Archive for September, 2010

Are you sick of debate on the China Study?

Remember how Mercola said his D.O. experience is more valuable than a PhD nutrition researcher’s?

If you’re not too sick of reading opinions, here’s a comment by a reader that was buried deep in the comments on my blog, by an M.D. who also has a PhD. I think it’s important to note that while Mercola’s reported experience eating fruit for breakfast, and his triglycerides increasing (he implies these things are linked), is rather isolated.

(With anything that falls in the “case study” category, at best, I have this reaction: “Hm, interesting—but I’m putting no stock in that without more compelling evidence.)

Dear Robyn,

I want to respond to your message here as relates to The China Study and Dr. Mercola. Generally, Dr. Mercola is well respected in the health food industry; however, I think his analysis here is flawed. He is correct that The China Study is an observational study, but so are many studies. It is a very extensive, well designed study done by a top notch team of researchers

over many years.

They studied 6,500 people over diverse parts of China and came up with over 8,000 statistically significant associations between lifestyle, diet and disease.

I do think he may have generalized a little far from the associations found with casein, the major milk protein, and all protein. Nevertheless, it is hard to ignore the results of this study and the associations between high protein diet and diseases ranging from cancers to a wide range of autoimmune diseases.

I also found Dr. Mercola’s experience of moving some fruit into his breakfast and supposedly that causing him to have triglyceride levels of 3000 a little hard to believe. I have done hundreds of lipid panels and have never seen a triglyceride level even remotely close to that, not that it couldn’t happen.

There may be familial illness in his case but even those people generally don’t have levels approaching that. Another point is that high-protein, meat-based diets have for the most part been shown to be often quite harmful. Even the American Heart Association agrees with that. Dr. Atkins would probably also agree if he were still alive.

I do agree that one needs to listen to one’s body, but people are often fooled due to the very strong addictive qualities of our modern food industry. A great resource for that is Dr. Kessler’s book, “The End of Overeating”. People are very fooled into what they think they need and want, food-wise.

Dr. Mercola’s Nutritional Typing test asks a series of food preferences and how people feel with various food selections. How can one answer those questions realistically if they have no concept what true organic food is and how it operates in the body? Of course, more people are

going to associate with the higher protein diets, that is what they have been eating all their lives and that is what they think they need and feel best on. They have never been detoxified from those foods and been in touch with what they could feel like if they only knew.

Keep up your good work Robyn!

Sincerely,

Tim M., M.D., Ph.D.

Robyn’s response:

One thing I agree with in Minger’s critique (and what you say here) is that it’s a stretch to assume that because casein (milk protein) caused havoc in the laboratory, that all animal protein causes the same problems. I found Campbell to be honest about this, however, when I attended his lecture.

And he spoke, I spoke to him in person about whether any of his research could indicate whether kefir or yogurt—enzyme- and probiotic-rich raw milks with proteins broken down by fermentation—are a problem. He said, “I don’t know. We didn’t study that. It’s possible.”

In the recent Mercola/Campbell debate I called “Clash of the Titans,” a comment was made by a reader that you may not have noticed—but it really made me think.

“John” said that the more he stays close to sun and soil, and the more he learns and empowers himself, the less attention he pays to “outside experts.”

I love that. Very frankly, you should move down the path to less reliance on me, too.

I have seen some readers do it in the past three years. Some whose stories I know well, I have observed. They include Darlene in Canada, Tina in North Carolina, Jamie in Utah, Tonya in California, Tricia in Texas, Leslee in Texas, Dr. Denise in Florida, and my very own Jenni, whom I adore and who is head of my customer support team.

These eight (and more—name yourself and tell your story if you fit in this camp) got their start here at GSG or elsewhere, but embraced knowledge and change.

They’ve outgrown me. They’ve studied, pondered, and prayed. They’ve practiced. They’ve developed a repertoire of recipes and habits. They’ve overhauled their pantries, fridges, freezers. They’ve begun growing gardens. The learning curve got flatter and flatter.

They’ve seen the fruits of their labors: better health, amelioration of energy deficits and chronic conditions. They’ve converted others to the lifestyle that has so dramatically helped them. They haven’t done it halfway—they’ve done it flat-out, in a committed way.

Most of them voluntarily wrote testimonials for 12 Steps. They didn’t write sophistry or canned marketing hype or excessive praise. They wrote the real stories of their families’ genuine experiences.

They check back here now and then because no matter how far down the path you go, you need reassurance, community, and support.

But their knowledge eventually rivals my own. AND I LOVE THIS. I honor all all of you who have a sincere wish to help others learn the truth and get healthier.

As John said (which reminds me of someone I read Bernard Jensen saying, a pioneer in nutrition who lived well into his 90’s), live close to the rich, black dirt, and the air and sunshine. Where those things are, you’ll find whole foods: they keep you grounded, sane, and whole.

Many have emailed us, or messaged me through the Facebook GreenSmoothieGirl fanpage, about Mercola’s newsletter attacking alkaline water.

Please read my response to Mercola’s words, here.

4-sentence brief:  Mercola contradicts himself all over the place, and logical fallacies abound in his arguments. His evidence for yet another reactionary, “sky is falling” article title is sketchy or non-existent, and the guy he interviews is sketchy as an “expert,” too. And at the end of the day, only you can decide if alkaline water is worth an investment. Just please don’t pay retail (especially network marketed) prices.

On the internet, if you’ve been around a while, you know that many of the comments people make in public forums are angry, negative, and nonproductive. On the rare occasion I read these forums, my stomach ends up tied in knots after a few minutes.

I hate conflict. I grew up in a home with a lot of it. It took me many years to figure out that it’s toxic, and that you can choose not to indulge, encourage, and embrace conflict. That you can defuse it or at least walk away from it. I now choose to minimize it in my life. When I’m exposed to it, I try not to wallow in it and relive it, after the fact.

The best thing is to find unusual ways to neutralize it and move on from it. I interrupt the thought patterns that revisit it, break down conflicts in my head as honestly as possible if they’re bothering my heart, and then when I’m done with it, discipline myself to think about something more productive.

I like when people comment on my blog with views contrary to my own. You can’t grow or learn without other ideas and people pushing back on your own. So bring it on!

Somebody unsubscribed from my newsletter because I once blogged about a political issue. Somebody else quit reading the blog because I wrote my thoughts on vaccines. That’s okay, because I’d like a free information exchange here–no gag orders or topic restrictions.

I promise not to get offended if your opinion differs from mine.

If you dig deep on this site and blog, you’ll find that I won’t engage in conflict that doesn’t seem productive. If someone is hostile or abusive in a blog comment, I delete it. If someone is a bit contrarian and lively in their disagreement, even if it’s a personal criticism of me–I approve the comment.

But there is precious little anger and hostility even in others’ comments here. Generally GSG readers almost always take the “high road.” I hope that’s because my goal is consistent and comes across clearly: to nurture people on their journey. Not tear them or their choices down. We do enough of that to ourselves to last a lifetime!

It isn’t productive to be negative. And the corollary is this: it’s infinitely valuable to praise good first steps, good efforts, towards a healthier and happier life. I have always appreciated comments that are constructive and helpful.

Ideas and experiences abound in the comments made here on my blog. Those who contribute, thanks for helping me build valuable resources for others!