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Blog 11: Daunting Invitations

by rambler on Feb 25, 2022 category athlete, bible, bike, hebrew, plant-based, run, sacred mountain, swim, triathlon

I have been fortunate enough to have the health for participation in several endurance events, notably marathons as well as a handful of triathlons. Finishing my first marathon during my last year of medical school actually may have been the most impressive thing I did in those years when putting that next to my transcript. After a brief hiatus during the training years of residency, I was able to get back into the habit. As my wife participated in a couple of triathlons, she encouraged me to try it. I am really glad that I did, as it was an incredibly rewarding experience, both the training and the actual event. Having an organized schedule off of which to check workouts was helpful in providing a sense of completion of something. After doing a couple of smaller triathlons, I signed up for and completed an Ironman race in Quebec. The training was intense but gratifying, and by race day I felt well prepared. I had imagined what crossing the finish line would feel like. I looked at some pictures of people who did cross the line. Several people were pumping their fists in the air. Others were tearful as they completed what was likely the most grueling physical event of their lives. Some were just plain exhausted. As I came running down the final quarter mile chute of people cheering on the participants, I remember getting goose bumps and having an overwhelming feeling of peaceful focus. Everything just became quiet inside my head. As I crossed the finish line, the serenity of the event persisted as I thanked those volunteers around me for putting on the event. I do not remember feeling that way during any other event in my life.

When people talk with me about Ironman, they are typically in awe of anyone who does it, and they comment on how daunting a task it appears. They frequently say that they could never do that, that the thought of training to those distances is too fearsome. I also remember thinking similarly when I was younger. The idea of running more than 4 miles seemed a scary proposition. I thought going any farther than that would surely cause injury and debility. With experience and pushing the envelope over the years, I eventually got to a point in which endurance activities feel normal to my body, that running double digit miles or swimming more than a mile feels routine.

As in many facets of life, those things that are hard to do regularly turn out to be the most worthwhile experiences. We often feel a remarkable sense of accomplishment when we have completed a rigorous, disciplined schedule of training that has taken several months or years to finish, whether it be an educational degree, advancement in career, or a physical endeavor. Though the journey appeared intimidating, unattainable, and maybe dangerous, it turns out to be the true reward, and the destination provides a reflection back on that journey.

Approaching a frightful, uncomfortable proposition isn’t in our natures. We see what appears to be reasonable, comfortable, and often choose that route. One unique story of approaching that which appears dangerous is the burning tree that Moses sees on Mount Horeb (aka Sinai). He witnesses a sign that is of the divine, and rather than run away he approaches it. Soon afterwards, he appears to wish he had turn the other way, little did he know he was stepping right into the middle of a seemingly impossible task of playing the primary role in the rescue of the Hebrews from Egypt. He obviously has little self-confidence as he pleads with Yahweh to free him of this assignment, to find someone else who may more effectively carry out this plan. Five times does he bring forth an opposition to Yahweh’s calling for him as liberator of the Hebrews! Nevertheless, he agrees to this role and is spared death shortly afterward. He met God on the mountain (analogous to the Garden of Eden in Genesis), stood in his presence in front of the burning tree (analogous to the Tree of Life in Genesis), and, with initial resistance, accepted a calling. He received an experience and reached a place that his inner being resisted, and it led to the freedom from slavery of a nation.

A closely related story is played out again at the same mountain (now referred to as Sinai) some time later. The Hebrews, fresh out of Egypt and miraculously saved through the chaotic waters which consumed their pursuers, are at the foot of the mountain. Per Yahweh’s initial sign to Moses that he was the one to bring the Israelites out, the same thing that Moses was experiencing at that initial encounter would be available to the entire nation: worship on the mountain, not at the foot of it. As Moses experienced an otherworldly moment before the return to Egypt, so were the Israelites to do so on the mountain after their escape from Egypt. Yahweh invites the people to experience Himself speaking with Moses and hear first-hand on the mountain their communication, calling them to prepare themselves over the course of three days in order to ascend the mountain with Moses. But when the time comes to go up into the Presence, the people end up staying down, and only Moses and his brother go up. On reading the account, it may seem nebulous as to the reason for this. The people are certainly fearful of the mountain and pull back, but Yahweh also tells Moses to warn the people not to force their way into his Presence at risk of death. In the end, the people are not ready for this experience.

Upon reading the few stories prior to the arrival at the foot of the mountain, we see several tests in which the Israelites failed to trust Yahweh’s wisdom and provision, i.e. complaining of bitter water in the wilderness, lack of food. It should be no surprise that if they failed those tests, they would surely fail this one with the thunderous presence of Yahweh hovering atop the mountain. Moses even says, as the people are balking at entering the presence of Yahweh firsthand and instead want to send him up alone, that they are being tested. Will they ascend the mountain and experience something frightening and dangerous yet inherently awe-inspiring and revelatory of their place in the world? It is an uncomfortable, uncertain invitation into a new realm. It is totally unknown to their experience of the world around. They would be safer at the foot of the mountain, tucked away in their own understanding and control of the world. We eventually see what happens when they choose this path: they create gods that they can control and in doing so degrade themselves. In the end they accept far less for their lives than what had been planned for them to receive.

While the story involves roaring thunder atop a high mountain in the Middle Eastern desert, and threats of death for the ill prepared, it remains relevant for just about all of us today. How often do we see opportunities that offer a life-changing moment, and we pass on them because the journey required to arrive at that moment is too risky and ambiguous? Of course we all may be presented with options in our lives that are ill advised, and we need wisdom to discern between risks worth taking and those that aren’t. But I would suspect that all of us have had opportunities in which we knew the chance we could take yielded an overall promising odds ratio, and we opted for the safer option. After seeing how they were rescued from Egypt, and knowing Moses’ story of a similar experience at that same place, the Hebrews should have know that, with the pros/cons balance, ascending the mountain to be in the presence of Yahweh would have produced a result in their ultimate favor.

I see my experience in endurance racing in a miniscule yet relatable model of the Sinai story. I certainly do not mean to equate completing a marathon or triathlon with ascending the sacred mountain, but I think we all have some microcosmic parallel to the Sinai story in our lives, no matter how insignificant we may think it on the grand scheme. Those of us who like to watch athletes perform on television, or in person, may never think about participating in what they do, whether in a school or rec league. We may think we have been sedentary for too long, are in too poor of physical shape, to suddenly change habits and participate in sport. I was for many years, then I found it was much more fun, healthful, and rewarding to “be the athlete” than to sit on the sidelines.

While the idea of being a recreational athlete may not be a curiosity to several people, to many others it would be. What would it take to train for and complete an endurance race? What are some of the obstacles to prevent me from doing that? Exercising more than I ever thought possible? In the dark of morning, or crammed into a lunch break? Wouldn’t that cause discomfort and pain, even if done in a tempered, methodical, and realistic manner? Might I have to change my nutritional habits, ditch the daily soda and chips, in order to help my body adjust to such a rigorous routine?

Yes, doing the above would be very helpful in order to complete endurance sport. It seems uncomfortable, and it is. Initially. But our bodies can do these things. We were meant to be physically active, with a capacity far beyond what we may think possible. It is in us, just as it was in the Hebrews to approach Sinai and enter the Presence. And what awaits us if we were to go through the lifestyle changes necessary to do such things? I found a new sense of accomplishment, health, and belief in my capacity that I didn’t know was there. The exuberance of approaching the finish line is burned into my memory. So are my thoughts shortly after of hoping that I will get to do this again at another stage in life, while in the meantime continuing long-distance aerobic outings as the schedule allows. When Moses came down from Sinai after his encounters with Yahweh, his face had a glow that frightened the people. Moses apparently hid his face from the people, but when he returned to the presence of Yahweh, he removed the veil to face him. I doubt anyone confused my face for a large LED light bulb, though I felt glowingly at the end of the triathlon. Here’s to hoping those moments persist!

A Description of the Land(scape)

by rambler on Apr 19, 2020 category athlete, bible, bike, doctor, hebrew, medicine, physician, plant-based, run, swim, triathlon, vegan, vegetarian

Thank you for checking out this initial blog posting. As a primary care doctor in the modern United States, I encounter mostly disease processes that are highly preventable, or at least modifiable, with lifestyle adjustments. Most people have likely heard a similar sentiment from someone they know in healthcare, the media, or perhaps have come to that realization in their own lives. Cardiovascular disease continues as the number one cause of death in the United States. We also see diabetic complications, chronic kidney disease, COPD with lung failure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, liver disease, and various forms of cancer to be common causes of morbidity and mortality.

The patterns of growth of these diseases mimic similar rises in overweight and obesity patterns. None of this is news to anyone who pays attention to news feeds over the last few decades. We continue to see the obesity epidemic climb to a new height, most recently more so among minorities. According to the CDC, in 2008 the annual medical cost burden of obesity-related diseases was $147 billion. And now we are seeing this epidemic permeating the rest of the world. According to the NIH, by 2025 an estimated 300 million people worldwide will be obese. As first-world lifestyles are more available to underdeveloped nations, so now are first-world problems.

We all know the causes of the obesity epidemic are by and large, with the rare exception of a few genetic syndromes, lifestyle-induced. Cheap, unending amounts of refined sugars and greasy fried foods complement a dire lack of physical activity that our modern economy allows for. There are obvious reasons people gravitate toward these foods, whether purchased in a grocery store or fast food restaurant. They are inexpensive which makes feeding a large family easier on the budget. They satisfy our primal instinct for immediately available energy sources like sugar and fat. They are fast and easy to prepare; all you have to do is move your car through the drive thru window or follow a quick recipe on the back of the box. As our modern world becomes more automated, we have more conveniences than anyone in human history, allowing us a reprieve from the labor humans once had to perform for survival, and permitting for a sedentary workforce that has to rely on making time outside of work to get the exercise our bodies have been accustomed to since our development.

There has been no shortage of nutrition and exercise plans, dietary resources, smartphone apps and lifestyle coaches…

There has been no shortage of nutrition and exercise plans, dietary resources, smartphone apps, and lifestyle coaches to help individuals and collectives of people combat the problem. Earlier in the 20^th century, focus was put on amphetamines as stimulants for weight loss, and even today an amphetamine analog, phentermine, is commonly prescribed to assist in weight loss. For decades our analog televisions flashed commercials for Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, and Nutrisystem, encouraging people to buy their products and services to assist with shedding pounds. Today we have a plethora of phone apps dedicated to counting caloric consumption and expenditure, quality of calories consumed, and other health metrics designed to lead one toward a healthier existence. Dietary trends and themes abound, some having more staying power than others. Just a sampling of these include Atkins, South Beach, Body for Life, juicing, alkaline diet, gluten-free diet, super food diet, Paleo, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, various forms of vegetarianism and veganism, and many more. There is a reason several of us know about these diets, other than marketing: to a good extent they work in helping people lose and keep off weight. These plans can be marketed and pushed by sponsors endlessly, but if they had no hint of efficacy, they would not have made it into modern lexicon years after their conception. For a few years, I followed the Paleo diet myself and found that it did provide significant and desirable weight loss and body composition.

Ask a number of trained healthcare practitioners the ideal diet, and one will likely get as many differing opinions concerning said ideal. Several of those opinions point to one of the previously listed diets. Many of these are geared toward preventing specific disease. The DASH diet is often advised as part of a treatment plan for hypertension. The Mediterranean diet is similarly prescribed for diabetic patients. A gluten-free diet is the treatment for clinically diagnosed celiac disease. The healthy kidney diet is meant specifically for people with chronic kidney disease. A low-FODMAP diet can significantly help people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.

Most of the diets proponed by healthcare personnel share a common theme of putting a premium on plants as food sources, though to varying degrees. There is good evidence that a plant-based, whole foods diet helps lower risk of acquiring various health problems including hypertension, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer (source: Pubmed). One very large study, the China Study, which was performed in the 1970s and 1980s, concluded that populations that consume a mostly plant-based diet had significantly lower rates of Western diseases than genetically similar populations that consume high amounts of animal protein. This is one of numerous studies that support significant benefits in a plant-based diet.

Many people assume that in order to perform at a top level athletically, animal protein must be an essential component of a proper training diet. Several athletes have defied this conventional wisdom, opting for a plant-based diet that is void of meat while competing at the highest levels. A sample of athletes that are reported to be vegetarian or vegan include Carl Lewis, Venus Williams, Mike Tyson, Martina Navratilova, JJ Reddick, Ricky Williams, Bode Miller, and Scott Jurek, among many other professional football and basketball players, boxers, Olympians, and body-builders. Clearly the lifestyle of a world-class athlete is highly structured for optimum results from training and nutrition, and planning a satisfactory balance of macronutrients and micronutrients within a plant-based framework does take forethought and organization, but so does a conventional omnivorous diet. And many interviews of plant-based athletes reveal feeling healthier than ever from mental, physical, and emotional standpoints. As for novice and amateur athletes, I can speak for my own experience of practicing plant-based nutrition for almost a year leading up to my first Ironman triathlon, easily completing it and seriously enjoying the entirety of it. One can, not merely survive on a plant-based diet, but thrive on it.

Science can tell us much about our current physical situation, how we go to this point over the last several millions of years, and what current behaviors can lead to in our futures. We have a lot of science that backs up the ideal diet for humans as being plant-based eaters, limiting any animal foods from a minimal amount to none at all. What is interesting is that this is not a new idea at all over the course of human history. Mostly in recorded religious traditions, as early as the Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus, can one find laws and recommendations about the value of consuming mainly, if not strictly, plants and abstaining from the slaughtering and eating of animals. Similar attitudes are found in Greek antiquity, Judaism, and early Christianity, again to varying degrees. Ancient wisdom seems to focus more on animal welfare and practicing nonviolence toward them as a significant reason for eating plants. Modern-day proponents, while certainly supporting animal welfare, also point to the science, which suggests improved health and wellness outcomes for us and for our environment.

The Hebrew Bible has many passages referring to eating patterns, in different people groups and in different periods of history. Laws are given for what may and may not be eaten, both animal and plant foods. Miracles are told of replicating both plant and animal foods. Advice is given not to allow the differences between groups ascribing to varying dietary restrictions to cause schism between them that would prevent a community of faith from flourishing. On a surface glance over all the passages referring to food, taken in snippets away from the surrounding contexts, one may argue that there is no clear, concise answer from these texts pertaining to the nutritional habits early peoples, the Hebrews, and followers of Jesus should be following.

I am not trained in religion, nor am I a dietician. But I hear the stories of patients’ lifestyle choices, both good and bad, on a daily basis in clinical consultation, and I see the correlation between those choices and how they feel. I enjoy and prioritize exercise, particularly endurance training, and I have eaten both animal- and plant-based diets while preparing for races. I have seen the improved results in others and myself after adopting a plant-based food lifestyle, from disease prevention and management to athletic performance. What has been more revealing, impactful, and affirming is that the Bible, a part of my religious heritage growing up in the middle of the USA, appears to indicate that, when read as a whole story, this dietary lifestyle, eating plants and not animals, is the ideal state for humans. The Bible tells the story of how we are made, what our purpose is, and the possibilities of what can become of our existence on the earth. In this story, the ideal state of humans living in communion with God, is one in which they are given the fruits of creation to consume for their livelihood, a part of nurturing optimal human relationships to animals, the earth, and their bodies. This is by no means a novel realization, as there are several examples throughout history of Christian groups who ascribe to this. But in a nation that is growing more obese and, for now, is predominantly Christian, whose followers see the Hebrew Bible as divine authority, this seems like something that should be more relevant to the life of the Church.

This is not dogma, not another item to check off a list of what “righteous” people do. It is not a sin to eat meat or other animal products. Nor is it a magic cure-all or safety net that will ensure one never has a heart attack or cancer. But in this world fallen unto human will, it does reveal a rediscovered/reaffirmed ancient truth of our best available relationship to everything. The exploration of plant-based nutrition in the Bible has been fascinating, and my intention is to post writings every couple of weeks about Biblical passages that have some level of reference toward this, without shying away from the evolutionary science that is concurrent. As a footnote, The Bible Project, a nonprofit studio that creates animated cartoons and podcasts pertaining to the biblical narrative, has been and continues to be a primary source of inspiration for these ideas that I have been pondering for several months now, so if you listen to that, you may see some similar approach or language throughout this blog. Thank you for reading this far!

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