Maltese Dogs Forum : Spoiled Maltese Forums banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

One M.D.'s view of medical ignorance

9K views 42 replies 12 participants last post by  Nikki's Mom 
#1 ·
#2 ·
My doctor wants to put me on cholesterol meds and my cholesterol isn't high. It's gone up about 10 points in the last 3 years over all to 100. I had it checked 3 years ago ,it was 90. So is that bad?
I told doc I don't want cholesterol meds. So she said they'd recheck in Nov. Meanwhile I've been working out more and trying to loose weight,I'm overweight.Had a hysterectomy and grew two *sses....

I walk 2 miles a day,weather permitting and I work out w/ Al with free weights. I can bench 120lbs 10 times...,started at 65lbs lifting ti once or twice... 4 months ago..I think that's pretty good for a woman...

I haven't lost much weight maybe 15 pounds over all but I feel better. Probably gained some muscle,I've lost a couple inches and down to an *ss and 3/4 now....

Heart disease runs in my family but my family members smoke like chimneys ,drink like fish and don't exercise ,couch potato champions......
I've already outlived my mother by 5 years,in 3years I will outlive my father...

Sometimes I think they just push pills too much. I remember the last pill they pushed on me for my arthritis pain, Vioxx. I took it for a while,noticed my blood pressure rising,said something to the doc,they said to continue ....but I just had a bad feeling so yes,I quit taking it w/o telling them.
I know it's a no no,AMA,but guess what a recall of Vioxx came a few years later.. What if I had kept taking it? Was I right to do that,may be yes,maybe no,but sometimes your body tells you that something isn't right.
My blood pressure really never was an issue until I went through a series of back surgeries...never could get it back down.... Still trying though...hoping to get off BP meds,that I won't do on my own,AMA,that I will do under a doctor's advise. I know what happens if I'm not on it for a couple days,I forgot mine on a vacation and never felt worse than those 3 days off it...
 
#3 ·
I was wondering when I would find out that the guy was selling "stuff" .. Yep.. another doctor using the Internet to spout an opinion and then just happens to have the magic pill or book to take care of the problem. Any possibly good points from these "commercially oriented" doctors are always lost on me.

And some of his ideas apparently are questionable science:
Book Review: 'The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle' by Mary Dan Eades and Michael R. Eades | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times

I do have to give him kudos for lambasting Kevin Trudeau... a major nutcase who spouts all sorts of medical misinformation wherever he can!
 
#5 · (Edited)
I was wondering when I would find out that the guy was selling "stuff" .. Yep.. another doctor using the Internet to spout an opinion and then just happens to have the magic pill or book to take care of the problem. Any possibly good points from these "commercially oriented" doctors are always lost on me.

And some of his ideas apparently are questionable science:
Book Review: 'The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle' by Mary Dan Eades and Michael R. Eades | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times

I do have to give him kudos for lambasting Kevin Trudeau... a major nutcase who spouts all sorts of medical misinformation wherever he can!

You know, Sher, if you dug a little deeper, you'd learn much more about Dr Eades and his history than the fact that he's written several books. You would know that Dr Eades and his wife really believe in their nutritional advice and have a heart to help people. They've saved countless lives with their books and their advice over the years. Can we say the same for the SAD? (Standard American Diet) http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/cardiovascular-disease/four-patients-who-changed-my-life/

My own personal physician, who is one of the most well-respected doctors in his area, doesn't sell a thing except his practice. He is in total agreement with Dr. Eades. Does that mean he's a scammer, too?

Perhaps if people took the time to do some deep research on the subject, both pro and con, they would understand that the science really backs up Dr. Eades, Gary Taubes, and others, and it's not all about profit in their cases.

Perhaps before judging, actually read one of those books by those that you are so quick to slam.
 
#6 ·
This from Vanderbilt University says it all:

"Most of the pro-protein diet information comes from people trying to sell products. Apparently, the sellers want to vend their products and in order to do this, they must first sell their information. Most of these sites have a disclaimer at the bottom stating that the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the website.

Fat and Fiction

Colorado State University evaluated his diet plan:

Protein Power

1996 - Michael Eades, M.D. and Mary Dan Eades, M.D.

  • Characteristics: Limits intake of carbohydrates to lower insulin levels. Claims insulin causes many health problems, including obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. Suggests that by keeping carbohydrate intake low and protein intake high, the body will burn fat faster.
  • Strengths: Allows more fruits and vegetables than some other high protein diets.
  • Weaknesses: High in saturated fat. Restricts whole grains and legumes. Low in calcium.
  • Comments: Not based on scientific evidence. Does not provide a nutritionally sound eating plan.
Weight Loss Diet Books

The American Cancer Institute did not review his book/diet plan favorably, either:

Protein Power

by Michael Eades, M.D. and Mary Dan Eades, M.D.

"The authors blame insulin for a host of ills, including hypertension, heart disease, elevated cholesterol and diabetes. High insulin levels, they say, lead to weight gain and obesity. In fact, the scientific evidence suggests that being obese causes high insulin levels, not the other way around."

Popular Diets Versus Dietary Guidelines | The Diet Channel
 
#8 · (Edited)
I disagree. I think that Dr Eades is spot on in the article that I posted, and those of you who disagree with him haven't had the time and made the effort to really look at the whole picture, and perhaps need to do some deep research before you jump to conclusions and try to smear Dr Eades because you don't agree with his message.

I also think that if a person writes a book, that doesn't automatically turn them into a money grubbing opportunist.

You know what I also think? That SM is becoming a very intolerant forum and more often than not, when I come here, I go away very disappointed.

I'll leave you to happily discussing only those articles that you agree with, - articles by those "experts." The same ones who have wrecked the health and lives of many American people and their pets.

Imagine if everyone lived in a world where everyone agreed on everything....hmm.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I disagree. I think that Dr Eades is spot on in the article that I posted, and those of you who disagree with him haven't really looked at the whole picture, and perhaps need to do some real deep research before you jump to conclusions and try to smear a person because you don't agree with his message.

I also think that if a person writes a book, that doesn't automatically turn them into a money grubbing opportunist.

You know what I also think? That SM is becoming a very intolerant forum and more often than not, when I come here, I go away very disappointed.

I'll leave you to happily discussing only those articles that you agree with, - articles by those "experts." The same ones who have wrecked the health and lives of many American people and their pets.

Imagine if everyone lived in a world where everyone agreed on everything....hmm.

Aww..Suzan! Dont feel discouraged! From the posts I have seen, I dont think anyone is intolerant of your views. I also dont see any smearing! Your posts are always welcome (and very good for us to learn) - but please dont think others are ignorant (or smearing) because they disagree!

Sometimes people agree with you, and sometimes not..neither means intolerance- just exchange of views! :thumbsup:
 
#9 ·
Suzan, when you post a link to an article on a public forum, it is assumed it is a conversation starter, that you are opening up a discussion on a certain subject, not stating something as fact. SM has a diverse membership. Of course you will get comments both in agreement and disagreement.

I presented factual commentary from reputable institutions, i.e. Vanderbilt, Colorado State & the American Cancer Institute that criticizes his diet plan. Intelligent opinions are always formed after hearing both sides of an issue.

Accusing members who may not agree with you as intolerant", "not looking at the whole picture", "jumping to conclusions" and saying that you are "disappointed" in us doesn't seem very tolerant to me.
 
#11 · (Edited)
The reason why I post articles is to have a discussion and start conversations. But you and the others who disagree with me hardly ever DISCUSS the actual articles I post. Posting another link to counteract my link is not a discussion.

Why not enter in a true discussion and let us know what YOU think, why you think that, how you came to your conclusions, etc. Instead, you immediately post something from an opposite viewpoint and usually the article is not really addressing the actual info in the article that I posted. So how is that a discussion? I hardly ever say that something is an irrefutable fact, I usually indicate that it is a person's opinion about the matter.

I don't post information to make others agree with me. What I would like is to hear WHY they disagree with me, how they came to their conclusions, what evidence they have to back it up, etc. This is a discussion forum, so am I incorrect in expecting discussion?

I think that I am disappointed because instead of real conversation or discussion, what goes on here a lot, especially lately, is that certain people work toward discrediting the person who wrote the article that I posted, and never actually address the information in the article, never give their own personal reasons why they may agree or disagree, and how they came to their viewpoint on the matter.

I am not intolerant of anyone or anything here. I have strong opinions, yes, everyone knows that about me. However, I am tolerant of those that disagree with me, especially because I am interested in why they disagree, and how they came to those conclusions. But more often than not, I grow frustrated when there is no discussion, just a back and forth link posting. Perhaps if there were real discussions, I might be able to learn something new. Perhaps they will change my mind. It's happened before. That is what tolerance is all about, Marj.

Listen, no worries. I'll leave you to it. I have other things to attend to than to continue on here trying to have friendly discussions about holistic health and optimal nutrition, and try and help people. I mean, what's the point anymore? :smilie_tischkante: I've hung on way too long as it is
 
#17 ·
I so appreciate always hearing both sides when done nicely and not in an attacking way.

I like to learn and help others about health as well for both my pets and myself. I really appreciate everyone's input as I always learn from both sides and have also changed my views on some things by learning from others on these forums.

I hope you do not get discouraged and leave as I really value the information you post here and we need to learn from each other here without upsetting one another :( as that does not help anyone in the long run. Every person is valuable as each of us have different experiences with our own health and our dogs health and we can help each other so just wish people did not get upset in the process :(

was looking for the group hug smiley :blink:
 
#20 ·
Thank you, however I think I need a break, because my frustration has been building for a while now, and I don't need the stress. If people truly desire real discussion, they can always us the SM private messaging system and contact me in that manner, or on Facebook.
 
#18 ·
I've heard cholesteral levels rise as we get older. I can say,yeah if I eat good foods,exercise and watch my weight ,I should live a long time...but then again look at Jim Fix,the running guru,he dropped dead at 46 I believe?

Weight isn't always what's on the scales ,especially if you're more muscular,even a skinny person can be unhealthy,even though the scales have them at a good weight...
 
#25 · (Edited)
There's a saying,eating salads don't make you live longer...it just feels that way!
Who knows what the right course is, George Burns lived to be a 100 drinking a martini and smoking a cigar,daily.
Jim Fixx died at 52 and was the father of the running. Who knows?
I'm not going to temp fate by eating a bucket of lard... but I can't live on salads...
I do eat better than I used to ,I haven't had Mc Donalds food in nearly 10 years... I do like an occational pizza though, Steak and Shake burgers...a real weakness... luckily they are 60 miles away from me...
I rarely drink sodas,mostly water ,juice,green teas or milk...
Breads,oh another weakness. I eat a lot of fruit and veggies and love oatmeal.
I love chocolate but that's my feel good reward food,so I savour it slowly but not often...
Outlived most of my family so far. Not sure if cholesterol is the family since most never really went to docs...
I'd rather die younger too,than have Alzheimers,watching that destroy my adoptive mother right now and Parkingson's work on my adoptive father....
 
#32 · (Edited)
If folks were open to reading more about fats that are good for the body, like coconut oil, and animal fats (from animals raised properly) they will no longer be afraid of fat. They should be more afraid of grains/sugars than fat, imo. I used to be a total lowfat/whole grains type person. Totally committed to a low fat, whole grain diet. But nobody could explain to me why I couldn't keep the weight off, why I was so tired all the time, why I felt sick with terrible GERD and depression, and never got better. Misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis. So I took my health into my own hands and I started reading about fat/carbs/grains/sugars.

At first, I was horrified and skeptical. But then, the more I read, the more I felt like there was something to the science behind insulin resistance, storing fat, energy, mood, and carbs. So I thought that I should try it for myself and see what happens.

When I say that it changed my life, and the life of so many other people I know, and know of, I am not exaggerating one bit. That is why I post articles and try to engage people in conversation about it. And it is okay if they don't agree, at least I tried to help them.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The standard advice to eat low fat/whole grains has not changed the health of people overall. Most still suffer from weight issues, allergies, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol issues, cancer, GERD, etc.

It is time that people start thinking independently and take charge of their health and their diet. I can understand that there are those who don't want to hear that. But everyone needs to decide for themselves how they will obtain optimum health. I'm still on that journey, and I've had failures and setbacks. But I will stick to it, and I won't hesitate to help others who ask.
 
#27 ·
I actually do think Dr. Eades makes some good points and am interested in reading his first book, "Protein Power." I know you can lose a lot of weight eating mostly protein because I've done it. I don't believe in the Atkins theory of eating all the fatty protein you want which is why I'm interested in what Dr. Eades has to say. I always try to stay away from the white carbs, but I think all carbs should be eatten in moderation.
 
#28 ·
Yeah i do not like the fatty part either but I do know years ago I worked with a trainer at the gym and he told me eat chicken and broccoli and you will drop weight fast. He was right I did. He said broccoli is the easiest vegetable for your body to digest and the protein will fill you up - Now I need to do that again lollllll but it did work fast.
 
#29 ·
You need protein for healthy tissue and muscle growth. Protein isn't a bad thing,just depends on where it comes from. I haven't lost much weight on the scales but my muscle has gone up. Hopefully I can loose more weight ,by way of fat once I gain more mucle.Weight trianing is also good for bone density,you have to put weight on bones to get them to thicken up.
It was so much easier to loose weight when I was younger but I had more muscle mass at that time and low body fat. Now I have to try to get close to that again,for my bones and heart health.
We have to stay healthy for our fluffs!
 
#34 · (Edited)
If people would at least give it a shot - try to give up all grains for 2-3 weeks, I would wager a guess that ALL of them would feel better. But trying to tell people that is like banging your head against the wall.

When you read the results of studies published in medical journals or other sources, you must always ask yourself "Who funded the study?" and "Do the results/conclusions presented actually reflect the data within the study?" If the study was done at a university, we must ask, "Who is the largest grant donor to the project? To the university?"

From my research, I can tell you that totally unbiased studies are very rare. IMO, there should be more unbiased testing done on alternative medicine, but who would fund the studies? The pharmaceutical industry makes billions, and most M.D.'s who eagerly write your prescriptions make some sort of commission or receive gifts as a result, while some of you never really get better. This is not my opinion, but a direct quote from several doctors and vets that I have spoken with over the years. So be careful when believing links from "credible" or "factual" sources. Read info from all points of view, then form your own opinion, discuss with others, and try some things yourselves to see how they work for you. That is the only way to be sure of what is best for YOU.

Always ask, "Who benefits?" Who benefits from demonizing the no-grain/low-carb advocates? Perhaps it might have something to do with Monsanto, Cargill, etc. and the USDA food pyramid. It's your body and your health, and your dog's health. If what you are doing is not giving you the results you want, then stop following the herd and do something different. Change is hard, but not impossible.

I am taking a break from SM. My email address is: suzan@suzanrobertson.com

Find me on Facebook: Suzan Robertson
 
#37 ·
From Harvard . . . . a very informative article about the many health benefits of eating whole grains. The article is titled "Health Gains From the Whole Grains - What Should You Eat" and here's the link:

Health Gains from Whole Grains - What Should You Eat? - The Nutrition Source - Harvard School of Public Health
Good article! I think I have in my pantry almost all those grains that they mention ... brown rice, steel cut oats, rye, spelt, kamut ... all so yummy and healthful!
 
#40 ·
For the thousandth time, it is not the diverse opinions that have made me move on. And for the thousandth time, I never post links and state them as fact. I almost always indicate that it is a person's opinion.

Now, I can get really rude here and say some not so nice things, but my mother did not raise me that way.

If you really knew me, you would know that I welcome diversity of opinion. I don't have all the answers in life, and I have much to learn from others. The reason why I believe what I believe is because I investigated when others had differences of opinions - and I changed some of mine because of that. I have several friends - some of them from right here on SM, with whom I differ on quite a few issues, but we we have some good conversations without intimidating each other.

Do you know how many times I receive PM's from SM members who are TOO AFRAID TO POST their opinions? Some who may agree with me on some of the threads about health, and won't post their views publicly because they are afraid of being bullied? They are too intimidated, and they will only converse via private message. That is the whole truth of the matter, folks.

That is very disappointing. There is the lack of real discussion from some who simply won't have a conversation about WHY they believe/think the way they do. Rather they try and "out link" me, or "out academia" me with links. I don't see much point to that, because it isn't a discussion.

Well, I've already said more than I wanted to say in this thread.

I've made many friends here, and I will continue to keep in touch with them.
 
#42 ·
For the thousandth time, it is not the diverse opinions that have made me move on. And for the thousandth time, I never post links and state them as fact. I almost always indicate that it is a person's opinion.

Now, I can get really rude here and say some not so nice things, but my mother did not raise me that way.

If you really knew me, you would know that I welcome diversity of opinion. I don't have all the answers in life, and I have much to learn from others. The reason why I believe what I believe is because I investigated when others had differences of opinions - and I changed some of mine because of that. I have several friends - some of them from right here on SM, with whom I differ on quite a few issues, but we we have some good conversations without intimidating each other.

Do you know how many times I receive PM's from SM members who are TOO AFRAID TO POST their opinions? Some who may agree with me on some of the threads about health, and won't post their views publicly because they are afraid of being bullied? They are too intimidated, and they will only converse via private message. That is the whole truth of the matter, folks.

That is very disappointing. There is the lack of real discussion from some who simply won't have a conversation about WHY they believe/think the way they do. Rather they try and "out link" me, or "out academia" me with links. I don't see much point to that, because it isn't a discussion.

Well, I've already said more than I wanted to say in this thread.

I've made many friends here, and I will continue to keep in touch with them.
With all respect Suzann, you opend this thread with a link, not an opinion. If someone posts a link with a differing viewpoint, I do not think they are trying to "out link" you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top