A “free society” still requires considerable regulation. This is because “society” trumps “free.” The very essence of successful society mandates that everyone know their role therein. If one wishes to be completely free, then a complete separation from society is necessary.

One of the great values of society is to protect it’s members from harm. This ranges from simply huddling together to share body heat in a cold environment -to- the complexities of anti-trust legislation to protect ignorant investors from underhanded, fraudulent and “insider” tactics.

Along this same line, legislation has been incorporated into most governments to protect people from harmful foods and drugs. This is often extended to regulate unsubstantiated claims about foods and drugs in an effort to protect the naive from wasting time and money on intentional scam products or well-intended products that do not live up to the claims made about them.

Obviously, the intention of such legislation is highly admirable. The unfortunate aspect is that it can slow or stop the progression of valid, legitimate substances and products from being available to the members of that society that are in need of them. What is missing is a “gray zone” of sharable information wherein those who take the information take with it a strong caveat that the information may well be incorrect, misleading, incomplete, inappropriate, misunderstood, etc.

It is my understanding that we, the members of the society of the United States of America, are still afforded the freedom of most personal choices. Although we are not afforded the freedom of intentional suicide, we are still permitted the choice of smoking tobacco–a choice that will ultimately produce the result of suicide, but under dramatically more horrifying circumstances.

We are also free to choose our own therapy for serious diseases. An example may be the consumption of concentrated cherry juice to “cure” XYZ disease. To advertise your cherry juice concentrate as the cure for XYZ disease would be a violation of legislation unless it can first be proven to the FDA, etc., that it actually will cure XYZ disease. Of course, this will never happen, even if it is true, because of the investment required to establish such proof, and the inability to prevent others from moving in on your investment once the validity of the claim has been established.

This web site, “If It Was Me,” is intended to be a forum for sharing ideas about applications for foods and nutritional supplements that some people have found to have merit, but which must be conveyed to others with a very strong and prevalent warning that the information may be incorrect and possibly even harmful. “Let the buyer beware” is strongly presented here. Even if the cherry juice did cure XYZ disease in 99.9% of the people who tried it, it could be deadly poisonous to you. Please, DO BEWARE!

Most people will be permitted to share their ideas here, subject to moderator review and editing.

Posts may begin with a definition of a health issue, such as:

“A friend told me she was diagnosed with XYZ disease, and she asked me if I knew what would help.

Then, before sharing your opinion, you MUST qualify it with a statement such as:
” Of course, I cannot advise HER what to do, but, if it was me, …”

As you offer your ideas, please remember: “One man’s food is another man’s poison!”

Even the most qualified, caring, well-intended medical doctors make mistakes that kill people. For them, it is simply a risk of their trade that they must come to peace with. For a well-intended layman advice-giver, it may be something that haunts you for the rest of your life. Remember to only share what you believe that you know. DO NOT GIVE ANY ADVICE TO OTHERS! Only speak on what would be true if it was you.