Medical Myths or Reading Between the Lines!

We live in a confusing world of health these days. One day your read that a study says something is okay and a month later you read another one that said it wasn't. The best idea is to read those reports for yourself, but you need to know how to decipher if they are legit or just some company's way of selling their product disguised as a study.

Rule to understanding if a study is legitimate or not!

Find out who paid for the study and why it was done and who did the study. First, if a company who will benefit by a positive or negative outcome pays it for. 95% of the time a study is headed by a person or persons who holds a preconceived view before the study began. Does that make it realistic and/or true? Yes and no! Even in the worst study there will be a tidbit of truth and helpful knowledge. Finding what it is means deciphering their written report. There are mythical terms used that can be tricky and will take some know-how to decipher.

Here are a few simplistic words and phrases to help you decipher the outcome and help you know when you read a report or study if the findings are accurate or if they are true or tentative with no real backbone. This list by no means includes all mythic phrases or concepts! Just a few that will hopefully help you get to the meaning of the report or study.

1.) "Appears to be" = We don't have any real answers but maybe it is and maybe it isn't.

2.) "Generally encouraging" = For our company/business anyway, not necessarily your health.

3.) "Has not been proven" = Usually means; can't accept the findings of previous studies and it's not to our way of thinking.

4.) "Essential Hypertension" = 90% of blood pressures and cause has never been truly established. In other words we don't know why.

5.) "The data suggests an association between" - Suggests being the operative there and no conclusion was, can or should be drawn from a suggestion but we think______ (Usually tongue-in-cheek jargon about whatever nutrient or competitor they are trying to knock).

6.) "Further research is needed" - They have no confidence in their scientific research and cannot recommend their findings or they do not like what they found!

7.) "May Promote" - Don't ask for exacts, we won't give it, so maybe it does and maybe it doesn't!

8.) "Can't say with certainty" We don't know anything for sure but we aren't admitting it.

9.) "Not Approved by FDA" - That can be a good thing since the FDA gets paid for giving medications an okay for manufacturing. See http://www.antibiotic-alternatives.com/FDA-drugs.htm

10) "Previous studies flawed." - May or may not be. Didn't fit this particular study's agenda anyway.

Just thought this might help you understand medical jargon and how to determine for yourself whether a study report is on the up and up and help prevent some confusion for you!

Wishing you great health! Lena