Let’s talk about SCAMS…
This month we’re focusing on one of the scariest and most devastating things in healthcare: SCAMS!
Whether it’s a “revolutionary” anti-aging cream or a pill that can help you lose weight—BE SKEPTICAL! Health scams are a multi-billion dollar industry, but they’re completely avoidable. Our goal is to teach you what to look for and how to avoid them!
Let’s look at some common scams:
Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Memory Loss
The FTC warns against these scams, saying “Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and memory loss are conditions for which science has no cure.” If you spot someone claiming otherwise, there’s a good chance they’re trying to scam you!
Not only are these products a scam, they can be dangerous!
“Dietary supplements” and “natural remedies” are often not FDA approved, meaning they can be ineffective and unsafe!
Anti-Aging
As nice as eternal life would be, science just isn’t quite there yet… In fact, we do not have any products or treatments which have been proven to slow or reverse the aging process.
You might hear about products with HGH or “human growth hormone.” According to the FDA, there is no clear proof to support anti-aging claims from pills and sprays that contain HGH.
Arthritis
This is another condition that, unfortunately, we don’t have a cure for right now.
Whether it’s lotions, pills, or bracelets… nothing is proven to cure arthritis
Most of the products that claim to offer arthritis “relief” won’t work either. If you’re struggling with arthritis pain, talk to your primary care physician about what things do work! You’ll probably spend less on a doctor’s visit than “miracle shark cartilage”, anyway.
Diabetes
Just like Alzheimer’s and arthritis, science doesn’t have a cure for diabetes. Weight loss and diabetes pills have a long and dangerous history. For example, DNP was flaunted in the 1930’s as a miracle drug—and it actually worked! The problem was, it worked too well, accelerating people’s metabolism and “cooking them to death.”
For your own safety, always consult your doctor about any medications you want to take, especially those for weight loss or diabetes.
While there is no cure, there are medications and lifestyle practices that can help with your symptoms. Talk to your doctor to find safe ways to improve your health.
There are lots of scams out there, but you can avoid them by being an educated patient! Next week we’ll teach you what to look for so you can spot these scams.
As always, if you’re concerned about your health care journey or just want someone to be there alongside you—I’m here to help!