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Colonoscopy: A Gold Standard to Refuse

Following the 2001 McDougall Adventure Trip down the Amazon with 58 fellow travelers, my wife Mary came down with abdominal pains and bloating. My diagnosis was tropical sprue, a rare disease that is most likely infectious in origin that she picked up in Peru or Brazil. She (as always) expected me to diagnosis and treat her. But I do not like being Mary’s doctor—it’s too much responsibility. After two months of continued symptoms, I insisted that she see a specialist in intestinal diseases, a gastroenterologist.

I found the most competent specialist in Santa Rosa, California, and after a 15-minute examination by the doctor I was asked to join Mary in his office. The doctor began by agreeing with my diagnosis and suggested a few extra stool and blood tests to rule out other possibilities. After some small talk I agreed, thanked him, and began to leave.

Judge Judy at the McDougall Program

My name is Judy. I am writing an introduction to a poem that I wrote for the August 10-day McDougall program attendees and trainers. I delivered the poem at our graduation ceremony on August 14, 2010. I should start at the beginning. I had a “heart attack” in June of 2010. I needed to attend cardiac rehabilitation. A friend of mine had attended the National Institute for Fitness many years ago and had learned of Dr. McDougall’s program for cardiac health. My birthday was on July 31^st. She came to my birthday party and surprised me by gifting me with the McDougall 10-day program. I was not familiar with the program. I did not know that it recommended a vegan eating plan. Hence, the beginning of the poem which says that I didn’t “know what to expect.”

Upon my arrival in Santa Rosa, CA, I was accosted by a cab driver who told me that I could not share a ride to the Flamingo Inn with two women that I had met at the airport, Jane and Wendy. The cabbie cussed out our driver and was fighting with me over my suitcase. It was pretty unnerving, but Jane has quite a sense of humor and we laughed about the whole incident later.

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Report on the July 2010 Costa Rica Adventure

This was our 13th McDougall Adventure trip to the Guanacaste Area of Costa Rica—a region in the northwest of this ecologically preserved country.  The Hilton Papagayo Hotel is a first class resort, which provided exceptional McDougall food and also offered an additional bonus of "all inclusive." This meant all beverages (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) were included. Although Costa Rican beaches are open to the public, for all practical purposes, the Hilton beach is private.  The two swimming pools are large and inviting. On the grounds of the hotel are hiking trails where wildlife such as monkeys, birds, butterflies, and iguanas are abundant.

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