111 – Words With Dad

This is the show where I help you live stronger, thinner, healthier, happier, and so much more. Today’s show is a very special episode. I love to inspire you and motivate you to live your absolute best lifestyle ever! Today, for the first time ever, I have a very special guest on the show, my dad! His name is Selvin Madow.

Dr. Dave: “Say hello to everybody.”

Mr. Madow: “Hello everybody! I have to tell you it is a great pleasure to be here on my son’s iPod (podcast) because I really love what he does and what he is. So hopefully it will be very interesting and you will come away with something from this iPod (podcast).”

Dr. Dave: “Ok thank you very much! It’s not actually an iPod, it’s a podcast but that’s ok. He’s not a real tech guy but that’s ok. He tries.”

Mr. Madow: “I try. I meant to say podcast.”

Dr. Dave: “So here’s the story. I have been doing this podcast for about two years now but I have been living this lifestyle for a lot longer, probably the last forty years. Over the past forty years, I think my mom and dad have looked at me thinking that I’m a little bit weird, a little bit out there. Dave lives this lifestyle that really nobody else lives. He tries to make everyone think they need to live the same lifestyle. And I will tell you this. Since I became plant based, I am catching a little more flack. People look at me like Dave, what are you doing with your life and why are you trying to get everybody else to do what you do? I could be totally wrong but I think my dad thinks the same thing. So this is a one on one interview, down and dirty, unrehearsed. Dad, you can say whatever you want about me, I don’t care if it’s good, bad, ugly, sweet, great. Do you like what I’m doing? Or do you think it’s just too much and I should lay back and not try to get other people to live this incredible lifestyle?”

Mr. Madow: “Ok. We have heard what David had to say. David, my oldest son, who obviously I love very very much. He does things that I don’t do. He has different beliefs than I do or my wife does, however I give David so much credit for living his life the way he wants. And believing in the things that he believes in so strongly, which I think is wonderful even if it’s not my belief. I give him credit for doing that. I have seen him get into this situation with the vegan {lifestyle}. He loves it. He does push it, there’s no doubt about that. He doesn’t try to push it in a way that would make you uncomfortable but you know how he feels and you know what he does. We have to accept him for that. I went to a vegan meal with a couple of months ago and it was actually very interesting to see people eating vegan food. And the food happened to be very good. However it’s not for me. I like too many other things to give them up at this stage of my life. And I know David understands that. I greatly admire what he is doing because his is not the mainstream. Most people don’t do what he does. They don’t! So I give him credit for doing that. That’s my take on his vegan food that he eats. And believe me when we go out to dinner, and we usually go to a vegan restaurant because David likes that and I don’t mind doing that. But I have told him before that I get this strange feeling that he is staring at me when I am eating lamb chops and he is eating his vegan food 🙂 He tells me that’s not true and that I can eat whatever I want. He is not trying to influence me but you know you get influenced by being in the presence of someone doing it. Even it you don’t want it, even if you don’t like it, it still does have a certain influence on you. So believe it or not I really do try to stay away from things he doesn’t like. Because in the whole scheme of things, believe it or not, I know it’s healthier for me and being healthier could be a good thing at my age. I am 86 years old and I really should start being healthy for once in my life. So yeah I admire David for what he is doing. He is a great guy!”

Dr. Dave: “So as my dad just said, he is 86 years old. It’s interesting what you said because you never really told me this part but when you’re in my presence, even though I don’t say to you hey you have to eat what I’m eating, you feel this energy that you should be doing what I’m doing. But you’re right I don’t give anybody dirty looks. I always say that if I tried to disassociate myself from friends or family that do not eat the way I do, then I wouldn’t have any friends or family. So I’d be crazy to do that. I totally respect everybody. I try to teach by example and lead by example. The message is out there and the message has been received very positively over the past couple years. Dad, let me asked you a question. You said something very interesting, like you almost feel that you know it’s the right thing to do at this stage of your life but you don’t do it anyway. Have you ever heard the term cognitive dissonance? If you haven’t, that’s ok.”

Mr. Madow:  “I think I’ve heard of it but I am not quite sure what it means to be honest with you.”

Dr. Dave: “Cognitive dissonance is when somebody understands on some level that something is right, but they choose to bury that because they are doing things a different way. I swear I am not trying to talk you into anything today. But maybe on some level you know that eating animal products isn’t very good for you or you know that it causes suffering, but you choose not to change. On some level you have this struggle going on inside of you, and I think a lot of people do. Do you think there is any kind of cognitive dissonance going on in your body on some level that you think plant based might be better for your health or for the environment or whatever it may be?”

Mr. Madow: “Well as I said before, I definitely know that plant based is healthier for me and possibly I would be much better off doing that. Not just because David does it but because it’s a known fact that vegetables and healthy foods are much better for you than eating red meat. However I have a very difficult situation for me because I really enjoy some of the stuff that I eat and I don’t enjoy eating some of this plant based vegan food. David does and I guess a lot of the people following him do. So it really is a meeting of the minds and what you feel is really important in your life at that stage. And everybody has different stages. The older you get, you have a different stage. You don’t worry about your health so much. You think well I like this and I am going to eat it. I don’t care what goes on. I think that possibly may be one of the stages I am in right now. I really enjoy eating the stuff that I eat, meat, ribs, all that kind of bad stuff for you. But don’t think that while I am eating this stuff, that I don’t realize that it’s not the best thing for me because I do. However I guess that’s the stage I am in and my feeling for what I want overcomes the other part of it which is not good for me. I wholeheartedly endorse what David’s doing for him and his followers but not particularly for me.

Dr. Dave: “So let me ask you a totally hypothetical question. Your 86 and we both feel that although you’re in good health it probably could be better right?”

Mr. Madow: “It could be better. But I’m still here”

Dr. Dave: “And God bless you! But let’s just say that someone came down and said Mr. Selvin Madow if you ate a lot healthier, mostly plant based and took out processed foods from your diet, I am going to tell you there is a very good chance you could live at least 10 more years to 96. And not just 10 more years but you’d feel better, you’d lose some weight, you’d be more vibrant. If someone told you that but they said the only way to really do that is to change your diet totally and start eating some more plant based and whole food. Would you do it if someone could guarantee that?”

Mr. Madow: “Probably if someone came up and they could guarantee that. I would possibly do it. But obviously it can’t be done that way. They can’t guarantee it. I like to live as healthy as possible.”

Dr. Dave: “No one is going to guarantee that because of course we are all humans. There’s no guarantee. I could go out tomorrow and God forbid have some kind of horrible accident. You just never know. So they can’t guarantee it, but if someone said the odds are stacked way in your favor living 10 more years out, being healthy, being thinner, being more vibrant; would you consider it at that point?”

Mr. Madow: “Thinking about that, what person with any kind of common sense could say no to that? If someone came up to me, which David has in his own way, and said if you eat this way you’ll live a lot longer you have to think about it. Could I do it? Sure I could. Do I do it? No. Why don’t I do it? I guess because I am stubborn. I’m too ingrown with this stuff that I am doing and the stuff that I like. But you could talk to me and say you know what Selvin if you had any sense you would change. You would go with this plant based with the opportunity to be around with your family for 10 more years. I would have to say that I would need to give it some more serious thought. Of course I want to be around. Of course I enjoy my life. So I might switch over. I might do what David says because I know it’s good for me. So anyhow that’s a good question. I really don’t have a definite answer but I would seriously think about it.”

Dr. Dave: “Well this show is all about being honest and being respectful. I appreciate that honest answer. I really do. I won’t coerce you or give you dirty looks. You did say at one point that when we were at the Indian restaurant and you were having lamb chops that I shot you dirty looks. But maybe I wasn’t shooting you dirty looks but maybe in the back of my mind subliminally I was thinking wow if my dad keeps eating food like that he is not going to have many more years to spend. But if he starts eating healthier he’ll be able to spend a lot more years. Maybe you could look at it like that instead of me trying to diss you or make fun of you for eating lamb chops.”

Mr. Madow: There could also be another aspect to that. Maybe that was my own thinking. That I was eating lamb chops and it was so far away from what David preaches.”

Dr. Dave: “Cognitive dissonance right?”

Mr. Madow: “Right. That’s exactly right. So maybe that was me. Maybe in my own mind I was thinking I shouldn’t be doing this. I think it was more me thinking that way than David trying to make me feel that way.”

Dr. Dave: “You don’t have to kiss my butt just because we’re on this podcast. You can be totally honest. If you think I was giving you dirty looks you can say it.”

Mr. Madow: “I just explained it. And I was very honest about that. I think it was my own thought process and maybe even a guilty thought process.”

Dr. Dave: “Cognitive dissonance that’s what they call it. It catches up with everybody.”

Mr. Madow: “Anyhow it’s been very interesting doing this with David. And again as I said before, I really admire him for carrying out his feelings the way he feels he wants to do things. And the biggest thing of all is it’s paying off for him very well. He looks terrific. He feels terrific. So maybe I am the one that’s wrong.”

Dr. Dave: “Well it’s not a question of being right or wrong. It’s not right or wrong. It’s just what type of life do you want to live? Do you want to be healthier? Not only that but do you want to NOT contribute to animals suffering. I’ve got this passion as you know Dad. I live this lifestyle and it’s not just eating. But it’s exercise, it’s moving my body, it’s being happy, it’s having goals in my life and things that I want to do. A lot of people probably think I am a nutcase and that’s totally fine because I can wake up and look at myself every day in the mirror and say hey dave you are absolutely living the life that you want to live. You are having fun every day. You are doing what you want to do. You are healthy. You are contributing and helping other people. I don’t get paid a penny for this podcast but I do it because I love helping other people. I LOVE it with a passion. As I always say, if I got through to one person today and helped them even think about their life, then I did my job. And today, having you on here. I think we got through to more than one. I think we helped a lot of people. Stay with me. You are not alone. This is what The David Madow Lifestyle Show is all about.  Please give us your last minute parting comments dad.”

Mr. Madow: “I really like what David is doing. He looks great, he feels great, and he has a wonderful attitude. He’s doing what he loves to do. And what could be better than that. So David I give you all the compliments in the world and I think you’re doing great. I love you! Keep on doing it! Thank you for having me on your show.”

Dr. Dave: “Dad you’re very welcome. And I will tell you in front of many people all over the plant, I love you. I’m proud to have you as my dad!”

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