Secret Truths of Nutrition Quackery 101

Simple Guidelines to provide direction and Best practices when it comes to Nutrition claims and diet Myths


These guidelines are meant to provide direction and recommendations for best practice. They are not enforceable except in regards to the ADA Code of Ethics. These guidelines may also be found on ADA's website www.eatright.com

You have the right to make your own internal judgment when it comes to your Health and proper Nutrition so make sure you choose wisely on sound Nutritional advice to a trusted Nutrition Expert and Health Care professional after all it is your only body!


Quacks claim that diet is an important determinant of behavior.

Some food quacks claim that bad reactions to additives and/ordinary foods cause hyperactivity in children (the Feingold diet) and even criminal behavior in adults. These allegations are based on delusions, ancedotal evidence, and poorly designed research (Barrett and Herbert. If you would like to learn more on the potential harm of the Feingold diet I'd be glad to share more in depth with you just email your request or visit my blog to this article link.

Quacks guarantee quick, miraculous results.

The false promise of a cure is the most immoral practice of quacks (Barrett and Herbert). They don't care how many people they harm emotionally or financially by failing to deliver their promised cure. Nor do quacks care that they lure some people away from effective medical care into disability or death. This is absolutely frightening and I personally have seen enough for a lifetime over the last 19 years in the Medical, Health, and Fitness industry. I hate to tell you this but if it sounds to good to be true then run.

They determine your nutritional status with inappropriate laboratory tests and/ or a questionnaire.

Quacks often use bogus tests and questionnaires to "determine" nutritional status and recommend dietary supplements. I'm not saying dietary supplements are all bad in fact I'm a firm believer in certain ones when used in conjunction to a proper prescribed customized Exercise and Nutritional program. But just a quickee pill and no nutritional License I don't think so! It is just to risky and again if it quacks like a duck it probably is.

Quacks believe in "effortless" weight loss. They say it is easy to lose weight.

Quacks would like you to believe that special pills or food combonations can cause "effortless" weight loss. Weight loss is so lucrative that all my 19 hard working years have been devoted to getting the message out there loud and clear. Listen I had to lose 65 pounds when I was eighteen and it was hard work but habits are hard to break and I was a massive emotional and became bored and inactive. Food was my drug of choice but if we over do anything in life it is harmful to are health mentally, physically, and spiritually. You have to take steps daily to modify behavior for long lasting change so get the right information and understand Quickee weight loss is a flat out lie and extremely unrealistic so choose wisely my friend.

They use disclaimers hidden in fake medical jargon.

Instead of a promising a cure, some quacks use terms that create the illusion of a promise. For example, the quack will promise to "detoxify," "purify," or "revitalize" your body, "balance" its chemistry, bring it into harmony with with nature," " stimulate or strengthen" your immune system, "support or rejuvenate" various organs in your body, or "stimulate the body's ability to heal itself" (Barrett and Herbert). Of course, quacks rarely make a valid measurement before and after any of these claims and processes, it's difficult to prove that the quack is wrong and that has always concerned me I see so many people yo-yo all their life with these false hopes. Sorry folks their is no diet fairy.

These disclaimers serve two purposes. First, since it's impossible to measure these alleged processes, it's difficult to prove that the quack is wrong. Also, the use of non-medical terminology helps quacks who aren't physicians avoid prosecution for practicing medicine without a license )(Barrett and Herbert). So to conclude this article choose wisely my friend and get the help you need from a trusted Licensed Nutritionist that tells you nothing but the truth and facts about your proper Health and Nutritional needs. If it has the words Quickee or Fast acting results Run!!

Have a healhty and happy day!


Refernces: Nutrition Dimension, Ellen Coleman, (Barrett and Herbert).

By, Natalie Pyles

NSA Speaker, Author, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist, Health, Fitness, and Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator