How is the average viewer to know what to believe?

Want some truth and clarity for a change? Choose this book and order a  “Forks over Knives” DVD.

With so much emphasis on portion control, counting calories, eating lean cuts of meat, gastric bypass surgery, and the like—how is the average citizen supposed to glean some truly helpful information on how to take charge of her/his health?

With more than 400 minutes of telecast, there were a few powerful truths that were simply never mentioned:

1. Heart Disease. The simple process of reversing heart disease with a whole foods, plant-based diet.
2. Diabetes. The similar process of reversing type 2 diabetes that has a 95% success rate by at least four well-known medical doctors: Neal Barnard, Dean Ornish, John McDougall and Joel Fuhrman.
3. Cancer. The simple truth about the prevention of cancer as stated by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. “The U.S. government should be discussing the idea that the toxicity of our diet is the single biggest cause of cancer.”
4. Obesity. The fact that the same whole foods, plant-based diet that reverses heart disease & diabetes and prevents cancer—is the same diet that will enable the average person to gradually move to the “normal” weight range on the BMI chart.

Make no mistake, there is some good information in the HBO “Weight of the Nation” documentary that completed airing last night. As several of my blog-readers have pointed out, some of the bonus short segments at the end of the series contained some helpful content. But, in total, there is much more harmful, misleading information in this documentary than there is helpful information.

J. Morris Hicks, where the simple and clear advice will always be the same and can be summed up in two words: Whole Plants.

My problem is this. If there are a total of 400 minutes in the complete documentary, how is the average obese viewer supposed to know which ten percent (40 minutes) of the telecast are going to help solve their problem? With no clear guidance from the producers, it’s almost like asking the average shopper at the Stop & Shop to know which ten percent of the products are health-promoting amidst the vast array of unhealthy choices.

What is a person to believe? Let me ask you this. If you have an acquaintance at work who is known to be untruthful 90 percent of the time, how will you be able to know when he is telling the truth? Would you ever send ANYONE to him for advice? Likewise, I have watched all of this documentary that I am going to watch and I am no longer going to recommend that anyone watch it. Here’s why….

The Bottom Line. When it comes to promoting health and fighting obesity, The Weight of the Nation documentary is much more a part of the problem than the solution. Unless clarity prevails from beginning to end, the entire message becomes one big confusing negative for the average viewer—and for the nation.

And this is why I would not recommend that a friend or family member watch this documentary. I would fear that they would become more confused and choose to ‘believe’ the oft-quoted wrong information—like “lean cuts of meat, fish and low-fat dairy” being a part of a balanced, healthy diet.

Guess which one is the nation’s foremost authority on obesity—from Yale University?

My final question is this. How confusing is it to watch a morbidly obese “expert” explaining a weight-loss solution that is clearly not working for him?

There is much better information out there—like the works of Campbell, Esselstyn, McDougall, Fuhrman, Barnard, Ornish and others. Don’t confuse your loved ones—send them to sources that offer consistent truth and clarity on this crucial subject.

Related blog. Meet the “Big Three” Generals—in the War on Obesity

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J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

For help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4Leaf page or some great recipes at Lisa’s 4Leaf Kitchen.

Got a question? Let me hear from you at jmorrishicks@me.com. Or give me a call on my cell at 917-399-9700.

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Blogging daily at hpjmh.com…from the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

—J. Morris Hicks, board member, T. Colin Campbell Foundation