Food as medicine
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youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?3 -
With no disrespect intended to anyone in this thread, here are my views on this topic:
First of all I think that eating a healthy diet will likely prevent diet from negatively contributing to poor health.
And conversely, if you're eating a diet that is way too high in calories or lacking in nutrients you might be contributing to possible negative health outcomes for specific diseases that are at least partially influenced by diet.
However, that's a lot different than claiming that food cures diseases, or that diseases are entirely caused by diet. And in fact I think making extreme claims like this can be offensive since it essentially blames people for contracting diseases that may not be entirely (or at all) caused by diet in the first place.
Additionally, it's potentially dangerous to claim that food cures disease unless you have sufficient (and high quality) evidence because in doing so, you might be causing someone to avoid proper treatment by directing them towards something that isn't actually a cure. This is why I hate pseudoscience especially when it promotes false cures for horrible conditions.
For example if someone is dying of cancer and you're the one telling them to reach for baking soda instead of going to their oncologist, you're doing them a dangerous and ignorant disservice even though you may mean well.
Food is food. Eat a healthy diet so that you mitigate the chance or your diet contributing to negative health outcomes.
But don't go promoting it as a cure for anything unless you've can prove it.23 -
sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
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Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
I here you. Maybe I worded my point incorrectly. In essence what I'm saying is eating the best quality food from nature - including herbs, tailored to ones own body will no doubt eleviate you from the majority of diseases and fix what issues you do have depending on how advanced they are. The body is a giant chemistry lab as simple as that sounds. If the conditions are optimal, the body will heal itself - it's how we're designed. Most people seem to think you're supposed to turn into a sick fragile vegetable as you age. Sickness in both the elderly and the youth, for the most part is down to poor living and eating habits.
Mind telling me what my 16 year old nephew could have taken to repair the spinal fluid leaking into his brain? Maybe he could have avoided developing bacterial meningitis twice and having to have three different brain surgeries.
And I think I am going to step away from this thread now. My patience with woo is woefully thin tonight.2 -
youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.3 -
I see a common fallacy here; faulty cause.
http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/rgass/fallacy3211.htm
I am healthier from making better food choices including eating a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables.
It does not follow that choosing more or different fruits and vegetables will make me healthier or even cure me from a disease.
By the way when I researched the history of Tuberculosis the best treatment before antibiotics was segregation from the public and a 3,000 calorie a day diet. Apparently this disease takes a great deal of energy to fight. The old sanatoriums are all gone. Closed by a modern medical miracle.2 -
sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.
Yeah, I bet. I can't even imagine how awful it must be. I'm glad I saw your response so I could clarify further so that you're not left feeling even worse. So not my intention, but I can get how I came across as curt and uncaring. Thank you for letting me know, actually, so I can be more aware in the future. Much love to you!3 -
I wouldn't say that diet can cure disease, but i believe a healthy diet can act as a preventative or at least an insurance policy perhaps.
I wouldn't expect to live a long and healthy life if my diet consisted of highly processed packet food void of fresh, nutrient packed produce.1 -
sunfastrose wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
I here you. Maybe I worded my point incorrectly. In essence what I'm saying is eating the best quality food from nature - including herbs, tailored to ones own body will no doubt eleviate you from the majority of diseases and fix what issues you do have depending on how advanced they are. The body is a giant chemistry lab as simple as that sounds. If the conditions are optimal, the body will heal itself - it's how we're designed. Most people seem to think you're supposed to turn into a sick fragile vegetable as you age. Sickness in both the elderly and the youth, for the most part is down to poor living and eating habits.
Mind telling me what my 16 year old nephew could have taken to repair the spinal fluid leaking into his brain? Maybe he could have avoided developing bacterial meningitis twice and having to have three different brain surgeries.
And I think I am going to step away from this thread now. My patience with woo is woefully thin tonight.
I'm deeply sorry to hear about his misfortune however I never stated food and herbs are the cure for all. If one is injured from a car collision I don't think it'll be wise to seek healing from food. We have common sense so we must use it accordingly.0 -
I agree proper diet can help some disease, I no longer take PPIs for example.
Probably not effective for quite a few diseases. I'm reminded that 99 years ago millions died all over the world from the flu.2 -
youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.
Yeah, I bet. I can't even imagine how awful it must be. I'm glad I saw your response so I could clarify further so that you're not left feeling even worse. So not my intention, but I can get how I came across as curt and uncaring. Thank you for letting me know, actually, so I can be more aware in the future. Much love to you!
While it would be highly insensitive for anyone to tell someone suffering from a disease that they may have prevented it through diet change, breast cancer is a disease for which certain dietary factors can raise your risk.0 -
I can't tell you the number of times people told me that if I would just become a vegan my Crohn's would be cured and that it's my fault I have this disease. Um no. Not true at all.6
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Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
I here you. Maybe I worded my point incorrectly. In essence what I'm saying is eating the best quality food from nature - including herbs, tailored to ones own body will no doubt eleviate you from the majority of diseases and fix what issues you do have depending on how advanced they are. The body is a giant chemistry lab as simple as that sounds. If the conditions are optimal, the body will heal itself - it's how we're designed. Most people seem to think you're supposed to turn into a sick fragile vegetable as you age. Sickness in both the elderly and the youth, for the most part is down to poor living and eating habits.
I would agree that 99% of the ailments that plague us as we get older are the result of poor maintenance from an early age.0 -
vikinglander wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
I here you. Maybe I worded my point incorrectly. In essence what I'm saying is eating the best quality food from nature - including herbs, tailored to ones own body will no doubt eleviate you from the majority of diseases and fix what issues you do have depending on how advanced they are. The body is a giant chemistry lab as simple as that sounds. If the conditions are optimal, the body will heal itself - it's how we're designed. Most people seem to think you're supposed to turn into a sick fragile vegetable as you age. Sickness in both the elderly and the youth, for the most part is down to poor living and eating habits.
I would agree that 99% of the ailments that plague us as we get older are the result of poor maintenance from an early age.
I agree. Most 20-30 year olds don't think that far off into the future, they're bullet proof. They'll deal with the illnesses if and when they come. Prevention is better than cure, I'd just prefer to swing the odds in my favour if i can..1 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.
Yeah, I bet. I can't even imagine how awful it must be. I'm glad I saw your response so I could clarify further so that you're not left feeling even worse. So not my intention, but I can get how I came across as curt and uncaring. Thank you for letting me know, actually, so I can be more aware in the future. Much love to you!
While it would be highly insensitive for anyone to tell someone suffering from a disease that they may have prevented it through diet change, breast cancer is a disease for which certain dietary factors can raise your risk.
Obesity can raise your risk of breast cancer, largely through fairly well-understood mechanisms involving estrogen. After that, it's a lot more murky, in terms of anything that's clearly well research-supported. Yet people who've always been thin do get breast cancer. So do men.
Even the existence of things that can "raise your risk" is no basis for blaming someone who experiences a disease in this sort of situation.
@sunfastrose, as a survivor of stage III (locally advanced) bilateral breast cancer over 16 years ago, please let me say that I hope for an excellent outcome for your sister, and that it's likely her prognosis is very good. Best wishes and sympathies to you both.0 -
It saddens and worries me when i look in my daughters fridge (she's 24), it's full of diet soda and a spattering of healthy foods, but the junk outweighs the good stuff.
Then on the complete opposite end of the spectrum is my 22 year old son, he might have a junk food meal every 2-3 weeks, his fridge is chock full of veggies, fruit and lean meats, whole grains and zero packet foods, his body is his temple. He trains for football 3 nights a week, and hits the weights room on the other nights.
I dont know what happened with these 2, they were raised the exact same way. My son is getting ready to buy his first home after saving 35k for a deposit, whereas money burns a hole through my daughters hands.1 -
This whole thread reminds of these friends of my parents.
They were mother and son who grew all of their veggies in their back yard and ate eggs from their free roaming chickens, they got their meat and dairy from the organic farmer down the road from them. Everything was cooked from scratch, no packet foods or convenience meals ever made it into their home, their diet was completely fresh and organic! They both looked half their age, and were healthy as horses, never suffered from any health conditions.
I think the son was in his mid fifties when his mum passed away in her sleep, and for the first time in his life he was on his own without a single clue of how to cook, his mum did everything for him his whole life... Long story short, he met and married a women who was also totally clueless when it came to cooking, their meals came primarily from the microwave out of packets, in the following years (6 iirc) he got sicker and sicker until he died riddled with cancer. The general consensus is his body just couldn't deal with the crap he was putting into it, and it just gave up on him. We will never know for sure, but they were staunch defenders of 'let food be thy medicine'.
0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.
Yeah, I bet. I can't even imagine how awful it must be. I'm glad I saw your response so I could clarify further so that you're not left feeling even worse. So not my intention, but I can get how I came across as curt and uncaring. Thank you for letting me know, actually, so I can be more aware in the future. Much love to you!
While it would be highly insensitive for anyone to tell someone suffering from a disease that they may have prevented it through diet change, breast cancer is a disease for which certain dietary factors can raise your risk.
Obesity can raise your risk of breast cancer, largely through fairly well-understood mechanisms involving estrogen. After that, it's a lot more murky, in terms of anything that's clearly well research-supported. Yet people who've always been thin do get breast cancer. So do men.
Even the existence of things that can "raise your risk" is no basis for blaming someone who experiences a disease in this sort of situation.
Overconsumption of alcohol has a pretty clear correlation with breast cancer as well. But yes, it does not mean one will or will not get cancer or that they or their diet is to be blamed if they get it. I never suggested anything of that sort.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »Master_Butcher wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »If food sources worked so well to cure disease, I find it interesting that killer diseases that plagued humanity for centuries were only stopped with the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.
You're missing the point. They both work.
No, I am not missing the point.
Lol. OK.
You are missing my point. Yes, food can help with health, but if it cured most diseases they would have been cured long before the advent of the medical treatments we have today. You are the one who said 99% of diseases can be cured in a thread about food as medicine, the implication being that such cures would come from food. The reality is that just is not the case.
Maybe one wouldn't get sick in the first place ... Or a lot less sick, less often. Research on the microbiome is new and very interesting.
Do you realize how offensive this is? My sister just had a breast removed this morning because of stage 1 breast cancer - want to tell her that it's because she ate the wrong things?
I did not write what you seem to think you are reading.
No, I do not really have a desire to call your sister and say what you think that I am saying. Such thoughts and reactions to others' pain in general and regarding nutrition and disease in particular would never occur to me, quite frankly. In fact, I am sorry to hear what she -- and you, obviously -- are going through and hope she recovers quickly and easily and that you and your family are OK. I am sorry that you are going through what you are going through, and I apologize that something I wrote is upsetting to you, especially given today's circumstances.
Thank you for the sympathy. My nerves are more on edge tonight.
Yeah, I bet. I can't even imagine how awful it must be. I'm glad I saw your response so I could clarify further so that you're not left feeling even worse. So not my intention, but I can get how I came across as curt and uncaring. Thank you for letting me know, actually, so I can be more aware in the future. Much love to you!
While it would be highly insensitive for anyone to tell someone suffering from a disease that they may have prevented it through diet change, breast cancer is a disease for which certain dietary factors can raise your risk.
Obesity can raise your risk of breast cancer, largely through fairly well-understood mechanisms involving estrogen. After that, it's a lot more murky, in terms of anything that's clearly well research-supported. Yet people who've always been thin do get breast cancer. So do men.
Even the existence of things that can "raise your risk" is no basis for blaming someone who experiences a disease in this sort of situation.
Overconsumption of alcohol has a pretty clear correlation with breast cancer as well. But yes, it does not mean one will or will not get cancer or that they or their diet is to be blamed if they get it. I never suggested anything of that sort.
I think it's a mental failing on my part, but I tend to think of alcohol as more recreational than dietary, since it's a little light on nutritional benefits - LOL - apologies!
And I absolutely never intended to imply that you suggested the person should be blamed. Quite the contrary: I thought I was agreeing with your statement that one shouldn't tell someone with a disease that they could've avoided it via diet. That's always true, but especially so in the case of a disease that refuses to confine itself solely to people with known risk factors.
As a survivor myself, I'm a regular participant in one RL support group and a survivors' rowing team, and have been active in various peer-support & related volunteer capacities (perhaps you have, too). I've met huge numbers of survivors at this point, and learned many of their stories. They're remarkably diverse, and defy stereotypes. Ages 19 to 80-something, male & female, fat and thin, recovering alcoholics and lifelong teetotalers, health food nuts and fast food fans, athletes and couch potatoes, etc.
One thing a focus on risk factors can do is make some people feel sure that "it can't happen to them". It can. That "food as medicine" idea can also be a talisman people hold up to assure themselves that big, bad diseases won't come for them, because they eat right, and exercise. If only it were that easy . . . .0 -
I wish the differences between "causation" and "correlation" were identified more in news media regarding our health. One of my favorites is “People who live to be 100 rarely go to the Doctor”. While this statement is true, it’s all too easy (and incorrect) to conclude that you should not go to the Doctor if you want to live to be 100. Makes me want to digress about the jokes about how everyone who consumes "Dihydrogen monoxide" dies...
We also need to remember that ALL of us can think of an anecdotal story about someone we know that either confirms or contradicts correlational data. It’s an engaging way to prove a point, but not terribly helpful when trying to identify cause to illness.
3
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