If people can’t do everything that needs to be done, what small steps can they take that will have a collective impact? We all need to question what our own limits are, what we can do and then do that with rigor. We don’t need to stop flying, we just need to do it a lot less. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to suddenly become vegan. I think a better idea is to eat as few animal products as possible, and if that amount is zero, great. If it’s once a week or once a day, then that’s a hell of a lot better than doing nothing. Rather than measuring the distance from some ethical perfection, we want to measure the distance from doing nothing at all.
Why is it such a struggle for people to follow through on climate change goals?
I think that if we approach change as if it isn’t difficult, then we diminish our chances of being able to sustain change. A lot of the things we need to give up are fun. It’s a shame we can’t solve climate change by not eating broccoli; we would have done it already. Climate change requires a different sort of moral imagination because, realistically, you and I aren’t going to die because of it. Human nature makes it more difficult to have an energetic response for something less immediate.
What call to action would you like to convey?
We have a feeling of helplessness, a feeling that there’s nothing we can do, but there is a lot that we can do and must do. The easiest and most powerful way to begin is with what we eat. That doesn’t mean you become vegan tomorrow, but tomorrow is a wonderful time to start eating fewer animal products. It’s a journey, not an event. Julie Peterson writes about health and the environment. Connect at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
North Texas Plant-Based Nutrition Leaders Sound Off Nutrition professionals have the education and experience to advise clients on many aspects of general health and disease prevention in particular. Here, some of our local experts express their firsthand experiences in their own words, along with advice and wisdom for us all.
P
atricia Thomson says, “At the age of 59, my dad underwent a quadruple bypass. Eleven years later, he would succumb to heart disease, leaving a wake of grief behind. Around the time of his death Patricia Thomson or shortly thereafter during an annual medical exam, my doctor diagnosed me with high cholesterol. They convinced me that I was following in my father’s footsteps and that I was destined by my genetics to have heart disease. At 41, I was fairly active, ate what I thought was a very healthy diet, consumed very little fast food and included fruits and vegetables in my food choices. I walked out of there stunned. I went on cholesterollowering medicine and went on my way until I came across a radio broadcast by a doctor talking about how food can determine your susceptibility to lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disease and even cancer. The bottom line was that a whole food, plant-based diet could help prevent and reverse most lifestyle related diseases, and that we did not have to be victims of our genetics. “Fast forward 10 years later, and I have lost weight and gained wonderful health. I admit I do spend more time in the kitchen cooking, but I have learned
fast and easy ways to prepare healthy and delicious foods. I do meal preps so that I have meals in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. I have saved money eating this way since I am not buying expensive meats, cheeses, processed foods and fast foods. I created TS Wellness and have now dedicated my life to helping others transition to a healthier way of eating and living their lives. I conduct cooking and nutrition classes and created the Food as Medicine Summit & EXPO as a way to bring the experts together to share this information with the general public.” Patricia R. Thomson, Ph.D., is the founder and president of TS Wellness and the Food as Medicine Summit & Expo, held Aug. 28 and 29 at the Richardson Civic Center. For more information visit TSWellness.com and FoodAsMedicineSummittTX.com.
B
rooke Ali states, “Friends invited me to an event at a mansion in Beverly Hills. The last thing I expected was to be sitting on a beautifully manicured lawn listening to testimonials from people from a food Brooke Ali bank that participated in a documentary about going plant-
May 2020
37
