I agree with BOTH "Pain in the neck", and "Chicken soup"!
There are quacks in both "allopathic" ("regular") and "holistic" ("alternative") health areas. Unfortunately, it's still, "Let the buyer beware."
I don't trust the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) completely, because they are too closely linked with drug companies. They (FDA) have allowed too many dangerous (deadly) drugs onto the market, that they later recalled, when they had evidence up front, of the dangers. Yet, I don't trust every holistic company either, just some of them.
I don't know if Coral Calcium is good or not, but personally, I use a "chelated" form of Calcium/Magnesium, and so far, so good.
I prefer the sun to tanning beds, but I don't overdo. In general, I don't like sunscreens, because sometimes the very ingredients in some sunscreens are CARCINOGENIC (cancer-causing)! This is pretty ironic, to me! Yet, I will use them, occasionally, if I know I'd burn, otherwise. I think a little zinc oxide may be one of the safer "sunscreens", if not overdone. (Zinc can be absorbed through the skin, as many substances can be.)
Also, if a person eats enough foods that contain beta-carotene, naturally, like carrots, yams, orange squashes, cantaloupe, dandelion greens (the beta carotene is hidden by the chlorophyll but it's there), other dark green leafy veggies--the beta carotene (if not overdone) is protective against sunburn. Too much beta carotene (like from taking it in pill form, or overdoing in carrot juice) can damage a weak liver.
I'm so glad a Medical Doc is answering people here, now! :-)
Sincerely,
Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
Hi Pain in the Neck:
Your characterization of the litigation involving Quackwatch (they are involved in cases both as Plaintiff and Defendant) is both misleading and inaccurate, and an old re-hash of the propoganda offensive launched by many of the quacks that Dr. Barrett and Quackwatch have uncovered, including Hulda Clark and her associates. Their propaganda, as well as their legal initiatives against Quackwatch, is an attempt to preserve their commercial enterprises. If these quacks' faulty and spurious claims are publisized, they stand to lose millions of dollars from their inticate scams.
As to your statement that no supplement has been approved by the FDA, of course that is true. The FDA does not approve supplements. That is why the con artists are so active in this area. They could not successfully execute their scams with drugs, as double-blind tests are required to prove the efficacy and safeness of drugs. Unfortunately, no such process is in place to protect the public from scams and outrageous claims about supplements and their benefits, or to protect us from con artists that peddle products that actually may prove harmful in some cases. Clearly, the old maxim that "a sucker is born every minute" gives these scam artists a large, lucrative market within which to peddle their wares. Sadly, they do so for sheer profit and total disregard for the damage they do to those they are able to entice.
I am sorry that you have been sucked in by this propoganda. However, while the coral calcium is unlikely to provide you anything more valuable than the placebo effect, I TRULY HOPE THAT YOU FIND RELIEF FROM YOUR GASTROPARESIS!!!! As I, and undoubtedly you, know from personal experience, failing health compromises the quality of life that we once had and aspire to have again. Sometimes the temptation to try a neatly marketed "miracle cure" is powerful, and difficult to resist. This is, of course, the very people that Barefoot, Clark and a multitude of others are preying on. Thank goodness there is a fair, scientific organization like Quackwatch to expose these unsavory characters.
With kindest personal regards,
Chicken Soup
I just went out and bought coral calcium yesterday to se if I noticed any difference. One thing I can say about Quackwatch is that they have been debunked themselves. I had just received an email from a friend about this..
"Last year the quackbusters were laughed out of a California Superior Court when they claimed that "alternative medicine was fraud because it hadn't been scientifically proven." They had put a lot of time, and bragging,
into this project - and they were completley humiliated.
The whole California quackbuster attack was a hoax, and a scam, cooked up by
Robert S. Baratz MD, DDS, and Stephen Barrett (of quackwatch.com) to pay themselves "expert witness fees." They both needed the money, as neither of them seems to be able to hold a job. Baratz, and Barrett were supposedly
acting on behalf of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF)."
I am not saying whether coral calcium is good or not but no supplement has been approved by the FDA. It is a caveat emptor as to whetherwe buy snake oil or not.
If we believed everything we read, holisitc approaches would be minimal. Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment has roughly 13 approved treatmetns yet many off label treatment have had positive results..
If it works for you then great. I agree to say it cures all or prevents cancer is a stretch. It could be that there are many other factors in Okinawa that lower the incidence of cancer.. Like treated foods, pollution, stress, and genetic predisposition.
I doubt coral calcium will help with my gastroparesis but I had to see if it could help with other stuff. That's my two pesos worth.
Three kinds of people . Very profound that! Sounds like Confucius .
If that
Imkindly, buy one get one free!!! The information from the study is available on several sites. I don
(My husband had milk-alkali syndrome, and that's when we found out how common it is.)
(That's also when we learned all about PH testing)
People can use free-will....do what they want.
But the best advice I can give you is to know what you're potentially getting into.
Milk-alkali syndrome is very common, and it's caused by excess calcium. Don't take my word for it.....do a search (you'll see hundreds of medical articles on it).
P.S.-
There are three kinds of people: The ones that learn by reading,
The few who learn by observation, and the rest of them who have to touch the fire to see for themselves if it's really hot.
Good Luck :)
One more PS-
Always consider the source.
I checked out the site (URL you posted).
They've got a big sale going on-----buy one get one free.
PAJ----
WOW, you really don't understand alkalosis or acidosis.
BLOOD and URINE tests are used.
Not saliva. (Saliva is acidic----I imagine everyone that did a saliva test (from their pet store fish department....lol) would indeed show something acidic going on.)
LOL!
PS-
If you insist on using PH dipsticks, at least use them on urine (not saliva)
PAJ, what's Milk-alkali syndrome?
Look it up......
Maybe look up lithotripsy too (might come in handy in your future)
I think the big thing here is that alot of these quacks are not doctors. That's why they are called quacks.
The reason a doctor is a doctor is because of all the school work they've done to earn that title.
Self treating is just as bad as believing in one of these so-called doctors [quacks].
In my opinion you'd be better off praying and listening to a real doctor, and if that doctor isn't knowledgeable enough to help you, then you should look for another real doctor.
A big way to prove this theory is to look at all the disclaimers on what these quacks are pushing and they tell you to consult your doctor too. What does that tell you folks???
I will admit I hate being all drugged up too, but sometimes it is necessary.
Good Luck and God Bless
Yes pretty silly to assume , & then self treat , also it
I think it's pretty silly for anyone to assume they have acidosis and begin taking calcium (because of any testimonials or infomercials).
To assume you have acidosis is dangerous....
Here's an example---
some people actually have alkalosis, and are prone to building "calculi" (kidney stones).
......add calcium, and you've got trouble.
some people have a normal PH, but can actually put themselves into alkalosis.
(Pretty silly to 'assume', and then 'self-treat'.....if you don't know anything from blood tests first.)
Bob barefoot may have a point .this makes interesting reading.
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/4245
Acidic PH surly the question must be , do we become acidic as a result of illness, or do we become susceptible to disease because we are acidic? The people who sell the supplements say it
HolisticRN:
Western medicine doen't have all the answers. We're still working on it, and have a long way to go. However, for those who would revert to 19th century medicine, I would suggest that you consider the following question:
If you had to be diagnosed with esophageal cancer (as I was in 2001), would your chance of a cure be better if you were diagnosed in 2001 or 1801? I think that puts to rest your conspiracy theories about the pharmacuetical companies profit motives. Its about results.
Thank you for your post, however.
Best personal regards,
Chicken Soup
Regarding Coral Calcium:
Quackwatch disclaims almost everything that is not endorsed by pharmacutical companies, major teaching facilities or any other FOR PROFIT entity. Holistic, complementary and Eastern medicine practices have been proven for thousands of years. Western science can not prove nor disprove these methods, so if money can not be made by coorporate medicine, it is "debunked"
Until coral calcium or other natural substances are proven to cause as much harm as chemical pharmacuticals,and to imply that they are scams is obscene. Millions of people can be helped with these and other natural substances. American medicine is not the only or the best medicine on earth
Hello,
Doing a quick Medline search, I could find no evidence or data supporting the claims of coral calcium. That's not to say that there may not be benefit - I am sure there are a lot of anecdotal stories. It just has not yet been studied in large placebo-controlled clinical trials (i.e. like vitamin E).
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.