TMI, information overload, what on earth do I do with all of these little bits and pieces of health information, these “sound bites”? How do all of these pieces of information fit together into the puzzle of health, and is this information even accurate or relevant? Over the past 23+ years since I entered the health field, these questions have crossed my mind either consciously or unconsciously, and have even been something of a mountain at various times in my life. There is so much information “out there” on health and dietary choices that it can range from dazzling to overwhelming.
Many students I have spoken with over the years have said that one of the most important reasons they have attended the series of classes my husband and I teach is to make sense of all of this health information that they hear. One of the goals we have in teaching our classes is to provide a framework within which students can understand these individual pieces of information and how they fit into the larger picture of health. One of the ways we establish this health framework is though the encouragement of critical thinking.
Before we can proceed, we must consider the question “what is critical thinking?” I have read numerous definitions and points of view on critical thinking, some simple to understand and others more complex. Overall, most of the definitions of critical thinking involve the gathering of as much information as possible, including information in opposition to one’s current point of view, and then making a decision based on this information while still remaining open to possible alternatives, and considering that one has inherent personal biases that can influence the decision made.
In my very young years, I remember learning through memorization of information which I promptly forgot after the test was over, but more importantly, I believed that the information given to me was always accurate. Why wouldn’t it be? Later, I started considering other points of view as having validity and understanding the importance of thinking for myself. At this time, I found it somewhat challenging to make this change, given that I had become so accustomed to just accepting the information handed to me previously. Accepting is easy, thinking requires more effort. After a short period of time, I naturally started thinking for myself and the evaluation of information coming my way became second-nature. I eventually learned that this thought process I had adopted actually had a name: critical thinking.
The reason why I am sharing this story with you is because it is very much related to how some view health information.
To clarify, here is a relevant example:
There are lots of products being sold in the name of health and the people selling those products can be quite convincing. Is all of the information imparted about these products accurate? Or is the person saying whatever is necessary to make a sale?
In my pre critical thinking days, I would have likely accepted this information. Since my introduction to critical thinking, if I am interested in a product, I first gather information on the product, which includes:
- Reliable information supporting the popular view of the product
- Reliable information supporting the opposite view of the product
- Reliable information that supports other views of the product
- Reliable information that contradicts any of the points of view noted above.
Bottom line, I gather as much information as possible about the subject in question from multiple points of view, and very importantly I also consider what information is supported by human physiology and biochemistry. As I collect more information and make sense of it in a larger context, the least relevant, least compelling, and least accurate information is naturally supplanted by the most relevant, accurate, and compelling information. In a sense, the most accurate information becomes even more apparent, when compared to that which is less accurate or inaccurate.
It is important to consider that information on how the body works is constantly evolving and is and will always be incomplete, so for this reason and others, I remain open minded to changing my decision in the future, when and if compelling new information becomes available. I know this is a lot to consider, but this critical thinking and decision making process has become second nature to me. I liken this experience to learning how to ride a bicycle. It can be a little challenging at first, but soon becomes easy.
The bottom line here is that critical thinking can be very useful in helping evaluate information that comes one’s way. Many times I have heard students say that they feel that they were convinced to buy a product that they ended up wanting to return. Often times, being aware of ways in which one can evaluate information about such products can help people be more objective about their purchases before they hit the “buy” button. Of course, critical thinking can be useful in evaluating all health information, not just product purchases. I must clarify that Rick and I are not opposed to the use of health products, given that we find many to be useful. Both of us find it very useful to approach our buying choices with critical thinking.
The reason why I mention critical thinking in this article, is that in the coming weeks and months I plan to start talking about various studies and research on health and plant-based diet related topics, and will be considering critical thinking in the evaluation of this information. So this article is, in a sense, laying the groundwork for things to come. After all, a building is only as strong as its foundation, and the same is true for health information.
I know that many of you are familiar with this topic, so if you are, great! For those of you that have not considered this information previously, critical thinking can be an empowering tool in helping one with making decisions!
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