31 Flavors…

John Robbins told the long story of his relationship with his father, who started Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors ice cream (one for each day of the month).  You may know that John, after attending Berkeley in the late ’60’s, told his father that he would not be taking over the company; in fact, he did not want any money from the company or any inheritance having to do with it.  They didn’t speak for years.  Then, in 1984, John wrote “Diet for a New America”, which his father did not read.  By then his father had diabetes, high cholesterol, was overweight, etc.  He had the best cardiologist that his billions could buy him (in Rancho Mirage, CA).  The Dr. told him that he would take medication and they would try to keep him comfortable for the few remaining years of his life.  “There is, however, an alternative,”  and brought out a copy of “Diet for a New America” and handed it to Mr. Robbins, not realizing that it was written by his son.  “Read this and change your diet, and then you’ll have a different outcome.”  Mr. Robbins did not reveal his surprise to his doctor, whom he respected.  He went home, read it, made the dietary changes (even though his wife, John’s mother, disagreed), and lived a much better life for 20 more years!  His mother, meanwhile, got sick over time and became deaf, blind, bedridden, and survived with Alzheimer’s for 3 x longer than most people.  John was sad about that (and did not volunteer that story – someone in the audience asked about his mother, since he’d only talked of his father.)