Be Informed. Be Picky.

It’s the Holidays and many weeks have gone by since my previous post. I’ve had ample time to get teed off with many a nutrition conundrum (my new year’s resolution is to use big words BTW). So, I’m going to take a break from diving into my fridge for now – as riveting as it is – to bring you my latest “are you kidding me?!” moment.

So, I was recently informed of a new, “revolutionary” way of eating that will solve all of the world’s weight and digestive issues – Oh, THAT’s what I was missing. All those classes, tests, research papers, labs and clinicals for nothing. And I’m so relieved that they were able to let the world know in a mass forwarded email – whew. Its times like these when I’m grateful for Snopes – if nothing more – than to confirm my sanity. The media and popular opinion works against the Dietitian more times than not, in fact, the Dietitian has been known to work against the Dietitian when we begin to stray from research toward popular opinion and “rumor” or “fad”. The email shared with me had such literary and scientific scholars as Suzanne Somers and Mary Lou Henner backing its concepts. Oh, well that makes all the difference in the world, why didn’t you say so?! Apparently if you’re popular (for any reason) you can now give nutrition advice? What…oh…right – because the masses are dumb enough to buy it. Hmmm, dumb may be harsh… uuuh, nope, dumb it is.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I’m the last and official word on anything and everything nutrition-related. I’m also not going to ask you to only listen to my advice or instruction, nor could I even begin to know everything there is to know about nutrition – its HUGE and often-times is changing based on new research and discoveries, farming methods, economical conditions etc etc. What I AM going to ask you to do is – be picky. Do your own research and come to your own convictions and decisions regarding nutrition for yourself and for your family.

For example, I’ve mentioned this before, but I personally have no problem with sucralose (Splenda) and small amounts of aspartame (Equal), many of my peers do – Dietitians and non-Dietitians alike – MDs and non-MDs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with abstaining from artificial sweeteners for yourself and your family if that is the informed conclusion you’ve come to, Informed being the key word here.

As a Christian, I don’t just take my pastor’s word for it. I go to the Word and look it up for myself. If you’ve never done this, DO IT. The Pastor can help clarify and enlighten the Word for you. He can aid you in your “walk” and be there for questions as they arise. But, blindly following leaders is what gets us into trouble. Seek out credentials, publishings, bios, work history etc. Read legitimate, science-based, peer-reviewed and duplicated research on important topics. Google searches will only get you so far, and typically the first thing to pop up is the highest bidder – proooobably not the government funded, non-biased, grant-funded research. Proooobably the privately funded product discreetly being promoted – just a hunch.

As we enter the New Year, commit to educating yourself. Don’t do anything rash and don’t take anyone’s word for it. Not even mine ☺