Things You'll Need:
- web access
- a little skepticism
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Step 1
Watch for overly broad, overly simplified, claims. Things like:
- "Processed food is bad" - processing can remove nutrients, but it differs with each process and each food. The effect is not as widespread or as severe as the quacks want you to believe.
- "Anything 'natural' or 'organic' is safe" - obviously not true, because there are a myriad of naturally-occurring, deadly poisons.
- "Any claim that a particular supplement is good for everybody" - many factors determine what supplements, if any, a specific individual needs at any particular time. -
Step 2
Quacks like to use words and phrases that sound beneficial and scientific, but are either so vague as to be meaningless, or used entirely wrongly. Some of their favorites:
"toxins" or "detoxify"
"revitalize"
"quantum"
"stimulate" or "support" bodily processes or organs
"cleansing"
"energy" - referring not to regular actual energy, but to some mysterious and undetectable bodily emanation -
Step 3
Beware of claims that one certain food is the cause of all your problems. Sugar, yeast, and caffeine are popular candidates for this. While there are problems with these foods for some people with certain conditions, most people can consume reasonable amounts of these things with no harmful effect whatsoever. I've heard of people drinking themselves to death, but never sweetening themselves to death.
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Step 4
Claims that the seller is being persecuted by the medical industry are a sure sign of quackery. The medical "establishment" is not involved in a conspiracy to keep viable health care from the public. Usually this kind of claim means that the remedy or supplements being offered have not been shown to be effective.
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Step 5
Watch for bogus credentials. If they claim some of kind of certification from an agency you haven't heard of, do a little web research. They like to use fancy-sounding organization names that are close to the name of a legitimate, reputable organization.
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Step 6
Remember that, with a balanced diet, nutritional supplements are unnecessary for normal healthy people. So drop that Twinkie and have a banana!
Comments
40skydiver said
on 12/1/2008 Good one, thanks!
deshmukh said
on 11/25/2008 Excellent article! Thanks
slphilbrick said
on 11/25/2008 Being a massage therapist, I have training in many complimentary health care options. Unfortunately, there is money to be made at any person's expense whether it be by mainstream medicine or those selling "snake oil". To everyone: do your own research and figure out for yourself what's right for YOU. That said, this is good info. to watch out for the "quacks". 5*
mommashopper said
on 11/21/2008 Excellent article. I think with everything including conventional medicine, there are always quacks. I agree with your premise; however I strongly believe in herbal medicine and other methods. I have conditions that can only be managed by heral and holistic therapies. These very conditions were subsequently created and (or) aggravated by my physicians' text book advice. The main idea I think here,... is to know your own body, mind and spirit and build your diet upon that. Where ever there is money to be made, there are always great claims. But, don't throw the baby out with the bath water, a lot of it works and has clinical proof. I am a testifier! Again, thanks for a very informative article!
AudreyBrown said
on 11/19/2008 A. I love the word "quackery".
B. This is an EXCELLENT article. Fear often snookers people into doing things that don't actually help. Excellent article! 5 stars!