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Why are we so dependent on studies?
This post might ruffle a few feathers, but I think it’s an important thing to talk about. We’ve gotten so dependent on needing “proof” before we try new things. It’s getting to the point that we even need “proof” that food is good for us! We’ve been conditioned into searching for this proof before we try anything new as well. Let’s go over some of the main reasons why we cannot always depend on studies!
Who is funding them?
This is probably the MOST important thing to look into if you are looking at a study. Want an example of why this is so crucial? A few years ago there was a study that came out and demonized coconut oil and claimed it was incredibly unhealthy.
Who funded it? The Canola Oil Council and The California Walnut Commission, plus a few huge pharma giants.
Word has been getting out how unhealthy canola oil actually is, so they decided to make a big move and attack the competition. Studies like this are completely biased! This “study” opened a lot of people’s eyes to the corruption that can happen with these supposed studies.
If the people funding the studies have an ulterior motive, you can almost guarantee it was a fake outcome!
Fake Outcomes and Withholding Information
This goes along with the previous section. If a company is funding a study to discredit something else or prove that their product is superior, then you can guarantee there will be some manipulation going on. Sometimes they withhold information like side effects. Sometimes they outright lie.
One example of this was the huge MMR/CDC Whistleblower case from a few years ago. Apparently, 2 Merck scientists spoke out against their own company because they claimed the company had been lying about the efficacy of the MMR Vaccine for about a decade! Papers were being manipulated to show the product in a better light so the public wouldn’t know the truth.
Very Small Test Groups
There are over 7 billion people on this planet. How can a study that looks at 50-200 people prove ANYTHING about the safety of a drug or product? We are literally all different! We cannot look at such a small amount of people and assume that the rest of the population will have the same results.
Animals are not Humans
This one should be a DUH. Many scientific studies are done on mice (which is cruel enough to begin with). But we’re not mice! From this article, ” Recent research suggests that despite the aforementioned genetic similarities, gene sequences that code for specific regulatory proteins are very different between humans and mice.”
Inconsistent Results
I saw these meme several years ago that really stuck with me:
It’s SO true! It was eye opening to me at the time because when you start researching health, you will see that there are studies that “prove” both sides of every story. It’s insane at this point. I don’t get why more people aren’t confused about this, because it’s nearly impossible to actually get solid answers from studies at this point.
So what should we do?!
Look for legitimate studies if you do prefer to see the science behind something. Critical thinking is essential- keep in mind everything that I mentioned above. Who funded the study, who benefits from its outcome, is it on animals or humans, and how many test subjects were there?
I truly believe that this is where common sense and instinct need to be used more. We have gotten so dependent on “science” but it’s proving to be something that we cannot always trust 100%. Learning to listen to your intuition can be one of the most helpful tools ever.
Also, this article has a lot of great info and goes into even more detail about some of the topics above, so check it out!
The body is a whole and we must treat it as such! I have my Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Sciences, certificates in Herbal Studies from Herbal Academy, and I am constantly learning more about health to help my clients and followers.
My goal is to help you unleash your own inner healer! You already hold the power to heal inside you. My role is as a guide to help you realize this potential.
