Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who explained that her ill health was down to reasons I would describe as dubious. Taking certain supplements and changing her diet have significantly improved her health. However, she was disappointed and a little annoyed that I didn’t share her outrage and wasn’t going to follow her views.
I’ve got another friend who thinks cholesterol is a lie and that we should live largely on meat (and supplements). Another went through a sugar causes cancer phase. And another is sceptical of vaccines.
Each of them may be right. We are learning more about the human body every day. But I was raised by scientists and I want to see a large-scale trial before I get outraged and change the way I live.
Equally, I’m not convinced that a lightly regulated for-profit industry (supplements) is automatically more trustworthy than a highly regulated for-profit one (pharma). I want to be respectful of their choices and the research they have done into their specific conditions, but for them to respect my beliefs too. The feeling I get is that they think they have the keys to the real intel and I’m being duped by the medical establishment.
Or that I’m not a good friend because I don’t believe them. I’m not sure how to have a respectful conversation about that. I’d prefer to avoid it, but it comes up often.
I find myself making non-committal comments such as “how interesting”. But I know, and they know, I’m sceptical. But isn’t it OK for your scepticism to still be there?
Extract — continue reading at the source.
