Discernment needed

One of the things I find challenging as a naturopath in the vast world of health promoters nowadays, is the absolute certainty with which people push their beliefs.

Because something has worked for them, helped a particular health condition, they believe it will work for others- and it may, but it may not, and there is need for discernment.

Some people are absolutely certain that keto is the way- for (just about) everyone- and there are benefits for some, but it can also lead to a high animal fat and protein diet which is associated with poor health outcomes in other ways.

That intermittent fasting is amazing, for everyone- yet many women find it torture and it can mess with hormones.

Everyone would be slim like them if they adopted their way of living and eating- discounting so many factors such as constitution, genetics, tendency to eating disorders etc.

Vegans can be very dogmatic about their way of eating and many thrive, even long term, but some do not, and it’s not always because they are not doing it right.

Then there are the elimination diets- FODMAPs, gluten free, dairy free, oxalate free, low histamine….all these can potentially lead to nutritional deficiencies if taken on long term without a lot of care.

Without extensive training and experience in deciphering good information from bad, I can truly empathise, it’s very easy to get caught up in a particular approach that may or may not benefit us, because it sounds so good. It often initially feels good too.

This applies to any position we take around our approach to health. There are so many influencers- some well trained, even doctors and specialists- who arent actually trained in nutrition or supplements anyway. Also thousands who cured themselves of some condition, did a lot of research, and now want to make a living.

And that is where the crunch is. When you are invested in making a living from a particular approach- even if you 100% believe it is the best approach- you are going to have a bias toward that approach. And you will present that bias, wrapped up in cherry-picked information, to your audience. There are many thousands of scientific studies on many different health-related topics, and most people cannot distinguish good studies from poor ones. To back their position, people will present whatever studies support their position (I have done it myself).

We should keep in mind a few things to help navigate the maze of health information out there.

Science is generally not as black and white as it seems. It is a process, not an outcome. It says what it knows to the best of its ability- until it knows better. Science does not have all the answers. But it should also not be ignored.

Do listen to what is pulling at you, your gut feeling about trying a different direction, or a new program or protocol. Listen to all your intuition. I have tried many different approaches over the years and I am glad I did, because I have a curious mind and I have a lot of experience now. What I choose to do at this stage is likely a bit different to what would have been ideal at other stages in my life. I no longer try to convert everyone to what I am doing, but I love sharing. Currently I am very interested in the Blue Zones and longevity diets and lifestyles.

I have seen long term vegans convert back to meat eating, even becoming carnivores. And others go in the opposite direction. It’s understandable when people are suffering, and the medical profession cannot help and shows little interest in helping or even acknowledging your suffering.

It’s ok to experiment, but do it safely. Swinging to extremes has its place- but is often a reaction and can end up causing harm, even long-term harm.

I like to think in terms of life force. What makes my life force, my vitality, stronger? But your criteria might be different.

Supplements have their place- but they don’t have a lot of life force and they truly can't replace a good diet. I do recommend you get some professional help with picking supplements. They promise a lot (and cost a lot!) but often deliver very little in terms of health improvement, alone. There are many potential dangers in self-prescribing supplements. A billion $ supplement industry is out there, cherry-picking information to sell more supplements.

Health is not just about what you eat or what supplements you take. It is also about your attitudes, your stress levels, your constitutional tendencies, your level of toxic encumbrance, your family situation, the state of your marriage, whether you live in a low or wealthy socio-economic area- so many things. Some in our control, some not.

I find it’s best to keep a broad and open perspective as far as health information is concerned...and keep listening to my own body for what works for me, currently. Knowing that it will tend to change over time, naturally.