Because of the number of so-called healthy foods and other products in the marketplace, always read the product labels and do your own research and investigation of these products.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is ...

Many so-called “health” foods contain high fructose corn syrup or other additives and chemicals that have nothing to do with proper nutrition. Examples of foods and other products that have become popular due to marketing gimmicks and misinformation include, but are not limited to, the following.

Artificial sweeteners: contain chemicals that have been linked to Alzheimer’s, cancer and other ailments. We are attracted to these sweeteners because of their low calorie count, but some of these sweeteners actually stimulate the appetite while other sweeteners are made by processing table sugar with chlorine. Xylitol (a natural sugar found in berries and birch bark) is a better choice, especially since it does not trigger rising blood glucose levels.

Aspirin: is often recommended by doctors to reduce inflammation and protect against cardiovascular risks, but daily aspirin increases the probability of gastric bleeding in the stomach and brain, based on several studies. More effective and safe alternatives include fish oil, nattokinase and ginger.

Bottled juices: contain refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Many bottled juices are marketed as “100% fruit juice”, but the juice is “dead”. This is due to using over-ripe fruits, which are pasteurized destroying most of the beneficial vitamins, minerals and enzymes. It is better to make your own fresh juice with a juicer or blender. Be wary of bottled beverages that claim to cure many diseases without any supporting clinical studies.

Bottled water: may contain many of the contaminants found in tap water; plus, deterioration of the plastic container leaks contaminants into the water. A well-designed water filter (counter, console models) will provide a better quality of water.

Calcium supplements: that contain calcium carbonate cannot be absorbed by the body to stop or reverse osteoporosis. In fact, the supplement can make matters worse because the body is unable to get rid of the extra inorganic calcium, which may lead to kidney stones or arthritis. Generally a person consumes enough calcium as it is one of the most widely occurring nutrients in our diet. It is more likely that lifestyle choices and nutritional habits are interfering with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, e.g. drinking coffee, soft drinks; excess intake of protein, especially milk and meat.

Cereals: have some of the best TV commercials but cereals are overly processed and fortified with synthetic vitamins. Most cereals are full of sugar and lack organic vitamins and fiber. And, when you combine it with milk, some sugar, and a cup of coffee, you basically have a “dead” breakfast that contains almost zero nutritional value. If you really like cereal, then, choose an organic whole grain version.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs: were supposed to prevent heart disease and heart attacks by lowering your cholesterol. They lower your cholesterol, but do not prevent heart disease! In fact, heart disease has continued to rise since these drugs hit the market! Read about the Cholesterol-Heart Disease-Statin Drug Hoax.

Coconut Oil: lacks electrolytes and nutrient levels advertised on labels.

Dairy products: are not the best sources of calcium for adults – this is a nutritional myth that dairy produce is a good source of calcium. Milk products do contain a fair amount of calcium, but, because of the calcium to magnesium ratio in these products, the calcium is not well absorbed. Eating dairy foods in excess can inhibit the absorption of magnesium and cause the body to produce too much mucous. And, as we get older, the body produces less of the lactase enzyme, which is needed to break down milk and other dairy products. Calcium rich foods such as kelp, seaweeds, sardines, nuts and other plants offer the best sources of bioavailable calcium.

Diabetic cures: are one of the top scams on the Internet. Unfortunately, a number of websites are selling so-called diabetes cures. with little or no real science behind their claims. These sites usually offer some kind of pill that contains a variety of herbs that can aid in lowering and controlling blood sugar levels without the need for diabetes medication or insulin. Then, they site studies about each of these herbs. The studies may even be legitimate, but that doesn't mean the pill being offered on the website has any real efficacy!

They may even offer a 30-day or 60-day money back guarantee -- yeah, good luck with trying to get your money back! And, try to call their toll-free number. Usually, within 3 to 6 months, the phone number is out of order.

Another form of "diabetic cures" comes in the form of books and ebooks, written by so-called health advocates or healthcare "experts". Even some medical doctors have jumped on the bandwagon with their own books about reversing diabetes. These doctors know very little about nutritional science and take the easy way out and offer a raw food or vegan diet because they know people are aware of the benefits of raw food and veganism.

But, these are the same  people who make the majority of their money pushing and selling diabetic drugs, insulin, and other drugs. 

Most of the people offering these "diabetic cures" are invisible and inaccessible -- once they get your money, they are unavailable to answer your questions or explain why their program didn't work for you.

There are very few diabetes-related websites that offer a real solution with emotional support, accessibility, science, and additional tools beyond the primary book or ebook.

Most of these websites will not offer their solution on their site unless you buy their book or ebook. The Death to Diabetes website at www.deathtodiabetes.com may be the only website that provides its solution on its website so  that you can test and verify that it actually works before you buy the book.

Diabetic foods: are primarily processed “dead” foods that may not contain sugar but contain other harmful food chemicals, e.g. high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, sodium. Technically speaking, there is no such thing as “diabetic food”. This is a marketing gimmick trying to take advantage of a growing market of diabetic people looking for answers.

Diet foods, beverages: contain partially hydrogenated oil or high fructose corn syrup, which make you hungrier and fatter. This is another marketing gimmick taking advantage of a growing market of overweight people looking for answers.

Diets (Low Carb): will cause additional health issues because it does not distinguish between the good and the bad carbs. But, in the meantime, many commercials and diet books about the so-called benefits of low-carb diets will be marketed and sold to the public.

Diets (Low Fat): actually make you fat! Diets create a chemical imbalance that can cause fatigue, emotional imbalance, and illness; and, induce the loss of lean muscle tissue – that’s one of the reasons why it becomes more difficult to lose weight the next time around. Also, diets assume that you are relatively healthy and never address your other health issues that always accompany being fat. That’s one of the reasons why the weight eventually returns – the diet never addressed the other health issues.

Diet sodas: contain aspartame, phosphorous, and other chemicals that make these drinks just as bad as the regular sodas. In fact, they contain chemicals that may trigger cravings causing you to eat more food. The ingredients in aspartame are aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methyl alcohol. Methyl alcohol is a chemical that breaks down in high temperatures and turns into formaldehyde and diketopiperazine (DKP), two chemicals known to cause problems in the nervous system. When a small child drinks a 12-ounce can of diet soda he consumes almost twice the daily amount of aspartame that is considered safe.

Drugs: provide instant relief from pain and other discomfort by suppressing the symptoms, but they don’t really address the root cause of your pain or discomfort. Many of these drugs have serious life-threatening side effects but only a few have been recalled from the market. There is an increasing number of drug-related commercials that are promoted on TV every day to increase your level of self-medication. Read about the Cholesterol-Heart Disease-Statin Drug Hoax.

Exercise equipment: can be helpful, but be wary of infomercials about exercise equipment that targets a specific area of the body or promises a lot of weight loss with little effort. Instead purchase something that will exercise the entire body and will motivate you to exercise on a consistent basis.

Fish Oil Supplements: may not contain any Omega-3s (check ingredients for DHA, EPA); also, tend to be spoiled, with very little Omega-3 content.

Ginseng Supplement: used for for memory loss, energy, but most supplements lack ginseng active comound, also, contaminated with heavy metals.

Granola bars, energy bars, drinks: contain a lot of sugar, fructose corn syrup and other chemicals to provide a “sugar rush”.  Instead eat organic granola bars or make your own energy drink.

Herbal Supplements: contain minimum active ingredients, contaminated with heavy metals.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): has proven to be harmful, but women still ingest these hormones derived from the urine of a pregnant horse. Instead, consider using natural wellness solutions that include bioidentical hormones and supplements that contain phytoestrogens from plants such as black cohosh, red clover, and flax; and, soy supplements with the isoflavones genistein and daidzein to address hot flashes, night sweats and other related issues.

Infomercials on TV and radio: advertise that (some) drugs, vitamins or other supplements will cause effortless weight loss or cure most diseases. There is no such “magic” pill that causes effortless weight loss or cures most diseases. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Low-carb, low-fat, low-cholesterol foods: are processed foods that are either lacking nutritional value or contain chemicals that are harmful to your health. “Low carb” does not mean low calories. Low fat foods are dangerous because most of them contain refined sugar, which turns to fat in the blood and causes more insulin production, which in turn produces and stores more fat.

Milk: contains calcium, Vitamin D, is very nutritious in its natural (raw) form, and has some of the best commercials, e.g. “Got milk?” But, pasteurization converts the fragile proteins in cow's milk (especially casein) into harmful proteins; destroys valuable enzymes, vitamins (B6, B12); and, eliminates the good bacteria normally present in the milk, reducing the vitamin and nutrient content of this nutritious food. Homogenization keeps the milk from separating naturally and creates harmful molecules (xanthane oxidase) that increase oxidation stress, which contributes to the development of heart disease. This prevents the proper absorption of nutrients into the blood and restricts the elimination of the toxic waste from the blood, leading to the formation of mucous, congestion, colds, etc. In addition, cows are given antibiotics (to fight diseases) and growth hormones (to increase their milk production).

Note: Low fat or fat-free versions of milk have fewer calories, but are virtually void of beneficial Vitamin D and calcium. Organic milk is a little better but it’s still pasteurized. Raw milk is the best choice if you can find it at a local farm. Other options include goat's milk and nondairy beverages, i.e. almond milk, and other nut milks.

No Trans Fat: on the food label does not necessarily mean the food product does not contain trans fat or partially hydrogenated oil. If the amount of trans fat per serving is 0.49 grams or less, the food can be advertised as having “no trans fat”. Check the ingredients to ensure “partially hydrogenated oil” is not listed.

Omega-3 EFA Supplements: tend to be spoiled, with very little Omega-3 content, some contain mercury and other heavy metals.

Probiotics: mostly dead organisms, low number of CFUs (colony forming units).

Pizza: is one of the most popular foods, but it is a potential “triple-killer” because it’s loaded with saturated fat from the cheese; saturated fat from the meat and other toppings; and, refined flour from the dough. You can still enjoy pizza while reducing its health impacts by using vegetable toppings, less cheese and organic flour.

Salmon: is sold in grocery stores as farmed salmon, which is fed grain and filled with antibiotics, cancer-causing PCBs, pesticides, and other chemicals; and, injected with a synthetic dye that gives the salmon its pink color (to disguise an unappetizing pale gray). The dye contains canthaxanthin, an ingredient used in tanning pills. Farmed salmon contains two thirds less of the Omega-3 EFAs. Instead, eat ocean-raised wild salmon, which feed on smaller fish that eat EPA and DHA-rich algae. Wild salmon (canned, frozen) can be found in some grocery stores or can be ordered from some websites.

Shakes for breakfast, smoothies, meal replacement meals: are full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, additives and other chemicals.

Soda: is a very popular beverage, with some of the best commercials. But, soda contains sugar and phosphorous, which blocks the absorption of calcium making the body very acidic. An average 12-ounce can of soda contains at least 10 teaspoons of sugar and over 120 calories.

Soy milk, soy foods: are overly processed in some cases, removing the critical nutrients such as the isoflavones, and may contain high levels of refined sugar. These overly-processed soy products can trigger the production of the bad estrogen. Some soybeans may contain chemicals that cause red blood cells to clump together or block the absorption of key minerals. Ensure the soy is organic, contains the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, or is fermented. Fermented soy foods (e.g. miso, natto, tempeh) neutralize the phytates, which block the absorption of nutrients such as calcium.

St. John's Wort: contains minimum active ingredients, contaminated with cadmium (a poison that damages the kidneys).

Sugar-free snacks: contain partially hydrogenated oil, other additives and hidden sugars that increase hunger, inhibit fat metabolism, or increase fat production and fat storage.

Sunscreens: help to protect us from sunburn by blocking UVB rays, but, most do not block the more damaging UVA rays. Avoid chemical sunscreens that interact with the sunlight, increase the oxidation, and are absorbed into your skin. Use paraben-free, mineral-based sunscreens that contain zinc oxide as the only active ingredient. Since the invention of sunscreen years ago, skin cancer rates have actually gone up!

However, in tropical countries (where the sun’s rays are the strongest) the skin cancer rate is extremely low.

Sunshine is actually good for us because it helps to metabolize cholesterol and produce Vitamin D, a potent cancer-fighter. Sunshine also causes the body to produce melanin, which is the pigment responsible for turning the skin brown when you tan while providing a natural protection against skin cancer. Using sunscreen blocks the production of melanin, depriving your skin of this natural protective ability.

In addition, scientists have uncovered that sunscreen itself may cause cancer, because of parabens and other chemicals contained in the sunscreen. The following chemicals have been found to behave like estrogen and stimulate tumor-growth and cancer cells: octyldimethyl PABA, benzophenone-3, homosalate, octyl-methoxycinnamate, and 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor.

Supplements: are mostly synthetic unless you get wholefood-based supplements; or 100% natural, additive-free. Issues with supplements include the quality, the source, the manufacturing process, the packaging, delivery system, and bio-availability. Refer to the Supplements page or Chapter 8 of Death to Diabetes for more details about supplements, or get the Nutritional Supplements ebook.

Weight loss supplements: like Alli, Hoodia and African mango don't work! Save your money and buy a good weight loss book, some healthy food and a treadmill.

Vitamin pills: are mostly “rocks” containing additives, fillers, binders, and other chemicals. Most of them provide very little nutritional value and fail to provide the necessary vitamin/mineral levels supported by the clinicals. Use wholefood supplements, food-based supplements or natural vitamins that are 100% additive-free.

Yogurt: can contain a lot of sugar and fructose corn syrup, and, not enough “live” cultures – most are either killed during the pasteurization process or die by the time they reach the grocery shelves. Use the organic or low fat versions without the extra fruit and sugar, or consider making your own yogurt.

Note: There are hundreds of scams for weight loss, health, disease cures, and fitness, Top health scams: weight loss (i.e. Alli, hoodia, cellulite creams), detox products (i.e. colon cleansers, Master cleanse), supplements (i.e. algae, CoQ10, lipoic acid,  multivitamins), bottled water, vegetable oils (i.e. canola, soybean, corn), diets, diabetes programs, health products (i.e. detox foot pads, cosmetic products, most drugs, some surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation.

-- College (private) loans

The key defense for protecting yourself from marketing gimmicks and scams is knowledge, so educate yourself about proper nutrition and other areas that affect you and your family.