A new blog about health issues for today’s woman. I’ll discuss men’s issues as well since women often are concerned for their whole family including their men. But it’ll always be from my perspective. Remember this is my perspective based on 13 years of practicing medicine as holistically as possible, current research, integrated with my view as an epidemiologist, massage therapist, medical researcher, mom, gardener and internist.  I can’t possibly keep up with Dr. Oz’s shows BUT I will make this disclaimer. Before you get excited about something use this process to evaluate the source of the information:

1. Is the source a daily media show that is trying to attrack viewers? Remember the media is all about hype and the trend over the past 10 years in my opinion is that they mostly present the negative to attract people through fear instead of education.
2. Is the source trying to sell you something? If so do they offer alternative ways to obtain the product or do they only present their source.
3. Is the source someone that has made transparent their interestes? In other words are there other affiliations that might bias there information.
4. In many ways WE ARE ALL BIASED so do they acknowledge that in their presentation.

I’m sure there are even more considerations but this should get you off to a good start. To better demonstrate consider the following examples:

1. You attend a presentation on weight loss. They present their program. Do they also offer real outcome data from their site? Do they offer suggestons if you can’t afford their program?

2. The evening news presents story on the assocation of hormones and breast cancer from the Women’s Health Initiative. (Real example from 2005) Did they explain that the risk was an increase from 1 to 3 in 1,000 women (not actual numbers but close)? Did they present  any of the benefits that were found? Did they later that year present the data showing decreased risk of breast cancer from Premarin alone? (No they did not or at least not nearly to the magnitude of the negative report).

3. You receive a newsletter in mail saying 30 drugs you should never take from Public Citizen. (Patient brought me this newsletter last week). What are they selling? They want you to subscribe to their newsletter that will tell you every possible negative side effect about a drug or supplement (and they include almost all of them) for $24.95 a year.  Did they list the known benefits? (no) Did they tell you what percentage had this problem? (no) This publication was clearly trying to capture an audience through fear tactics and hype.

So this is where I’m coming from and it’s only my opinion. I feel my opinion is as fair and balanced as I can be but remember where I will be coming from  and my bias will be that of an independent physician that is self-employed, not owned by any hospital or large insurance organization and is somewhat skeptical of large “systems” and “public” figures. I’m sure I would have hard time being on my own talk show because I would have to keep issuing disclaimers and it wouldn’t attract most viewers.