So, when there are many sources of good information, why be burdened following someone who cannot always be trusted to play it straight with the public? Why wouldn't a well educated person, for example, just find a better more reliable source?

Just about a month ago I ask my primary doctor about Glucosamine/Chondroitin and to paraphrase his comment: I have some patients who take it and I tell them there is no research that it does any good but then there is no research that says its bad for you either. So you can take it if you want and "think" it is doing you some good. Thats what I got out of the brief conversation. :icon_wink:

I don't believe that any information that Mercola shares is deliberately being skewed. Like any information it needs to be read or listened to with an open mind. I think that goes with any information and any source.

For me it isn't about being well-educated but rather being open minded. I know lots of PHDs and MDs and other highly "educated" people whose ability to intuitively sense and listen to themselves is low. In fact the more "logical" they are, the more they tend to rely on "scientific" explanations and "professional" opinions. That is not to say that there isn't a place for that in decision making, but it is only one of many aspects related to health and healing. So many of the other aspects are "intangible" and often bear more weight in the successful outcome.

Daily we are hearing about these intangibles and many people have difficulty getting a handle on the ramifications. It is always easier to follow a prescriptive path than to forge the one that is best for you at the time. We are all doing the best we can at and give moment and each person has his/her own reasons for deciding on anything. I'm doing my best to stay open to any info and sense what might work for me at this moment.

Life is always in flux and today's decision might be rejected tomorrow if new info comes across the desk and/or an unwanted outcome arises. Decisions are not written in stone and there is never a wrong decision. It is always the one you thought was the best one at that moment.

Our brains are designed to find "answers" to our questions, whether they are the "right" ones or not. If we could be taught to listen to our bodies and our intuition, I think that would serve us well. Trusting myself is a life long lesson and one that I continually work to allow myself to do. And the more I "go with my gut" the more info my body tends to give me as I seem to be
"listening" to it more. It is funny how that works. It really is an inside job.

LW888

Does that mean the FDA doesn't have an open mind?

Is that a rhetorical question or do you think the FDA is truly watching out for the people? How can you trust FDA guidelines and suggestions when products with aspertame are still on the shelves and HFCS is supported. Why aren't the masses taught about neurotoxicity and excitotoxins in the food? There are currently so many names for MSG that are allowed that it is impossible to know where it is. How come Monsanto still is so strong an influence when it has been shown to be a corporation with out a soul. How can anyone say that GMO products are safe when they haven't been around through enough generations to make that kind of claim. Why can't the products that have GMO ingredients have labels that inform us of that? And you ask me if I think that the FDA is an openminded organization? To me an openminded organization would look at the whole picture and support transparency and a variety of approaches and give the people enough quality info that each person could choose for himself.

LW888

I just received this from the Center for Biological Diversity regarding the FDA: Lawsuit Seeks to Protect Public From Mercury in Fish

And VillagesPL, In many states it is NOT the parents' choice to immunize or not immunize their children. Most school districts require the Kindergarten shots before children can start school. The parents who choose to home-school, or refuse to immunize on religious grounds could be the reason why we are seeing so many cases of whooping cough recently?

Just my 2 cents, but Drs. Oz & Dr. Mercola seem to be the only doctors out there who actually acknowledge that there is a connection between nutrition and health. Maybe other doctors will begin to pay attention to them?

And BTW Dr. Mercola brought the mercury concern up a number of years ago and advised not to eat fish without checking for the source especially when there was a push to get people off meat and on to more fish for the omega-3. That is when he started recommending Krill oil as an omega 3 source.

Ujudy the letter you got illustrates exactly what I feel about the FDA. Hopefully as more people recognize what is happening and take action, we will maintain our right to choose how we want to look after our health.

LW888

Exactly. Plus, everyone is different and unique in their joint pain or what have you. I was researching "Joint Juice" yesterday after seeing Joe Montana's commercial........I contacted customer service and was told that there was NO SHELLFISH in their formula........the ingredient they use is CORN.

Same day, I later read a book that said corn is NOT good for arthritics.

So, this book was lumping "corn" the vegetable (not just high fructose corn syrup) in with meat, dairy, sugar, processed foods, etc. as aggravating joint inflammation, pain, etc.

However, if you go to the JOINT JUICE website.....they have quite a few positive comments....although it can take 8 weeks to "kick in" as Joe Montana alludes to in his infomercial.........I don't have a shellfish allergy, just didn't like the thought of not knowing exactly where this shellfish cartilage or whatever it is..comes from. Dirty polluted waters?

Amazon.com has different "types" of JOINT JUICE......and one of them that I noticed, has artificial sweetener..........which I've always avoided.

It really is all so contradictory.........that's the only word I can think of so early in the morning..........anyway, my son advised me not to waste my money.

When our climate is dry and sunny, it's not so bad.....but today, humid, muggy with a large storm front appoaching.......I doubt if all the joint juice in the world is going to help these wrists to type or the shoulder to feel better.

The infra red Nuvee was supposed to help the blood circulation and soothe the knee pain.........but one would have to sit all day holding it.

I wonder if anyone has had any luck with TOMMY COPPER various products?

Yes, I do remember reading her work years ago. I will check it out today.
Many thanks..............

p.s. Yes, I do remember her book from years ago..........I just refreshed my memory.......however, although I understand the mind/body connection theory, I can't buy it for all illnesses.......or discomforts when many are familial, running in families.......again, I would believe them to be more genetically inherited.

What about little innocent babies and children with brain tumors? They didn't have time to accumulate anger, criticism, etc., etc. as she explains her theory.
Unless she is into past life recall??? I haven't read the book in ages....but just checked it out on amazon.com..........did not add it to my kindle.
My mother read her book/books..........

Louise Hay doesn't include modern day pain type ailments such as fibromyalgia which is true pain for anyone experiencing it........

Dr. Neal Barnard has some extremely interesting books on the food / pain / illness connection...........modern diet as cause of many ills.

However, it is all interesting "food for thought" and I thank you............

No one is making unproven health claims for the above items as Dr. Mercola as been known to do in the marketing of some of his products. Whether or not he's still doing it today I don't know but I wouldn't have any trust for a person who behaved that way in the past.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin
 

I had a 15-year old bichon frise (dog) who stopped being able to climb stairs because of joint pain. My vet gave him a veterinary version of Glucosamine/Chondroitin and within days he was running up the stairs again.

My orthepedic surgeon told me that glucosamine seems to work for some people and not for others, and no-one knows why. The jury seems to be still out.

For some reason, glucosamine seems to work really well for dogs! The Orijen dogfood that I buy has glucosamine added. And I know people who swear by it. When I had horses, I had two farriers who said they wouldn't be able to work if it weren't for glucosamine/MSM. And shoeing horses is hard work.

I've never had any success with glucosamine, but it's hard to tell because it doesn't work immediately, it takes 6-8 weeks to work. I've tried the liquid kind which is supposed to work more quickly, nothing, da nada. I see ads on TV for prescription drugs, and they show Wrinklies skipping around like children. Tempting. But then they list the possible side effects and I'm not a bit tempted.

Thanks for the above interesting information.

If there are a lot of school districts that require the shots, it seems there must be a lot of evidence that the shots will do no harm. In that case, people should be happy to get them.

There are a lot of doctors who acknowledge a connection between nutrition and health. Let's see if I can remember some of them off the top of my head:

1) There's Dr. Sears of the Zone philosophy, although, I don't follow him anymore because he has become preoccupied with selling books and products.

2) T. Colin Campbell Ph.D author of "The China Study". It's an excellent book that covers all aspects of health and nutrition. I highly recommend it.

3) I don't know what's going on with Oz on TV because I don't watch TV., but I have one of his books and I think it's very worthwhile reading.

4) "Beyond The 120 Year Diet" by Roy L. Walford M.D.. He makes a very strong connection between nutrition, health and longevity. I don't agree with everything he wrote but I still consider the book to be highly worthwhile reading.

5) The book, "The Okinawa Program" is the result of a 20+ year population study of the longest lived people in the world. It tells how the Japanese lifestyle, in Okinawa, promotes health and longevity. Most of it has to do with diet.

I could go on and on but you get the idea. There are a lot of good authors who acknowledge a connection between nutrition and health. You just have to look for them. And there are many who don't try to make a business out of selling health products. Once an author goes down that road, as Mercola has done, he/she can no longer afford to tell the complete truth. The truth gets compromised.

Agree with everything - and often things are found and work long before it's common knowledge - thanks for your thoughts !

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I meant 'regular' doctors, like the ones you would visit for an annual checkup. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that the only nutrition counseling they do is if you already have high blood pressure (No Salt!) or heart disease (No Fat!).