I have had many MANY ‘exchanges’ with “ADA Minion”.
Note: ADA Minion is a name I gave those that support a high carb, low fat, grain based meal plan as espoused by the American Diabetes Association. Here is a post that gives more background… :) “You Might be an ADA Minion“
Before I get into this most recent discussion here are a few past articles. There is a PhD in Biochemistry, medical doctor and Certified Diabetes Educators in the mix…
The message to you the reader? … I am NOT afraid to engage the enemy, no matter what there credentials may be. And if properly armed with the truth… NEITHER SHOULD YOU! :)
Note: If an exchange occurs privately (email, messages, texts etc) it REMAINS PRIVATE unless the other person wants it to be public.
If I am engaged in a public forum, Facebook, Google Plus or Twitter … it’s public and it’s “Game On!”.
1) Medical Doctor (also diabetes online course author) Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3
2) PhD in Biochemistry Encounter (click here)
3) Certified Diabetes Educator Part 1 and Part 2
And finally for the most recent ‘exchange’. :)
Registered Dietitian (RD) Reaches Out
I received a Facebook notification of a message on the Diabetes-Warrior.net FB page … all I could see was the first line…
I would like to remain anonymous if you post this on your blog.
I get these type of messages frequently. Typically it’s a diabetic who’s suffering from the complications of diabetes… and they do not want others to know of their pain.
Then the person wrote this…
I would like to apologize for what my professional organization has done to you. I am a Registered Dietitian, and I know I am a little slow on this whole story, but I have been mulling it over in my mind for several months. I disagree with what the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is doing, especially their relationship with Big Food and Agribusiness.
This was refreshing! To be fair, there are a growing number of Registered Dietitians who are ‘getting it’. There is even a group of them!!! … here is their link, “IntegrityDietitans.org”
In this post, “click here” I wrote “You and ALL CDEs should be OUTRAGED at the conflict of interest. …. I see none.”
FINALLY we see some outrage and frustration with the status quo from professionals. I must admit, it’s very gratifying to see RDs agreeing with me. :)
In discussing the licensing of dietitians the person said what so many of us who have thought about seeking nutritional credentials have said,
… you have to go through the “unbrainwashing” process.
Indeed! As you can see … ‘she get’s it’. In the past I have thought about obtaining nutritional credentials … but I’d have to sit through class after class of hearing and repeating lies … just to receive credentials. I’ll pass thanks. :)
From this point on I’ve pasted the rest of our initial communication, except for her signature. :)
The past year has been a big eye-opener for me. As a typical graduate from a nutrition program, I was taught that low-fat dairy is absolutely the best.thing.ever. I was taught to eat lots and lots and lots of whole grains, which were making me personally very sick. I was taught to supplement with fortified products for calcium, vitamin D, etc. I was NOT taught to eat “real food” as a method of survival and thriving, but rather to eat chemical compounds shoved together into a concoction of scientific nutrition. Lectures were given by companies like Nestle, and Abbott, pushing their “nutrition products” for seniors, and how much they help folks “get enough protein” or “calcium” or “vitamins”.
My views have changed a lot. I no longer think these chemical science experiments are healthy. I have cut out wheat because of it’s effect on me, and am working to decrease other grains. I have stopped drinking “protein shakes”. I started drinking whole milk, organic or from the farmer’s market. I started eating only pastured and grass fed meat.
You and I might not agree on everything still. I still eat potatoes, rice, and corn (organic). However, I think your media slam and prosecution is not only unfair, but it is taking away your right to freedom of speech. My only fear in speaking out publicly against you is some sort of retaliation from my professional organization, potentially stripping me of my title, and leaving me without a paying job and salary.
I am working on starting a business of my own to avoid having to secure my future with “The Academy”; however, I’m beginning to think it is futile if I am not even able to counsel people without that “RD” after my name. I am forced to give the NC Board of Nutrition and Dietetics over $200 yearly just to provide me a license, and I don’t think they really do anything useful with my money. Just as your free speech has taken away, my right to pay for services that I choose is also taken away. I sincerely hope you win your case and that North Carolina starts seeing other people who have knowledge about Nutrition from a non-traditional format as worthy of giving advice to a friend or neighbor about their diet, without worrying about censorship or retaliation.
Sincerely,
PS. Please realize that if my name ever got out in association with this letter that my professional career might be at risk. I don’t trust the government as far as I can throw them . I appreciate your discretion in this manner.
We became Facebook friends and started another dialogue which she also said I could post as well… that conversation is below. In some ways… it’s the best part, for me. :)
Let’s call it a…
BONUS SECTION!!!
In case you don’t know the NC Board of Nutrition and Dietetics (NCBND) investigated me and this website. They found me to be in violation of state law saying that I was practicing nutrition without a license. If you don’t know anything about this…
Here’s one of the best summaries by Lou Schuler in Men’s Health magazine, click here. I sued the NCBND for violating my rights with the help of Institute for Justice … and the case is ongoing.
Back to the Bonus SECTION … the Registered Dietitian and I were trading messages… it was very cool talking to an ‘excited newbie’ who ‘gets it’. Then she said this…
true! I would never have heard of you if it weren’t for NCBND and their incessant emails!
What? The NC Board of Nutrition and Dietetics (NCBND) … sending out numerous emails about … MOI! LOL!
When word hit the internet that I was suing the state board… it went viral, I knew that the state board was inundated with phone calls and emails. I also knew their pathetic attempts at justifying their actions were, well …. pathetic. They even tried discrediting me.
But I did not know how much time and effort they were expending to justify/explain themselves… to their members!
This is such awesome NEWS!!!! They were constantly trying to defend themselves… to their MEMBERS!!!
1) To know that the state board was ‘troubled’ by the lawsuit pleased me greatly. I too had been troubled by this fiasco.
2) The state board was emailing their members about the case… sharing my story … for me!!! ;)
She went on to say that the state sent her updates every time there was a development in the case…. which is funny because I rarely hear from the Institute for Justice, which is fine, they do their thing I do mine. :) I told the dietitian she probably knew more about the case than I did!!
Any way, it was great talking to a recent ‘convert’ and it was great knowing that I’d caused the bureaucrats at the NC Board of Nutrition and Dietetics EVEN more angst and heartburn. :)
Shout out to the Registered Dietitian who allowed me to share the story … Thank YOU!!! MUAH! :)