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| Coquitlam Connection |
| How To Makes Sense Of Medical Breakthroughs |
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| From Hope Heart Institute, Seattle, WA Breakthrough studies on nutrition and health are announced every day. When reading or listening to a news story, it�s important to be a critical thinker. Here are some tips. 1. Single Study: As a rule, do not make radical nutrition or life-style changes based on the results of a single study. Talk to your doctor if the �news� relates to a medical condition you have. In most cases, it�s best to make changes after several highly regarded studies have confirmed the results. 2. Conflict: If the new findings conflict with previous studies, look for a reason why. Be aware that the media loves to play up �exciting� news. 3. Quick Fix: Be wary of recommendations that promise a quick fix. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 4. Headlines & Bottom Lines: Read beyond the attention-grabbing headlines. Headlines simplify complex findings. Bottom-line conclusions are usually reported at the very end of news stories. 5. Verification: Read several news reports. Your local paper, USA Today, and the New York Times each may put an entirely different spin on the same research. Look up the original journal article, if possible. You can find most article summaries on the Medicine Database http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html. 6. Method: Analyze how the study was done. Long-term studies that involve a lot of people are usually more reliable than quick, small studies. �Memory recall� studies are notoriously unreliable. Note that study results may not apply to you if the people studied differ in age, gender, race, locale, health habits, etc. 7. Source: Analyze the source. The best research is conducted by leading organizations, is peer-reviewed, and is published in leading medical or scientific journals. Note that publication in a prestigious journal does not guarantee that the findings are definitive or conclusive. 8. Interpretation: Look for expert interpretation and commentary from health and nutrition professionals. 9. Bias: Beware of researcher and or funding bias. Examples: Nutrition studies financed by food manufacturers should be taken with a grain of salt. Beware of health organizations that have an underlying financial issue at stake. 10.Specialization: Most researchers are specialists, so you'll have to put the whole picture together by yourself, Example: a cardiovascular research study might note that one alcoholic Drink a day decreases the risk of heart disease, and neglect to mention that it increases the risk of some cancers. Via: Tacoma WA Newsletter S. Brevard FL, OSTOMY NEWSLETTER & Evansville Re-Route, Evansville Ostomy Association |
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| I was provided with additional input that was radically different from the truth. I assisted in furthering that version � Colonel Oliver North |
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