Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Fraud and Health


I will be adding to this post.

Fraud is not just unethical, illegal. It can cause harm, cost lives. Scammers lie, misinform, use fake followers, anything, to lure victims. Fraud is everywhere. Scammers are into everything. Online they have 0 reputable health information (easy to check out), and lots of fake followers. Anyone can get some fake followers.

Profiles get duplicated for fakes but they do not generate more followers because they are fakes. On Twitter for example, count the number of those irrelevant for the account subject matter, and locked accounts, by scrolling through the followers list. Hundreds of fakes on an account with not all that many followers, or accounts followed disproportionately is a sure sign of purchased fake followers. I have never bought any followers and I will not buy them. They are filler to impress. I am not impressed that easily. 

Not only can you buy comments and reviews for social media, e.g. Instagram and YouTube videos - you can write your own and have them delivered (Google buy custom Instagram, or YouTube comments) - NOT something I support! I am amazed at what is offered for sale on the Internet for social media, fake: followers, Retweets, likes, dislikes, reviews, comments, subscribers and views (for YouTube videos). Google buy then each one individually, and see for yourself - plus more I have not looked into. Filed under SCARY! Buy "real" any of the listed? They're paid for so their actions are STILL fake!

 How can you tell quacks bought fakes? It's very obvious when you look closely! 1. Stats upsurge after PROOF challenges they cannot reply to because they have none, or their absence from posting or Tweeting 2. Even more "inspiration", continue your xxx (FRAUD), and "congratulatory" self-written comments
3. Most quacks are narcissistic sociopaths https://twitter.com/ktanimara/status/821315770420490241.
You will also see self-written comments about how "beautiful" and "worshiped" they are by "others". Quacks build carefully crafted social media shrines to their insatiable ego for your money. They happily continue to put you and yours in danger of harm or death, posing for more photos of themselves as they do so!

 Lies are often easy to spot - inconsistent and contradictory information because scammers have forgotten what they said previously, usually in the promotion of a sponsor, or would be (hoped for) sponsor. It is all in the details. Alluring images are often used to sell or promote products. However, what is actually being offered must be supported by solid facts to have any value. Dismiss fraud ploys, e.g. "I love" my: family, God, country, followers, subscribers, viewers which are simply manipulative distractions. Research from reputable sources regarding what is promoted, for sale, sold, and discuss openly with your qualified medical provider, what risks there may be for you in having used any of them! Quacks do not provide proper cautions and warnings. The only things quacks do are more fraud manipulations, for more money.

"Health Fraud Scams"
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/default.htm
"Health fraud scams refer to products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure diseases or other health conditions, but are not proven safe and effective for those uses." 

 Quack "0 proof doesn't mean there can't be any." UNTIL there is - claiming there is while selling unproven safe and effective products and or services is fraud! There "may be unicorns" - until there is reputable proof they're just myths too! Quacks shill myths as truth (e.g. crystal "healing"- please see this blog post) - for health that can, does, has harmed and killed! 

 NO "mommy" (family), or friend "testimonial" can "kiss" what quacks do (health terrorism) and "make it better", or turn it into anything other than what it REALLY is - FRAUD! Every bs public relations quack spin has a sale linked, spoken of, referred to by quacks. Family? Love can be dangerous too - accessories or duped! Mommies who enable or participate in their quack child's dangerous FRAUD, or other CRIMINAL activities are JUST as guilty - SHAME on ALL of you!

 There is no difference between media fraud and other fraud. Both are about making money fast, and misinformation is irrelevant. Fraud is abuse! It capitalizes on people's emotional responses to yield profit, whether the topic is cocoa products health benefits (UNPROVEN), or cancer "cures". There is money to be made - often at the cost of lives. One such lost life is too many.

 2017
"The Essential Medicinal Chemistry of Curcumin"
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00975
"No double-blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial of curcumin has been successful."

 2016 Updated
"Turmeric"
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric/ataglance.htm
"Claims ... curcuminoids ... reduce inflammation aren’t supported by strong studies ... High doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause gastrointestinal problems." UNPROVEN with risks!

 2015
"Turmeric (Curcumin)", color and bolding added by me, link includes side effects and cautions
webmd.com/vitamins-and-s
"Turmeric is an unproven treatment" 

2015
"Aromatherapy", color and bolding added by me, @US_FDA
http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Products/ucm127054.htm#drug 
"If a product is intended for a therapeutic use, such as treating or preventing disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body, it’s a drug. For example, claims that a product will relieve colic, ease pain, relax muscles, treat depression or anxiety, or help you sleep are drug claims. ... Such claims are sometimes made for products such as soaps, lotions, and massage oils containing “essential oils” and marketed as “aromatherapy.” The fact that a fragrance material or other ingredient comes from a plant doesn’t keep it from being regulated as a drug."

 2014
"dōTERRA International, LLC 9/22/14", bolding added by me, @US_FDA
http://www.fda.gov/iceci/enforcementactions/warningletters/2014/ucm415809.htm#.VXXKLEe2-so.twitter
"your products are ... not generally recognized as safe and effective for use under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in their labeling."

 2015 
"Aromatherapy: trick or treat or treatment?", color and bolding added by me, @EdzardErnst 
http://edzardernst.com/2015/08/aromatherapy-trick-or-treat-or-treatment/
"The quality of the included studies was often very poor ... the overall conclusion cannot be definitive ... Lack of sufficiently convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy combined with its potential to cause adverse effects questions the usefulness of this modality in any condition." 

 2015
"Essential Oils: A Poor Choice for Asthma (and a few other things)", color and some bolding added by me, @chadhayesmd 
http://www.chadhayesmd.com/essential-oils-are-a-poor-choice-for-asthma-and-a-few-other-things/
"Asthma can also be triggered by “volatile organic compounds,” one example of which would be essential oils. Advising parents to treat asthma by diffusing essential oils is dangerous and irresponsible, and it demonstrates a tremendous lack of understanding about the disease. ... promoting unproven treatments for serious medical conditions amounts to practicing medicine without a license, which is illegal as well as dangerous ... As a physician, it scares me. ... because there are people out there treating serious conditions that they know nothing about with treatments that have no data to show that they are safe or effective–because our children’s health is at risk." 

2015
"Can you tell me what I should eat while I am taking warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)? What foods should I avoid?", color and bolding added by me, @MayoClinic 
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thrombophlebitis/expert-answers/warfarin/faq-20058443   
"One nutrient that can lessen warfarin's effectiveness is vitamin K. It's important to be consistent in how much vitamin K you get daily. ... Certain drinks can increase the effect of warfarin, leading to bleeding problems. Avoid or drink only small amounts of these drinks when taking warfarin: Cranberry juice  Alcohol" 
Regarding drinks with alcohol - please also see this blog post with information on kombucha tea http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2015/04/quackery.html

2013
"Supplemental nutrition drinks: help or hype?", color and bolding added by me
health.harvard.edu/staying-health 
"You don’t need a doctor’s okay to try a shake, but it’s a good idea to ask your doctor if any of the ingredients will interfere with your medications. For example, some drinks contain vitamin K, and sudden changes in vitamin K intake may interfere with the effect of the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin) ... look for 10 to 20 grams of protein, no more than 6 grams of fat ... no more than 40 grams of carbohydrate, including sugar." 

 2014
European Journal of Integrative Medicine
"Reducing the risk of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Challenges and priorities", color and bolding added by me 
"Even those CAM practices and products that are regulated rarely have adequate systems in place for reporting, assessing and acting on harmful incidents. ... Homeopathic remedies are generally considered safe so patients may increase the dose, risking overdose with non-homeopathic ingredients, such as ‘non-active’ solvents, up to toxic levels ... risk may arise from ‘mistaken identity’, where e.g. herbal and other medicines are described as homeopathic to make them look safer ... Deliberate contamination during preparation constitutes another risk"

 THIS is preliminary research,
1999 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/411030.stm

And THIS is the truth, 
2014
"Liberia: Does bitter kola cure Ebola?" 
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2014/07/liberia-does-bitter-kola-cure-ebola.html
"to date no vaccine or cure has been found for Ebola. ... anyone caught administering fake vaccine or tablets and even spreading wrong information on the Ebola disease would face prosecution."

I absolutely agree! Stop fraud in its tracks before more people die or become ill by not following approved recommendations. Prosecution will not remedy disease and illness. It may however prevent illness and death by fraud. It is "organic" and nontoxic too!

FRAUD says it is a drugs versus plants war. REPUTABLE science creates drugs FROM plants. Research can be promising. It has be proven and safe for human use for uses intended.

2015
"WHO | Ebola virus disease"
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/fa
"No licensed vaccine for EVD is available. ... No specific treatment is available ... New drug therapies are being evaluated."

2014
"Nigerian official warns pastors and healers to stop making false Ebola-cure claims" 
http://wapo.st/1m1H5NM 

2014
"Genomic surveillance elucidates Ebola virus origin and transmission during the 2014 outbreak", full text
"In memoriam: Tragically, five co-authors, who contributed greatly to public health and research efforts in Sierra Leone, contracted EVD in the course of their work and lost their battle with the disease before this manuscript could be published. We wish to honor their memory."
May they RIP

2014
"Press Announcements FDA warns consumers about fraudulent Ebola treatment products" 

2014
"Beware Of Fake Ebola Supplements"
http://onforb.es/1pcB1GX

2014
"A review of halotherapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease", full text (salt therapy), bolding added by me

"From this review, recommendations for inclusion of halotherapy as a therapy for COPD cannot be made at this point and there is a need for high quality studies to determine the effectiveness of this therapy." Unproven regardless of whether it is in a chamber, or by inhaler.

You cannot heal or treat or prevent a health issue by: being near or holding a crystal or stone, wearing jewelry, inhaling any type of salt or essential oils. ALL unproven effectiveness! 

2007
"The Secret Lives of Minerals", color and bolding added by me 
its.caltech.edu/~chima/publica
"New Age practitioners wield rose quartz ... to treat physical maladies like kidney disease, sexual dysfunction, and migraines ... myths" 
Rose quartz fibers "are made mostly of silicon, oxygen, aluminum, and boron. ... natural quartz is the source for the silicon wafers in ... electronic brains. But the quartz must be ultrapure ... discovery of boron-bearing dumortierite in rose quartz ruled out this potential source of silicon." It is NO health remedy and has NEVER been PROVEN to be one.
and
Composition of rose quartz, 
2002
"Fibrous nanoinclusions in massive rose quartz: HRTEM and AEM investigations"
its.caltech.edu/~chima/publica
"New Age movement" (Where it all began, updated 2014)
Pg 1 britannica.com/EBchecked/topi
and continues
Pg 2 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/704347/New-Age-movement/214741/Realizing-the-New-Age
"Drawing upon the myth of Atlantis, one channeler, Frank Alpert, proposed the use of crystals as healing-transformative tools. ... Crystals were thought to be great reservoirs of energy and distinct healing and of transformative powers that could be released for personal benefit. In the 1980s they were among the most popular items at New Age stores and conventions; however, critics were quick to point out the unscientific nature of the movement’s claims for crystals." - which remains today with 0 proven effectiveness, reputable evidence for any of them - they've simply been rebranded.

1967
"Rhoda Kellogg Child Art Collection – Introduction"
http://www.early-pictures.ch/kellogg/Kellogg_Introduction.pdf 
"The best introduction to the main points of my research is provided by Herbert Read: ... It has been shown by several investigators, but most effectively by Mrs. Rhoda Kellogg of San Francisco ... the expressive gestures of the infant, from the moment that they can be recorded by a crayon or pencil, evolve from certain basic scribbles towards consistent symbols. Over several years of development such basic patterns gradually become the conscious representation of objects perceived ... Scientists may object that the analysis of this process has not been carried far enough to justify a generalization, but we have an hypothesis that should hold the field until it has proved to be false. According to this hypothesis every child, in its discovery of a mode of symbolization, follows the same graphic evolution. Out of the amorphous scribblings of the infant emerge, first certain basic forms, the circle, the upright cross, the diagonal cross, the rectangle, etc. ... then two or more of these basic forms are combined into that comprehensive symbol known as the mandala, a circle divided into quarters by a cross. Let us ignore for the present the general psychological significance of the process: I merely want you to observe that it is universal and is found, not only in the scribblings of children but everywhere ... the making of signs has had a symbolizing purpose-which is from the Neolithic Age onwards. [ Read, 1963, p. 4.1 ]"

 Regarding the above, please also see "Quack signs on Twitter" in the blog post linked below - #7 "Not crediting non-quack ideas, information NOT their own but presented as theirs" - used for "epiphanies" or "intuition" or other, on social media other than Twitter too, to FALSELY impress and emotionally manipulate victims or potential victims, e.g. in this case, "I instinctively or intuitively drew mandalas from a young age."
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2014/08/twitter.html

 Drawing and or coloring, mandalas and the reduction of anxiety - abstracts - UNPROVEN - more research is needed, color and bolding added by me
2005 
"Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?"
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07421656.2005.10129441?src=recsys 
"Results ... anxiety levels declined approximately the same for the mandala- and plaid-coloring groups ... both of these groups experienced more reduction in anxiety than did the unstructured- coloring group. ... findings suggest that structured coloring of a reasonably complex geometric pattern may induce a meditative state that benefits individuals suffering from anxiety."
2012 
"Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety? A Replication Study"
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07421656.2012.680047?src=recsys
"Results support ... hypothesis ... coloring a mandala reduces anxiety to a significantly greater degree than coloring on a plaid design or coloring on a blank paper."
2015
"Effectiveness of a Classroom Mindfulness Coloring Activity for Test Anxiety in Children"
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15377903.2015.1056925?src=recsys
"a significant gender by group interaction demonstrated that while both genders experienced anxiety reduction in the mandala condition, males reported a greater anxiety reduction in the free coloring condition while females only benefited from the mandala condition."

 Related - also UNPROVEN
2014
"The effect of creative psychological interventions on psychological outcomes for adult cancer patients: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24953449
"findings of randomised controlled trials of art, drama, dance/movement and music therapies on psychological outcomes were examined. ... There is initial evidence that CPIs benefit adult cancer patients with respect to anxiety and depression, quality of life, coping, stress, anger and mood; there was no evidence to suggest that any one type of CPI was especially beneficial. ... more and better quality research needs to be conducted, particularly in the areas of drama and dance/movement therapies."

 2005
"MANDALA SYMBOLISM IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: THE POTENTIAL UTILITY OF THE LOWENFELD MOSAIC TECHNIQUE FOR ENHANCING THE INDIVIDUATION PROCESS", color and bolding added by me
http://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-37-02-164.pdf
"The word mandala, Sanskrit for ‘‘circle’’... more specifically, a magic circle ... refers to a circular pattern that has been found in cultures all over the world and throughout history ... dating back at least to the Paleolithic era ... Mandalas are frequently associated with eastern religions and philosophies, including Buddhism ... and Hinduism ... where they often were and are used for meditation and contemplative purposes. ... However, mandalas have also frequently appeared in western culture, including European artwork ... have clear affiliations with Christianity ... Gnosticism ... early Navajo and Pueblo American Indian cultures ... and western esoteric traditions such as alchemy ... and shamanism. ... Mandalas also have been incorporated into particular forms of psychotherapy."

2013
"Cancer patients who use alternative medicine die sooner",
http://edzardernst.com/2013/04/cancer-patients-who-use-alternative-medicine-die-sooner/

 2015
"Adverse event reporting in studies of penetrating acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review.", bolding added by me 

"Adverse event reporting within acupuncture trials is generally poor."

 2014
"Allergic Contact Dermatitis (Type IV Hypersensitivity) and Type I Hypersensitivity Following Aromatherapy with Ayurvedic Oils (Dhanwantharam Thailam, Eladi Coconut Oil) Presenting as Generalized Erythema and Pruritus with Flexural Exzema", color and bolding added by me
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4037951/ 
"Positive prick test to Dhanwantharam thailam and Eladi coconut oil ... Adverse reactions to topical and systemic Ayurvedic medications are observed but have not been properly documented or reported. ... the misconception that is herbal and absolutely safe should be corrected as any topical medication on repeated application as in aromatherapy may predispose the predisposed individual to contact allergy (type IV hypersensitivity) or type I hypersensitivity."

 2014
"Review Article Essential Oils for Complementary Treatment of Surgical Patients: State of the Art"
http://www.civtedu.org/uploads/41572/ufiles/Webinar/Essential_Oils_for_Complementary_Treatment_of_Surgical_Patients.pdf
"false belief of essential oils as a panacea, and we believe it is necessary that these substances are used at therapeutic level with the same degree of precautions normally followed by the use of pharmacologically active substances."

 2010
"£1million bounty offered for UK's first chemical-free product", bolding added by me
rsc.org/AboutUs/News/P
"The challenge ... set ... by the UK's cosmetic and toiletries industry reveals 52% of women and 37% of men actively seek out chemical-free products, demonstrating the deep-seated public confusion about the role and application of chemicals in daily life. The RSC made the announcement at a media event in central London hosted by the UK's Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA). ... "The Facts About Chemicals", explored the popular perception of chemicals as something harmful to be avoided" 
Over 5 years later - the "bounty" is still UNCLAIMED!
And
"The facts about... chemicals", 2010 - It is the one discussed above - the title is just written differently.
http://www.thefactsabout.co.uk/files/1932010103755Facts_about_chemicals_factsheet.pdf
"Everything in the known universe is made up of chemicals. Chemicals are even the building blocks of life. Whether those chemicals are natural or man-made, they all obey the same laws. ... whether ingredients are natural or man-made has no bearing on how safe they are at all. ... key importance are the properties of the chemical as well as how much of it you are using and in what way you are using it."

 And
Link from within the above pdf
2016
"Common questions", bolding added by me
thefactsabout.co.uk/common-questio 
"Although nature can provide inspiration as a source of new ingredients for cosmetic and personal care products, natural resources are not always sustainable. ... excessive harvesting of plants from the wild ... reduction in their numbers in nature or ... loss of natural habitat and biodiversity ... scientists can produce man-made replicas of many natural ingredients ... replicas are the same in every way as their natural counterparts and behave in the same way when put on the skin. In fact, man-made ingredients can be even purer than natural ones, since they are produced under very strictly controlled conditions." See also this blog post on mineral makeup ingredients.

 2012 
"The effect of essential oil on heart rate and blood pressure among solus por aqua workers"
http://cpr.sagepub.com/content/21/7/823
"Whether exposure to essential oil increases the risk of cardiovascular events is still unknown. ... Exposure to essential oil for 1 hour was found to be an effective method of relaxation, as indicated by decreases in the HR and BP. Prolonged exposure for longer than 1 hour to essential oils may be harmful to cardiovascular health among spa workers."

2012
"Effects of essential oils on the formation of formaldehyde and secondary organic aerosols in an aromatherapy environment"
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132312001394
"This study demonstrated that formaldehyde and SOAs were generated through ozone-initiated reactions with the major constituents of essential oils (terpenes) in an environment with low ozone concentrations ... Generated formaldehyde and nano-sized SOAs should not be neglected in aromatherapy environmental settings because of their potential health effects."

2011
"Research questions aromatherapy safety"
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111024/Research-questions-aromatherapy-safety.aspx
And the study
"Characteristics of Air Pollutants and Assessment of Potential Exposure in Spa Centers During Aromatherapy | Abstract"

 2002
"Allergic contact dermatitis following exposure to essential oils.", full text 
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11258286_Allergic_contact_dermatitis_following_exposure_to_essential_oils
Concerns regarding allergies and sensitization to essential oils for: those who work in the aromatherapy and massage industries, their clients, and those who use essential oils at home. 

 NO ancient culture known ANYWHERE had the secret to health, or longevity. To say so is pure fantasy, pure FRAUD, and is dangerous to believe!
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