Day 034 - 11 Oct 94 - Page 58


     
     1        and background that are very helpful in understanding what
     2        that literature may mean.  That is not to say that someone
     3        who devotes themselves for a very long period of time
     4        could not make sense of it, I think they could ultimately,
     5        but a medical background is very helpful and, I would say,
     6        essential to some aspects of understanding the medical
     7        literature as well planning research studies of the type
     8        I have conducted.
     9
    10   Q.   In order to further or improve our understanding of what
    11        we read, you would no doubt encourage us to seek the help
    12        of specialists in the various fields with which we are
    13        concerned, would you not?
    14        A.  Just so I understand your question?
    15
    16   Q.   You said you talk to experts in the field; we can do the
    17        same; you would encourage us to do so, would you not?
    18        A.  Certainly.
    19
    20   Q.   Much of your time if you are only doing psychiatry one day
    21        a week or one morning a week, whatever it is, you tell us
    22        is spent writing.  It must have been quite a labour to
    23        produce this book.  Was it a labour, hard work?
    24        A.  I devoted a considerable amount of time reading the
    25        literature, talking with the researchers, trying to put
    26        their words into a useful way that might be of benefit to
    27        the reader.
    28
    29   Q.   This I say only for the transcript.  It is called "Food
    30        for Life", subtitled: "How the new four food groups can
    31        save your life", with your name Neil Barnard MD on the
    32        front, and the foreword by Dean Ornish whom you have
    33        mentioned, MD, and the rest is by a lady called Jennifer
    34        Rayman.  Am I right it was published in 1993?
    35        A.  I believe that is right.
    36
    37   Q.   Its thesis, may I call it that, Dr. Barnard, is that human
    38        beings should disavow in their diet meat, yes?  Is that
    39        right?
    40        A.  The thesis of the book is that a healthful or the most
    41        healthful type of diet is based on what I call the New
    42        Four Food Groups. This is predicated on an American
    43        concept of there being four group foods.  However, the old
    44        Four Food Groups which were set by the Department of
    45        Agriculture in 1956, were meat, dairy products, grains and
    46        vegetables and fruits had to share the final group.
    47
    48        The thesis of this book which was endorsed by Dr. Denis
    49        Burkett, Dr. Colin Campbell, Dr. Oliver Alabaster and
    50        Dr. Ornish whose name you mentioned, was that we would do 
    51        much better from the standpoint point of health if we 
    52        would base our diets on four new food groups, those being 
    53        grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.  Anything else in
    54        the diet is an option.  Options would include meat, dairy
    55        products, added vegetable oils, alcohol, coffee, tea and
    56        other sorts of things.
    57
    58        But the basis of the diet should be the New Four Food
    59        Groups and there is, well, that is the thesis of the book.
    60

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