The latest edition of Max Borders‘ Ideas Matter update features his thoughts about the legal controversy surrounding a Charlotte-area diet blogger and a state regulatory board:
I’m (more or less) on the paleo diet. It’s not strict, but I avoid sugars, starches and carbs and I eat a diet rich with fruit, veggies, nuts and meat. I was inspired by Art DeVany — an economist who came up with an earlier version of the diet known as the evolutionary fitness diet.
I have been eating this way for two years. I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off. I had problems with heartburn before starting. Now I have very little problem with weight gain or indigestion. Okay, now that I’ve told you about my experiences, have I violated any laws?
I cannot say. But if I have, they are really dumb laws. I know there was a “Dear Abby” component to the paleo blogger’s site. But so what? The very idea of occupational licensure is dubious. But it is particularly dubious in the area of nutrition. In an age where the average American diet includes lots of crap from the U.S. government “food pyramid,’ we’ve seen unprecidented obesity. A guy starts a blog discussing his positive experiences with the diet and he’s running afoul of state licensure requirements? I’m delighted to see the Institute for Justice take up this case. It’s not just a free speech issue. It’s an issue of people being able to seek advice from whomever they choose. It’s simply none of the government’s business.
