Believe it or not, I don’t go out of my way to be contrary or controversial. In a world gone mad all I need to do is maintain a semblance of sanity to appear unconventional. I love how Billy Joel put it, “I’m merely competent, but in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.”

I’m human; I’m capable of making mistakes. I’ve learned that my initial impression of something may be in error because I don’t know enough about the subject, so I carefully research supplements and devices before commenting on them. If new information reveals that my initial research was flawed, I openly admit I was mistaken and move forward.

I’m open and honest, and I’ve learned that in an age of dishonesty, that makes me suspect. I report what I find even when I know the article will ruffle some feathers, especially when someone stands to lose money if the word gets out. People who don’t like what I’ve written accuse me of being “unprofessional” or of having a “personal vendetta” against someone I’ve never met, and almost always ask, “What’s your (hidden) agenda?”

What’s my agenda? It’s certainly not hidden. It’s also not proven to be very profitable. I suspect that’s why people who are driven only by the ability to make money by deceiving others insist that I’m doing the same; that I have some hidden motive that I haven’t disclosed.

What’s my agenda? It’s quite simple. I want, to the best of my ability, help people restore and maintain their health. Period. End of story. Unfortunately, some people just can’t accept it.

I once read that a message is most heartfelt and meaningful when God has first worked it out in the life of the preacher. I believe that’s true. I wouldn’t, and probably couldn’t, be showing others how to maximize their health if I hadn’t faced so many challenges myself. I’ve never been able to take my health for granted – not as a child, not as a young adult, and not as someone who’s constantly qualifying for more senior discounts.

Facing personal health challenges forced me to admit that the approach to illness I had been taught in medical school, residency, and through continuing medical education courses was ineffective in dealing with chronic conditions. At that point I made a solemn promise: “God,” I prayed, “if you will teach me how to truly help people get well I will look at everything and anything, no matter how strange it sounds to my medically trained ears. If I can identify a clear benefit, a plausible mechanism of action, and find nothing about the product that could cause someone harm, I will tell people about it and make it available to them.”

What I have learned since I made that promise greatly surpasses all that I learned through my formal medical training. I continue to learn. It is a bittersweet experience, for with each new insight I am reminded of individuals I could have helped had I only discovered the information sooner.

There is, unfortunately, a corollary to letting people know about things that my research has shown to be beneficial, reasonable, and safe. I must also let them know when I have discovered that a product is of dubious benefit, especially when it also has the potential to do harm. When I write about the potential harm of prescription drugs people are generally content. When I write about the potential harm of a “nutritional supplement” they are not as kind. Over the past year I have written of two such products, Natural Cellular Defense and Stem Enhance. Their promoters and advocates simply refuse to accept my findings as legitimate. They are certain that I have a hidden agenda, and some are determined to expose it and prove that I am a biased, incompetent fool. Nevertheless, I do not have the option of remaining silent when the health of others is being put at risk. I must, to the best of my ability, help people restore and maintain their health.