I’ll cut right to the chase today. We are living in a time where much of the information we have come to believe (especially where your health is concerned) is not only inaccurate but downright lies and harmful.
There are many underlying reasons behind this, but the biggest one is MONEY.
The industries that play the biggest role in shaping your beliefs (specifically Big Food and Big Pharma) make LOTS of money selling you their products…so it only follows that they want to continue that attractive revenue stream.
Take Big Food for instance. Much of the processed garbage they crank out is addictive, health-wrecking and severely lacking any nutritional value. You’d be better off eating an old shoe.
And of course, Pharma is right on board. Their products don’t cure a thing—they just interfere with, suppress or otherwise thwart one or more of your body’s natural processes to achieve a desired result, usually masking symptoms.
And the only way to keep getting this fake “relief” is by continuing to take the drug!
Oh, and let’s not forget about side effects! But don’t worry—there are more drugs to address whatever side effects you might be suffering from.
And sadly, our healthcare professionals are completely ignorant when it comes to nutrition and/or having any other answers besides medication.
Lies that are still being sold as the truth
I put together this little quiz so you can assess your knowledge and see how many of the lies and inaccuracies may be affecting you.
Here goes—the answers and explanations are at the end of this article:
1. You should always use antibacterial soap when washing your hands. True or false
2. Annual mammograms are a woman’s best protection against breast cancer. True or false
3. Which of these are good choices of fat to use in cooking?
A. Margarine
B. Lard
C. Vegetable oil
D. Canola oil
E. Butter
4. Bad breath can be caused by digestive issues. True or false
5. It’s normal to have gas every day. True or false.
6. Which of these increases your risk of cancer?
A. High levels of inflammation
B. Exposure to toxins
C. Lacking essential nutrients
D. A diet high in sugar and refined carbs
E. All of the above
7. If a disease runs in your family, chances are excellent that you will develop that disease. True or false
8. Being overweight can be healthy. True or false
9. Plant-based “meats” are a wise alternative to red meat. True or false
10. Which is NOT an effective way to prevent the flu?
A. Eat a healthy nutritious diet
B. Get adequate rest each night
C. Take a probiotic supplement
D. Get a flu shot
E. Get enough vitamin D
11. Artificial sweeteners help you lose weight because they contain no calories. True or false
12. If a drug is approved by the FDA, you can be assured of its safety. True or false
13. Most of your immune system is located in your:
A. Blood
B. Lymphatic system
C. Intestinal tract
D. Cells
E. Connective tissues
14. Silver amalgam dental fillings are safe and an acceptable choice for cavity treatment. True or false
15. Sunscreens can help protect against skin cancer. True or false
16. Which of these is a cause of insomnia?
A. Certain medications
B. Acid reflux
C. Hormonal imbalances
D. Having a nutrient-poor diet
E. Having alcohol at night
F. All of the above
G. None of the above
17. Carbohydrate addiction (i.e.: being a “carb-o-holic”) is a real thing. True or false
18. Depression is usually caused by low serotonin levels. True or false
19. Which of these can provide an indication that there may be something wrong with your health?
A. Your tongue
B. Your urine
C. Your BMs
D. Your mucus
E. All of the above
20. If someone has an autoimmune disease (such as lupus, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, MS, Type 1 diabetes or Celiac disease) they are likely to develop another one. True or false
Answers
Here are the answers to the quiz questions—let’s see how you did!
1. False. Antibacterial soaps have been shown to be no more effective than regular soap at cleaning your hands. Plus, antibacterial products reduce your exposure to microbes in the environment, which weakens your immune system functioning in the long run. While you’re at it, stay away from the hand sanitizer goo too.
2. False. Mammograms only detect cancer after it has occurred, and they expose you to dangerous cancer-causing radiation! Thermography is a better, safer choice as it can detect inflammatory changes in breast tissue for up to 10 years before a tumor can form, and it does not expose you to radiation.
3. B. Lard and E. Butter. Both lard and butter are stable fats that are ideal choices for cooking. Margarine and unsaturated oils can form harmful compounds similar to trans-fats when heated.
4. True. Halitosis (bad breath) can be caused by a variety of digestive issues including: H. Pylori infection in the stomach, low stomach acid production, imbalanced microbiome/Candida overgrowth, pancreatic insufficiency and constipation.
5. True. The average person passes gas about 13 times per day. Gas is a normal by-product of digestion and as long as your digestion is efficient, the gas should have little to no odor.
6. E. All of the above. Inflammation, toxin exposure, nutrient deficiencies and high sugar intake are all linked to increased risk of cancer.
7. False. Even though your family may have genetic tendencies for certain diseases, whether or not that gene will be “triggered” into action largely depends on your lifestyle habits, especially having a healthy diet and not smoking.
8. False. Although many current mainstream advertising campaigns may claim carrying excess weight can be healthy, being overweight or obese increases your risk of insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and bone and joint problems. There’s nothing healthy about that.
9. False. Most plant-based burgers are highly processed and contain genetically modified ingredients.
10. D. Get a flu shot. Flu shots are typically designed to protect against 4 strains of the flu at best. But since there are about 200 different flu or flu-like viruses in existence, the shots don’t provide much in the way of protection. Plus, vaccines can actually depress your immune system functioning for several weeks, making you more vulnerable to viruses of all kinds.
11. False. Even though your body is taking in zero calories from artificial sweeteners, your brain is not fooled. It is “teased” by the sweet taste and expects calories to follow. This triggers feelings of hunger and makes it likely you will overeat, which in turn will cause weight gain-not loss.
12. False. Every drug that has been removed from the market for being dangerous or deadly was originally once approved as safe by the FDA.
13. C. Intestinal tract. 80 percent of your immune system is located in your intestinal tract.
14. False. Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, which is the deadliest neurotoxin known to man.
15. False. 75 percent of all melanomas occur on areas of the body that never even see the sun. Also, studies have shown that sunscreen has little to no effect on basal cell carcinomas, and may actually contribute to the development of the more aggressive melanoma. Lastly, sunscreen blocks your body’s production of vitamin D, which raises your overall risk of cancer.
16. F. All of the above. Insomnia can be triggered by a variety of factors.
17. True. Carb addiction is a very real thing. Underlying factors include the effects of carbs on your brain’s neurotransmitters, yeast overgrowth in the gut and high levels of stress.
18. False. Depression is very rarely caused by low serotonin levels. Underlying causes of depression include nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, low thyroid function, blood sugar and hormonal imbalances, traumatic life events and many prescription medications.
19. E. All of the above. Your tongue, urine, feces and mucus can all give clues as to your state of health as well as the possibility of a health issue.
20. True. Once your immune system is triggered into hypersensitivity, it may launch its inflammatory attack on other systems of the body.
Sound familiar?
If these questions rang a bell with you, it’s probably because I’ve written about each of these issues several times in the past! If you’ve been a reader of mine for a while, you have certainly heard these before.
Now if some of the questions tripped you up, no worries. The important thing is that you keep reading, learning, questioning everything, and working toward a healthier you!
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
