As we mentioned in the last episode, “jargon is often used when companies make false health claims. Scientific words that are unfamiliar can be overwhelming and digging into the validity of health claims can be very difficult, particularly when many of them are made at once”.
Additionally, pseudoscience is characterized by weak or little evidence. When you come across a questionable article or claim, pick a single point and try to find evidence supporting the claim. Don’t move forward until you have an answer, otherwise, you may get caught and overwhelmed in the web of jargon.
Which claims should you question first? Here’s a list of suggestions from our last episode:
- Beware of health claims that are not verified by the FDA (for example, Sue claims that only organic water can hydrate).
- Be wary of overstated claims if the studies cited were conducted exclusively in animals.
- Watch out if the studies cited have not been reproduced in other labs.
- Be skeptical of health claims that sound too good to be true, because they usually are.