Is getting your health advice from TV right for YOU?

   If you didn't know by now, I hate to break it to you, but your news and media is heavily influenced by outside sources. With the majority of those outside sources being corporations. Do you see a problem with this? Many people rely on information they get from TV to make health decisions. Maybe, just maybe, this information isn't always in your best interest. 
   I didn't completely understand the extent of this until I had my own radio show. When you have a radio show, companies will approach you wanting to sponsor you, ie paying you to plug their product or company. The only problem with this is many of these products i wouldn't recommend using and wouldn't use myself! So guess how many sponsors I had on my show "Healthcare Intervention"? ZERO. Well I had one, Psycho Gym, but that's my own gym so I was paying myself! But I was constantly approached with testosterone supplements, weight loss products, and a whole bunch of other CRAP. I couldn't do it, one company in particular was a weightloss product that would have been very lucrative for me. But they like to use Sucralose as a sweetener in their products. On my show I frequently advised staying away from Sucralose. So why would someone on TV say something or recommend something that isn't good for you? One word, MONEY. Unfortunately it's what makes the world go round. So before you take all your health advice from a doctor on TV, maybe do some research and double checking. 
   Let's take the most famous doctor in the world, Dr. Oz. For a long time, Dr. Oz would recommend some alternative therapies, organic foods, but the last few years he has really changed his tune. Why all of a sudden? A few years ago he came out and said he wouldn't give his own kids the flu shot, after backlash from the AMA, he went and got one live on his show to show everyone they were "safe". A couple of years ago, he recommended to stop giving your kids apple juice because of arsenic levels found in top brands. He immediately recanted this statement after pressure from the Apple Farmers of America. And most recently he came out in Time magazine stating there is no real difference between organic foods and conventional. Stating buying organic is "elitist". This goes against everything he has said for years! What major food company was behind this interview? 
   Are all doctors on TV really doctors? I ask myself this everytime I see a clip from the popular show "The Doctors". Where the main host made his big break from the show "The Bachelor". Not to be mean but to be honest he doesn't come off as the sharpest guy on most topics. But he is popular, gets good ratings. But is he the most qualified to be giving you advice? Did he come out with ground breaking research? Or how many patients has he actually seen or treated? I mean he had time to do the show "The Bachelor". Is that the biggest thing on his resume?
   Our world is becoming more an more revolved around media. Just remember before jumping to the next product or recommendation that not everyone has good intentions and some of this could be influenced from somewhere else. Anyone can write a blog, anyone can posts on facebook or twitter. That doesn't necessarily make it true. Like that commercial, where did you hear that? The internet, it has to be true because I read it on the internet. My advice proceed with CAUTION.  

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