed (as in “How do you get your protein?”) or thinking how strange that animal products (i.e. milk, eggs, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, pork chops, and the like) are not a part of my diet. To these people, I want to say “I understand” because I, too used to think vegans (and I used to pronounce the word “veg-ans” with a soft “g”) were extremists, outliers, and generally don’t fit in with the rest of the world. The truth is they don’t but it’s not because vegans are weird but because vegans have chosen to acknowledge, confront, and reject the horrific cruelty involved in putting animal products on a breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate, or in a bowl or glass. Read more
McDonald’s and the Mercy Medical Center
From the start, we’ve been committed to doing the right thing. And we’ve got the policies, programs and practices in place that allow us to use our size and scope to help make a difference. Because what’s good for us, is good for us all. ~McDonald’s
Mercy. Excellence every day in every way. ~Mercy Medical Center
Have you ever wondered why a McDonald’s would ever be located within a medical center or hospital? I have and can only guess that the answer must be related to money, job security, or incompetence. Why else would a facility dedicated to health and saving lives ever allow a fast food chain known for the Big Mac (540 calories, 28 grams of fat, 970 grams of sodium), French Fries* (510 calories, 24 grams of fat, 290 grams of sodium), and Coca Cola* (280 calories, 76 grams of sugar) – which coincidently is also known as the “Extra Value Meal” – on their premises? Read more
The Millennials are Leading the Way….
A few years ago – well, 17 to be exact, Tom Brokaw published The Greatest Generation – a book which described the people born in the early part of the 20th century who grew up during the Depression of the 1930’s and went on to fight in World War II because it was “the right thing to do.” From his perspective, this generation was the greatest ever produced because they were raised in deprivation and yet, selflessly contributed to a war effort to stop aggression and genocide. No doubt their perseverance was a testament to their extraordinary character. Read more
What’s in a Chicken McNugget?
At McDonald’s, we take great care to serve quality, great-tasting menu items to our customers each and every time they visit our restaurants.
Most people think a Chicken McNugget is chicken with breading but a look at the ingredient’s list reveals a different story. McDonald’s publishes an up-to-date list (www.nutrition.mcdonalds.com) of ingredients in their menu items which reveals a Chicken McNugget contains at least 37 ingredients: Read more
COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret
Why doesn’t The Sierra Club, Oceana, Greenpeace, Surfrider Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Rainforest Action Network, and Amazon Watch loudly communicate about the number one environmental problem in the world?
News outlets recently reported that Bill Gates, Peter Thiel, Jerry Yang, and Jessica Powell are investing in Hampton Creek – a small company based in San Francisco focused on developing new ways of utilizing plants to replace eggs and animal products in a variety of different foods. Why would the co-founders of Microsoft, PayPal, Yahoo, and Google invest in a company promoting plant-based foods? The answer is surprisingly simple: there is one single industry that is destroying the planet more than any other: animal agriculture (which includes animal livestock and fishing). Hard to believe? It’s true but it’s one of the best kept secrets on this planet because no one wants to talk about it. Why? That’s a good question. Read more
Paddock Post 