Eye opening article inspires me to Double check my sources

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I know that researching for the articles we write can take a long time and there are times when we just want to be done. I find that for me, it can be so easy to take information at face value rather than looking for a different point of view.

Today, I read an article that suggested that what we learn for eating healthy from the American Heart Association is apparently propaganda and that the British Medical Journal has evidence that the AMA's recommendations aren't healthy.

If what the article I read is accurate and I chose to talk about ways to lose weight and be healthy, I could potentially do my readers a disservice if I had used the AHA's recommendations.

It's kind of a scary thought that I could inadvertently pass on malicious propaganda to my readers without even know it. So even if the article I read today isn't true, I plan to look more carefully for different viewpoints to make sure that I pass on the best possible information.

If you want to read the article I'm referring to, this is the link: https://medium.com/@kevinmgear...

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Recent Comments

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Western medicine in general is tied into Big Pharma. I would tend to believe the article and here's why: Look at the people in places like Indonesia, where coconuts and coconut oils, etc. are widely used because of their availability to the native peoples. Look at health statistics in those places. They are, generally speaking, much healthier than we are here in the west. I could say a lot more as I feel very strongly about all of this, but I'll stop here, lol.

Looking at populations that use certain ingredients regularly is a great place to start. I am curious what you're holding back. Not that I intended to create a controversy. If you don't want to share here, I'd love to read your PM if your willing.

My goal was to discuss the power to create change good or bad as writers on the web.

I just didn't want to take up so much space talking about other issues. I'll PM you.

yeah, but they eat the whole coconut and not just the oil like the new fad in the west, some people don't even check if it is rancid

I lived there, off and on, for a year or so when my hubby worked over there. Minyak Kilapa, also called Minyak Sawit, or coconut oil is the #1 oil used for cooking in Indonesia. But, yes, they do use the entire coconut in various ways.

It is always a good thing to find articles with both view points to make an informed decision about something. I try to do that in my research when I am about to write an article on a particular subject. I think it gives u more perspective on the subject.

I agree, it does help us get more perspective. Thank you for sharing your method with us!

So very true I always look at several articles while researching and get perspective on all sides of an issue

That sounds like a great practice. I remember back in school learning to get more than one source to back things up. I think I'll try harder to make sure that I get a source with a completely different opinion/conclusion so I can better discuss both sides of the issues.

Thank you for sharing what you do so we can learn from your example and ideas.

an opposing point of view may not give you balance, it may just give you points to write about! it could also throw you off, try to get good sources then defeat the arguments and lies of the others because the profits based people have filled the web with lies hoping they will get repeated!

You're right. Thanks for pointing that out. I would rather spread truth and enlighten my readers.

I'm glad you shared this, because we automatically assume that these organizations are supposed to protect us. I firmly believe that initially, they had better intentions. Unfortunately, organizations that need funding ultimately get influenced by the hands that feed them.

I think that while all of us are in school, probably in most countries around the world, we're taught to trust the government from an early age. It's very possible that my government did have the best intentions in the beginning, but they are human and still subject to persuasion, greed, a thirst for power, and corruption.

Thank you for adding your thoughts to the conversation.

I've heard otherwise, and that those organizations were set up to put good people out of business, the history of medicine is sad - women using herbalism were conveniently called witches so they could be burned and disposed off, and Gerson Therapy for cancer lost the government vote by about 4 votes I think, while the current chemotherapy and oncology paid for those votes, lots of incidents in history of attempts to wipe out 'alternatives' by people in the petroleum industry, simple to use their waste products and create drugs...but they systematically try to make illegal alternatives and even blogging about them is being threatened...

I hear you. I didn't want to open up a can of worms here. There is now so much more information readily available to laypeople that it's harder and harder for these large organizations to hide the truth. What's helping is that there is a movement in the medical community to look beyond drugs. I've been digging into health and nutrition for years. My eyes have been open for some time now, but many people aren't ready to listen to what I might have to say...because who am I? What do I know?

so true! that new movement though, functional medicine, they need to respect their roots in natural medicine and not plagarize and wipe out all previous history and also they are sooooo money oriented - many of them are MDs and carry all the same interests...

Excellent point, on at least two levels - got to get to the horse's mouth when we are doing our research, and then we've got to see if the officially promote horse is a fake due to industry and profit reasons - and actually it is most of those big associations, and all the top medical sites and charities, all a scam! But paying google well to get top position on every page ;)

Tricky, right? I'm thinking that it could be pretty difficult, if not impossible to figure out whose study, research, opinion, etc is real vs fake because all the different government agencies and private organizations have an agenda. Discovering whose is actually altruistic to the core , that's the goal.

Thanks for sharing how tricky it is and why.

I landed in the medical bin myself so was forced to go alternative and then got to see what worked and at what price, and that the simple stuff that didn't need a practitioner to recommend it could work just fine, in fact it would put a LOT of people out of business both official line medical and integrative docs and practitioers

Now when I see both medicine and integrative practitioners, I look at what the old school guys achieved and how they are not even invited to the online conversation, in the name of 'science', but really profits. I will use all the functional medicine training as good explanations of the mechanisms of illness though, then go to the old school guys like Dr. Christopher or Max Gerson or Ann Wigmore for solutions, somewhere between those three something nice can be found - and I take high tech stuff when it's needed like I'd never have believed an oxygen supplement in the form of drops could have effect or EPA capsules, but sometimes they are...and that is still a long way from any of those sources of information!

The associations have a number of competing issues. A lot of the research done is aimed at quick wins or large payoffs. Plus the industry groups, like big pharma, agriculture, and food have a big say as to how their research money is spent. We are now seeing more research into nutrition. But there is little payoff for industry to recommend to people to eat their veggies.

At least the American dietary guidelines have come out and said there is little evidence to link dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. They state that "cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."

Research is showing that the culprit to clogged arteries is trans fats and sugar.

it is so true that a lot of the research is funded by vested interests and very biased and not even scientiftic...it's about money

it's also so true that sugar causes triglycerides and fatty liver and clogs arteries that way, same with trans fats, but if you listen to a number of integrative cardiologists you'll see two very different opinions, the ones on keto and paleo will eat a lot of fat or meat [with fat] but others who specifically focus on reversing coronary plaque build up to prevent bypass surgery don't recommend a lot of saturated fat for people at all - they would allow up to 4 eggs a day, but they caution about coconut oil, tons of meat etc., especially in heart patients and older peeps...

American Dietary Guidelines do not encourage a low-fat diet. Its healthy eating style examples can contain up to 35% of total calories per day from fat.

The source of meat is very important with regards to health. There is a huge difference between beef that is range and grass fed and beef that goes to a feedlot prior to slaughter. Typical feedlot operations receive cattle about a year old weighing about 700 pounds. Cattle diet in a feedlot eat is about 31% grain. The feedlot operators want the cattle to increase in weight by 400 pounds in 6-7 months.

I am an older peep and have switched cooking with coconut oil from vegetable oil. Coconut oil is more stable at high temps than veg. oil. And basically far healthier than veg. oil. I now have less inflammation in my joints and back. So I feel much better. Plus I have stopped eating processed foods.

It sounds like we're left to our own devices to figure things out. If it makes us feel bad over the long term, it probably isn't good for us then. Hopefully we can figure out what's best for us before we develop too many bad habits or cause permanent damage.

At home, when I was a child, I was taught moderation in all things. I think that is a good way to go because it's not too focused on eating one thing or another.

Thank you for sharing what you've learned about the dietary guidelines for cholesterol, trans fats and sugars. It makes sense that processed foods can't be as good for us as things that are more natural (though some natural things are toxic/poisonous).

You said, "it's also so true that sugar causes triglycerides and fatty liver and clogs arteries that way, same with trans fats, but if you listen to a number of integrative cardiologists you'll see two very different opinions, the ones on keto and paleo will eat a lot of fat or meat [with fat] but others who specifically focus on reversing coronary plaque build up to prevent bypass surgery don't recommend a lot of saturated fat for people at all - they would allow up to 4 eggs a day, but they caution about coconut oil, tons of meat etc., especially in heart patients and older peeps..."

I wonder if both camps could be right because we all metabolize food differently. So one group of people might be better off with a higher meat diet while others might benefit from less animal products. I don't think health is necessarily a one size fits all. That's just a guess.

Thanks for adding that to the conversation.

I'm looking at your comment about beef that is rang and grass fed. That's my favorite. I'm also concerned about pink slime and grain fed. I watched a documentary (without considering who was benefiting from it) that talked about the health problems cattle have with grains. I don't remember the particulars though because it's been a while.

I also like cooking with coconut oil but have found that it's a good idea to buy it as needed instead of buying in bulk. I once bought a bucket and I believe it went rancid before I finished using it. I use coconut oil for cooking, oil pulling and as a moisturizer.

eliminating processed foods and the type of oil you were using would reduce the inflammation, that is still not conclusive to what coconut oil is contributing to your results - I actually use butter and find coconut oil hard to digest - thing is, Joel Khan is worth listening to - people are really eating a ton of coconut oil now because there's a bit of a fad out there, yet if you were to eat real coconut look how much oil you'd be getting, that is the perspective - large amounts that go way beyond what we'd get naturally is a red flag.

I also eat organic meat, but not in the quantities someone on paleo would eat

I'm just finishing off some coconut milk here right now that I made myself in the vitamix, with some brazil nuts and almonds - poured over some oats with banana and raisins, omg...yum, funny I can do well with whole coconut - but I try not to eat it every day...

But then I also do huge amounts of wheatgrass and juicing with garlic and smoothies with maybe 30 herbs in them etc

It's great to see you turning you health around

Good stuff, Mary.

I occasionally make my own ranch dressing instead of the sugar loaded ones in the stores when I get tired of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. The recipe calls for some coconut milk. I usually use the left over c. milk and pour it over blueberries. Makes for a good dessert.

thanks for this, I have to say that I see Doctors the same as a Business person, the Patient is a Business referred to income and if they make you healthy the Doctor will lose their income.
Sorry, If I offend some Doctors I apologise already in advance.

I also see them as businessmen. Some really do want to help while others want to line their pocket books and forget to use integrity. Apparently, some will sell you anything just to get the kickbacks, even if you don't need it. Others, take their Hippocratic Oath seriously.

As consumers, we need to do our research before we agree to procedures, medications, etc.

Thank you for dropping by and adding your thoughts.

...no need to apologize! ;)

yes, and there is a whole breed of docs now called 'entrepreneur doctors', they want to be affiliate marketers and earn passive income while they lie on the beach and don't punch in much time at the office now doing real doctor work or research into how to actually help us, meanwhile we have to research how to get better ourselves and try to earn money to support ourselves in here while THEY steal our opportunities, my niche affiliate programs now have doctors at the top of the leaderboards, they pinch everyone for their lists too...and they keep selling training now like WA training to each other and boast of their 7 figure incomes

that may be tolerable if we were getting good service, but we are not, they are just making things harder...

oh, and btw, they keep coming on the online health summits with their airs and graces telling people not to trust what they read in the blogosphere written by Dr. Google! ie you and me - actually I learned a lot more from humble bloggers than from docs, especially in the midnight hours when you've got to get a gallbladder emergency under control - thank gawd for the internet and the blogosphere!

I had no idea the extent of the problem. Thank you for telling me. I do believe that we need to learn how to be more self sufficient. I believe that prior to the 1900s, more people knew how to set dislocated joints, fix broken bones, etc. without the help of the doctor because there might be one or a few doctors making home visits for a large community.

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