Did you guys see this story? It's just one more stupid thing people do trying to prove they live a natural lifestyle.
A Youtube vlogger was trying to show her viewers the natural benefits of the Aloe Vera plant. She literally starts munching on the plant live on her youtube channel.
The problem is it wasn't the Aloe Vera plant! Maybe she should have done her homework if she is clamming to be a natural food guru.
The plant she ate was the poisonous plant called Agave Americana. It sounds harmless but is a toxic plant. She complained that her mouth was going numb - and then experienced a terrible burning sensation.
She had to rush to the emergency room.
This story of stupidity got me thinking of other things people do in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. I guess it depends what you define as 'stupid'.
I personally rode a 75 mile bike ride. 60 miles in when my legs were cramping up I sure felt pretty stupid. There are tons of diet crazes that don't allow us to eat foods we enjoy. People chug down Apple Cider Vinegar as if it was the most delicious beverage on earth (its not, trust me).
I'm not going to sit hear and be a negative Nancy and say that all of these activities are stupid wastes of time. They aren't - in fact I find it cool that people are willing to try new things- and strive to be healthier.
Where the trouble comes up is in quick fixes. People read an article and expect a fade diet work instantly. Just like the youtuber eating a dangerous plant that she thought was healthy. She was in it for the short term. Chances are she didn't know shit about aloe vera. She thought she could fake her way to instant success -- instead she ended up in the hospital.
To me the dumbest health fade of our generation is suckering our selves into believing their is some magic bullet that will fix our health problems instantly. This leads to failure and quitting.
Just my two cents.
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I have to admit, even as someone following an "alternative" diet, that I find this kind of thing intolerably stupid and a setback in exploring new lifestyles.
As for the stupidity of it, anyone paying the least bit of attention to herbal medicine or wild edible plants knows that you have to identify them first. Agave looks like aloe about the same way that oak leaves look like maple leaves. Easy to confuse if you are a city person that never looks intentionally at a plant or tree...
And as for giving lifestyle change a bad name... At least in the US, there may come a time when we have to rethink what and how much we consume. This is just another example that allows folks to think that anyone proposing lifestyle changes is some kind of head-in-the-clouds idiot.
Agree, everyone wants to be a guru but not have to do the research. Becoming healthy is hard work whether its fitness or healthy eating.
@bek
Agree to a degree! EVERYTHING becomes 2nd-nature after going through challenges ;)
EDIT:
Sorry it's morning so, I have to check myself ha! But yeah you right as you stated "becoming" ;)
Hello, this really is frightening, but unfortunately its rampant. I'm studying Naturopathic Nutrition myself after being really interested in alternative medicine and healing foods for years and just researching my self. As I'm progressing through my studies I have realised just how much miss information there is floating around the internet, and idiots being taken seriously because they have a tiny waist and fake boobs, or a perfect six pack etc. There is some really dangerous advice out there with regards to dieting, using alternative medicine etc. A friend of mine really burned her arm because she read about the benefits of Lavender oil but the article failed to mention it has to be diluted in a carrier oil first. I've seen people on youtube with huge followings tell people they do not need to take vitamin B12, largely in the Vegan community, I'm Veggie my self. Although they are correct in some of their ideas that wild animals don't need to take it so why should we? We have farmed our soil to death and spray it with poisons. B12 is produced by the bacteria these methods kill off. Also the liver can store enough of it for 3 years, so when they say oh I'm fine I've not taken any for 2 years, it wont be long before issues arrive.
I have seen it loads on here already, people copying some article they have seen on facebook most likely about some health food, some of it incorrect. I would urge anyone to check out sources AND ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
Good post, people need to be made aware of the dangers of just copying other people for the sake of making money, especially where your health is concerned.
I take b12 and many other supplements(A , C, D and E). I stick with the basics. B12 is especially important for my I had my ileum removed from my intestines. I had a catastrophic cyst in my ilium. They blamed Crohn's disease. Even though I was late twenties and no prior problems.
Sorry to hear that, out of interest has your doctor advised you to take those supplements? A and E are fat soluble which means they are harder to excrete from the body and can accumulate- very easy to reach toxic amounts with those. Vitamin E more so. There are 2 or 3 strains of it, I can't remember the specifics off the top off my head and I'm not just going to grab something off google either, but the form they use in supplements has been shown in recent research to be quite toxic. Natural supplements of the 'good kind' are things like wheat germ oil, 1 x teaspoon a day :)
Unlike most people, she is at least trying more and harder.
Yea, I feel you there. In America, diabetes and obesity are draining the entire system. It is unsustainable! Simply walking a few miles a day could save trillions(in my opinion).
According to recent data it's a trillion dollar market. Anytime people say Bitcoin isn't legit, you point to that.
You can't feel stupid when you cramp up from exercising, no pain no gain, partna!
And we must learn what's good 0r healthy for our body. Keep this in mind "what taste good is bad and what taste nasty 0r awkward, is good for you"! We have to simply discipline ourselves and adjust to change f0r a healthy life-style. 0f course ppl will talk crap about healthy food if they don't regularly eat healthy food!
My dad made us eat food that most kids didn't 0r don't want to eat growing up as a child. But I am proud of my father for doing so as it made me a better and healthier person and which is why I am alive today best believe!
And speaking of the story of the lady who ingested the aloe-vera, I don't believe this was stupid @all, she just made an honest mistake like WE all do in life in many ways.
I believe we as a whole(earth) are stupid for damaging our earth f0r the love of money and are poisoning our ppl with fast food and OTC-Drugs and whatever else that contributes to this destruction.
Great topic, keep it up ;)
EDIT:
0k I admit it was a stupid mistake on her part for not researching, but as far as her trying to live a healthy life-style, isn't ;)
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