Alternative Health - Now You See It, Now You Don't

April 13, 2009

Hi everybody,

I have been away for sometime. I don't think I will ever be caught up

financially.

Anyway here is a link from Jon Barron that talks about the real threat we are

facing: http://www.jonbarron.org/baseline-health-program/2009-04-13.php

It is not the big things like Codex as much as it is the things that are

slipping through.

Here is an excerpt:

So what do I mean by the left hand? I mean all of those activities that are

happening below the radar, out of your line of sight -- transgressions that are

steadily eroding your right to purchase the supplements you want and need, or

even to have access to information that would let you know what those

supplements might be.

Some of these transgressions are committed by government agencies

Much of the information we rely on concerning alternative health remedies comes

from the internet...and independent bloggers in particular. Well, that's just

unacceptable for the powers that be. Revised guidelines on endorsements and

testimonials by the Federal Trade Commission, now under review and expected to

be adopted, would hold companies liable for untruthful statements made by

bloggers and users of social networking sites who receive samples of their

products. And if that's not bad enough, those guidelines would also hold

bloggers liable for the statements they make about products. Imagine that:

potential fines and jail time for making an offhanded comment in your blog about

a product you like. Note: unlike HR 875, these regulations do not require public

debate, do not require a vote in congress, and are slipping through under the

radar. While people are screaming about HR 875, has anyone contacted you about

these regulatory changes that specifically put bloggers who share alternative

health information at risk?

Some of these transgressions are committed by the pharmaceutical companies and

big business

Everyone seems to think the major pharmaceutical companies are out to eliminate

alternative health remedies. Not true. Far from it! What they want to do is

squeeze out the competition and take the field over as another profit center.

This is done in several ways.

Buying up the makers of vitamins and supplements

Did you know that:

* Bayer already owns One-a-Day and Flintstone vitamins?

* Natrol, Inc was acquired by India's Plethico Pharmaceuticals Limited?

* Tom's of Maine was purchased by Colgate Palmolive

* Odwalla Juice is owned by Coca Cola

* Burt's Bees was acquired by Clorox

* And on, and on, and on

* It's also worth noting that Merck's nutritional supplement business is

growing by close to 10% a quarter -- accounting for some $124 million (93.8

million Euros) in sales in just the last quarter.

* And it's not just people supplements. Pfizer, for example, has a whole

line of pet supplements.

There's no principal involved here. It's all about money. If there's a profit to

be made, the major pharmaceutical companies want it -- all of it -- and they

have no problem co-opting the enemy's products to get it.

Producing patented, prescription only versions of said supplements

It's worth noting that this has all been done before. The entire

pharmaceutical/drug industry is an outgrowth of the herbal industry. Many, many

prescription drugs are based on the active ingredients found in medicinal

plants. Tamiflu is a plant extract from the Chinese star anise. Digitalis is

derived from foxglove, aspirin from white willow bark, and tamoxifen from the

Pacific yew to name just a few.

In fact, the word " drug " comes from the old Dutch/German word " droog, " which

refers to the process used to dry herbs to turn them into medicines.

Nowadays, we see things such as:

* Prescription fish oil

* Prescription prenatal vitamins

* Prescription vitamin D

* Prescription niacin

But worst of all is the general dumbing down of alternative health concepts by

companies large and small

* How useless has the word detox become? Detoxing now refers to everything

from colon cleansing products, to shampoos, and even foot baths.

* And what product doesn't have added probiotics now? Heck, companies are

even selling meat with added probiotics.

* And how many times a day do you need 100% of your recommended daily

allowance of synthetic vitamins, fiber, or Omega-3 fatty acids?

* Or think about how many cases of skin cancer would have been prevented

(not) if people had just been using enough pomegranate shower gel or acai berry

skin lotion or probiotic toothpaste or, or, or!

Conclusion - Supplements are being picked from your pocket

pickpocket The net result is that valuable supplements are being rendered

meaningless. The mere mention of their names is becoming laughable. And this is

happening, every day, under the radar. The bottom line is that while people are

being distracted by things that will never happen, the very things they are

trying to protect are being picked from their pockets on a daily basis.

Maybe an analogy will help. When people obsessed over major crime (murder,

robbery, etc.), it continued to grow year after year. Once police started

focusing on cleaning up the previously ignored petty crimes such as graffiti and

broken windows (AKA zero tolerance policing), major scale crime started to

plummet. I submit that until the alternative health community learns to stop

focusing exclusively on major issues (Codex, Congressional bills, etc.), and

starts paying attention to the smaller things, the rights of everyone interested

in optimized health will be steadily eroded. Yes, there is a need to make your

voice heard when it comes to Codex and HR 875 -- but not to the exclusion of

those things that are picking your pocket today.

Love to all,

Jay

April 13, 2009

Such an excellent article! Certainly a telling point about pHARMa buying out the opposition! Thank you!--- On Mon, 4/13/09, Jay <jplas9999 wrote:Jay <jplas9999 Alternative Health - Now You See It, Now You Don'toleander soup Date: Monday, April 13, 2009, 5:19 AM

Hi everybody,

I have been away for sometime. I don't think I will ever be caught up financially.

Anyway here is a link from Jon Barron that talks about the real threat we are facing: http://www.jonbarro n.org/baseline- health-program/ 2009-04-13. php

It is not the big things like Codex as much as it is the things that are slipping through.

Here is an excerpt:

So what do I mean by the left hand? I mean all of those activities that are happening below the radar, out of your line of sight -- transgressions that are steadily eroding your right to purchase the supplements you want and need, or even to have access to information that would let you know what those supplements might be.

Some of these transgressions are committed by government agencies

Much of the information we rely on concerning alternative health remedies comes from the internet...and independent bloggers in particular. Well, that's just unacceptable for the powers that be. Revised guidelines on endorsements and testimonials by the Federal Trade Commission, now under review and expected to be adopted, would hold companies liable for untruthful statements made by bloggers and users of social networking sites who receive samples of their products. And if that's not bad enough, those guidelines would also hold bloggers liable for the statements they make about products. Imagine that: potential fines and jail time for making an offhanded comment in your blog about a product you like. Note: unlike HR 875, these regulations do not require public debate, do not require a vote in congress, and are slipping through under the radar. While people are screaming about HR 875, has anyone contacted you about these regulatory changes that

specifically put bloggers who share alternative health information at risk?

Some of these transgressions are committed by the pharmaceutical companies and big business

Everyone seems to think the major pharmaceutical companies are out to eliminate alternative health remedies. Not true. Far from it! What they want to do is squeeze out the competition and take the field over as another profit center. This is done in several ways.

Buying up the makers of vitamins and supplements

Did you know that:

* Bayer already owns One-a-Day and Flintstone vitamins?

* Natrol, Inc was acquired by India's Plethico Pharmaceuticals Limited?

* Tom's of Maine was purchased by Colgate Palmolive

* Odwalla Juice is owned by Coca Cola

* Burt's Bees was acquired by Clorox

* And on, and on, and on

* It's also worth noting that Merck's nutritional supplement business is growing by close to 10% a quarter -- accounting for some $124 million (93.8 million Euros) in sales in just the last quarter.

* And it's not just people supplements. Pfizer, for example, has a whole line of pet supplements.

There's no principal involved here. It's all about money. If there's a profit to be made, the major pharmaceutical companies want it -- all of it -- and they have no problem co-opting the enemy's products to get it.

Producing patented, prescription only versions of said supplements

It's worth noting that this has all been done before. The entire pharmaceutical/ drug industry is an outgrowth of the herbal industry. Many, many prescription drugs are based on the active ingredients found in medicinal plants. Tamiflu is a plant extract from the Chinese star anise. Digitalis is derived from foxglove, aspirin from white willow bark, and tamoxifen from the Pacific yew to name just a few.

In fact, the word "drug" comes from the old Dutch/German word "droog," which refers to the process used to dry herbs to turn them into medicines..

Nowadays, we see things such as:

* Prescription fish oil

* Prescription prenatal vitamins

* Prescription vitamin D

* Prescription niacin

But worst of all is the general dumbing down of alternative health concepts by companies large and small

* How useless has the word detox become? Detoxing now refers to everything from colon cleansing products, to shampoos, and even foot baths.

* And what product doesn't have added probiotics now? Heck, companies are even selling meat with added probiotics.

* And how many times a day do you need 100% of your recommended daily allowance of synthetic vitamins, fiber, or Omega-3 fatty acids?

* Or think about how many cases of skin cancer would have been prevented (not) if people had just been using enough pomegranate shower gel or acai berry skin lotion or probiotic toothpaste or, or, or!

Conclusion - Supplements are being picked from your pocket

pickpocket The net result is that valuable supplements are being rendered meaningless. The mere mention of their names is becoming laughable. And this is happening, every day, under the radar. The bottom line is that while people are being distracted by things that will never happen, the very things they are trying to protect are being picked from their pockets on a daily basis.

Maybe an analogy will help. When people obsessed over major crime (murder, robbery, etc.), it continued to grow year after year. Once police started focusing on cleaning up the previously ignored petty crimes such as graffiti and broken windows (AKA zero tolerance policing), major scale crime started to plummet. I submit that until the alternative health community learns to stop focusing exclusively on major issues (Codex, Congressional bills, etc.), and starts paying attention to the smaller things, the rights of everyone interested in optimized health will be steadily eroded. Yes, there is a need to make your voice heard when it comes to Codex and HR 875 -- but not to the exclusion of those things that are picking your pocket today.

Love to all,

Jay