Keeping Up With Health and Wellness
Health research junkie here. I probably need a 12-Step program.
Starting my grandgirl off right!
Researching health topics gives me pleasure the way a good novel, TV series, music or dinner with friends does.
I’m in heaven studying up on a topic with a million tabs open in my browser, books open on my desk with yellow highlighter all over the pages and ink notes in the margins, podcasts loaded for the next hour-long drive to town, and a list of videos/movies to absorb in my downtime.
Heaven. It’s hugely satisfying when I know I’ve got a topic covered. Even though I’ve just got the foundation covered — you know there’s always more to learn with new information coming out every single day. So it’s an incredibly exciting heaven!
Two Reasons WHY I’m a Health Research Junkie
1. Speaking of heaven, I’m driven to research health and wellness topics because, like you, I don’t want to die. I mean, I know everybody dies… but who wants to just fold, right? And I SURE don’t want to die a long slow agonizing death from a preventable disease like I’ve seen too many family and friends do. I want to go all at once.
2. I hate to see people suffer and I especially hate it when there’s no reason for it! Over 95% of all diseases today are preventable “lifestyle” diseases. And, if you already have one, it’s curable! You have to catch it early enough but, heck, even stage 4 cancers are curable now. If I can play a small part in someone’s recovery, if I can open a door, a window, drill a hole in the wall to let in some new desperately needed information… that idea gets me out of bed in the morning.
I have studied health and nutrition since I got involved in fitness in 1982. That’s a long time. My brain is completely saturated, full to overflowing, with good quality, helpful, life-saving information. I simply have to share it. Just like all the other wonderful blogs and health professionals sharing life-saving information. The more the merrier.
HOW I Research Health and Wellness Topics
The internet is overflowing with information: blog posts, articles, experts, news sites (both mainstream and alternative), summits, stats (often manipulated), studies (ditto), books, TV shows, movies (both docs and entertainment), social media posts, videos, webinars… overflowing. What did I leave out?
So how do you know what’s fact, what’s myth, what’s complete fiction? You can’t just read one or two articles and go with it. In fact, that’s a dangerous way to mess with your health. Many of those articles are just parroting each other! You have to ask yourself 3 main questions:
Where did the author get that info?
What credibility does the author have?
Does the assertion match the actual study results?
Getting the answers is what takes all the time.
Did you know that most professional magazine articles — online and print — were written by ghost writers? Including articles in medical journals!!! These authors have no training or interest in health and wellness, nor do they even follow the programs or recommendations they write about!
The #1 priority in any industry is profit and that includes the health and wellness industry. Now, there’s gotta be profit, that’s a good thing — that’s what feeds our families. However, profit made on a foundation of sensationalism, lies and pitiful research is another thing altogether.
You’d be stunned to discover how many times a study’s “findings” are quite a fur leap from the study’s documented results! I was. Turns out that researchers are biased, too.
My commitment to readers and clients — besides helping interpret test results and designing customized protocols — includes filtering through that vast array of data and bringing the most credible information to you.
My study is most often topic-based: a client or friend asks a question and I’m off. I don’t just read one or two articles on the topic. Oh no. I read, watch and listen to everything available on that topic. I have a bookshelf full of books and a hard drive full of notes. My research is not complete until I have literally exhausted every lead.
In fact, my own book is comprised of notes collected over many years of study on a wide variety of health topics. The book is delivered in such a way that the information can continually be updated. Because of the advent of the functional medicine approach (which is how I work), knowledge is being fine-tuned and expanded every single day.
Pay attention, folks, because many of the things we’ve come to know as “facts” simply aren’t anymore. Consider that TODAY (as opposed to yesterday)…
fat is good
cholesterol is essential
low-fat is bad
overloading on unnatural sugar causes all manner of disease formerly blamed on fat
organic white cane sugar and honey are AWESOME
diabetes is curable
cancer is curable
calories count
seed oils are DANGEROUS
chronic cardio is harmful
low carb diets can be harmful
95% of all disease is caused by poor lifestyle choices…
This list goes on and on, from acne to zika.
This is why cross-referencing “facts” is doubly important these days: so much new information. Just because a “known expert” says such-and-such, don’t take it at face value. Follow every link, find the study(s) and see if such-and-such holds up to scrutiny.
My job is to keep learning for my clients because I know they don’t have the time. How do I? I’m obsessed. I arranged my life so that learning about health and healing is my actual job.
Most health professionals don’t do nearly the study I do on a topic. Doctors sure don’t. I know this because a majority of my clients come to me after the medical system has failed them.
Not to mention that doctor and hospital error is the 3rd leading cause of death.
Some people say doctor and hospital error is the LEADING cause of death.
WHAT & WHO are my sources?
I started to make a complete list, but it just wouldn’t be conclusive. If you’re a lifelong learner, you know you can find a new AWESOME resource under every rock. No worries, though, you will see all my resources in my posts. If I miss one, say so in the comments and I’ll fill it in. That way you can do more study, if you so desire.
PODCASTS
I’m in the car fairly often driving to town and podcasts keep me awake and entertained. Here are my current favs on Spotify:
Wise Traditions
High Intensity Health Radio (Mike Mutzel)
Joette Calabrese (Homeopathy)
Katie Blomfield
Danny Roddy
Mercola
Any interview with Georgi Dinkov
Got a Question?
What’s on your mind today health-wise? You can contact me here =/;-)