Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site cbdkc1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!tjs From: tjs@cbdkc1.UUCP ( Tom Stanions) Newsgroups: net.med,net.consumers Subject: Re: Herbalife International diet drugs attacked. Message-ID: <1015@cbdkc1.UUCP> Date: Wed, 26-Jun-85 13:26:13 EDT Article-I.D.: cbdkc1.1015 Posted: Wed Jun 26 13:26:13 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 07:25:16 EDT References: <1759@aecom.UUCP> <11327@brl-tgr.ARPA> Reply-To: tjs@dkc1.UUCP ( Tom Stanions) Distribution: na Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Lines: 35 Xref: watmath net.med:1654 net.consumers:2441 >I was reading a medical magazine that pointed out that most of these Herbal >diet aids functioned mostly as laxatives. I guess that does count as >"cleansing the system" is some strange way. I frequently use and recommend herbal remedies for almost any ailment. The use of herbal laxitives to reduce weight is of course questionable. It is also true that most people are constipated and are unaware of the importance of bowel management (most doctors included). Weight is often a symptom of other problems and a return to a natural diet would probably bring most people back to their proper weight. Leading a non-sedate lifestyle is also important (I question regimented exercise with the exception of rebounding). There is also food mixing, proper mastication and frequency/timing to consider when eating. The point is that herbal remedies used properly are of tremendous value in helping people. However, companies like Herbalife seem to be fast buck companies with questionable scruples. There are some excellent herb companies with high standards and these should be praised in order to remind people that segmenting out one group does not ruin the whole bunch (we have all admitted their are bad doctors). Herbal methods have been very succesful in weight loss for those who spent the time to learn and decided that their life was worth more than getting another soda. My family gets herbs from the Nature's Sunshine company and we have been very pleased. As a point of history Herbalife was started by a man who claims that his mother died as a result of malnutrition while taking the Cambridge Diet. His qualifications to produce herbs is questionable and their constant drive to "Lose weight Now ask me how" indicates that weight loss is of more importance than health, not a very wholistic viewpoint. Don't use Herbalife as an example unless you state that they are a bad example. None of their distributers has ever explained to me how they can put a herb in tablet form without corrupting it. {allegra|ihnp4}!cbdkc1!tjs