With so much nutrition, fitness, and health information out there, how do you know who/what to trust?
Well, here are some simple, dependable, tips to keep in mind when you come across new information:
Credibility
Who is delivering the information, what is their background, and do they practice what they preach?
Verifiability
Can you verify the information with another source?
Shock value awareness
Some people will say things and present some “convincing” evidence to support a claim, but they are trying to stir the pot to get attention thrown their way. The evidence, in many of these cases, is often based on small research findings that cannot produce repeatable results.
It seems the research found has been selected and “interpreted” in a context to simply support whatever the given hypothesis. In other words, their supporting evidence is often presented in a way favorable to their pitch and not actually true. Be wary of the “too good to be true” claims. Remove all the noise and you often discover it’s all about the money. A good marketing strategy can make most any claim appear legit. Their primary purpose is to close a sale.
Don’t be fooled by the flash.
Celebrity
First coffee is bad for you, then it’s good for you. Avocados are the best thing since the invention of the wheel, and then the price of avocados shoot up because Dr. Oz promoted it and the trend dies out.
Not that Dr. Oz, or any of the other TV docs are bad, but have you ever wondered where they get their material to talk about on their show? Food and supplement companies often pay for a show to talk about their product or a certain subject. This drives product awareness and consumer demand. Plus, let’s be real, we’re talking TV doctors. It’s about entertainment and ratings.