When the Norm Ceases to be the Norm

According to Dr. Ruth Etzel, those grain and corn products are commonly and universally contaminated with mycotoxins, respectively. And according to the wealth of research Doug has done, those mycotoxins can cause some very serious health problems.

Nevertheless, vegetarianism is a deviation from “the norm” when it comes to how we as a culture think about feeding ourselves, and one that is a vast improvement upon the status quo. Most people tend to shun lifestyles aren’t the status quo – that is how the status quo came to be such. All it takes is a quick glance at American culture to realize why this resistance to change is a problem. 

It seems as if there are a couple of things that Americans have come to accept as the norm in our society. Of course, I’m not talking about any devotees to Doug’s work here (although even the most ardent followers might fall into these traps sometimes), but as a society this seems to be what we’ve come to accept. We all seem to accept busy, stressful lifestyles as the norm. We seem to accept the idea that grain-based and starch-based products are the cornerstone of our diet – this is evidenced by the food pyramid that is the mascot for our Standard American Diet (SAD!). We seem to have accepted the fact that as we get older, the only choice we have for aches, pains and ailments is to run straight to a doctor and get a pill. When those pills have side effects, we accept that the only answer is more pills to combat said side effects. 

In addition to these rather depressing lifestyle normalities, does it seem like some other things are becoming the norm? Things like obesity, arthritis, and diabetes are more commonplace than ever before, and I think I would be hard-pressed to find somebody not affected somehow, directly or indirectly, by the scourge of cancer. Scientists are saying now more than ever that these diseases and afflictions are lifestyle induced. Finally, it isn’t just people like Doug saying this. 

If we ever want the “norm” to change, we have to begin to rethink our ideas about what is normal. If the food pyramid is the guide by which you plan your menus, then the status quo stays the same. Resistance to change will get us nowhere. In other words, if we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always gotten. Sound familiar? 

If you are new to Kaufmann 1 or if you are a long-time, ardent follower of Doug’s work and Know the Cause, I encourage to you to embrace change. Whether it is trying a new vegetable, a new supplement or totally revamping your diet and your lifestyle, you might be surprised with the results. Change begins with one person, but together I think that we can alter the rather depressing state of American Health.