ASK THE "DON'T DIET" DOCTOR

Dear Dr. Dorie:
I have been reading about nutrition in efforts to be healthier.  However, it seems that the more I read, the more confused I become due to the wide variety of recommendations.  How do I sort through the hype?
- Confused

Dear Confused:
You are right, there are many resources available on nutrition, fitness, weight control and other areas of physical health.  For every recommendation, you can probably also find its opposite.  For example, some people claim that caffeine intake should be reduced, or even better, eliminated.  However, others claim that a cup or two per day of green tea, which contains caffeine, can be beneficial.  So, do the proposed benefits of green tea outweigh the potential risks of caffeine?  The key is to learn how evaluate health information to determine its scientific merit, as well as to decide how it will fit in your life.

As a bioengineer, I have been trained in how to evaluate research and can easily separate facts from fads.  However, the average consumer does not have this knowledge.  This is why scams such as fad diets can sell millions of dollars worth of products; they use slick marketing campaigns that sell benefits which usually have no scientific backing.  To avoid falling for a scam, be sure that the person making claims has appropriate credentials.  Also, investigate additional resources to see if other researchers are supporting similar information.

Be aware that some nutrition claims can be extremely restrictive.  For example, some researchers propose that people should eliminate all dairy products due to excess mucous production in the digestive system, which can then lead to poor immune system functioning.  Is this claim valid?  Without adequate studies to investigate this claim, it is difficult to know.  Rather than cutting out all dairy products, get more information first.  Consult with your physician, registered dietician and other health professionals.

As a next step, you can consult with your own body.  Try an “experiment” and eliminate dairy products for several weeks, and see if you notice a difference in how you feel.  Then, return to dairy products again.  Tune into the messages that you body is sending you.  If you feel better with dairy, continue using it.  If you felt better without, then you may want to go back to using dairy substitutes such as rice or soy products.

Watch that you don’t become obsessive with following health claims, because this can compromise your overall well-being.  Learn how to use nutrition knowledge as your guide while using your own body's signals to determine what is right for you.

© 2006 Dr. Dorie McCubbrey, all rights reserved.  As one of America's leading experts on obesity and eating disorders, Dr. Dorie is the author of How Much Does Your Soul Weigh? (HarperCollins, 2003).  Visit www.DrDorie.com for more diet-free solutions to your food, weight and body worries.

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