Interesting perspective re: "natural"= "wholesome"

[CMdeux]

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-illusion-of-natural/380836/


VERY compelling story.  This explains a lot of difficulties that FA families have when interacting with others, I think.  There is a pervasive and somewhat pernicious belief that only "unnatural" or "impure" things could be so harmful to children-- which is directly reflected in the beliefs that vaccines, non-organic foods, GMO's, or high-fructose corn syrup (or maybe a lack of cow manure?) cause allergies to foods.

Who among us hasn't at least once dealt with someone who earnestly believed that an "organic" version of a food allergen would not harm us?

[hedgehog]

Interesting that the author chose Dracula as an example.  It was written after Pasteur and Lister had done their work, and was very up on modern technology (obviously modern for the time it was written). 

Anyway, when people give me the "natural is good" thing, if I am in the mood to argue, I always point out that things such as hemlock and foxglove are natural herbs, that arsenic and cyanide can be found in nature.   I don't embrace every artificial substance by any means, but I have never equated "natural" with healthy, either.

[guess]

They can engage my child who knows plenty of Mother Nature's arsenal that kill. He'll just point them to the appropriate resources to educate themselves out of concern for their well being.

[Macabre]

I tend to encounter this more at the salon than anywhere else. "This shampoo is all natural. All organic."  I am frankly terrified of "all natural" products. So many contain chamomile.

I'll tell them that chamomile is natural, but I have to avoid it or I could have anaphylaxis and die.