CONSUMER GUIDE TO AVOIDING SCAMS AND SCOUNDRELS. GOING ON A DIET? YOU CAN LOSE MORE THAN JUST WEIGHT. PT 2.

When looking for supplements to help you lose weight, be aware of common words and slogans used to promote products.  In many cases they sound plausible and useful, but close inspection reveals that they are just more marketing jargon. They are often just meaningless or misleading attempts to confuse the consumer.

QUALIFYING WORDS-  How often do you hear or read the following;

- "MAY  help in the..."

- "COULD  lead to..."

-  "In CERTAIN cases..."

-   "....POSSIBLE benefits are..."

What do these often used words indicate? Absolutely nothing.  They are used to IMPLY that the product advertised does what is claimed, without providing any real evidence that such a thing is true.  This is a Tactic used by companies in the business of pushing fad diet products, where the time, effort and cost of proper clinical trials cuts into the profit margin.  It doesn't matter whether the product actually works or not: THE BOTTOM LINE IS GETTING THE TARGET CONSUMER GROUP TO ACCEPT THE CLAIMS ON FAITH ALONE.

The important thing to remember is that TERMINOLOGY is often the key to evaluating the plausibility that a product will be effective, and how trustworthy the company selling it is.  This is a grey area, but remember deceiving someone is not the same as lying to them.  You can attempt to convince a person of the value in purchasing a product by using language that points the consumer in a certain direction, without asserting anything that is True, Real or Guaranteed.  Consider the following two sentences:

  - "FAT AWAY, used twice a day, will result in the average person losing 5 pounds in the first week of use."

  - "FAT AWAY, used twice a day, can help the average person to lose 5 pounds in the first week of use."

See the difference?  The first example is an assertion of fact, which would require evidence that satisfies government regulations to be legally used in marketing campaigns.  The second makes no such claims, so it violates no regulations and can be used without penalties.             

     

Along the same line, be very careful when you hear or read that a product was proven effective by Trials or Studies.  There is a major difference between those done in a manner that satisfies legal requirements, which allows conclusions and claims to be made without sanctions by government agencies, and those that do not.

Look for PT 3.

CONSUMER GUIDE TO AVOIDING SCAMS AND SCOUNDRELS. GOING ON A DIET? YOU CAN LOSE MORE THAN JUST WEIGHT. PT 1.

No doubt, most all of us have worried about those extra pounds that add unwanted dimensions to our bodies. This seems especially true the older we get.  However, to often people are unwilling to put in the Time, Effort or Discipline it takes to trim down, and add muscle to replace fat.  That is a dilemma the Con- Man has been willing to exploit for generations.  As has happened throughout the years, a new group of aging adults is falling for the same type of Hocus- Pocus their Parents and Grandparents fell for. 

Unfortunately, sometimes we see things as they could be, and ignore what they actually are.

First lets look at some common Terminology you may encounter.

Dietitian vs Nutritionist-  A Dietitian is a Licensed, Board Certified and Formally Educated Individual Legally recognized as an expert in their field.  A Nutritionist is required to have no specific education or training.  This does not mean that a Nutritionist is completely unqualified to advise you, just be diligent and check Background and Accreditation.

Cleansing Diets -  You can dress it up any way you want, but these diets are just another form of FASTING. Eliminating or Drastically cutting back the intake of Foods, and replacing them with Water, Special "Drinks", Pills etc are Decades old Lures that differ only in the Names of the Products and Diet Plans being offered for sale.

Naturopathy-  Lies in the category of Alternative Medicine. It is not based on evidence that passes scrutiny using the Scientific Method, and seems to rely only on Faith and Belief.  Any assertions made by those practicing Naturopathy have no basis in reality, because they have not been accurately tested and studied under proper clinical conditions.

"All Natural" or "Organic"-  If you find a claim that is emphasizing either of these two terms as a reason for success, don't buy in.  They are Buzzwords that have nothing to do with weight loss, and are used for Marketing purposes.

Look for PT 2.

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PT 5.

THE SOCIOPATH-  A DANGER ALL AROUND US.  PT 5.

Here is a sample list of behaviors generally attributed to be indicative

of a Sociopath.

•  Pathological lying.
•  Lack of empathy.
•  Refusing to accept responsibility for their actions.
•  Inappropriate behavior in certain social situations.
•  A wholly unrealistic image of their personal worth to individuals and groups.  
• Superficial personality with no real depth, which is often masked by being extremely outgoing and friendly to others regardless of  the nature of the relationship.
• Takes much more than gives from friends or relatives.
• Inability to work closely with others, especially if they are not in charge.  Rarely takes orders or commands without being resentful.                  .
• Manipulates people and situations with ease, for only the outcome counts.  No thought to the affects on others.

This is by no means a complete list.  For further information I recommend researching the pioneering work done by Dr. Robert Hare.  As you read through this list, and research other types of behavior that is associated with Sociopath, look for what they have in common with each other.  The most obvious commonality you may find is this;  Sociopaths are the most selfish and ego-centric group you may ever encounter.  In no given situation will the Sociopath ever think about possible affects that their behavior has on the well-being of others.  That is, of course, unless it serves their own purposes.

How do we identify a Sociopath?  Sometimes it means understanding what created them.

(See PT.6 in a future posting.)

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PT 3.

To often when we judge the extreme behavior of others, the conclusions drawn are based on faulty assumptions.  When someone is labeled with terms such as "Crazy", "Maniacal", "Deranged" etc, by the general public, it is based solely on the perceived mental state of the individual.  Their actions, based upon our concept of proper moral behavior, are so outlandish we conclude that they must be mentally ill.

This is an unfortunate line of reasoning, for the Sociopath is basically given an excuse to avoid responsibility for their actions.  However, this judgment is not made through proper mental evaluation, BUT HOW IT DIFFERS FROM OUR OWN SET OF MORAL PRINCIPLES.  SINCE THE BEHAVIOR SHOCKS US AND FLIES IN THE FACE OF HOW WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO BEHAVE, IT MUST BE MENTAL ILLNESS.  THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF TAKING A PURELY MORAL JUDGMENT AND ASSUMING THAT IT ALSO GIVES AN ACCURATE READING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. THIS IS A CONCLUSION WE CANNOT REASONABLY DRAW.  MORAL BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOLOGY ARE TWO DISTINCT AND SEPARATE DISCIPLINES.

You must realize the Sociopath does not feel they are mentally ill, so they do not seek treatment.  They are perfectly content with their lifestyle, and see no reason to change it.  Ironically, they often feel that it is everyone else who is suffering from a mental malady.  Since the Sociopath is not hindered by feelings of guilt and cannot empathize with others, they conclude these traits are personality flaws that can be exploited.(Continued in a future posting.)

Date-7/14/2013.