When it comes to taking control of your own health and the health of your family it can be very confusing to figure out exactly who to trust. We live in a world where an abundance of information is at our fingertips and we are constantly bombarded with stats, figures and products that promise to make us thinner, more beautiful, fitter and healthier.
Our family doctor tells us one thing and a naturopath will say something completely different. You read about a new superfood or drug in your favourite magazine and the newspaper reports contradictory information about the same darn product. Television, medical journals, radio, books, blogs, our friends and family, health professionals, alternative medicine practitioners, healers…..who are we to believe?
I personally began on a path of health and wellness about 6 years ago. Having grown up on a mainly junk food diet (I’ll fill you in on this in a future post), I started to question what I was putting into my mouth and conventional ideas about nutrition. I read a lot of books, I took courses, I did research, I spoke to many different professionals, I asked some hard questions and although I am still learning I am slowly beginning to figure out for myself what I understand to be true about the link between diet and overall health.
I honestly don’t think there is only one right answer and you will figure out what feels right to you and makes you feel good about your health and nutrition choices. Remember that it’s a process – be curious (how much training does your family doctor really have in the field of nutrition vs. pharmaceuticals for example?), do your own research (you might want to ask who is actually sponsoring that new study – might it be a company with a stake in the profits?) and then decide for yourself who to put your faith into….because you can be sure there are a lot of professionals, advertisers and corporations that are much more concerned with the almighty dollar than what is the best and healthiest choice for your family.
This point really came to light recently when I saw a video posting from one of my own personal favourite bloggers and a man that I trust has good information that he is willing to share. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff writes the Weighty Matters blog and is a family doctor and professor in Ottawa with a specialty in obesity. He was recently invited by the Ontario Medical Association to present to a group of professionals from the Food Industry as part of a conference on Health and Nutrition policies and 3 days before the event he was unceremoniously un-invited and told he was no longer welcome. Why? Watch the video below and see for yourself….
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
