Discussion Board

Be sure to read the April newsletter. Dr. McDougall's lead-in article is fantastic and inspirational. I have a whole new level of respect for him.

Dr. McDougall, if you're reading this, I found the following statement particularly intriguing:

" I can set up a 10-day McDougall Program in any city in the US within 72 hours."


Why not set up a program in another city? I KNOW you would get takers.

Thank you for all you continue to do!

Agreed! This subject/request has come up numerous times over the years I have read and posted here.

A program in the NE, one in the SE, and one in mid-country would be filled to capacity, I feel sure. Even if only one program per year, rotating the locations...

Maybe it will eventually come to pass.

We would love for you to come to the Boston Area. I loved your newsletter and have been sending it to all of my sick family members all over the country. Since my dad and brother died very young of heart disease I am very aware of watching out for my young nephews who are in their 20's. My one nephew is only 25 and has high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Factor V Lieden. I saw him over the weekend and encouraged him to begin your diet. He took me up on it and I am so pleased. Both he and his young wife are going to try it. He is a beautiful person and I want him to thrive and be healthy. THANK YOU so much for educating us and for your unconditional love and support that you give us everyday. I can't believe that you have answered my questions by personal email. With 30,000 people receiving your newsletter, how in the world do you have the time. I know this is your passion and that somehow creates the space to pursue it. You are amazing and I have such love, high regard and respect for you.
Thank you,
Jessica

My modest proposal (which may be wildly impractical for business reasons) would be this. Contact medical insurers around the country and have them request that every patient scheduled for a CABG attend a program at no cost to the patient or the insurance company. Your fee would be entirely contingent. For every patient that recovered their health and avoided the surgery, your fee should be a percentage of the money saved by the insurance company.

You should also get a percentage of the savings in medications when people get off the medications. You should also get a cut of the projected savings in future treatment for other conditions. If you cure somebody of diabetes, that saves a lot in future medical expenses down the road.

During the seminar, the patients should be shown the actual surgery. They should also talk to people who have succeeded on this plan and avoided the heart surgery. I know f1jim and I would be happy to help. I think that a lot of people facing this surgery would give the plan a try if they knew the risks and options.

The reason I think this would work is that, as I examine this board, the people who just want to lose weight or look better seem to have a tough time adhering to this program. Those with serious illnesses do not. I think a high percentage of CABG candidates would make the switch if they understood everything.

How about having a program in the Pacific Northwest - Seattle area? That would be great!

I think a program in the midwest (a major, easy-to-get-to place, like Kansas City) would be great.

In setting up multiple McDougall Programs is that the demands on Dr. McDougalls time would rapidly consume his every waking minute. Would you go to a McDougall Program without Dr. McDougall? Some would. How many? It would involve a lot of time management on his part. Perhaps he could give the opening day orientation and turn the rest over to staff. It's a great idea. It would take creativity to implement it. Bet he has thought out many of these scenarious over and over in his head.
Did you catch the shot of him and Mary in the 70's? If I may be so bold, he reminds me of me...he had the look of "trouble on two legs"! Looking like he was up to something. Boy was he.
Great stuff in that newsletter. Hopefully, it was a sneak peek at what may be coming in health care in the future. So many self-interests fighting amongst themselves for a piece of our pie. The only real answer for anyone is to get healthy and stay out of the whole system if possible.
Nice work Dr. McDougall.
f1jim

Dr. McDougall (and consequently Mary McDougall also) has been through a lot. Good thing he has so much energy! I was stunned to learn that when he authored a bill in Hawaii for breast cancer patients to have informed consent, "The personal repercussion for me was that I could no longer buy malpractice insurance. At that time physicians controlled the only two doctors’ liability insurance companies in the state. Losing my malpractice insurance meant I lost my hospital privileges. I practiced “bare” (without insurance) for the next two years. Until this writing I have not told this final chapter of the story—I never wanted others to know that my colleagues retaliated against me for making them tell women the truth about breast cancer." I'm so happy to know about the McDougalls and to have the choice to live differently from the mainstream. Unlike my mother and brother, I don't have high blood pressure that I have to take medication for, I'm almost 60 and don't take medication for anything except Tylenol for an occasional headache, I don't have gout which both my brother and mother suffer from, and I've never had a heart attack or stroke as my younger brother has. I do believe that because I've eaten a much healthier diet and have exercised during my adult life, I've been relatively healthy. The more information I get, the more inspired I am to stick closely to Dr. McDougall's principles.

I've said this before, but I will say it again - "thank God for the Mcdougalls!" Yes, in the photo, they look so cute, but he definitely has a mischevious look in his eyes! It is fun to see photos of people "the way they were". Reminds me of the wedding pic my husband and I have on our fridge!
On thinking about doing travelling Mcdougall programs, I can see how it would be a huge time committment, so I'm withdrawing my idea about the Pacific NW. For people in that area and BC, the main cost of the program is certainly the program itself. Besides my husband and I definitely want to take another trip to California (we've been there before - not to the program). I wouldn't want to attend a program without the Mcdougalls.

please do one in the Phoenix area......

We need you on the East Coast! How's Florida, Washington, DC, or New York?

I second that! East Coast!

NASHVILLE!
--or even CHATTANOOGA.

If Dr. McDougall started franchising his program, would you buy a franchise and run it in your area?

SEE what you started, Dr. McD?