I understand the need for and requirement for legal disclaimers; I really do. I understand that Facebook as a private organization places restrictions on discussions, and actively censors groups and individuals for compliance with those rules. To some degree, we even have to use disclaimers here. We have to state the obvious, because it may not be obvious to people that don’t know us. I occasionally get sarcastic, and I have to have to post a disclaimer for that, so my words don’t get taken seriously.
I also understand making the statement “I am not a doctor” or “I’m not giving medical advice”. It clarifies that the person speaking or communicating doesn’t have a certified, medical background. I use both of these disclaimers on occasion, when I worry that someone thinks that I’m a certified medical doctor or that I might be given advice.
But, I do not advocate a position that someone should “ask their doctor”, or “ask their pharmacist”, or “ask their nurse practitioner”, etc. This is my own personal position, because “I’m not a doctor”, and “I’m not giving medical advice”. And, this is why…
As an individual, we all are responsible for learning what we can and investigating and trying things to improve our own health. Telling someone to consult their doctor, or their pharmacist, or their nurse, or their certified medical practitioner can have deleterious effects because it assumes that the “qualified” or “certified” practitioner has special knowledge that we don’t have or that we don’t have access too. Yes, learning takes time, and for many of; we’re racing against the clock. It’s good to consult with these people and get their opinions regarding these matters, but we are all ultimately responsible for our own well being. I can count on one hand the number of certified medical practitioners that I personally know (and I know many), that know what a ketogenic diet really is. I know exactly zero certified medical practitioners personally that understand fasting. I know some that understand basic nutritional concepts. If I wanted to understand medical procedures and therapies and pharmaceuticals, I would personally consult with all of these people as well as investigate sources online to gain a better understanding of their effects, side effects, etc.
I’m an expert when it comes to certification agencies as I have spent many years writing computer systems to manage certifications. While most certifications contain an element of “continuing education”, most certifications just require that a person pass a test or tests at a specific point in time or points in time, which means that they have to know the “acceptable” answer or answers to the questions. It’s not that there isn’t value in the years of education and training that they receive, but that the majority of that training doesn’t always apply to you specifically. While I don’t see a lot of value in government driven certification as it is agenda driven, I see a lot of value in consumer driven certification agencies and mass driven certification of ideas.
The great challenge is a communications conundrum. Your body, and all it’s systems, contain information, and the medical professionals can’t possibly access all that information. They can look at the dash board and see indicators and gauges; things like weight, skin tone, heart rate, and other markers, but they can’t tell how you are feeling, etc… And, these things are all important. You may not be aware of all of them, but all these indicators are important. And, the certified medical professionals don’t have access to all that information.
All this said, I don’t have the answers. I understand that it’s a frustrating problem for new people, as they really want to find answers and look to the experts. But, in many cases; these people simply don’t exist, or are not easily accessible. Telling a person that lives in Hopedale Illinois (town of 900 people I grew up in), that they should talk to their doctor and get their opinion about diet, fasting, etc., is simply not hopeful. It’s easier to find Bigfoot than to locate a certified medical professional that understands nutrition at times. I understand that many are on medications or undergoing treatments that may be impacted by any changes that you make, so making a medical professional aware of these things, isn’t a bad thing. But, telling someone not to act without permission from their certified medical professionals remains troubling to me.
From my standpoint, I encourage people to take simple learning steps with measured risks. First, establish ways of measuring your current health circumstances. Make a commitment to take charge of your own journey to better health. This may include lab results, personal devices, etc. Then, establish clear goals. Then, investigate, ask, and learn. Then, try things. Fail fast. Learn from failure. Learn from the experiences. And, press on.
Some of you may think that you are not capable of this, that you are not smart enough, or that you don’t know where to begin. Just remember that all of us start at the same place, and it takes time to acquire the knowledge and information that you need to make decisions. Just be patient. Study. Read. Become your own best advocate.
But, please, don’t assume that certified medical professionals always know the correct answers to your problems. Some may, and if you have access to them; great. But, the majority probably won’t have the answers that you need. You need to become your own best advocate, and become an expert in you, your systems, and what makes you function the best.
With all this said, I’m not a doctor, I’m not an attorney, I’m not offering medical advice, care or treatments, and I’m not offering legal advice either.
I’m just a human being that makes mistakes and learns from them…