All of my posts are inspired by either personal experiences or questions from those I train and interact with. This post is of a somewhat personal nature. I recently witnessed some questionable information being given to someone I’m close to…my wife…at a pregnancy checkup…by a medical professional.
The short story is that we went to our 16-week pregnancy appointment and met with a medical professional (I use this term loosely) who handles appointments such as ours, gives advice and ensures things are proceeding as they should with pregnant women. Near the end of our appointment, the “professional” advised us that my wife should follow the Paleo Diet during the pregnancy. Interesting…
Thankfully, my wife and I happen to know a little about health and nutrition…at least enough to determine that the so-called medical “expert” was relaying her personal opinion under the auspices of professional advice. My issue was less with her advice and more with how others who aren’t as informed in this area would walk out of the office believing everyone who’s pregnant should switch to the Paleo Diet!
This post isn’t about whether or not Paleo is good or bad (you can read my thoughts on that here). I want to address the issue that so many of us face daily – trying to determine what information is correct, safe, and healthy while balancing the various sources of information from the news, magazines, internet and so-called “experts.”
If you get nothing else from reading this, understand that rarely is there an absolute answer to health. Sure, smoking is bad for you and fitness can improve health, but these are the easy questions. Answers to most of our questions are not black and white. The truth is that Crossfit can be great for some and harmful to others. Low carb and Paleo diets work for some people, but aren’t recommended for others. And what’s right for your health and fitness may be completely different from what’s right for others.
With TD Fitness I try my best to differentiate fact from opinion and I believe all health professionals should make a clear distinction between the two. It’s a fact that alcohol during pregnancy can harm the baby. To say that the Paleo Diet is a better way to eat during pregnancy is an opinion. I disagree with eliminating grains and other carbohydrate sources of energy from a normal prenatal diet at a time when energy levels are low and the body needs these nutrients. But that is my OPINION and others may disagree.
I am a certified personal trainer with experience and education in training pre- and post-natal women, but I’m not a dietitian. I must rely on the nutrition advice of actual dietitians and the USDA. Having since asked dietitians about the Paleo Diet during pregnancy, all agree that the “professional” at our appointment gave us bad advice. (The professional was not a doctor, by the way.)
My goal here is to help you understand where you should seek health and nutrition advice…and where you shouldn’t. You wouldn’t go to a foot doctor for throat cancer would you? Nor should you believe everything you hear or read, no matter what the source.
It’s important to understand what is fact and what is opinion. I know it’s hard…for each internet article telling you one thing, I can show you another with an opposing view. That’s the reality we face when information flows freely from both trusted sources and from the everyday gym-goer with an opinion. The best way for me to serve you is to answer your questions through objective research. That’s what I do. I don’t have all the answers, but the joy for me is in researching, learning, and helping you in your quest for better health. I encourage you to ask questions, if not to me then to someone else you trust. Your health is too valuable to be affected by bad information.
The Paleo Diet – An Objective Look