Back when I talked about food and fitness all the time and actually posted recipes (yep, I actually did those things!), you could say I was, or at least tried to be, a healthy living blogger.

I firmly believe that how and what I eat directly influence my health and overall feelings of wellness. I don’t believe in demonizing foods (refined sugar, white flour, conventional produce, etc.), but I also think it’s in our best interest to limit foods that are heavily processed. I also believe Hippocrates had a good thing going when he said “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Nevertheless, we’ve become a society that puts too much stock in so-called “miracle foods.” Although I feel better and more energetic when I choose the salad over the nachos (and I swear by my apple cider vinegar and honey concoction to ward off colds!), I don’t think cheese is poison and I know my kale doesn’t actually have super powers.

Case in point: the recent news about wellness blogger and app developer, Belle Gibson, and her complete fabrication about her terminal brain cancer and “all-natural” healing methods.

I’ve seen many family members and friends succumb to cancer or other terminal illness; I’ve also seen many family and friends undergo successful treatment and kick their cancer/illness in the butt. I’m floored by modern medicine and the options we have today.

While healthy eating and exercise doubtlessly have positive impact on our lives, it’s dangerous, irresponsible, and downright fraudulent—criminal, even—to make health claims of the same nature Gibson did.

Although we should know better than to take a nonprofessional’s advice over our physicians’ (hello, personal responsibility), it’s sickening to consider how many people possibly derailed their chances of successful treatment by believing a diet free of gluten and sugar could heal them over chemotherapy and radiation!

It’s cruel to those who struggled and were not able to conquer their illness despite trying everything they could.

We’re responsible for our own decisions, but those in the spotlight are responsible for the messages they send to impressionable—desperate, even—followers.

I agree that our society as a whole is somewhat responsible for these bullshit claims, too. We’re always seeking a miracle cure rather than admitting we could change our habits and work hard to achieve better health. We worship at the feet of money-hungry pseudo-celebrities like Dr. Oz and Gibson and then get angry when the miracle cure isn’t so miraculous.

This has to stop. In my opinion, Gibson is clearly a sick individual who needs professional help from a therapist. She needs to take care of herself before she does even more harm to others.

I’m sure she’s inspired and helped some individuals, but even if just one terminally ill person refused potentially life-saving treatment because of her “claims,” then she’s got to live with that responsibility. And so does every other “wellness guru” who deceives us with “too good to be true” claims.

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For the love of God, take care of yourselves. It’s in our best interest to fill our diets with vibrant vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and whole grains, but don’t forget the incredible gifts of modern medicine. Some things from a laboratory are in fact better than their “natural” counterparts growing in the field.

[Linking up for some Thinking Out Loud today.]