To the list-- Kathrynne Holden and I would like to share with you a
solicitation for a "heartfelt" cell nutrition product I received, and more
importantly Kathryne's evaluation of it.  Consider this a small lesson in
what to ask when considering a "wonder" product.
*********************************
I was first solicited with the following--
Date:  Mon, Aug 5, 1996 11:54 AM EDT
From:  Velma
Hello Barb,

I just read your note on the message board and felt compelled to write to you
as a PD  person. My husband has had PD for 6 years and has had a steady
decline in health since that time. His list of meds is lengthy . He has had
shorter and shorter days due to having to take his next dose earlier and
earlier. Building a tolerance for the meds is a problem.   I am a nurse and
my husband is in hospital administration at a large 1000+ bed hospital.  We
have been searching and reading for sometime looking for answers to help with
his disease. 4 months ago he started taking  a product that provides total
cell nutrition in just the right balance for our bodies. We knew that taking
prescription drugs depletes our body of some of its basic nutrients making us
a poor functioning system in addition to the disease..  We studied many
before finding this group and have been so pleased that we are anxious to let
others know what we have found.  His general health has improved and he is
gettin more out his meds now often going longer between doses so his
productive day is longer.  He had been impotent for the last 18 months and
after 2 months on the cell nutritionals he started to be restored and now at
4 months he is totally back to normal.  This we f eel is evidence of the
general well being of his body and are so happy with the results that we want
to share it with others who have chronic disease.  A body in total balance
can restore itself to normal function and a body in balance can fight off and
be protected from getting disease.
Without rambling on here I will just add that if you would like any more
information, I would be happy to tell you more and provide more information.

Regards,   Velma
******************************
I replied--

Velma, Yours note on total cell nutrition is most interesting.  Please e-mail
me more details.  I hope you don't mind my asking also for more particulars
not only on the product but on your credentials.  Thanks!  Barb
*********************************
Velma respnded--
8/5/96
Date:  Tue, Aug 6, 1996 5:38 PM EDT

Barb,

Where to start--- I always have trouble being concise!!!!  I have been
convinced for some time that our bodies are a marvelous system that can
protect itself and heal itself if provided with all that it needs. "All that
it needs" used to be proper food, rest, exercise but our foods don't provide
us with the good nutrition that it used to due to the chemicals used to grow
it and in soil that no longer is full of it's natural nutrients.
My family background was one of good nutrition. My father founded a feed and
fertilizer company 35 years ago that did not use chemicals and was non-toxic
to the soil. He had purebred cattle and was keenly aware of proper nutrition
for them.  Only in the past few months have I been aware of what he did is
exactly what we as humans should have been doing for  ourselves. As a nurse I
knew that drugs can be a drain on our system. As my husbands health was
getting worse and the drugs worked well for shorter times we became serious
in our quest to give our bodies better nutrition.  The company we have found
is called USANA which means real health.  It was founded by Dr. Wentz who
founded Gull Laboratories several years ago. They were medical researchers
who found the test to identify Epstien Barr Virus. He was also involved in
isolating mononeucleosis and the herpes virus. For years he grew cells for
testing but his research was directed at finding cures. A friend of his
suggested he take supplements himself. Being a researcher, he started by
taking supplements to his lab and analyzing them. Since he knew what our
cells needed to have perfect health, he was looking for that balance in the
supplements. He found ingredients that were not in proper balance and quality
had been sacrificed in some to save cost or there were better ingredients to
be used.  He made his own and started taking them along with some of his
friends.  Because they were going to be expensive if made public he was slow
to decide to develop the business but they were working so well he soon
founded the USANA company.  I was impressed by his approach and the total
cell nutrition concept.  We have taken some things over the years but it was
usually one or two things that I thought we needed and not the whole
spectrum.  The USANA company has caught the attention of medical doctors and
some are telling their patients to take them and seeing results that a
pleasing. Dr. Ray Strand from South Dakota is quoted "USANA has taken the
sophisticated science of cellular nutrition and produced products that I
believe will change the health of this nation". I have read of track teams
that started taking the nutritionals and have remarkable increases in
endurance, speed , and general performance. The great news is that there is
nothing in this that "jolts" your body or is anything except a true balanced
nutrition for our cells.  Our body can resore itself to a normal function.  I
believe for now, that Dennis will at best see his PD level off . I think I
would be too optimistic to expect it to improve since those cells have died.
I admit though that what I am seeing now gives me a little speck of hope that
the body can do marvelous things even in the area of Parkinsons.
The nutritionals are not cheap at $100.00 per month retail.  Disease is
expensive too .We became distributors so we could save money.  My motivation
is a sincere effort to spread the word that there is something out there for
everyone that we have tried and found to be beneficial and a concept that
seems right on target in the field of preventive health . If you are
interested in trying them  I would be happy to provide them to you at my cost
plus shipping and handling for  a total of $85.00 per month. I feel strongly
that anyone who tries them should commit to four months since this is a slow
process of body restoration.
I hope this helps you but if you want more specifics please let me knowl

Regards,  Velma
*******************************************
Kathryne Holden then responds--
Subj:  Re: Cell Nutrition Product
Date:  Wed, Aug 7, 1996 10:18 PM EDT
From:  [log in to unmask]
X-From: [log in to unmask] (Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD)
To: [log in to unmask]
CC: [log in to unmask]

[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> Hi Kathrynne--I got the following from someone who  saw my May posting on
the
> aol message board.  Can you evaluate?  I  did  not think it appropriate to
> post it on the PD listserve at this juncture.    Thanks!
> Barbara Blake-Krebs
> [log in to unmask]
>

Barb,
This is always a tough call for me. I believe in and advocate many
alternative therapies, because I think western medicine has some
limitations that can be filled by preventive therapies. However.....

I've not heard of USANA, but concepts like "total cell nutrition" are
not unusual these days, and I've seen two programs wherein health
professionals such as nurses and respiratory therapists were the
sellers.

I am very skeptical. While I am very concerned about soil depletion,
water and air pollution, and the damage it does to our health, I've not
seen anything that corroborates the fantastic claims of the "cell
nutrition" concepts. Particularly at $100.00 per month.

Also, I'm concerned that there appears no way of discovering whether
these products are standardized, produced in sanitary conditions, etc.

I have in my files a sizable amount of literature from a similar company
who promotes their product as being developed by doctor, and backs up
their claims with a long list of references from reputable journals.
They wanted me to help distribute the product. I asked for a week to
look over the literature, and learned that all the referenced studies
were done on animals; there were no studies performed on humans; and the
doctor was a zoo veterinarian. I'm sure the studies were all quite
valid, but using them to promote a product meant for human use is
unconscionable!

Perhaps USANA has excellent credentials; as I haven't seen any studies
on their product, or a listing of the ingredients in the product, I
can't comment further, except to wonder what makes it so expensive.
Pharmaceutical drugs are expensive because the drug companies must
recompense themselves for years of expensive testing and studies--have
the same kind of testing and studies been performed on USANA?

>
> 4 months he is totally back to normal.  This we f eel is evidence of the
> general well being of his body and are so happy with the results that we
want
> to share it with others who have chronic disease.

This is a wonderful testimonial and I hope it's sincere, honest, and
completely true. But even if it is, it's just a single testimonial, and
should not be taken as proof that USANA will work for everyone. It could
have a component that wreaks havoc on certain individuals. Is there a
listing of possible side effects, adverse reactions, food-drug
interactions, USANA-drug interactions?

Example: vitamin E has been shown to have various positive effects, both
as a supplement and through consumption of vitamin E-rich foods. Yet
vitamin E taken by a person who regularly uses aspirin or coumadin may
increase risk of hemorrhagic stroke. This woman appears to suggest that
everyone with PD can use USANA with absolute faith that there will be
no possible risk of USANA interfering with any of the PD medications
that might be used. She has more confidence in her product than I likely
would have.

> A body in total balance
> can restore itself to normal function and a body in balance can fight off
and
> be protected from getting disease.

In general, I would agree with this. The part I question is whether
USANA can restore the balance.

> Without rambling on here I will just add that if you would like any more
> information, I would be happy to tell you more and provide more
>information.

Barb replied:
> Yours note on total cell nutrition is most interesting.  Please e-mail me
> more details.  I hope you don't mind my asking also for more particulars
not
> only on the product but on your credentials.  Thanks!

Very wise, Barb, and I'd want all of it in writing, mailed to my home;
I'd particularly want any journal references.

> exactly what we as humans should have been doing for  ourselves. As a nurse
I
> knew

What kind of a nurse? MS RN? BS RN? an LPN? a CNA?

> is called USANA which means real health.  It was founded by Dr. Wentz who
> founded Gull Laboratories several years ago. They were medical researchers
> who found the test to identify Epstien Barr Virus. He was also involved in
> isolating mononeucleosis and the herpes virus.

You know, there's a book called "Dead Doctors Don't Lie" by Joel
Wallach, a fellow who claims to have won a Nobel prize. However, the
Nobel committee never heard of him. He's making money on the strength of
his claims, though.

 > Since he knew what our
> cells needed to have perfect health, he was looking for that balance in the
> supplements.

He's one in a million, then -- researchers are discovering new
phytochemicals every year and testing their benefits to health. I am not
aware that anyone knows exactly what our cells need to have perfect
health. The last I knew, we were all individuals, with unique health
needs.

> He found ingredients that were not in proper balance and quality
> had been sacrificed in some to save cost or there were better ingredients
to
> be used.

What ingredients would these be, I wonder?

>He made his own and started taking them along with some of his
> friends.  Because they were going to be expensive if made public he was
slow
> to decide to develop the business but they were working so well he soon
> founded the USANA company.

Why were they going to be so expensive? He was slow to decide but he
"soon" founded the USANA? Apart from the contradiction in terms, he
couldn't possibly have done much testing if he was able to found the
USANA very quickly.

 > spectrum.  The USANA company has caught the attention of medical
doctors and
> some are telling their patients to take them and seeing results that a
> pleasing.

I'd ask for a list of these medical doctors--names, credentials, and
phone numbers.

>Dr. Ray Strand from South Dakota is quoted "USANA has taken the
> sophisticated science of cellular nutrition and produced products that I
> believe will change the health of this nation".

Is Dr. Strand an MD, a Ph.D in history, a zoologist -- in what field
does he hold his credentials?

> I have read of track teams
> that started taking the nutritionals and have remarkable increases in
> endurance, speed , and general performance.

I would be most interested in reviewing this article -- is it from a
refereed journal, such as the New England Journal of Medicine?

>The great news is that there is
> nothing in this that "jolts" your body or is anything except a true
balanced
> nutrition for our cells.  Our body can resore itself to a normal function.

I hope this may be true, but I would require much more evidence before I
would pay $100.00 per month.

 > The nutritionals are not cheap at $100.00 per month retail.

Very true.

 > expensive too .We became distributors so we could save money.

Yes, that's the same approach I encountered.

>  My motivation
> is a sincere effort to spread the word that there is something out there
for
> everyone that we have tried and found to be beneficial and a concept that
> seems right on target in the field of preventive health .

A single product that's right for everyone? No one has ever experienced,
for instance, an allergic reaction to any of the components of this
product? That's medical news, for sure.

>If you are
> interested in trying them  I would be happy to provide them to you at my
cost
> plus shipping and handling for  a total of $85.00 per month. I feel
strongly
> that anyone who tries them should commit to four months since this is a
slow
> process of body restoration.

So, for $340, we're getting a product on the basis of one person's
testimonial.

> I hope this helps you but if you want more specifics please let me knowl

Well, if I were considering using this product, I would indeed want more
specifics. Many, many more.

Barbara, I think it would be a good idea to post this on PDIE, and I
hope you will include my response. I don't doubt that the Internet
offers many sound products, but I would like to see people asking
questions and demanding credentials,and refereed journal articles before
they shell out their money.

I, too, would like to find a product that would help all my clients--who
have diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, arthritis, ulcers, and PD, among
other conditions. But I would not recommend use of any product based on
a single, unsupported testimonial. There are far more fraudulent
products on the Internet than useful ones. I think PDIE would benefit
from this idea exchange.

Best regards,
--
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
Editor-in-Chief,
"Spotlight on Food--nutrition news for people 60-plus"
Tel: 970-493-6532   Fax: 970-493-6538
http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar
You may wish to contact:
Better Business Bureau of the Mountain States,
< [log in to unmask]>
for further information.
***************************************
Sorry for the long post.  But I agreed with Kathrynne that it might be useful
to post this to the list afterall.  Now if aol hasn't crashed again, I get
this underway to you all.

Barbara Blake-Krebs
[log in to unmask]

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