As a specialist in the health and wellness industry, it was very painful for me to read Abby Ellin’s article about Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet.

A cookie diet: isn’t that an oxymoron?

A cookie diet represents everything that has become wrong with how American society views health.  There is no effort required, no serious commitment to improve health or actual lifestyle changes involved in eating cookies – this is a money-making venture cashing in on our laziness and plastering over the fact that 60+% of Americans are obese – or soon will be.

It’s even more disturbing to think that in this extremely challenging climate, people will pay $279 for a 35 day supply of cookies, but complain about the high cost of health-insurance premiums or paying for childcare.

How can the medical profession seriously promote cookie eating as a sensible and healthy way to lose or maintain weight?  Seriously.  At a time when diabetes is at epidemic levels, even in our children, promoting a cookie diet in your well-regarded health pages just seems so wrong.

Almost anyone can lose or at least maintain a weight, regardless of what they eat, if they stick to a fixed intake of calories.  It’s a simple calories in/out equation.

But losing weight in and of itself does not make any person healthier, stronger, more vibrant or more energetic. A human body is a complex machine that needs more than cookies and vitamin supplements to fuel and nourish it daily. I feel terrible for any man or woman who thinks that paying $279 to eat cookies for a month will make them more attractive, healthier or fitter.

Putting self-esteem and marketing hype aside, this country is potentially facing the most signature turnaround and changes in health care yet. I doubt there is a single adult in this nation who isn’t concerned about rising healthcare costs, and health issues overall.  Stuffing our faces with cookies won’t help or improve our health, today or ever.

It seems irresponsible to be writing about such a flighty fad when there are so many real health stories the New York Times could be telling.  Health pages should represent positive ways that we can help ourselves and help improve our health, as we have come to expect from The New York Times.

Raymond Margiano, PhD

Founder and CEO, Foot Solutions

I would like to thank Ryan Malone for the opportunity to be interviewed by him on Elder Care. Ryan is doing great work to help get informative information out to our rapidly aging population.

There are many opportunities here to work with a great group of people who have worked hard their whole life, and still want lead active healthy and helpful lives. If you get a chance check out my interview with Ryan but also check out Elder Care and pass on this information to some one you think can use it….my brother was not very happy when I suggested that he check it out but as his older brother it is hard to get him to listen to anything I say!

Listen to Ray Margiano’s Interview with Elder Care Expert Ryan Malone