Even in later years, and even now, they presumed to write on health and medical topics, always with the disclaimer "The publishers do not endorse or recommend any particular treatment.." (They have certainly discouraged and forbidden some though)..
Once when I was young and new, I threw away some delicious ice cream because it contained lecithin because I'd been told it was derived from blood.
Back in the day when there were 4 printed magazines per month there had to be a constant stream of topics to write about. Especially with the Awake! magazine, there seemed to be an unspoken 'rule", if it was discussed in Awake! it was "Not for Christians". Thus people said...Don't have wind chimes...Don't join a gym...Dont watch soap operas....Don't do Yoga....I've kept an old one with the cover article " Is the Internet For You?".
Another thing the Awake! tended to do was fuel hypochondria. We had two sisters in the congregation who would "get" every ailment covered in it. Yeast infections...TMJ....Diarrhea from insufficiently washed dishes...
I was present once when one of them recieved her latest issue in the mail. (There were subscriptions then and they were sent out folded in thirds and covered with a paper wrapper). She unwrapped and unfolded it, looked at it, then her eyes widened, and she said in an almost thrilled voice "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome !".... and I knew that was what she was going to have next..
