Too often modern medicine is driven by what pharmaceutical reps provide to medical professionals who fall prey to the “better life through specialty chemicals”. Having spent the first 9 yrs of my professional life in medical research I know all too well that this is a very slippery slope. As in most things, follow the money and you will find the answer.
Having lived with someone who was seriously obese, who refused to revise his eating habits and instead turned to an abundance of drugs ("better life through chemistry"), I wholeheartedly applaud what this doctor is saying.
From the healthcare side, I understand the dynamics at play. On the one hand, it is difficult to work with people who want problems solved through chemistry. Just take the pill and everything will be fine. But even the healthcare side can be fooled. We trust "authorities" who turn out to have conflicts of interest. Much research is accomplished through government and corporate dollars -- and when the product shows poorly on a particular scientific study or clinical investigation, the results are not published -- and doctors in the field are not aware. Eventually all of these things will be exposed and each one of us in healthcare will be forced to take a side. I hope and pray it will be for what is best for patients. Period. Full stop.
What is so interesting to me in this is the finding that professional advice about fat in the past has been wrong. Which is better. Low fat milk or the milk from the cow? Also, food selection made simple: Eat food that looks like food. Also, diets are usually a rip-off, since they imply a short term weight loss goal and not a long term life style change. Now, personally, I need to shop smarter and not look for quick and instant. Beyond this, a level of carbohydrates is OK. Also, one of the things I think I have culturally accepted is that I need so many meals a day or to never feel hungry. We can lower calories by just eating less -- but to do this, I have to accept that I will feel hungry at times.
Too often modern medicine is driven by what pharmaceutical reps provide to medical professionals who fall prey to the “better life through specialty chemicals”. Having spent the first 9 yrs of my professional life in medical research I know all too well that this is a very slippery slope. As in most things, follow the money and you will find the answer.
Having lived with someone who was seriously obese, who refused to revise his eating habits and instead turned to an abundance of drugs ("better life through chemistry"), I wholeheartedly applaud what this doctor is saying.
From the healthcare side, I understand the dynamics at play. On the one hand, it is difficult to work with people who want problems solved through chemistry. Just take the pill and everything will be fine. But even the healthcare side can be fooled. We trust "authorities" who turn out to have conflicts of interest. Much research is accomplished through government and corporate dollars -- and when the product shows poorly on a particular scientific study or clinical investigation, the results are not published -- and doctors in the field are not aware. Eventually all of these things will be exposed and each one of us in healthcare will be forced to take a side. I hope and pray it will be for what is best for patients. Period. Full stop.
Agreed.
This was an excellent presentation! Since I have diabetes, I'd like to hopefully put this plan into action after the holidays.
What is so interesting to me in this is the finding that professional advice about fat in the past has been wrong. Which is better. Low fat milk or the milk from the cow? Also, food selection made simple: Eat food that looks like food. Also, diets are usually a rip-off, since they imply a short term weight loss goal and not a long term life style change. Now, personally, I need to shop smarter and not look for quick and instant. Beyond this, a level of carbohydrates is OK. Also, one of the things I think I have culturally accepted is that I need so many meals a day or to never feel hungry. We can lower calories by just eating less -- but to do this, I have to accept that I will feel hungry at times.