We all have our own opinions on Pete Evans.
On Sunday, the chef came under fire for advising an osteoporosis sufferer to cut out all dairy, after the woman asked him a question on his Facebook page during a regular Q&A session.
When the follower asked if Paleo could help with her osteoporosis, the celebrity chef responded: “I would strongly suggest removing dairy and eating the Paleo way as calcium from dairy can remove the calcium from your bones.”
The woman indicated she might check out this advice with her doctor, saying, “I’m obviously going to need to read some more about this”.
But Evans responded: “Read one of my comments below on calcium – most doctors do not know this information.”
His “advice” has come under severe scrutiny, with many people pointing out that he isn’t qualified to provide this type of guidance.
Thankfully, someone who IS qualified to have an opinion on this is one of our dear friends, Dr Brad Robinson (MBBS, FRANCOG; Masters of Reproductive Medicine (UNSW); Grad Dip Comms, BBus).
Dr Brad. ALL HAIL, DR BRAD. Image via Facebook.
In one glorious Facebook post, Dr Brad has advised Pete that he should probably let the experts speak next time:
Dear Pete Evans,
I presume you have forgotten (silly you!) so please allow me to remind you.
You are a chef, NOT a doctor.
Further, you are not someone who magically knows things that the sum total of generations of medical research has determined. You do not have access to information that us uneducated doctors do not. Your astounding advice about osteoporosis would be amusing if it wasn't so potentially damaging to anyone at risk who actually believed you.
Even worse, your advice to the user of an anti-cholesterol medication to cease its use is - through an increased risk of stroke and heart attack if your advice were followed - potentially deadly.
Can we make a deal?
You don't give medical advice and I won't tell you how to best shuck oysters.
Agreed?
Regards,
Dr Brad
And that, everyone, is how it is done.
Dr Robinson's post comes almost two weeks after he delivered a particularly remarkable baby. On August 16, Caitlin and Tom Perkins welcomed daughter Lucy - whose birth was one in 48 million. You see, Caitlin and Tom were both born on August 16 1986, meaning that mum, dad and baby all share the same birthday.
Dr Robinson – who has been in the field for over a decade – says it was one of the most special days of his illustrious career.
Scroll through to see what Pete Evans promotes. Images via Instagram...
Pete Evans
Pete Evans with MKR co-host Manu Fidel.Image via @chefpeteevans. 7 7 7 7 7 7
For honest advice on well-being without the woo-woo, the hours of meditation, or adult colouring-in books, listen to The Well. Join radio and TV host Robin Bailey and author Rebecca Sparrow as they road test techniques for a better, happier, and more meaningful life.
Top Comments
Less woo woo please. The evidence does not support the claim that dairy products prevent osteoporosis.
"
Most recently a study from Sweden reignited debate when it found a high milk intake was linked not only with an increased risk of fractures, but also with a higher death rate.
The study followed more than 61,000 women and more than 45,000 men aged over 39 for an average of 20 years. The authors found that drinking milk as an adult did not protect men from fractures and increased the risk of fractures in women. As well an increased risk of death was associated with those who drank more milk." http://www.abc.net.au/healt...
"CONCLUSIONS:
These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures." Am J Public Health. 1997 Jun;87(6):992-7.
Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study.
Feskanich D1, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA.
Green leafy vegetables, raw nuts, tahini, soy, rice and almond milks are good sources of calcium.
Did you really think that adult humans were meant to drink the milk of a cow?
From the CSIRO web site. "Canned fish including salmon and sardines have bones that are rich in calcium, and some vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, and silverbeet have calcium in them." We don't need dairy foods in our human diet. There are some healthy fats in it but the calcium is negligible. Those that still purport osteoporosis as a nutritional disease related to calcium in the diet are not up with the current research. The correlation between osteoporosis and Vitamin D levels is much stronger, and consequentially, important research to access. What is the point of referring to an arrogant medico who has let his nutrition science professional development slip, and stall in the 1990's, behind the research curve?