Natural Cures

[hhiipp]

Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About:

I heard an infomercial about this book this morning and I was wondering if anyone had purchased/read it. A lot of the things the guy said seemed to make sense so I was just wondering if it was worth the $30. Here is a link to Amazon if anyone else is interested.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/097559950X/qid=1106611617/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-2374706-4093663?v=glance&s=books

[JonInMiddleGA]

One of the better con artists of the past decade (or two).

Here's a link for a page of links with any number of rather revealing things about him. (Be sure not to miss the item toward the bottom of the list from fool.com)
http://www.mazu.com/notrec/ktrudeau.html

[QuikSand]

I wonder if one of his "natural cures" is snake oil?

[QuikSand]

Ah, Jon beat me to it.

[hhiipp]

Amazing guy, glad I asked before I wasted my money.

Anyone know a good book that would list alternative recommendations to cure what ails us? Migraines, arthritis, etc etc.

[Qwikshot]

I was wondering about that Lazlo guy with all the government programs, how legit is he?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I was wondering about that Lazlo guy with all the government programs, how legit is he?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6692633/

Most of the "hidden" $350 billion cited in the ads represents well-known public assistance programs like Medicaid and Medicare, for example, the agency says. The state group began investigating Lesko after receiving complaints about other grant offers, a spokesman said.

Among the inaccurate claims on Lesko's Web site found by the state board: that he is a columnist for the New York Times. The newspaper complained about this in November and asked that he remove the reference. Lesko once wrote a column distributed by the New York Times Syndicate, but stopped in 1994, the paper says. Lesko concedes the error, and says he's working to fix the Web site.

Examples of Lesko tall-tales, the agency says, include one story of a researcher who was given $500,000 to "travel the world," suggesting others can apply for similar offers. In reality, the researcher is a quantum physicist and professor at Georgetown University, who won a grant from the National Science Foundation. “Free car repairs” mentioned in the book actually involve automobile recalls, the agency says.

Mary Hoffman, executive director of the Small Business Development center at Adams State College in Colorado, says Lesko's book regularly sends about five money-seekers a week her way and she disappoints nearly all of them. While her agency gives free advice, it doesn't give away free money, as Lesko's book suggests.

"They're being sent on wild goose chases. ... A lot of our clients end up paying good money they can't afford for books like this," she said.

The Washington-area Better Business Bureau assigns an unsatisfactory rating to Lesko's company. The group has received 85 complaints about Lesko books in the past 36 months, according to president and CEO Ed Johnson. He wrote a warning to consumers about Lesko's sales pitches in 2002, which still appears on the agency's Web site.

"The way it's represented one would think obtaining the funds is a cinch," Johnson said. "The practical reality is it's not." Lesko said he didn't know about the complaints, or about the unsatisfactory rating.

The New York State Consumer Protection Board is calling attention to Lesko's books now because it says there is a growing wave of firms offering tips on obtaining government grants. Many charge hefty up-front fees and never help consumers, the agency says.

While Lesko isn't involved in such scams, his advertising helps fuel the perception that government grants are easy to obtain, the agency says. And Lesko sells customer lists to other grant-giveaway groups.

Also, not specific to Lesko, is this one from Business Week
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/0001/sa000111.htm

[Loren]

Amazing guy, glad I asked before I wasted my money.

Anyone know a good book that would list alternative recommendations to cure what ails us? Migraines, arthritis, etc etc.

why do you want a book when you have the internet? :confused: but one book I have that helps is -Prescription for Nutritional Healing-,James&Phyllis Balch..and if you have kids -Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child- is a must I think....or just ask me, Im pretty good at this stuff :p

[MikeVic]

why do you want a book when you have the internet? :confused: but one book I have that helps is -Prescription for Nutritional Healing-,James&Phyllis Balch..and if you have kids -Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child- is a must I think....or just ask me, Im pretty good at this stuff :p

I think Loren was the one who suggested for me to take some Echincea thing for my colds... and I think it has improved my immune system....

[Loren]

I think Loren was the one who suggested for me to take some Echincea thing for my colds... and I think it has improved my immune system....

dont take it for more than 6 week time spans MikeVic...vit c and vit e is always good though :D

[QuikSand]

vit e is always good though

Not everyone agrees with this, at this point. A quick search of news items from the last couple of months will reveal some alarming connections to Vitamin E and heart problems -- enough so that many doctors are recommending patients remove E from routine antioxidant regimens.

[QuikSand]

and I think it [Echinacea] has improved my immune system....

The troubling thing is that very few of these "remedies" (especially the ones being sold for big money in the completely unregulated "supplement" market) actually have much science behind them. Lots and lots of people take Echinacea, for example, when they start to come down with a cold -- and then after a couple of days, they feel better. Hooray for Echinacea!

Of course, the vast majority of healthy people who come down with a cold feel better in a couple of days anyway. In double-blind studies, where you might be able to objectively demonstrate the effectiveness of medical treatments, it's tough to actually find much substance behind the claims of many alternative treatments.

Not that these things are bad for you. And if people walk around convinced that some supplement is making them healthier, there is (in my judgment) a demonstrative psychosomatic benefit from doing so. But this whole movement of "alternative" health-related products has only one absolutely certain result -- the enrichment of the people who sell the countless products and books devoted to them.

[JeeberD]

Probably won't convince anyone here, but my dad the doc extolls the virtues of Echinacea on a regular basis...

[Loren]

Not everyone agrees with this, at this point. A quick search of news items from the last couple of months will reveal some alarming connections to Vitamin E and heart problems -- enough so that many doctors are recommending patients remove E from routine antioxidant regimens.

you can find possible side-effects to EVERYTHING, you have to decide for yourself, several foods one might eat on a regular basis have direct correlations to heart problems(in studies).. Sometimes it's just like saying, you know if you eat that burger you might get clogged arteries one day..(if you have heart problems dont take em:)
butt, and i dont mean this in direct connection to supplements but your brain and stress does have a lot to do with how you feel, and how long you stay sick for..i agree with that