Health blogger threatened with Jail time

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

Health blogger threatened with jail time for advocating Paleo diet that cured his diabetes

A blogger in North Carolina faces possible arrest and 120 days in jail for writing about how he beat diabetes thru diet. The charge is practicing nutrition without a license. Say, does Michelle have a license in nutrition? Why no, she doesn't even have an AA in nutrition. She's a lawyer and retired hospital administrator. Drop the microphone, and step away from the vegetables, Michelle.

I could face charges too, in this brave new world. I have posted several times in the exercise forum about the benefits of long distance running, despite having no license. Maybe Michelle and I will wind up as cell-mates.

Michelle who? The linked article mentions no Michelle.

[LEFT]

His name is Steve Cooksey, and his website is http://www.diabetes-warrior.net

He's being targeted by state "dieticians" (which is another word for "nutritional moron" as you'll see below) who say that Chapter 90, Article 25 of the North Carolina General Statutes makes it a misdemeanor to "practice dietetics or nutrition." His website's advocating of the Paleo diet for individuals who have health challenges is, they claim, a violation of law.

Learn more: Health blogger threatened with jail time for advocating Paleo diet that cured his diabetes[/LEFT]

[Cunucu Beach]

I wonder if our mothers are exempt from telling us to eat carrots because they'll give us good eyesight......or that "fish is brain food".

Seriously, a few decades back the American Dietetics Association tried--unsuccessfully--to get Congress to pass a law that prohibited anyone except RD's from giving nutritional advice. Fortunately, Congress had enough sensible members at that time to defeat it. After that, the ADA aimed their crusade at state legislatures. Apparently, they succeeded in NC.

[reconmark]

Let's see, post an article about the extinction of the Dodo Birds, dinosaurs or a Health Blogger and tie it into Michelle Obama, then pretend my post isn't an example of posting Partisan non-sense.

[legalsea]

To get back to the OP, here is another link about the situation:

State Threatens to Shut Down Nutrition Blogger

I believe that the issue is thus: in North Carolina, a person cannot open an office in a shopping mall, for instance, and hang a shingle stating that he or she is a medical doctor if they are not, in fact, a medical doctor. Indeed, most (if not all) states have such laws about practicing medicine without a license.

In North Carolina, they also have such a law concerning dispensing diet and nutritional advice. You cannot, apparently, open a physical store and call yourself a diet/nutritian specialist.

Here, we do not have a physical store. Instead, Mr. Cooksey began a website that not only promotes his own personal diet (or a diet devised by someone else), but, if the facts above be true, would respond to questions from strangers with advice concerning diet, diagnostic tests, what said tests mean, and how to 'cure' diabetes.

Mind: I am not saying that I agree with this North Carolina board that is making the threat of suing or bringing charges.

However, Mr. Cooksey certainly drew the boards' attention to himself when he went to that Seminar and passed out cards directing people to his website.

I can see Mr. Cooksey's point of view. However, I can also see the NC Boards point of view. I guess that the good people of North Carolina like such rules concerning licensing of nutritionists, etc.