Usually, when you follow bad advice, it can end up costing you time or money or both.

And when you’re talking about bad health advice, you could be jeopardizing your good health or possibly your life! 

Here are three examples of bad health advice that have been parroted for decades, and the real story behind each:

1- Avoid the sun at all cost, and if you do go outdoors, always wear sunscreen

The fear of developing deadly skin cancer (melanoma) has resulted in people in record numbers either completely shunning the sun or going outside resembling a greased pig.

The real story:  In spite of all of our sun-loathing and increasing Coppertone’s earning per share, our rates of melanoma have actually increased over the last few decades.

Plus the widespread vitamin D deficiencies that have resulted from our sun snubbing have actually increased our risks of other cancers (since vitamin D protects you against cancer), as well as heart disease and autoimmune diseases, including MS.

Your body needs sunlight!  In addition to helping your body manufacture vitamin D, sunlight triggers the release of endorphins (thereby reducing your risk of depression), it helps with many skin conditions, it helps lower blood pressure through nitric oxide release, and it even can prevent and cure tuberculosis!

A better approach: 20 minutes or so of unprotected sun exposure can help support your body’s vitamin D production, and give you the other benefits of sunshine too.  If you stay out in the sun for longer than that, then it’s wise to cover up or use a safe, non-toxic sunscreen.  By all means, never allow yourself to get a sunburn. 

Eat a healthy, whole foods diet that will help enhance skin health from the inside out, and be sure to drink plenty of water.  And to ensure your body has healthful levels of vitamin D 365 days a year, a top-quality supplement like Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B can pinch hit where your body may be lacking.

2- Avoid saturated fats; “Steak is a heart attack on a plate.”

Saturated fats have been vilified as an underlying cause of atherosclerosis and heart disease, so people have avoided meat, butter and eggs like the plague and instead have eaten truckloads of grains, unsaturated fats, and margarine.

The real story: Inflammation causes heart disease—not saturated fats.  And guess what causes inflammation?  Eating too many grains (which turn to sugar upon digestion) and having too many inflammatory Omega-6 EFAs, which are found in unsaturated oils and margarine.

Saturated fats are your heart’s preferred fuel, and they actually help lower your risk of developing heart disease by reducing lipoprotein (a), a known risk factor in the development cardiovascular disease.  They also protect your liver from dangerous toxins and help promote healthy lung function.

And saturated fat is absolutely CRUCIAL for your brain.  Your brain is mostly made up of saturated fat and cholesterol, and every single nerve pathway and energy fluctuation is saturated fat driven. 

A better approach: Your body needs all three kinds of fats—saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—and they should make up about 30 percent of your daily calorie intake.  Healthy sources of saturated fats include meat, butter, eggs, milk, and cheese, preferably from organic sources.  Use saturated fats like butter and lard for cooking, as they are more stable than polyunsaturated fats. 

To make sure you have enough natural anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats, be sure to incorporate oily fish into your diet and supplement with an outstanding, purified fish oil formula like VitalMega-3.

3- The best way to prevent the flu is a flu shot; many people die from the flu each year

Over the last 2 decades or so, flu shots have been touted as your best protection against the flu.  Flu shots are said to be safe and effective, and crucial because loads of people die of the flu every year.

The real story:  There are several strains of flu in existence each year, and when the flu vaccine is designed, scientists guess which strains may be more prevalent.  If they guess correctly, some cases of the flu may be prevented.  If not, the shot is useless.

The flu shot’s period of effectiveness varies from person to person, so you can get the flu even after getting a flu shot.  And all vaccines depress your immune system functioning for up to several weeks, which means you are more susceptible to other flu varieties (that aren’t in the shot) plus all other viruses and infections.

Flu shots contain ingredients such as thimerosal (mercury), gelatin and formaldehyde which have not been tested for safety to inject into the human body.  Formaldehyde is a documented carcinogen. 

Flu shots are far and away the most likely to cause injury or death resulting in compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which has paid out a total of $3.7 billion for vaccine injuries to date.

And as far as flu deaths go, in 2014 (the most recent year for which mortality statistics are provided on the CDC’s website), flu was responsible for 4,605 deaths nationwide.  In other words, that is a .001 percent chance of dying from the flu--you have seven times greater risk of being struck by lightning.

A better approach: A sharp, strong-functioning immune system is your best protection against the flu and every other sickness and disease. 

You can go a long way in supporting your immune system by having a healthy diet, reducing stress, getting enough sleep each night, avoiding sugars and refined carbs, and supplementing with a full-spectrum probiotic formula like Super Shield.   

Now you are armed with some very GOOD advice which will help preserve your precious health for years to come!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

The information in our articles are NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and are not intended as medical advice.