REVOLUTION IN MOTION

By Christian Shane Dougherty

2012 Olympic cycling medalist Dotsie Bausch, need I say more – yes I do. She has eight US national championships, two Pan American gold medals, a world record and a degree in plant-based nutrition. Before she became so passionate about her mission and causes, Dotsie Bausch struggled for years with eating disorders and a recreational drug habit. Only during her recovery, did she discover her gift and love of the bike. Bausch was also featured in the 2019 GAMECHANGERS movie which became the number one downloaded film of all time on iTunes. Her latest initiative is founding the nonprofit SWITCH4GOOD in 2018.

I had the pleasure to chat with Dotsie about her drive and became instantly inspired and motivated.

You have overcome many obstacles, personal and professional. How important is a plant-based diet when it comes to strengthening your mind?

A plant-based diet allows me to live in alignment with my ethics. It is a freeing thing to feel affirmed by food instead of guilty. Honestly, eating vegan is when I feel the most free and strong. It feels good making a choice to put love on my plate vs. death. It feels strong to stay committed to something that deeply matters to me. And, it does not hurt that I also feel mentally clearer and less sluggish.

Can you tell us a bit about where you grew up, your family and how they had an impact on you?

I spent my childhood in the suburbs of Kentucky, and I have to say, it was pretty idyllic. I grew up with love, support and unconditional “you’ve got this.” My mom was my champion and said to me about a thousand times: “you can do absolutely anything you set your mind to” and I believed her. Her words got in deep. From a very early age, my favorite words were “I do it!” Whether it was unscrewing a lid, or arranging a toy, or tying my shoe, I was determined to get it done solo. According to my mother, whenever she tried to intervene, I would scream my head off: “I DO IT!!” until she backed away. Even then, I was determined to see things through to the other side, and I was fueled by a powerful curiosity that drives me to this day.

My dad traveled for work, and my younger sister was not born until I was seven, so it was just me and mom for quite a while, and we did everything together. She was a traditional stay-at-home mother—a rare species today—so she was really available to me. Mom had always wanted to have a family, so much so that when she attended college in the sixties, she majored in Home Economics. Not exactly a hippy.

But she was strong: When I was three years old, she took me to a steakhouse where everyone was expected to use utensils and have a modicum of manners. The maître’d was not going to let me in, but my mother pushed back: “she can eat with a fork!” she responded, this nice Southern housewife was standing her ground. They let us in. I got my grit, my fight and my independence from my mother, which eventually led to me bucking the system that says Olympians cannot be old. I was the one who was never supposed to be doing what I was doing. I was definitely way too old. I did not have the pedigree, the history, the background. I was not even an athlete as a child or as a teenager, and at every juncture I heard: “you shouldn’t be here and you’re not going to make it to greatness.” I was told that so often. There is a lot there, but I just kept stepping into the danger zone, and what I could have easily failed. And sometimes I did. But I always chose the exposure vs. avoiding the danger because I could not feel anything when I was not stepping right into the fire.

You have accomplished so much, what challenges do you face today?

As long as people continue to consume dairy, I will be challenged. It is an uphill battle to convince people that the food they were taught to believe is essential is actually bad for them. So many of us grew up thinking milk built strong bones, that we need it for protein and calcium. But that is not true, and the truth is jarring. I do not blame them—the industry does a marvelous job of spreading misinformation by manipulating scientific studies and paying off athletes to promote its products. While cow’s milk sales are falling, I am still challenged by this massive industry and will continue to fight until everyone knows the truth behind dairy.

SWITCH4GOOD has a great mission to educate and ditch dairy. What can we expect from your nonprofit, and you, in the rest of 2021?

First off, thank you. In 2021, we are working hard on systematic change by supporting legislation that moves the needle in the dairyfree direction. We are also leaning into the social justice side to educate people about the dietary racism inherent in

“common” practices surrounding dairy— such as schools refusing to serve plant milk or coffee shops charging extra for non-dairy options. Seventy to ninety-five percent of black individuals, Asians, Indigenous Americans, and Latinx populations are lactose intolerant. Why should these kids not have access to milk that will not make them sick at school? Why should anyone be charged extra for a milk option that will not make them sick when they order a coffee? It is not fair, and we are working to change that.

Switch4Good is also leading the charge when it comes to scientific research around the deleterious effects of dairy on performance, and our first study is launching this summer with results compiled and published by the end of the year.

Switch4Good is also partnering with some stellar athletes who are spreading the dairyfree word. We are collaborating with Robbie Balenger—a vegan who ran across America in 2019—on his endurance running advocacy this summer, and we are building a diary-free team of influential athletes, including some 2021 Olympians. https://dotsiebauschusa.com/ https://switch4good.org/ https://gamechangersmovie.com/

Switch4Good has a theory of change that is unlike any other. Consider the traditional model of the omnivore’s transition. As a person moves away from a meat-based diet, they often look to replicate the satiation of animal products with foods laden with cheese and other high-fat dairy items. This increased dairy consumption can stall a person’s transition, as the addictive casomorphins in dairy interact with the brain in much the same way as caffeine, alcohol and other drugs.

What if we turned the traditional model on its head? Instead of focusing on meat reduction first, starting with dairy might eliminate the largest hurdle in transitioning for many people. Without the gastrointestinal distress, itchy skin, inhibited breathing, acne and addictive impulses that dairy supplies, individuals making the transition to plantbased eating would find the switch easier and even encouraging, leading to higher conversion rates and less backsliding. The truth is, no one ever said “I gave up chicken (or fish) and within a few days I noticed a dramatic shift in how I feel.” But that is exactly what people say when they give up dairy. And within a few months of giving up dairy, we have noticed that people begin asking questions about the animals on their plate and how to give that up as well.

Dairy is a fantastic entry point to the plant-based movement because the intersectionality of the issue provides an array of secondary justifications to feel good about making the switch. Using dairy as an entry point is going to introduce the public to a lot of social justice issues, many of whom will adopt veganism, racial justice causes, or environmental protection as passions as a result.

How do you spend time relaxing?

While some may not find it relaxing, I really love to travel (though, of course, the pandemic put a dent in that). I also feel relaxed when I see the ocean, so I make a point to ride my bike that way regularly. Walking my three dogs after a long day always offers moments of lightness, and you cannot beat the savasana after a grueling hot yoga session!