Natural Grocers has pulled #HowNotToDie from its shelves. Consider signing this petition: https://t.co/cxkjI72TZV pic.twitter.com/qkZy4XFr3a
— Michael Greger, M.D. (@nutrition_facts) September 1, 2016
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From the petition page:
Natural Grocers has removed every copy of How Not To Die from its shelves, saying that the book’s claims are not based on science and that the author’s opinions “do not support our company’s views on what a healthy diet should include.”
The book, by Michael Greger, MD, contains information on the 15 top causes of death in America and how nutrition and lifestyle factor into preventing them. It also contains 143 pages of references to peer-reviewed scientific evidence.
Natural Grocers has no problem selling books that tell readers to eat for their blood type (Eat Right 4 Your Type); that consuming foods with saturated fat is good for them (Cholesterol Clarity); and that cheese and steak can help reduce obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet).
So why then, does Natural Grocers refuse to sell Dr. Greger’s book? Is it because it will hurt their sales of meat and cheese?
I have Dr. Greger’s book, How Not To Die, sitting at my elbow here. The reference section itself begins on page 413 and ends on page 545. These are not esoteric references. They include the New England Journal of Medicine, British Medical Journal, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Annals of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Lipids, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Lancet, Cancer, the American Journal of Epidemiology, the Journal of Food Science, and on. These are some of the most respected scientific peer-reviewed journals in the fields of medicine, food, health, and nutrition. It’s a great book, a New York Times bestseller with 5 stars on Amazon.
Of course the book’s claims are based in science. Natural Grocers has some other agenda to say otherwise.
Here’s what I found out about Natural Grocers … They are a Colorado-based health food chain with 13 stores mainly west of the Mississippi River. They went public in 2012, so they probably had some deep-pocket backers at that time. Who?
And this:
Company founder Margaret Isely contributed to forming the precursor group that became the international trade group Council for Responsible Nutrition.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition is a lobby for the dietary supplement industry.
In addition to supplements, they sell dairy products, eggs, and meats.
I mean, they can sell anything they want. It just seems suspicious to me that they refuse to sell a book that recommends plant-based diets. Why? It’s just a book. A pretty popular book among the health food crowd too.
“Organic” assumes “sustainable.” How sustainable is it to raise cattle for food? For their flesh and milk? For everyone?
I meant that Greger’s book might make people stop buying their dairy, eggs, and meat, so maybe that’s why they don’t sell it. Re “organic” and “sustainable,” they aren’t always the same. Here’s a highly critical article from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2014/11/19/why-organic-isnt-sustainable/#2231424737aa
I should have said I agree with Dr. Greger. I posted that photo of a giant cow instead to speak a thousand words. Natural Grocers isn’t selling Greger’s book because it could infringe on their sales of animal foods.
The organic community does claim sustainability. Miller cites Worldwatch. But to the point, Natural Grocers says it on their site, which is why I brought it up. I don’t think raising cows for food for everyone is sustainable.
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I agree with you, Bix!