sleep with one eye open

My friend Jonesy and I went at it this weekend.

Jonesy is not, a dumbass. In fact something I’ve always admired about him is that he’s not afraid to go the other way. When everyone else is going one way, he’ll go the other way. I love that about him, it’s one of the reasons why we’ve been such good friends for 10 years. He does it when we ski together. Jonesy knows some great lines.

Jonesy grew up here in Eagle, in the mountains. Like most of us he’s a character, not fond of rules or the status quo. When his Dad told me about his cancer, I started hammering Jonesy on what he eats. These past few days I hammered a little too hard. He basically told me to take my plants and shove ’em. Then I basically called him a dumbass. Yesterday he came over, dropped off our  Tupperware on the porch with a message of “while you’re at it, shove your Tupperware too”. Yesterday I was so pissed at him.

But then he sent me a text yesterday. We’re back on track now. We’ll fight more, that’s what friends do.

When I got up this morning it occurred to me that he’s right to question me and what I believe in. It occurred to me that maybe by arguing with me, now Jonesy was following my tracks? That he was doing what he’s seen me do, so many times?

Thanking me is great, I love it. But the ultimate compliment to follow in my tracks.

So I was going to send this to him. Instead, I’ll send it to the world. I hope everyone out there is asking questions. I hope everyone out there always holds people and companies accountable. Andy Grove once said, “Be worried, when everyone is saying the same thing”. Yeah man, that’s right on. Call people on their stuff, but don’t be a jerk.

Here’s my letter:

I think what you were drawing to is that there’s a lot of charlatans that have shown up on the plant based scene. I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had epic battles with companies who I think are full of it.

I’m skeptical of Brook’s Demeter/Biodynamics message. And of course we’re no longer on their meat and milk plan. This year we were avid buyers of the greens they grow. I wish they’d stop with the milk and meat.

As you know, I’m no longer on the Rich Roll kick — which I’m pretty sure Rich is happy about. Rich banned me from his website because I was calling him on some stuff. When we were following his book our grocery bill was $1000 to $1200 a month. Fuck me. Now, our bill is about $700 bucks. Yes!

How did we lower our food cost? To start, we quit eating all the fancy super foods and powders Rich is proud of. Both are really expensive and there’s no credible research showing that super foods like Maca Powder make any difference.

Now, all we do is eat from the ground. We supplement with a B-12 and a D-3. We’re taking in much less sugar and fat now — Rich’s book calls for a lot of nuts (fats), honey and syrups (sugars). And most of his recipes call for oil (Renee ignored the oil from the beginning — she sautés using water).

Rich is also big on smoothies. Putting a cup or two of fruit in the blender with some Almond Milk a couple times a week is fine. But we believe we should be eating our food, not blending it.

I had gone way off the reservation with my smoothies. The reason why is because smoothies are fast and easy. I think it’s wrong to create any illusion that health is fast or easy. With my smoothies I was taking in way too much, all at once. My daily smoothie was like setting off an avalanche in the Bowl — “look out below”.

I sleep with one eye open. It’s hard to get stuff past me because I remember what people say and do. So the alarm goes off when they’re…not following what they say and do. Rich Roll does some good work, make no mistake about it. But he also contradicts himself – a lot. Others in the plant based scene do the same. When I call them on it I either get banned from their website or they won’t return my emails. Most in this movement think of themselves as liberal. But then when you call them on stuff or question them, they turn you off. Gore Vidal would be rolling over in his grave.

A while back I got so pissed at it all I was going to make a movie. Titles I had come up with were Mumbo Jumbo, The Unconscious Liberal, and Trickle Down Transformation. I wanted to take a critical, informative, and fun look at the organic, vegan, grass fed, sustainable, and awareness movements .

Because our health, making Mother Earth a better place for generations to come is serious stuff. But its become a giant business, worth zillions a year. So there’s a lotta bs and lies out there. I wanted to point out how organic, sustainable, grass fed and awareness movements are lying to people. Then I wanted to contrast the bs and lies with what I believe.

So you’re absolutely right to question — everything.

I’m not always right and I’m quick to admit when I’m wrong. But when I stick with something, it’s been vetted. You know me, I don’t follow the masses. And you can follow my thinking on my blog. I never take down posts — because I want to track my evolution.

Jonesy, I’m convinced eating from the ground is the way to go. Not only that, it’s low cost — lower cost than not, something else I was wrong about. I’m convinced that eating any amount of meat and dairy goes against our health and is out of alignment with our values. I’m convinced that being a plantarian is the healthiest way to live. I’m convinced that Dr’s Greger, Barnard, Campbell, Esselstyn, Klaper, and the many other doctors following this path are righteous people who’s only agenda is to help others live healthier lives.

I could still get cancer. There was just a report the other day on how our water is in danger, see this post:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/20/chromium-6-erin-brockovich-chemical-threatens-two-thirds-of-americans-erin-brockovich

But by living the way we do I’m greatly reducing my exposure. And if I reduce exposure, I reduce risk.

BTW. I’ll keep an eye on our water. I’ll do it for us, for others.

Keep questioning authority, right on man!