The Canadian Women's Health Network (CWHN) offer a source of health information that I find very real, in my best interests and easy to understand. They are not funded by any pharmaceutical companies. I use them as a resource for the information I publish.

I spotted an interesting ad in my newspaper a couple of times over the last week that made me curious in a disturbed sort of way. The ad showed the thong strung, garter belt and sexy hose cover butt and hip of a very firm and shapely woman with the caption, “Ask your doctor about ‘Julie’s story’”. I made a mental note to follow the web link. But before I got a chance to do so, I got an email from CWHN and followed their web link instead. Seems they already had a counter perspective for "Julie's" ad.

Forget 'Julie's Story' – listen to Barbara's story instead!

Many of you have likely seen the advertisements – in bus shelters, on billboards, on television and in newspapers across the country – showing already slender women wishing they were thinner so that they could wear their bikinis, or strip tease for their husband, or wear that little black dress – if only they could lose a few pounds!

“Ask your doctor about ‘Julie’s story’” says the advertisement, selling an unnamed pharmaceutical drug for weight loss.

Well, we’re here to say, forget ‘Julie’s story’ – all your problems will not be solved by losing 5 or 10 pounds – and listen to Barbara’s story instead.

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SR