Bill Clinton explains plant-based diet on Letterman

[Gramma Jackie]

I loved this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPpcBMwLg2Q

[blondie]

Even Dr. Esselstyn fudges...he has a bite of chocolate every New Year's Eve! Cute!

[rijman]

Thanks for the link. Clinton is proving to be a great spokesman for the plant based diet.

[Spiral]

Interesting discussion between Letterman and Clinton. Letterman represents a large number of Americans when he says, "I don't want to do that (give up meat and diary products)," thinking that as long as he feels healthy, he is healthy. A mistake, I think. But one that is commonly made.

[HealthyMe2010]

Interesting discussion between Letterman and Clinton. Letterman represents a large number of Americans when he says, "I don't want to do that (give up meat and diary products)," thinking that as long as he feels healthy, he is healthy. A mistake, I think. But one that is commonly made.

Did you hear the crowd roar when he said that?

[bunsofaluminum]

I remember when Bill Clinton played the saxophone on the Letterman show! hahahaha!

And I really am glad he's doing this. he is a world leader, and people pay attention to him. Maybe the snowball is beginning to pick up steam down the hill

[pinkrose]

Interesting discussion between Letterman and Clinton. Letterman represents a large number of Americans when he says, "I don't want to do that (give up meat and diary products)," thinking that as long as he feels healthy, he is healthy. A mistake, I think. But one that is commonly made.

Did you hear the crowd roar when he said that?

I think Dave felt healthy when he was doing all of that running and his arteries were accumulating plaque several years ago...and yet...like most Americans he does not want to give up the animal products. I hope he and many others will listen to President Clinton.

[Melinda]

We recently went to an Engine2 Immersion, just after the Clinton interview on CNN. We met several people who said they decided to go to the Immersion after seeing Clinton's interview.

[dstewart]

Yeah. There's the total abandonment of reason: "Well, see, I don't want to do that." Well, you won't get those results, Dave.

Really, I hear this from anyone I ever talk about this with. It all comes down to, not health arguments about the superiority of their diet whether it be Atkins, South Beach, SAD, diet-of-the-week, or whatever, but "Well, see, I don't want to do that." I want the results that only come from doing that... but I don't want to do that.

[MmmCarbs]

You know I heard Dave say something to the effect he wasn't motivated to change because he had been so lucky health wise. I guess he thinks his quadruple bypass left him good for life? Errr.... I really don't know much about CAD, but doesn't it affect other blood vessels too?

Anyway Dave just came off like a cynical old geezer, as usual. Clinton really does look fantastic & still has the charisma.

[pinkrose]

You know I heard Dave say something to the effect he wasn't motivated to change because he had been so lucky health wise. I guess he thinks his quadruple bypass left him good for life? Errr.... I really don't know much about CAD, but doesn't it affect other blood vessels too?

Anyway Dave just came off like a cynical old geezer, as usual. Clinton really does look fantastic & still has the charisma.

In regard to being an old cynical geezer...CAD and CABGs do not seem to help brains....

[MixedGrains]

I took Dave's "I don't want to do that" line as black humor -- the man is a comedian after all, and he's not beyond poking fun at himself.

[healthyvegan]

my fav part was the bit about the olive oil, prob the first time on national tv ever

[Spiral]

Several months ago there was a show narrated by Barbara Walters. It was about various famous people who had heart surgery. David Letterman, Robin Williams, Charlie Rose and Barbara Walters herself.

Letterman mentioned that he assumed that he would end up needing another heart surgery, perhaps because he was not eating right.

If I think back to my pre-McDougall days, which is only 14 months ago, I used to eat very fatty, greasy, rich foods at restaurants while joking to my wife or my co-worker that I hope my cardiologist doesn't find out about me eating this food. (I didn't really have a cardiologist until I started suffering from a periodic rapid heart rate.)

I think eating unhealthy food is like going rock climbing or whitewater rafting for some people. They might admit that it's dangerous. But they think the enjoyment is worth the danger.

For me the change came when Dr. T. Colin Campbell explained how dramatic the benefits of a whole foods plant based diet are and when Dr. McDougall's newsletters explained why I need not be afraid of protein deficiency or calcium deficiency or other issues.

While most Americans will probably not change, no matter how much education they get about proper nutrition, a significant share might be open to a dramatic change in their diet. Someday David Letterman might come around to Clinton's way of thinking.