Another lop-sided football score, something like 49-0

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, an emerging leader in the grassroots revolution to re-claim our health through plant-based nutrition. A part of the SOLUTION.

During the past week, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta aired his heart attack documentary numerous times — and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I am particularly impressed with what Sanjay is still saying — now that the documentary is over.

See videos below, After the first video ends, the link to the full length special appears on the right. (42 minutes without commercials)

He is demonstrating that he is much more than a reporter; he my very well be the leader within the “system” that we desperately need to provide the clarity that can save our lives and our nation’s economy.

On the other hand, our nation’s most famous doctor, Mehmet Oz, who wrote the cover article for the “Special Nutrition Issue” of TIME that is on the newsstands today —  is just further adding to the confusion. See yesterday’s post Oz takes “confusion over clarity” to a new level – TIME In the 24 hours since that post was published, it has been seen by hundreds of people around the world and, so far, the verdict has been unanimous — Dr. Oz is unknowingly guilty of spreading confusion on one of the largest stages in the world. A reader from England eloquently writes…

Dr Oz is just like the Wizard of Oz who conjured up complexities shrouded in uncertainty, fear and doubt, in order to reveal a truth that was there all along.  All those millions of viewers who find this entertaining seem to be just as captivated by his spell as were the original four travellers along the yellow brick road. (Wow, this woman may very well have a future in writing.)

Dr. Oz trying to keep everybody happy, but in the process is just adding to the confusion. Unknowingly, he is part of the PROBLEM.

Problem vs. Solution. We have a huge problem in the Western world — and it will take a huge effort by many of us to implement the already-known solution. The problem with our collective poor health and cost of health-care problem in the Western world is that we eating the wrong food for our species — in great quantities. The solution is going to require relentless clarity from credible people and institutions that we trust.

The problem right now is that those people and institutions that we trust are further confusing the public and are unknowingly and unintentionally making the problem worse every day. The vast interconnected “system” (government, science, medicine, industry and media) is failing us miserably — as they continue to be part of the problem as opposed to the solution. After reading my Oz post yesterday, a reader in California wrote about his take on the Oz article and then about his related experience with that vast “system” mentioned earlier:

I found the Oz article  – well, kind of goofy. It bounced around so much, trying to achieve some kind of hip writing style I think it got confusing and lost. Then he talks about serving on a Wellness Committee in California after being disturbed by a hand-out brought home from school by his son:

I got on that committee when I complained about a “nutritional education” hand-out my then second grade son brought home. Even at that point I knew the information was very wrong and seemed to serve the producer of the piece – the California Dairy Council.

The school said they had no funds for nutritional information, thus had to take the free Dairy Council materials.  Later, after attending State of California Health Department and Ed Department meetings, I found that the Dairy Council was deeply embedded in the whole State school system.

One of the biggest stars of "The Last Heart Attack" documentary. As of today, he is the greatest ally in the world of the power of plant-based nutrition.

Unfortunately, confusion continues to reign supreme over clarity throughout the vast “system” that controls what we eat in this country. But we all saw a glimmer of hope last week in Sanjay Gupta’s “The Last Heart Attack” documentary that reached millions.

In just 42 minutes, Sanjay skillfully told the story of two people who were both told by the “system” that they needed heart-bypass surgery right away. One took the advice of the system and almost died; the other took the advice of the great Dr. Esselstyn from the Cleveland Clinic and was happily jumping rope at the end of the show — after curing her heart disease with just a simple change of diet.

Toward the end of the telecast, Dr. Esselstyn said confidently that all the public needs is information and education. We already know how to completely eliminate the disease (and most other chronic diseases); we just haven’t yet shared it with the public.

LEADERSHIP. After watching the short video with Sanjay, take a look at the two recent blogs on the man who founded Sanjay's company.

The Bottom Line. We need more clarity and we need more leadership. Dr. Gupta, with the help of Bill Clinton, Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has opened the door — providing the public with a bright glimmer of hope of what is to come. What we now need is LEADERSHIP and we need lots of it. Dr. Gupta may very well become one of those great leaders that we need.

Oftentimes, journalists seem to never take a stand on any issue; they just report what all of the different factions have to say about a particular topic. And in the case of nutrition, with all the special interest factions involved, that just adds up to more confusion. But with Dr. Gupta, he appears to sincerely be in search of the truth; which should be the goal of any good  journalist. He also seems to understand that Esselstyn and Ornish have discovered that truth. I think he truly “gets it.” Take a look at this video of Sanjay being interviewed by another CNN reporter:

When this video ends, watch the entire 42-min. special by clicking the video on the right.

Can Sanjay emerge as one of the great leaders that we need? Maybe Sanjay could influence another great leader to climb aboard the train of scientific integrity when it comes to nutrition. Maybe he could influence the man who founded the company where he is working. Now that, my friends, would be a gold-medal winning team for sure. I wrote a couple of blogs about that leader in the past few weeks:

“One Term President” — just might be the answer

LEADERSHIP. Grassroots revolution or one-term president?

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J. Morris Hicks -- Author & Activist working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

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—J. Morris Hicks…blogging daily at HealthyEatingHealthyWorld.com

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