Thanks, ShonuffHarlem!
This man is a well-known con artist. In fact, see the link below: he was banned by the government from being in informercials.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/09/trudeaucoral.shtm
Unfortunately, it seems that he's found a way around conning people again. And about colon cleansings - those are also a load of hooey. There's nothing sitting in your colon that needs cleaning. This is a giant myth going back to the olden days.
All people need to do is eat less, move more, and eat more fiber if they're stopped up.
I didn't mean to get on a soapbox, but it just drives me nuts that we consumers will fall for all kinds of things!
I think everyone should take a look at quackwatch.org, which discusses many of the myths and half-truths companies use to sell us stuff.
Here's a sample:
Twenty-Five Ways to Spot
Quacks and Vitamin Pushers
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Victor Herbert, M.D., J.D.
How can food quacks and other vitamin
pushers be recognized? Here are 25 signs that should arouse suspicion.
1. When Talking about Nutrients, They Tell Only Part of the
Story.
Quacks tell you all the wonderful things that vitamins and
minerals do in your body and/or all the horrible things that can
happen if you don't get enough. Many claim that their products
or programs offer "optimal nutritional support." But
they conveniently neglect to tell you that a balanced diet provides
the nutrients most people need and that government guidelines makes balancing your diet simple.
2. They Claim That Most Americans Are Poorly Nourished.
This is an appeal to fear that is not only untrue, but ignores
the fact that the main forms of bad nourishment in the United
States are obesity in the population at large, particularly the
poor, and undernourishment among the poverty-stricken. Poor people
can ill afford to waste money on unnecessary vitamin pills. Their
food money should be spent on nourishing food.
It is falsely alleged that Americans are so addicted to "junk"
foods that an adequate diet is exceptional rather than usual.
While it is true that some snack foods are mainly "naked
calories" (sugars and/or fats without other nutrients), it
is not necessary for every morsel of food we eat to be loaded
with nutrients. In fact, no normal person following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is in any danger of vitamin deficiency.
3. They Recommend "Nutrition Insurance" for Everyone.
Most vitamin pushers suggest that everyone is in danger of
deficiency and should therefore take supplements as "insurance."
Some suggest that it is difficult to get what you need from food,
while others claim that it is impossible. Their pitch resembles
that of the door-to-door huckster who states that your perfectly
good furnace is in danger of blowing up unless you replace it
with his product. Vitamin pushers will never tell you who doesn't
need their products. Their "be wary of deficiency"
claims may not be limited to essential nutrients. It can also
include nonessential chemicals that nobody needs to worry
about because the body makes its own supply.
4. They Say That Most Diseases Are Due to Faulty Diet
and Can Be Treated with "Nutritional" Methods.
This simply isn't so. Consult your doctor or any recognized
textbook of medicine. They will tell you that although diet is
a factor in some diseases (most notably coronary heart disease),
most diseases have little or nothing to do with diet. Common symptoms
like malaise (feeling poorly), fatigue, lack of pep, aches (including
headaches) or pains, insomnia, and similar complaints are usually
the body's reaction to emotional stress. The persistence of such
symptoms is a signal to see a doctor to be evaluated for possible
physical illness. It is not a reason to take vitamin pills.
5. They Allege That Modern Processing Methods and
Storage Remove all Nutritive Value from Our Food.
It is true that food processing can change the nutrient content
of foods. But the changes are not so drastic as the quack, who
wants you to buy supplements, would like you to believe. While
some processing methods destroy some nutrients, others add them.
A balanced variety of foods will provide all the nourishment you
need.
Quacks distort and oversimplify. When they say that milling
removes B-vitamins, they don't bother to tell you that enrichment
puts them back. When they tell you that cooking destroys vitamins,
they omit the fact that only a few vitamins are sensitive to heat.
Nor do they tell you that these vitamins are easily obtained by
consuming a portion of fresh uncooked fruit, vegetable, or fresh
or frozen fruit juice each day. Any claims that minerals are destroyed
by processing or cooking are pure lies. Heat does not destroy
minerals.
6. They Claim That Diet Is a Major Factor in Behavior.
Food quacks relate diet not only to disease but to behavior.
Some claim that adverse reactions to additives and/or common foods
cause hyperactivity in children and even criminal behavior in
adolescents and adults. These claims are based on a combination
of delusions, anecdotal evidence, and poorly designed research.
7. They Claim That Fluoridation Is Dangerous.
Curiously, quacks are not always interested in real deficiencies.
Fluoride is necessary to build decay-resistant teeth and strong
bones. The best way to obtain adequate amounts of this important
nutrient is to augment community water supplies so their fluoride
concentration is about one part fluoride for every million parts
of water. But quacks
usually oppose water fluoridation, and some advocate water
filters that remove fluoride. It seems that when they cannot profit
from something, they may try to make money by opposing it.
8. They Claim That Soil Depletion
and the Use of Pesticides and
"Chemical" Fertilizers Result in Food That Is Less Safe
and Less Nourishing.
These claims are used to promote the sale of so-called "organically grown" foods. If an essential
nutrient is missing from the soil, a plant simply doesn't grow.
Chemical fertilizers counteract the effects of soil depletion.
Quacks also lie when they claim that plants grown with natural
fertilizers (such as manure) are nutritionally superior to those
grown with synthetic fertilizers. Before they can use them, plants
convert natural fertilizers into the same chemicals that synthetic
fertilizers supply. The vitamin content of a food is determined
by its genetic makeup. Fertilizers can influence the levels of
certain minerals in plants, but this is not a significant factor
in the American diet. The pesticide residue of our food supply
is extremely small and poses no health threat to the consumer.
Foods "certified" as "organic" are not safer
or more nutritious than other foods. In fact, except for their
high price, they are not significantly different.
9. They Claim You Are in Danger of Being "Poisoned"
by Ordinary Food Additives and Preservatives.
This is another scare tactic designed to undermine your confidence
in food scientists and government protection agencies as well
as our food supply itself. Quacks want you to think they are out
to protect you. They hope that if you trust them, you will buy
their "natural" food products. The fact is that the
tiny amounts of additives used in food pose no threat to human
health. Some actually protect our health by preventing spoilage,
rancidity, and mold growth.
10. They Charge That the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)
Have Been Set Too Low.
The RDAs have been published by the National Research Council
approximately every five years since 1943. They are defined as
"the levels of intake of essential nutrients that, on the
basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by the Food and Nutrition
Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically
all healthy persons." Neither the RDAs nor the Daily Values
listed on food labels are "minimums" or "requirements."
They are deliberately set higher than most people need. The reason
quacks charge that the RDAs are too low is obvious: if you believe
you need more than can be obtained from food, you are more likely
to buy supplements.
11. They Claim That under Everyday Stress, and in Certain
Diseases,
Your Need for Nutrients Is Increased.
Many vitamin manufacturers have advertised that "stress
robs the body of vitamins." One company has asserted that,
"if you smoke, diet, or happen to be sick, you may be robbing
your body of vitamins." Another has warned that "stress
can deplete your body of water-soluble vitamins . . . and daily
replacement is necessary." Other products are touted to fill
the "special needs of athletes."
While it is true that the need for vitamins may rise slightly
under physical stress and in certain diseases, this type of advertising
is fraudulent. The average American—stressed or not—is not
in danger of vitamin deficiency. The increased needs to which
the ads refer are not higher than the amounts obtainable by proper
eating. Someone who is really in danger of deficiency due to an
illness would be very sick and would need medical care, probably
in a hospital. But these promotions are aimed at average Americans
who certainly don't need vitamin supplements to survive the common
cold, a round of golf, or a jog around the neighborhood! Athletes
get more than enough vitamins when they eat the food needed to
meet their caloric requirements.
Many vitamin pushers suggest that smokers need vitamin C supplements.
Although it is true that smokers in North America have somewhat
lower blood levels of this vitamin, these levels are still far
above deficiency levels. In America, cigarette smoking is the
leading cause of death preventable by self-discipline. Rather
than seeking false comfort by taking vitamin C, smokers who are
concerned about their health should stop smoking. Suggestions
that "stress vitamins" are helpful against emotional
stress are also fraudulent.
12. They Recommend "Supplements" and "Health
Foods" for Everyone.
Food quacks belittle normal foods and ridicule the food-group
systems of good nutrition. They may not tell you they earn their
living from such pronouncements—via public appearance fees,
product endorsements, sale of publications, or financial interests
in vitamin companies, health-food stores, or organic farms.
The very term "health food" is a deceptive slogan.
Judgments about individual foods should take into account how
they contribute to an individual's overall diet. All food is health
food in moderation; any food is junk food in excess. Did you ever
stop to think that your corner grocery, fruit market, meat market,
and supermarket are also health-food stores? They are—and they
generally charge less than stores that use the slogan.
By the way, have you ever wondered why people who eat lots
of "health foods" still feel they must load themselves
up with vitamin supplements? Or why so many "health food"
shoppers complain about ill health?
13. They Claim That "Natural" Vitamins are Better
than "Synthetic" Ones.
This claim is a flat lie. Each vitamin is a chain of atoms
strung together as a molecule. With minor exception, molecules
made in the "factories" of nature are identical to those
made in the factories of chemical companies. Does it make sense
to pay extra for vitamins extracted from foods when you can get
all you need from the foods themselves?
14. They Suggest That a Questionnaire Can Be Used
to Indicate Whether You Need Dietary Supplements.
No questionnaire can do this. A few entrepreneurs have devised
lengthy computer-scored questionnaires with questions about symptoms
that could be present if a vitamin deficiency exists. But such
symptoms occur much more frequently in conditions unrelated to
nutrition. Even when a deficiency actually exists, the tests don't
provide enough information to discover the cause so that suitable
treatment can be recommended. That requires a physical examination
and appropriate laboratory tests. Many responsible nutritionists
use a computer to help evaluate their clients' diet. But this
is done to make dietary recommendations, such as reducing fat
content or increasing fiber content. Supplements are seldom necessary
unless the person is unable (or unwilling) to consume an adequate
diet.
Be wary, too, of questionnaires purported to determine whether
supplements are needed to correct "nutrient deficiencies"
or "dietary inadequacies" or to design "customized" supplements. These questionnaires are
scored so that everyone who takes the test is advised to take supplements.
Responsible dietary analyses compare the individual's average
daily food consumption with the recommended numbers of servings
from each food group. The safest and best way to get nutrients
is generally from food, not pills. So even if a diet is deficient,
the most prudent action is usually diet modification rather than
supplementation with pills.
15. They Say It Is Easy to
Lose Weight.
Diet quacks would like you to believe that special pills or
food combinations can cause "effortless" weight loss.
But the only way to lose weight is to burn off more calories than
you eat. This requires self-discipline: eating less, exercising
more, or preferably doing both. There are about 3,500 calories
in a pound of body weight. To lose one pound a week (a safe amount
that is not just water), you must eat about 500 fewer
calories per day than you burn up. The most sensible diet for
losing weight is one that is nutritionally balanced in carbohydrates,
fats, and proteins. Most fad diets "work" by producing
temporary weight loss—as a result of calorie restriction. But
they are invariably too monotonous and are often too dangerous
for long-term use. Unless a dieter develops and maintains better
eating and exercise habits, weight lost on a diet will soon return.
The term "cellulite" is sometimes used to describe
the dimpled fat found on the hips and thighs of many women. Although
no medical evidence supports the claim, cellulite is represented
as a special type of fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
Sure-fire cellulite remedies include
creams (to "dissolve" it), brushes, rollers, "loofah"
sponges, body wraps, and vitamin-mineral supplements with or without
herbs. The cost of various treatment plans runs from a few dollars
for a bottle of vitamins to many hundreds of dollars at a salon
that offers heat treatments, massage, enzyme injections, and/or
treatment with various gadgets. The simple truth about "cellulite"
is that it is ordinary fat that can be lost only as part of an
overall reducing program.
16. They Promise Quick, Dramatic, Miraculous Results.
Often the promises are subtle or couched in "weasel words"
that create an illusion of a promise, so promoters can deny making
them when the "feds" close in. False promises of cure
are the quacks' most immoral practice. They don't seem to care
how many people they break financially or in spirit—by elation
over their expected good fortune followed by deep depression when
the "treatment" fails. Nor do quacks keep count—while
they fill their bank accounts—of how many people they lure
away from effective medical care into disability or death.
Quacks will tell you that "megavitamins" (huge doses
of vitamins) can prevent or cure many different ailments, particularly
emotional ones. But they won't tell you that the "evidence"
supporting such claims is unreliable because it is based on inadequate
investigations, anecdotes, or testimonials. Nor do quacks inform
you that megadoses may be harmful. Megavitamin therapy (also called
orthomolecular therapy) is nutritional
roulette; and only the house makes the profit.
17. They Routinely Sell Vitamins and Other
"Dietary Supplements" as Part of Their Practice.
Although vitamins are useful as therapeutic agents for certain
health problems, the number of such conditions is small. Practitioners
who sell supplements in their offices invariably recommend them
inappropriately. In addition, such products tend to be substantially
more expensive than similar ones in drugstores—or even health-food
stores. You should also disregard any publication or Web site whose editor
or publisher sells dietary supplements.
18. They Use Disclaimers Couched in Pseudomedical Jargon.
Instead of promising to cure your disease, some quacks will
promise to "detoxify," "purify," or "revitalize"
your body; "balance" its chemistry or "electromagnetic
energy"; bring it in harmony with nature; "stimulate"
or "strengthen" your immune system; "support"
or "rejuvenate" various organs in your body; or stimulate
your body's power to heal itself. Of course, they never identify
or make valid before-and-after measurements of any of these processes.
These disclaimers serve two purposes. First, since it is impossible
to measure the processes quacks allege, it may be difficult to
prove them wrong. Moreover, if a quack is not a physician, the
use of nonmedical terminology may help to avoid prosecution for
practicing medicine without a license—although it shouldn't.
Some approaches to "detoxification"
are based on notions that, as a result of intestinal stasis, intestinal
contents putrefy, and toxins are formed and absorbed, which causes
chronic poisoning of the body. This "autointoxication"
theory was popular around the turn of the century but was abandoned
by the scientific community during the 1930s. No such "toxins"
have ever been found, and careful observations have shown that
individuals in good health can vary greatly in bowel habits. Quacks
may also suggest that fecal material collects on the lining of
the intestine and causes trouble unless removed by laxatives,
colonic irrigation, special diets, and/or various herbs or food
supplements that "cleanse" the body. The falsity of
this notion is obvious to doctors who perform intestinal surgery
or peer within the large intestine with a diagnostic instrument.
Fecal material does not adhere to the intestinal lining. Colonic
irrigation is done by inserting a tube into
the rectum and pumping up to 20 gallons of water in and out.
This type of enema is not only therapeutically worthless but can
cause fatal electrolyte imbalance. Cases of death due to intestinal
perforation and infection (from contaminated equipment) have also
been reported.
19. They Use Anecdotes and Testimonials to Support Their Claims.
We all tend to believe what others tell us about personal experiences.
But separating cause and effect from coincidence can be difficult.
If people tell you that product X has cured their cancer, arthritis,
or whatever, be skeptical. They may not actually have had the
condition. If they did, their recovery most likely would have
occurred without the help of product X. Most single episodes of
disease end with just the passage of time, and most chronic ailments
have symptom-free periods. Establishing medical truths requires
careful and repeated investigation—with well-designed experiments,
not reports of coincidences misperceived as cause-and-effect.
That's why testimonial evidence is
forbidden in scientific articles, is usually inadmissible in court,
and is not used to evaluate whether or not drugs should be legally
marketable. (Imagine what would happen if the FDA decided that
clinical trials were too expensive and therefore drug approval
would be based on testimonial letters or interviews with a few
patients.)
Never underestimate the extent to which people can be fooled
by a worthless remedy. During the early 1940s, many thousands
of people became convinced that "glyoxylide" could cure
cancer. Yet analysis showed that it was simply distilled water!
[1] Many years before that, when arsenic was used as a "tonic,"
countless numbers of people swore by it even as it slowly poisoned
them.
Symptoms that are psychosomatic (bodily reactions to tension)
are often relieved by anything taken with a suggestion that it
will work. Tiredness and other minor aches and pains may respond
to any enthusiastically recommended nostrum. For these problems,
even physicians may prescribe a placebo. A placebo is a substance
that has no pharmacological effect on the condition for which
it is used, but is given to satisfy a patient who supposes it
to be a medicine. Vitamins (such as B12 shots) are commonly used
in this way.
Placebos act by suggestion. Unfortunately, some doctors swallow
the advertising hype or become confused by their own observations
and "believe in vitamins" beyond those supplied by a
good diet. Those who share such false beliefs do so because they
confuse coincidence or placebo action with cause and effect. Homeopathic
believers make the same error.
20. They Claim That Sugar Is a Deadly Poison.
Many vitamin pushers would have us believe that refined (white)
sugar is "the killer on the breakfast table" and is
the underlying cause of everything from heart disease to hypoglycemia.
The fact is, however, that when sugar is used in moderation as
part of a normal, balanced diet, it is a perfectly safe source
of calories and eating pleasure. Sugar is a factor in the tooth
decay process, but what counts is not merely the amount of sugar
in the diet but how long any digestible carbohydrate remains in
contact with the teeth. This, in turn, depends on such factors
as the stickiness of the food, the type of bacteria on the teeth,
and the extent of oral hygiene practiced by the individual.
21. They Display Credentials Not Recognized
by Responsible Scientists or Educators.
The backbone of educational integrity in America is a system
of accreditation
by agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the
Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a nongovernmental
coordinating agency. "Degrees" from nonaccredited schools
are rarely worth the paper they are printed on. In the health
field, no nonaccredited school can qualify people to give trustworthy advice.
Unfortunately, possession of an accredited degree does not
guarantee reliability. Some schools that teach unscientific methods
(chiropractic, naturopathy, acupuncture, and even quack nutritional
methods) have achieved accreditation. Worse yet, a small percentage
of individuals trained in reputable institutions (such as medical
or dental schools or accredited universities) have strayed from
scientific thought.
Since quacks operate outside of the scientific community, they
also tend to form their own "professional" organizations.
In some cases, the only membership requirement is payment of a
fee. We and others we know have secured fancy "professional
member" certificates for household pets by merely submitting
the pet's name, address, and a check for $50 [3]. Don't assume that
all groups with scientific-sounding names are respectable. Find
out whether their views are scientifically based.
Some quacks are promoted with superlatives like "the world's
foremost nutritionist" or "America's leading nutrition
expert." There is no law against this tactic, just as there
is none against calling oneself the "World's Foremost Lover."
However, the scientific community recognizes no such titles. The
designation "Nobel Prize Nominee" is also bogus and
can be assumed to mean that someone has either nominated himself
or had a close associate do so.
Some entrepreneurs claim to have degrees and/or affiliations
to schools, hospitals, and/or professional that actually don't
exist. The modern champion of this approach appears to be Gregory E. Caplinger, who claims
to have acquired a medical degree, specialty training, board certification,
and scores of professional affiliations—all from bogus or nonexistent
sources.
Even legitimate credentials can be used to mislead. The American
Medical Association's "Physician's Recognition Award"
requires participation in 150 hours of continuing education over
a three-year period and payment of a small fee. Most practicing
physicians meet this educational standard because it is necessary
to study to keep up-to-date. Accredited hospitals require this
amount of continuing education to maintain staff privileges, and
some states require it for license renewal. However, most physicians
who do this don't bother to get the AMA certificate. Since the
award reflects no special accomplishment or expertise, using it
for promotional purposes is not appropriate behavior.
22. They Offer to Determine Your Body's Nutritional State
with a Laboratory Test or a Questionnaire.
Various health-food industry members and unscientific practitioners
utilize tests that they claim can determine your body's nutritional
state and—of course—what products you should buy from them.
One favorite method is hair analysis.
For $35 to $75 plus a lock of your hair, you can get an elaborate
computer printout of vitamins and minerals you supposedly need.
Hair analysis has limited value (mainly in forensic medicine)
in the diagnosis of heavy metal poisoning, but it is worthless
as a screening device to detect nutritional problems [2]. If a
hair analysis laboratory recommends supplements, you can be sure
that its computers are programmed to recommend them to everyone.
Other tests used to hawk supplements include amino acid analysis
of urine, muscle-testing (applied kinesiology),
iridology, blood typing, "nutrient-deficiency"
and/or lifestyle questionnaires, and "electrodiagnostic"
gadgets.
23. They Claim They Are Being Persecuted by Orthodox Medicine
and That Their Work Is Being Suppressed Because It's Controversial.
The "conspiracy charge" is an attempt to gain sympathy
by portraying the quack as an "underdog." Quacks typically
claim that the American Medical Association is against them because
their cures would cut into the incomes that doctors make by keeping
people sick. Don't fall for such nonsense! Reputable physicians
are plenty busy. Moreover, many doctors engaged in prepaid health
plans, group practice, full-time teaching, and government service
receive the same salary whether or not their patients are sick—so keeping their patients healthy reduces their workload, not
their income.
Quacks also claim there is a "controversy" about
facts between themselves and "the bureaucrats," organized
medicine, or "the establishment." They clamor for medical
examination of their claims, but ignore any evidence that refutes
them. The gambit "Do you believe in vitamins?" is another
tactic used to increase confusion. Everyone knows that vitamins
are needed by the human body. The real question is "Do you
need additional vitamins beyond those in a well-balanced diet?"
For most people,
the answer is no. Nutrition is a science, not a religion.
It is based upon matters of fact, not questions of belief.
Any physician who found a vitamin or other preparation that
could cure sterility, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, or the
like, could make an enormous fortune. Patients would flock to
such a doctor (as they now do to those who falsely claim to cure
such problems), and colleagues would shower the doctor with
awards—including the extremely lucrative Nobel Prize! And don't forget,
doctors get sick, too. Do you believe they would conspire to suppress
cures for diseases that also afflict them and their loved ones?
When polio was conquered, iron lungs became virtually obsolete,
but nobody resisted this advancement because it would force hospitals
to change. And neither will scientists mourn the eventual defeat
of cancer.
24. They Warn You Not to Trust Your Doctor.
Quacks, who want you to trust them, suggest that most doctors
are "butchers" and "poisoners." They exaggerate
the shortcomings of our healthcare delivery system, but completely
disregard their own—and those of other quacks. For the same
reason, quacks also claim that doctors are nutrition illiterates.
This, too, is untrue. The principles of nutrition are those of
human biochemistry and physiology, courses required in every medical
school. Some medical schools don't teach a separate required course
labeled "Nutrition" because the subject is included
in other courses at the points where it is most relevant. For
example, nutrition in growth and development is taught in pediatrics,
nutrition in wound healing is taught in surgery, and nutrition
in pregnancy is covered in obstetrics. In addition, many medical
schools do offer separate instruction in nutrition.
A physician's training, of course, does not end on the day
of graduation from medical school or completion of specialty training.
The medical profession advocates lifelong education, and some
states require it for license renewal. Physicians can further
their knowledge of nutrition by reading medical journals and textbooks,
discussing cases with colleagues, and attending continuing education
courses. Most doctors know what nutrients can and cannot do and
can tell the difference between a real nutritional discovery and
a piece of quack nonsense. Those who are unable to answer questions
about dietetics (meal planning) can refer patients to someone
who can—usually a registered dietitian. Like all human beings, doctors sometimes make mistakes. However,
quacks deliver mistreatment most of the time.
25. They Encourage Patients to Lend Political
Support to Their Treatment Methods.
A century ago, before scientific methodology was generally
accepted, valid new ideas were hard to evaluate and were sometimes
rejected by a majority of the medical community, only to be upheld
later. But today, treatments demonstrated as effective are welcomed
by scientific practitioners and do not need a group to crusade
for them. Quacks seek political endorsement because they can't
prove that their methods work. Instead, they may seek to legalize
their treatment and force insurance companies to pay for it. One
of the surest signs that a treatment doesn't work is a political
campaign to legalize its use.
For Additional Information
References
- Young JH, McFayden RE. The Koch Cancer Treatment. Journal
of the History of Medicine 53:254-284, 1998.
- Hambidge KM. Hair
analyses: Worthless for vitamins, limited for minerals. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 36:943-949, 1983.
- Barrett S. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants: Who and what does it represent? Quackwatch, revised July 2004.