Photo Illustration: Julianna Damer

Health myths challenged in new book by U of A professor

A U of A professor has released a new book debunking current health myths, hoping to clear the air on what it really takes to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

The Cure for Everything! Untangling the Twisted Messages About Health, Fitness and Happiness digs deep into the perceptions that some people have about health, many of which are misleading, according to Tim Caulfield.

Caulfield found that many of the messages being carried over from businesses and health sectors to the public overemphasize the benefits of health fads, based on factors such as a gain in profit.

“So many of the things we hear about sciences or health get twisted in one way or another. They get twisted by corporations and by ideological agendas, and they also get twisted in a way by our own perceptions,” Caulfield said.

Messages in the fitness industry are often overly focused on esthetics — looking good and getting those “sexy abs,” said Caulfield.

“That really is an unhealthy and unattainable image for most of us, so it’s basically dooming people to failure. I think the message should be that you work out because you’ll feel better, because you’ll be healthier.”

Caulfield conducted his research over the course of a year, helped by nearly two decades of experience in health law.

“I did traditional scholarship in this area looking at all the available evidence, and luckily given the area that I work in, I knew where to look,” Caulfield explained.

“I had a lot of close contacts. I looked at available studies. In addition to that, I interviewed people all over the world.”

Another important aspect of Caulfield’s research was to personalize it by placing himself in the context of the areas he wanted to focus on. This included testing out diets, work-out routines, homeopathic remedies, and even getting a gene test.

One of the points Caulfield touches on is the hype on genetic testing. Using this information for the purpose of prevention or personalization of your lifestyle in relation to health is an issue, he says.

He makes the case that research has not yet uncovered genes that provide highly predictive information, and what people do with their results can be problematic. Caulfield also points out how eating whatever you want and trying to simply burn it off with exercise is not an effective method.

Caulfield ate smaller balanced meals, along with cutting out all junk food during his journey, making sure to be mindful of everything he ate.

“Some food on campus might not be ideal,” Caulfield said. “You do have to strive to make sure that you have healthy options ready, so that if you do get hungry, you don’t succumb to that urge to for a bag of potato chips — or pop, which is evil.”

When it comes to exercise, Caulfield outlines fitness routines in his book that are effective for optimizing hard work in short time periods, something that even the busiest student can do.

Caulfield’s main message to U of A students is to stay active and take advantage of the facilities at their disposal.

“We’re all so busy, and you know what? Students are just going to get busier. This is probably the most free time you’re going to have, so you’ve got to keep those healthy habits.”

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