 Meryl's Hero JourneyI have been a public health nurse for 30 years. During that time, I have cared for and worked with tens of thousands of people. When I first met them, they were relatively healthy, they were often young people with infants. And over the years, I stood witness as they received diagnoses of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and cancers. And in the realm of public health, where we work with people who have limited or no resources for medical care, to watch people get a diagnosis of a life-altering, sometimes life-threatening, illness that most of them believed to be incurable, then told to return for a check-up in three weeks or three months for the next installment of their healthcare. They were also sent home with medications and were told that eating low-fat dairy products or broiled chicken with no skin might help. And that is the only halfway valuable advice they get. To then see them return to the clinic in three months, or six, nine or 12 months, and they are not any better, never any better...that is a painful, painful experience to be a part of. Sidebar: most of us go into health care because we really want to help people. We want to make a difference with people. So, to sit in an exam room or to be a part of an exam translating for somebody who speaks Spanish when the doctor is saying these things, and all I can do is translate when I know the person is 99% certain to come back in three months to a year, and not be any better, is horrible. Heartbreaking. So, after 30 years of doing that and knowing that there had to be a better way...there had to be some other way.... thankfully, I was able to step out of that arena and take on being the leader of Plant Based Nutrition Movement. With that, I feel like I can actually make a positive difference in people’s lives. At the same time I retired from direct patient care and clinic work, and after a couple of years of being president and CEO of PBNM, I had the fortune of meeting Paul Chatlin, who little did I know, was actually quite involved in the creation of the organization I now have the honor of leading. It was in conversation with Paul and in accepting his invitation to join something greater, to be a part of something bigger than our usual M.O., something bigger than ourselves, let’s say, that we were able to create this Alliance. Sage Circle Alliance speaks to the need for people to get the message that most do not have to get on the medication treadmill. You don’t have to watch passively as disease gets worse and worse. And you don’t have to die of it in about 8 or 10 or 12 years. You can actually make a difference for yourself with simple, affordable shifts with diet and lifestyle. Bigger than that, there are at least 50 or, more like 50,000, other professionals who share the same thought, that they don’t want to be a part of the painful process of watching their loved ones die. So, our goal is to make a difference with that. To change that. In the process of helping people not die of preventable, reversible illnesses, we want their children to do better. We want the whole family to do better. On top of that, the whole world and all life on the planet should do better. That’s what we are here for. |  Paul's Hero JourneyMy name is Paul Chatlin (paul@pbnsg.org). I am the founder of PBNSG. We are the only national Whole Food Plant Based support group. I am also an AARP member and really appreciate all that you do. We support people of all ages. Food choices should always be the first line of defense before pills and procedures. It is your mission. It is my mission. This is my brief story. I hope someone will contact me for a conversation. As a young boy, I watched my uncles and my dad, in their 50’s, have heart issues. My family was centered around my dad and his brothers. In a 3-year period, we lost 2 of them to bypass surgery. One of them mentally was never the same. About 5-6 years later, my father had quadruple bypass surgery. Watching him cry over the next few days has never left my mind. Now fast forward. I am a father of 3 young men. I never thought about any health issues. I always kept in good shape. I worked out all the time and I ate a lot, but as I reflect back, not very well. Then, IT happened, I was diagnosed with angina at the same age my dad when he was diagnosed, in his fifties. I was lucky that some higher power gave me many miracle opprotunities to change my lifestyle and avoid bypass surgery. I am just a hardworking guy. I’m not a genius by any means, but when you smack me in the head enough times, I get it. I had to change my ways. When I got into the Cleveland Clinic, I got assigned a doctor whose mentor was Caldwell Esselstyn. As I was being wheeled in for heart surgery, he said, "Would you consider a lifestyle change?" I had no idea what that meant, but I said "yes" in blind faith, because I thought about my sons, and I wanted to honor my uncles and see if I could change the narrative of "It’s in your genetics" vs "I have control and maybe I can get better." 12 years later I still have not had bypass surgery. In the months after making the lifestyle change and giving up the meat, dairy and oil, I starting feeling better. As I felt better, I knew I was not alone because there are so many people with heart disease. The Plant Based Nutrition Support Group (PBNSG) was born to help others avoid major heart surgery, diabetes, obesity and other chronic health issues. Who knew it was the food we are eating that helped contribute to declining health. I knew there were many people suffering and their doctors were not saying to them, "you must change your lifestyle." Instead, most people are told to "skim this, skim that, low fat this, low fat that." Following those suggestions merely slows down one’s deteriorating health and ultimately does not improve health. Medications and procedures are soon to follow. I made a solemn promise the moment I was fortunate enough to bypass the bypass surgery, that when I got better, I would help others understand the benefits of nutrition over pills or procedures. The Plant Based Nutrition Support Group (PBNSG) became my stage to share, a place to tell my story and to hear other people’s stories. I just wanted people to know about the health benefits of Whole Food Plant Based and then make their own life decisions. If you do not know about it, you have no options other than what your doctors are telling you. For more information please go to www.pbnsg.org. |
