No One Understands Us

thoughts on the conflicting science of diet

“Who shall decide when doctors disagree?” - Alexander Pope

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, surgeon and author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease,” is famous for reversing his own heart disease as well as the heart disease of many of his patients. He did so through adopting a low-protein, no oil, plant-based diet. Dr. Esselstyn is one the pioneers who brought a plant-based diet to the forefront of our food culture. He attributes his longevity to his diet. He is 90 years old.

Dr. Peter Attia (50 years old )is also well-known in the world of health, also a surgeon and the author of a popular book called “Outlive."He believes a high-protein diet with plenty of animal protein is the way to live a long and healthy life and that bad cholesterol is not a threat to our health (the opposite of what Dr. Esselstyn believes.)

While both doctors have polar opposite opinions on fat, protein and eating meat, they do see eye to eye on a few things. Both agree that vegetables, fruit and exercise are health-promoting while alcohol, dairy and processed foods invite disease.

Then there’s my dad. My dad loves fine wine, good whiskey and tequila. He also appreciates fancy, gooey cheese. Veggies and fruit are definitely not high on my dad’s list of favorites. He has never been into fitness or exercise that I can remember (beyond a bit of jogging and ball sports when I was a kid.) While neither of my parents eat much (if any) processed food, I don’t think my dad spends much time thinking about the nutritional value of food. Yet, he’s 92 years old, feels fine and according to his doctor, he’s in perfect health.

So….maybe, we don’t know everything when it comes to health, diet and human life span. Maybe we are all just guessing. Maybe genes play a huge role. Maybe not. Maybe my dad is an outlier. Maybe he’s not. Maybe low stress has much more to do with longevity than we give it credit for. Maybe disease has something to do with viruses and/or environmental exposures ( I personally think this is huge - my dad has spent most of his life indoors in his office safely away from germs and toxins…he still works 6 days a week!)

They certainly are trying to figure out why certain people are “long-lifers” and others are not. There are scientists right now ripping genes out of lab mice and putting them back in and running numbers and tests and doing everything they can to discover exactly what causes some people to live longer, healthier lives than others.

In the meantime, I know this for sure: there is NO WAY I could feel good on my dad’s diet. In fact, I would be bed-ridden ( I know from experience.) And my dad would likely rather die than eat like a rabbit. Additionally, he has no “need” to change what he is currently doing and has been doing for his whole life. He feels perfectly fine. Aren’t these differences a bit odd when my dad and I are likely more genetically similar than different? That is something I think science may never rightly understand. It’s too complex. There are simply too many factors to comprehend that make up physical differences. Maybe billions of factors. Maybe more.

So, in the face of all this….what should we do to be healthy? Maybe it’s as simple as Shakespeare put it: To thine own self be true. If we can become quiet enough to listen to what our own body needs or doesn’t need (or at least be honest about what our bodies are or are not able to handle in a healthy way) maybe then we will all have a better chance at living long healthy lives. After all…all we really have is our relationship with ourself anyway.

XO