I Refuse to Die: Why I Chose Plants, Truth, and a Second Chance at Life
Stupidest Thing You Can Do Is To Eat Animal Foods
From self-betrayal to self-healing — and the uncomfortable truth most omnivores never face.
I recently came across an eye-opening talk by Glen Merzer — author, screenwriter, and lifelong vegan advocate — titled “The Single Stupidest Thing You Can Do Is To Eat Animal Foods.”
(And you really should.)
In this talk, Merzer breaks down what I’ve believed and lived through for years: that eating animal (aka. sentient beings) foods is the single most destructive thing you can do — to your health, to the planet, and to the very idea of being a conscious, informed human being (that is, smoking, alcohol, drugs, bad choices, etc., are something I can’t do anything about, but inform and, hopefully, take my and other people advice… and have this blog article. LoL!). He connects the dots between what’s on your plate and the real-world consequences — chronic disease, climate breakdown, biodiversity loss — and how all of it stems from one powerful source: ignorance.
Now, I’ll say it straight:
All omnivores are hypocrites.
Most just don’t want to admit it — including my friends and colleagues (soooorry, friends!) — out of ignorance, stupidity, or pure habit and obstinance.
That might sound harsh, but I’ve lived it, studied it, and seen it firsthand — through my disabilities.
Who I Trust — and Why It Matters
Over the years, I’ve put my trust in (nutrition) doctors, dietitians, and evidence-based experts like Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neal Barnard, Chris MacAskill, Christopher Gardner, and Ed Winters — along with dozens more leading voices in nutritional science. I’ve consumed thousands of research papers, PubMed studies, documentaries, (vegan) conferences and conversations — and I’ve noticed a pattern:
No one wants to talk about the hypocrisy (about what we eat).
Merzer gets closest to doing it in this talk. He says what so many are afraid to: that our food choices reflect our values — or our refusal to face them.
The Disability Side No One Talks About
You know what else people don’t talk about? Disability.
As a stroke survivor who fought through aphasia* to rebuild my health and voice, I see the consequences of poor diet in a way most people can’t — and honestly, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
Hospitals don’t deal in preventive care; they deal in sick care. Close friends think it’s a temporary thing, like, “you broke your arm. That’s harsh.”, and they go back their normal lives and they have no idea it’s chronic disease/medical care. I learned that the hard way.
In the past few years, I’ve had deep conversations — one-on-one and in groups — with everyone from friends of Fortune 500 C-level executives, Silicon Valley successful founders, and tech billionaires, to celebrities, trusted doctors, and strangers across the world.
And do you know what I discovered?
Almost no one actually understands nutrition.
Not the basics. Not the science. Not the reality.
Nada. Zilch.
Meanwhile, the people who do get it — the select few who truly care about evidence-based health — are transforming their lives.
Who I Trust — The Real Minds Behind the Truth
Let’s start with one of the greatest minds of all time — Albert Einstein.
Even Einstein believed that humanity’s future lies in a plant-based diet. He said:
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
And he didn’t say this for ethics alone — but for survival itself.
Glen Merzer’s talk feels like a modern echo of Einstein’s wisdom.
Chris MacAskill
A Silicon Valley unicorn and colleague of late Steve Jobs, Chris MacAskill holds an M.S. from Stanford University and co-founded Fatbrain.com, which grew from zero to $100 million 😉 in four years before being acquired by Barnes & Noble. Today, he runs Viva Longevity, one of the best YouTube channels about food and health.
His career, intellect, and humility make him one of the most trustworthy voices in this field.
Frankly, I value his evidence-based opinion more than I do many of my friends or colleagues.
Christopher Gardner
Christopher Gardner, Director of Nutrition Studies at Stanford’s Prevention Research Center, is one of the world’s top nutrition scientists and professors of medicine. His research bridges plant-based eating with long-term health outcomes — and it’s solid, peer-reviewed science. I follow him through his various appearances on YouTube.
Dr. Michael Greger
Founder of NutritionFacts.org, and the YouTube channel which he is posting daily. He is author of How Not To Die and How Not To Age and various other books. I have all of the them and he is a colleague of mine. So, he is the “the man” when it come to nutrition. Haha. His evidence-based analysis of chronic disease prevention changed my entire perspective.
Dr. Neal Barnard
Founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Dr. Barnard has spent his life showing how diet can reverse disease — not just treat it. His work bridges compassion, science, and patient outcomes.
Dr. Kim A. Williams
Former President of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Williams famously said:
“There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans, and those who haven’t read the data.”
Enough said.
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD MSCI, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and bestselling author of Fiber Fueled and The Fiber Fueled Cookbook. He’s a leading voice connecting gut health, the microbiome, and Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition — showing how fiber-rich plants can reduce inflammation, improve immunity, and transform long-term wellness.
Dr. T. Colin Campbell
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a Cornell professor, author of The China Study, and pioneer of the eCornell Plant-Based Nutrition Program.
“The only diet that really works — across age groups and societies — is a whole food plant-based diet. Period.”
This man’s research laid the foundation for modern nutritional science.
Simon Hill
Simon Hill, MSc BSc (Hons), is a nutritionist, physiotherapist, and host of The Proof Podcast — a science-based show on health, longevity, and plant-based living. His evidence-driven approach makes him one of the clearest modern voices in nutrition today.
Other Experts I Trust
Bryan Johnson, who sold Braintree to PayPal for $800 Million 😳😳 , now leads the Don’t Die Initiative.
Dr. Matthew Nagra and Dr. Alan Desmond are bringing WFPB medicine to mainstream practice.
And Earthing Ed (Ed Winters) continues to inspire millions with reason, compassion, and facts.
(… and hundreds of people I follow and watch, but these are just highlights.)
For a comprehensive list, visit:
👉 Doctors Who Support Whole Food Plant-Based Nutrition
I’ve Seen What Ignorance Costs — In Blood, Brain, and Body
I am a stroke survivor. I live through aphasia*. I know what it’s like to lose your mind, your voice, and your body — and fight to rebuild them from ashes.
Hospitals don’t care about preventing disease. They profit from treating it.
Nutrition saved my life.
Not pills. Not surgery. Not the system.
I’m still fighting. Every day.
Yes — even my close friends and colleagues. You’re making a hypocritical decision about what you eat and your own life, and your children’s current or future health (aka. LONGEVITY), if you choose to live this way. I used to live that way too, but I changed. And I believe the world will change — much more slowly than I’d like, but it will change.
“the lead author of the largest and most comprehensive analysis ever conducted analyzing the impact that food and agriculture on the environment stated that a vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet earth.”
The Bottom Line
Eating animals fuels:
-
disease
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climate collapse
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of course, animal cruelty and violence
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cognitive decline
Plants fuel life.
Animal products fuel death.
It really is that simple.
Watch the Talk. Then Look in the Mirror.
This is the closest I’ve seen to someone telling the raw truth out loud — the truth most omnivores run from, again:
“The Single Stupidest Thing You Can Do Is To Eat Animal Foods.” — Glen Merzer
href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr2iS7FdtII
Watch on YouTube… again!
Watch it.
Think.
Then decide if you want to live awake… or stay a hypocrite.
(Again, I’m sooooooo sorry, friends and colleagues!!)
#GlenMerzer #VeganAdvocacy #WFPB #SustainableLiving #StrokeRecovery #AphasiaAwareness
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* Footnote:
Aphasia is a neurological condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It results from damage to the brain’s language centers, typically in the left hemisphere.
Aphasia can cause difficulties in:
- Speaking: Producing meaningful words and sentences
- Understanding: Comprehending spoken and written language
- Reading: Interpreting written words
- Writing: Forming written words and sentences
The severity and specific symptoms of aphasia vary depending on the location and extent of the brain damage. Some common types of aphasia include:
- Broca’s aphasia: Difficulty producing speech, but good comprehension (which is what I have).
- Wernicke’s aphasia: Fluent speech, but poor comprehension
- Conduction aphasia: Difficulty repeating words and sentences
- Global aphasia: Severe impairment in all aspects of communication
Aphasia can be caused by various factors, including stroke, brain tumors, head injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases.
