I’ve recently started working on a book that I’m excited about, as it reflects many aspects of my life, my health, and my journey with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, I’ve encountered significant challenges in discussing my RA in writing. At times, it feels like my freedom of speech is being restricted and my rights as an American are being violated.

Something many people don’t know about me is that I love working with AI. I often use AI for writing and research (carefully). While discussing my book with my favorite AI system, Gemini, I received a caution about how to approach certain topics.

I had asked Gemini for advice regarding the inclusion of Optimal Health Systems and their formulations in my book. It provided me with a detailed response, which included the following advice:

“Avoid making medical claims: Be careful not to claim that the supplements cured your RA or that they are a guaranteed treatment for others. Focus on your individual experience and how the products supported your overall health.”

Feeling frustrated, I decided to debate Gemini on this issue. As someone who is naturally argumentative and enjoys spirited discussions, I expressed my feelings with the following points:

“Why not? What is so wrong with saying that nutrients have helped me with my RA? What’s wrong with stating that natural substances have been more beneficial for me than medications? Why is the word ‘cure’ considered taboo? If it was the nutrients that led to my RA going into remission when I wasn’t taking any medications, what else could it be? Was it a miracle, a fluke, or a coincidence that I was taking those natural supplements at the time? This is my belief, my opinion, and my freedom of speech, and no one should dictate how I feel, what I believe, or what I think.”

I ended up having a lengthy discussion where I voiced my frustrations as if I were scolding a child for trying to tell me what to do. I must be getting old if I’m debating with an AI that doesn’t have feelings.

I’m sure many of you are curious about how it responded to my passionate outburst. Here’s what it said:

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“You've hit on a very important and complex issue! It's fantastic that you want to share your experience with nutrition and RA, but navigating the world of health claims can be tricky. Here's why you need to be careful, even if you feel certain about the impact of nutrients on your health:

1. Legal and Regulatory Restrictions

FDA regulations: In many countries, including the US, strict regulations govern what you can say about health products and treatments. Making specific claims about curing or treating diseases, even if based on personal experience, can be seen as practicing medicine without a license or making misleading claims. This can lead to legal issues, fines, or even having your book banned.

Protecting consumers: These regulations are in place to protect consumers from false hope, dangerous products, and unsubstantiated claims. While it might feel limiting, it's important to remember that these rules exist for a reason.

2. The Complexity of Health and Disease

Individual variation: What worked for you might not work for everyone. RA is a complex condition with multiple factors influencing its progression. Generalizing your experience could mislead others or discourage them from seeking appropriate medical care.

The placebo effect: Even if you believe the nutrients were solely responsible for your remission, it's possible that other factors, such as the placebo effect or changes in lifestyle, contributed to your improvement.

Long-term effects: While you're in remission now, it's important to be cautious about claiming a permanent "cure." RA can be unpredictable, and symptoms may return.

3. Ethical Considerations

Responsibility: As someone sharing health information, you have a responsibility to be accurate and avoid making promises you can't keep. Giving people false hope can be harmful.

Credibility: By being cautious and avoiding exaggerated claims, you maintain your credibility and build trust with your readers.

How to Share Your Experience Effectively

Focus on your story: Share your personal journey with RA and how nutritional changes impacted your health. Be detailed and specific about what you did.

Emphasize empowerment: Instead of claiming a cure, focus on how nutrition can empower people to take control of their health and support their overall well-being.

Use cautious language: Instead of saying "nutrients cured my RA," you could say:

"I experienced significant improvement in my RA symptoms after making dietary changes and incorporating specific nutrients."

"Nutrition played a crucial role in my journey to remission."

"I believe that a focus on whole foods and targeted nutrients can be a powerful tool for managing RA."

Encourage further research: Inspire readers to learn more about nutrition and its potential benefits. Provide resources and point them towards credible sources of information.

Consult a legal professional: If you're unsure about the legality of any claims you want to make, it's always a good idea to consult with a lawyer specializing in publishing and health regulations.

By being mindful of these points, you can share your powerful story in a way that is both impactful and responsible. You can help others without overstepping boundaries or making promises you can't guarantee.”

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I know it’s a lot to take in. Sometimes, I feel like AI communicates more than I do! Friends, co-workers, family, and others have always told me that I talk and write a lot. They must not have encountered Gemini yet.

Getting back on topic, it all starts with the FDA. It's because the FDA says so. 😐 If the FDA doesn’t convince me to start smoking and drinking, I would be surprised. I don’t know how formulators and other supplement business owners manage, but I've come close to giving up on writing about supplements and nutrients every single time due to this very reason.

Making specific claims about curing or treating diseases, even when based on personal experience, can be seen as practicing medicine without a license or making misleading claims. This can lead to legal issues, fines, or even having your book banned. That statement really bothers me. Someone reading that could easily think, “Well, that’s it then; it’s settled. I can’t say anything. What’s the point of writing a book if it’s just going to get banned?” And when it says, “can be seen as practicing medicine without a license,” is it implying that I need a medical license to eat apples, oranges, turmeric, and so forth? It sounds like that's what it's saying. So, are we not allowed to mention that antioxidants have helped me with my experience of rheumatoid arthritis?

Again, I ask, what helped me if it wasn't antioxidants or other nutrients? It's not just me; many people have taken natural supplements and experienced positive results. We are forced to phrase everything carefully, but for what reason? Gemini goes on to say, “What works for you may not work for everyone.” I somewhat understand that, but I also find it confusing. Is this implying that eating an apple might only help "some" people nutritionally?

“False hope” is another phrase I’ve encountered in almost every community forum I’ve visited. It might bother some people for me to say this, but why is it even an issue? Think about how many times I've tried something, like a video game, and not succeeded. Wouldn’t that fall under “false hope” too? Playing a scratcher ticket and not winning, is this "false hope"?  When I was struggling with pain hour after hour and day after day, I was willing to try anything to alleviate it. If someone told me that something helped them and it didn’t help me, I didn’t get upset at that person for giving me false hope. To me, it seems like this statement suggests there are a lot of people who just can’t accept that not everything works for everyone and should go in with the understanding that it might not help.

In my opinion, if you take a supplement based on someone’s recommendation and it doesn’t work for you, getting upset at that person for giving you false hope is misdirected blame. If we are to face fines or trouble from the FDA or FCC for giving someone false hope, then I should also file a lawsuit against scratch-off ticket businesses, casinos, and even news reporters for giving me false hope. The weatherman predicted it might rain today, but it didn’t. They gave me false hope! See my point?

I frequently encounter the term "unsubstantiated claims" on community forums—this happens about one out of every three times I post something. This particular label irritates me more than most. For instance, I once wrote about antioxidants, and my post was removed for "unsubstantiated claims." It's hard to believe that in this day and age, people are questioning the validity of antioxidants. After all, how many products labeled "antioxidants" have I purchased from the store? The issue seems to stem more from the rules set by community creators than from any guidelines established by the FDA or FCC. It's primarily the opinion of the community site owner. A simple Google search yields numerous credible studies supporting the benefits of antioxidants. It wouldn't take much effort for these community owners to do their own research to determine whether a post truly contains "unsubstantiated claims." In many cases, I suspect they’re just being lazy, opting to play it safe by rejecting posts or, in my case, banning members.

I also find it interesting that the "placebo effect" is often mentioned. I don’t dismiss the placebo effect as a legitimate support for health; there are many studies demonstrating its interesting and positive results. For example, I once convinced my daughters to take a vitamin gummy to help them sleep, and it worked. It wasn’t a melatonin gummy—just a regular vitamin gummy from my workplace. While the placebo effect can indeed be powerful, I firmly believe that attributing my arthritis remission to it is highly unlikely. After more than eight years of supplementing, if it were merely a placebo effect, I would have felt better much earlier.

I also agree with the statement that “just because I’m in remission doesn’t mean it won’t come back.” That's obvious; it’s a disease. Just like cancer, there’s always a possibility of recurrence. However, I contend that the likelihood of it coming back may significantly depend on factors such as diet, nutrition, and lifestyle choices. For example, if I were to start smoking, using drugs, and eating unhealthily, my chances of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) returning would likely increase substantially.

From my own experiences, I’ve realized that following a careful diet, consuming daily nutrients, and maintaining healthy habits have contributed to my good health and the absence of RA flare-ups. Do I still experience flare-ups? Of course, almost daily. I believe these flare-ups result from my dietary choices or stress, rather than RA resurfacing. For example, I’ve noticed that drinking a Red Bull often correlates with increased pain in my body. Does that mean the energy drink is definitively causing the pain? Not necessarily; I’m merely highlighting a correlation between my dietary choices and flare-ups. I've also observed that episcleritis often occurs when I neglect my dietary choices and fail to supplement properly.

In conclusion, I’d like to express my concerns about the global movement restricting freedom of speech regarding nutritional discussions. For the first time in my life, having found good health through nutrients, I am worried about the future. I fear for others seeking guidance as they navigate similar challenges with RA. They may find it increasingly difficult to access support, suggestions, and information that could potentially aid them in their journey due to censorship and restrictions on sharing personal experiences and opinions. Sharing our stories is essential, as others may discover similar beneficial results.

I aim to achieve this in writing my book. I hope that someone may read it and find it beneficial for their health and life. I wish to bring awareness to the world about RA, what has helped me, nutrition, and natural healing.

Now, here’s the disclaimer I must include at the end of my blogs to avoid giving anyone "false hope" or implying that I’m making claims:

I realize some may perceive my story as a biased endorsement of OHS products. However, my intention is to share my genuine experience and highlight the power of natural healing. This isn’t about promoting a specific brand; it’s about recognizing the potential of whole-food nutrients to support our bodies' innate healing abilities. 

While medications certainly have their place, I’m not advocating for completely abandoning conventional treatment. I believe there is immense value in exploring natural alternatives and working with our bodies, not against them. 

My goal is to inspire hope and empower others to take control of their health. Through these blog posts, I will continue to share my experiences and insights into specific health topics.