Government Health Conspiracy?

Posted under Government - FDA

 

It was released that this last winter was the warmest in history. I gasped when I read that headline. It sure wasn’t here. Sure enough, the US had the 3rd coldest February in 113 years.

Information can be manipulated in a number of ways, can’t it?

I’ve been watching the battle between the FDA and nutritionists, and vitamin companies. It seems that the FDA wants to regulate all medical claims - period. So, if I tell you that broccoli can help remove excess estrogen from your body, and why this is important, I could be thrown in jail. The FDA would have to approve the claim that cranberry juice reduces inflammation - even though people have used it for years to stay healthy. Huh?

‘Broccoli removes excess estrogen’, or ‘Broccoli can remove excess estrogen’, or ‘cranberries fight inflammation’ are all health claims.

It’s a two edged sword.

There are unscrupulous vendors out there who will tell you that their product cures every disease known to man, and of course when you buy it - some are made of low quality ingredients, or may not even have the ingredients it claims.

There are many so called natural substances, vitamins, herbs and such that are not regulated. If you take an Omega 3 supplement from one manufacturer, it may not contain what it claims, whereas another brand might be far superior. Because it’s not regulated, you as a consumer will have a hard time knowing the difference. You would have to spend a lot of time researching.

On the other hand - the outcry is that the FDA is in the Pharmaceutical companies’ pockets and will do anything to protect their profits, even if it means discrediting natural cures that could save not only tons of money, but your life as well.

There are stories of the FDA acting like the old mob - attempting to silence anyone who dares to challenge the profit machine. I mean, really scary stuff. Read more about the FDA’s antics here. Prepare to be sickened.

And truth in labeling? What a laugh that is. If you’re counting on packaged foods to give you nutrition, believe me when I tell you that you are not getting what you think you are. By the time they break down an element, like a grain for instance, you lose the nutrients. But they add synthetic nutrients to supposedly make up for what they took out. The resulting ‘food’ (I use the term loosely) has little resemblance to what you think you’re eating.

Is there a conspiracy to keep you fat and sick? I believe to a certain extent, there is. There’s a lot of money to be made. Money they wouldn’t be making if you were healthy. Think about how much less money would be spent on Doctors, prescriptions, hospitals, weight loss products, and even clothing. So far, vitamins and healthy eating are cheap in comparison. There’s just not much money to be made off you if you’re well.

So, do I think that the FDA wants to keep nutrition information from you? I don’t think it’s that exactly. I think it’s more a way for Big Pharma to make money in the vitamin business now that everyone is wising up. If vitamins are regulated - then the profit machine can be the ‘authorized’ sellers, and the prices will skyrocket. That’s my prediction.

But what about the fact that they want to regulate juice if it makes a health claim? You know, like lycopene in tomato juice helps prevent heart disease. You wouldn’t be able to say that without FDA approval. OK, maybe I need to take off my rose colored glasses…

But just in case they do intend to silence all of the healthy eating information, I would learn as much as I could now. Then we can pass it around in an underground movement just like in the early biblical times. At least we’ll be healthy criminals.

Your partner in crime -

Carole

a.k.a. ‘Mother’

 

Alternative Health vs FDA

Posted under Government - FDA

 

OK, I stayed up until the wee hours reading the text of the FDA bills. I put together my comments, and hit enter.

ERROR -

Oh, wait - another new development -

AHH - Newsflash - the link for comments has changed - Click here to leave your comments-

What we are supposed to be reading and commenting on is actually Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Aha. There it is. Sorry for the miscommunication - but that’s what was passed on to me. Now it all makes more sense.

Here’s one paragraph that basically sums up the whole thing. Though it is about supplements, the same basic thinking is throughout the document, including the chapter on ‘Food’. It’s only 17 pages long. You should take the time to read it.

“To illustrate how a CAM product might be a “dietary supplement” under section 201 (ff) of the Act, consider botanical products used in naturopathy. (Naturopathy is a CAM whole medical system that views disease as a manifestation of alterations in the processes by which the body heals itself) for example, naturopathic cranberry tablets might be labeled for use to maintain the health of the urinary tract. In this example, the cranberry tablets generally would be regulated as “dietary supplements” under section 201(ff)(l) of the Act if they were labeled for use to “maintain the health of the urinary tract” rather than “prevent urinary tract infections.” The cranberry tablets would be regulated as “drugs” under section 201 (g) of the Act if they were labeled for use to “treat urinary tract infections” even if they were labeled as dietary supplements.”

Here are my comments -

RE: Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration

I would like to comment on the idea that vegetable juice could come under regulation as a drug if used to prevent illness. Of course people eat fruits and vegetables, drink juices, and take supplements to prevent illness. That’s the whole motivation. There is a whole movement to find out more about the benefits of foods and nutrition for just that reason - to stay healthy. We should be screaming from the rooftops about all of the ways that people could be healthier. That would be the American way. But to say that “broccoli removes excess estrogen from your body” now makes it a drug is ludicrous.

To even hint that vitamins, or food items could come under these regulations would be particularly onerous, and drive the costs up to where no one could afford them. As it stands now, eating nutritious food and taking vitamins are relatively inexpensive ways that Americans can control their health issues to some extent.

The concern of the citizens is that the FDA and pharmaceutical industry are tied together to keep Americans sick and drugged for economic benefit. That is the perception. Passing this with any language that takes away the availability of non-medical alternative to managing health will only further cement that perception.

For some reason, the FDA has had an aversion to vitamins. That does not sit well with many of us. I am a 51 year old who has never been in the hospital for anything other than childbirth. I stay healthy on purpose. So do many of my friends and neighbors.

I don’t believe in drugging children instead of letting them get the exercise they need to run off their natural hyperactivity, or taking drugs to help avoid dealing the problems and living as a fully functional member of society, or taking drugs to lose weight. I think we are an over-drugged nation.

Imagine the impact if the FDA were to actually embrace healthy living and encourage the eating of natural foods and taking supplementation to make up for nutritional deficiencies.

Unfortunately, as it stands now, the FDA seems to be the enemy. The FDA is pro drug, and has never endorsed prevention of disease through the use of diet and supplements.

Discussing those issues at this time would not be prudent. The risk assessment portions of pending bill need to be passed and implemented. I would suggest that the discussions that are fueling the fears of Americans be put on the back burner and the important issues on the table such as the ‘unexpected risks’ of drugs now in use be addressed quickly.

Maybe at some future date, the issues of natural health care can be prudently addressed, but I don’t think this is the time. We need to be encouraging people to live healthier, and to educate them about all of the benefits of natural foods - not hiding important information under endless regulation.

Respectfully Submitted,

Carole Pagan

That’s it.

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend!

Important Health Alert!

Posted under Government - FDA

 

You know that I’ve been writing a little bit about the FDA’s
actions targeting vitamins, and nutrition information. Well,
it’s become a full blown controversy.

You see, the first dangerous part of all of this is calling
anything used to improve health a drug, and subject to regulation.
I would not be able to tell you that a banana has potassium and
what pottassium is good for under this wording. Stupid.

But the bigger issue is that this could wipe out the availability
of alternative medicine in this country.

The medical industries - especially Big Pharma - don’t want you to
know that you don’t have to take the drugs that they are selling
that will keep you paying for the rest of your life rather than
cure you. Bad for their business you know…

Yes, there are quacks out there. Navigating alternative medicine
is definetely buyer beware. But if you have cancer, you don’t
have years to wait for the FDA to maybe approve a treatment -
even though it’s used in other countries successfully. And if
the allegations are true - these alternatives will never see the
light of day unless big pharma can somehow control it.

I’m going to send you to a site where a better expert than me
has been writing extensively on the subject.

But then I’m going to ask you to take action. Another source of
mine says that the comment period is indeed open until May 29.

I’m going to ask you to take an hour and read up and comment.
This is very, very important.

If you want to be able to get information on how simple changes
to your diet can improve your health - you need to speak up -
loudly. Under this law, it would be technically illegal to
write about anything health related unless the FDA has approved
it. I think that’s pretty scary.

Far fetched? Remember the movie “Tucker”? That was a true story.

So first - Visit http://www.newstarget.com/021863.html

Second - go here and file your comments - Before Tuesday -
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/COMMENTSMa
in.CFM?EC_DOCUMENT_ID=1451&SUBTYP=CONTINUE&CID=&AGENCY=FDA

You might have to copy and paste that url into your browser,
it’s really long!

Thanks for reading, and taking action to help protect our
health freedom.

Carole

a.k.a. ‘Mother’