Health Gimmicks

What a week for health gimmicks. I don’t know if it is that I am more open to spotting them, or if they have suddenly appeared, but this week they were prominent. A health gimmick is a quick fix that really does not fix. It often has costly supplements associated with it. If the participant achieves what the gimmick claims, it is often temporary. A health gimmick may serve a good purpose by jumpstarting a person to vibrant health, but a person relying on a gimmick alone will not achieve it.

The cornerstone of vibrant health that is the opposite of the gimmicks is nutrient dense food. Nutrient dense food repairs the body from injury and insult and brings energy levels most people have not experienced since childhood. It is so surprising and so fun that it becomes a permanent lifestyle. As an added bonus, it is less costly than gimmicks.

Gimmick 1

A friend of mine began a detox program. I looked at some of the written materials, and while the program is accomplishing the jumpstart that my friend needs, it is a gimmick. This program has many red flags showing that it does not bring lasting, vibrant health:

• The gimmick has a written warning that some participants may be hospitalized because the detox could be severe.

• The gimmick's supplements cause serious body fat burning while the participant is sleeping. Could that be any more unnatural?

• The gimmick’s literature states that if the detox program participant eats some seriously unhealthy food, the participant needs to ingest some of the gimmick’s magic powders to offset the adverse effects. Talk about enabling an unhealthy lifestyle!

• The gimmick allows for Splenda sweetener, which can cause disease.

• Finally, for some ridiculous and unknown reason, the gimmick wants women to stop nursing their children by the time they are two because human milk for humans is bad for health after two.
  

What the heck does that have to do with anything related to the participant’s health and this detox?!?! I am not taking a position on when a child should be weaned, but I am snorked at the gimmick founder/promoter, so I will throw in this jab. He is a man who apparently feels that he is more qualified than a mother and her child to determine when weaning should occur.

Hundreds of participants spend oodles of money on this gimmick, trying to accomplish what they could if they ate nutrient dense food. They have to eat food, so why not eat the good stuff the right way? Instead they do it in an unnatural, costly way that keeps them purchasing the gimmicks products.

Gimmick 2

The second gimmick involves ridding the body of yeast. Yeast interferes with immune function and can cause ADD, ADHD, allergies, asthma, autism, depression, and so much more. I was reading one organization's group email messages regarding yeast elimination. Many of the message posters tried health food store gimmicks in a box. They reported varying levels of frustration or some minor success mixed with frustration. In I jump, trying to let the readers know that it is not a about a boxed solution. It is about the food! Nutrient dense food accomplishes what they want. My family is living proof. When questioned and met with a bit of doubt, my response was that I am the only one joyfully reporting success. My family is free from food cravings and immune from the calls of unhealthy food. We are eating luscious, nutrient dense food and experiencing vibrant health.

Remember

It has taken a lifetime to achieve ill health. It takes time to regain vibrant health. In our fast paced society, the quick fix gimmick is very tempting and understandable. Fortunately, our bodies are forgiving and resilient. Treat them well, and they will flourish.

What first step are you willing to take to begin your path to a lifetime of vibrant health?

Comments

[Jacqui]

Hi Laura,

I would love to see a blog on why raw eggs are safe and further why they are healthy.

Jacqui