Exactly Lee!!

If it's about making money, I don't see a problem with that. Everybody's gotta pay the rent. I don't think that's the real complaint. The real complaint comes from somebody who's taken the tests and gotten their license, and sees some guy on the net who does the same thing without having jumped through the hoops. These hoops come with shackles apparently. Somebody with the license to dish out nutritional advice in NC apparently can't give out advice that is contrary to the conventional dogma, i.e. low fat high carb. Even if that contrary advice gets the job done anyway. So basically, if Steve jumped through all the hoops and got his license, he still couldn't do what he's been doing. And if he did, he'd be even more liable because a license says he should know better. That's basically what's going on with doctors. They can't prescribe drugs or treatments that are not officially accepted because of the liability in case the patient gets worse or dies. On the other hand, a doctor can still try a different treatment as a case study and progress is made this way. Maybe that's how Steve could do it. Get his license, try a different contrary advice, report on the results. If there's a complaint, present this report.

On Steve's blog, one comment mentioned the free traffic that the complaint gave Steve. It's ironic. Instead of shutting him up, it's given him a louder voice.

Where do you get this information (the bolded part) from?

Speculation on my part.

The issue is bigger than just NC and Steve Cooksey. The ADA is lobbying to further restrict nutrional counseling and this Forbes article is a good review of the situation on a national basis. In this article, there is another example where the NC board tried to restrict a person who had credentials, so she moved to another state:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michael...ic-association/

More on her case here: http://www.lizappeal.com/index.html

She has published two books on digestive health, and they certainly lean toward a Paleo, whole foods, low carb natural diet to heal gut issues. You can read her own analysis of reasons the NC board denied her the right to practice nutritional counseling.

This is commonly referred to as The Streisand Effect

It is very disheartening to see how the state of North Carolina is allowed to censor Steve Cooksey's First Amendment right to freedom of speech. His willingness to share with others what has so dramatically improved his life should be applauded, not restrained. Diabetes, in this country, is out of control. Many with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, as well as obesity are being harmed by the government's "protection" of grain industries. Those of us who are aware of the health benefits of a low-carb lifestyle need to do everything we can to spread the word.

Ida (co-author of Thin and Thinner)

Whoa! Steve has decided to do way more than just push back. He is suing the NC Dietetics Board in federal court, with the assistance of the Institute of Justice.
The details explained and background summarized on Richard Nikoley's blog:
http://freetheanimal.com/2012/05/st...ree-speech.html
The lead attorney, Jeff Rowes, explains the issues well in the Skype interview, their case overview is also on You Tube.

As mentioned in my previous post, this case has a wider application than just NC and nutrition bloggers. The Forbes article focussed on the nutrition aspect also but the attorney explains its wider free speech implications for Internet advice on other topics. I think back to all the information I have learned over the past two years about managing my diet and health from citizen bloggers who would be silenced by expanding and enforcing new laws, so plan to follow this case and lend support as possible.

I posted the lawsuit details and a good interview with the attorney last night at this thread: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=441831

Keep us up to date - thanks

Pretty interesting since NC is where Dr. Eric Westman practices--within the Duke Lifestyle Clinic, no less.

Duke....home of the Rice Diet and Structure House! Dr. Westman is a professor and researcher, his outpatient clinic program is an outlier even at Duke...literally not even near the main hospital. The Dietician Board is trying to protect its RD membership by controlling nutrition information throughout the state..nothing to do with research doctors.

Dr Briffa has also posted an article in his blog on this subject:

US blogger sues dietetic body for ‘attempting to curtail his freedom of speech’
http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/05/30/...edom-of-speech/