The Big Tent and Dr. G

     For better or worse I'm a Big Tent guy. I'm not talking about my current shirt size.

     Whether it's politics, religion or, say, hog calling, I think all groups are made stronger by expanding the tent and inviting as many different points of view as possible.  Instead our fears drive us to set up small tents and purity tests.

     "You don't want to build a border wall?! You're a RINO! Out!"

     "You don't believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale?! Blasphemer! Out!"

     "You would allow whistles or electronic devices in a Hog Call competition?! May you boil in the fiery pits of Mordor!"

      I got thinking about this because of a conversation I had with Dr. Ben Gonzalez. (Dr. G as he's known by his patients.) Ben and I knew each other in high school a looooong time ago. (I ocassionally borrowed his abacus). In high school Ben was a skinny Student Government geek who played the violin. As time marched on he became a military doc who was awarded the bronze star for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He's also a pilot. And he still plays the violin. Raconteur much, Ben?

     Here he is in a fitness challenge with a guy half his age. He's also a 1st degree black belt in Karate and Tae Kwon Do. (Big deal. My belts are way bigger and made from animals.)

     After a fifteen year stint on the emergency staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Ben started his own practice. Atlantis Medical Wellness Center in Silver Spring, MD. He wanted the freedom to make a real difference in the lives of his patients which meant spending more time with them and giving them the information they needed, especially about nutrition. Consequently, he gave up his relationship with insurance companies because they generally only reimburse doctors for prescribing pills and procedures. Sad but true. There's not a lot of money in preventing disease but there's mountains of cash to be made on people who already have a disease.

     Ben and I re-connected recently. He follows this blog. He's not a vegan, just interested. Or bored.

     He said something that got me thinking about big tents.

     "I consider myself a plant based doc."

     Now if I was a small-tent plant-based disciple I might cry "Hellish Carnivore! I shun you!"  And if he came to my house for dinner he'd have to shave his head and enter walking backwards and sit by himself at a separate table.

     But I'm not a small tent guy. So I asked why he considers himself to be a plant based doc. His explanation made perfect sense. He said he tries to get his patients to flip their dinner plate paradigm to include more plants. He wants them to see meat as a garnishment. Or at least as that small serving section of their plate. And he encourages them to fill the rest of their plate with raw fruits and vegetables.

     Now, that's not my food program. I'm a whole food plant based guy. No meat. No dairy. No oils. I've found it to be the best way to manage my diabetes. Who knows, I may make modifications in the future. But I'm not about to cast Ben's ideas in the dust bin because they don't adhere exactly to my chosen path. Imagine the health benefits if every American made the change Ben's advocating! In a few years we could reap a very powerful reward - we could start making fat jokes about people from other countries.

     I sigh when I read about plant based enthusiasts denouncing other plant based enthusiasts because they eat honey, for instance. Sheesh! We've got bigger tofu chunks to saute, people!

     So, I treasure my recent conversation with Ben. Not only because I re-discovered an old friend but because he expanded my understanding of what it means to be plant-based. He invited me to pull up my tent stakes and re-plant them a little further out. A tip of the hat Dr. G.

     That's all for today. Time to beatbox the hogs home for dinner.