"Diabetes Numbers Staggering"
"Lose Weight By Watching TV: New Weight Loss Hypnosis Video Declared "Powerful Stuff!" By Expert"
"Carrying Extra Weight May Cause Early Death"
"Eat Like An Ape"
"The pH Factor In Weight Loss"
"Childhood Obesity On The Rise In West Virginia"
Reading the health headlines can be a little like watching a horror film; and just as frightening, trying to tease out the fact from fiction. The headlines above are just a sampling of those I found in one day. So, what do you believe?
Before jumping on the “maple syrup diet” bandwagon, or sending in your “3 easy payments of $29.99” for a revolutionary new diet pill, you should critically evaluate whatever you’re buying into.
First, answer a few questions:
- Where is your information coming from? Who wrote the article or created the advertisement? Are they qualified to write/speak on the topic, what do they stand to gain? If the author doesn’t have a health background, do they speak with respected experts in the field? No matter what, it’s still a good idea to do a little more research on the topic before making any changes in your life.
- Some articles are really just cleverly disguised advertisements. Is this the case? Read the fine print!
- Does the article/author/program promise “amazing results, never seen before”? Think back to what our parents & grandparents always said: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. If there really was such an amazing thing out there, the medical community would be all over it!
There is good information out there, if you know where to find it. Start with websites like Shape Up America, government sites like, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), or the American Heart Association (AHA) to get some general information. Then investigate for more detail at sites like Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Joslin Diabetes Center.
When it comes to dieting and weight loss, I did find one headline that I felt spoke the complete truth: “All that wobbles is market gold to some eyes”. Be savvy, do some research, and if you’re planning on a major diet change or adding any diet medications, talk to your doctor. Better safe than sorry! - Renee Labels: Fad-Diet, Obesity, Renee, Weight Loss
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