Don't Let McCain & Dorgan Gut DSHEA

[Guest guest]

Dear yogis, I didn't plan this, but for the 3rd day in a row, I'm moved to post to the worldwide sangat an invitation to involve themselves - at least the Americans - in a new effort to stop a couple senators from gutting the law protecting supplements from FDA's pharma-influenced smothering. Because a few NFL players can't read labels, Senators McCain and Dorgan want to reverse the onus on natural nutrients, denying the majority of consumers access to healthful therapy unless a bureaucrat gives the "OK" to a supplement. The bill also beefs up a previously mild "adverse reporting" regime, obviously with the goal of building the case to treating nutrients - with the safest track record of any human consummable - like "drugs", which would slam the door shut on taking vitamins and the

like. If you want your property rights respected - in how you control your life and body and what you consume and your personal patient-doctor relationshiop - here's the link to get both of your senators to oppose this latest Big Pharma-backed assault on natural cures.http://www.thenhf.com/press_releases/pr_04_feb_2010.htmlP.S. European yogis and yogis elsewhere on Earth are welcome to share their calls for grassroots action, as long as it affects us as yogis. Given the important role of supplements in the Cleanses created by Yogi Bhajan and offered by many yogis, obviously this issue is relevant to our path.Amar Atma

[Guest guest]

I completely support this amendment. There is ample scientific evidence that

taking supplements, including anti-oxidant supplements, increase the risk of

cancer and mortality, even at fairly reasonable doses.

 

Nutritional science is a very nascent field of study, and there is much more not

known than known. The reason for the good track record of supplements is that

not enough research has been done, not because there is any definitive

scientific or medical consensus of their safeness of efficacy.

 

I fully support the scientists and bureaucrats working for the FDA much more

than I do the scientists and bureaucrats whose livelihood depends on receiving

salaries from the supplement companies.

 

A few links below. To me, your argument is the same as saying that we shouldn't

regulate toys from China, because it takes away from our rights to purchase

goods with lead in them that are harmful to children. Personally, I would

rather know about the lead ahead of time, and the government is the only entity

which will do that, as I don't have a team of scientists working for me around

the clock in my basement.

 

Study by JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/8/842

 

Multivitamin prostate warning. BBC News:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6657795.stm

 

Do Anti-oxidants cause cancer or prevent it?:

http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2007/02/28/do-antioxidants-cause-cancer-or-pr\

event-it-the-diet-supplement-industry-manufactures-uncertainty/

 

Nutritional crime of the Century:

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1487590

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Charles D. Frohman " <cfroh wrote:

>

> Dear yogis, I didn't plan this, but for the 3rd day in a row, I'm moved to

post to the worldwide sangat an invitation to involve themselves - at least the

Americans - in a new effort to stop a couple senators from gutting the law

protecting supplements from FDA's pharma-influenced smothering. Because a few

NFL players can't read labels, Senators McCain and Dorgan want to reverse the

onus on natural nutrients, denying the majority of consumers access to healthful

therapy unless a bureaucrat gives the " OK " to a supplement. The bill also beefs

up a previously mild " adverse reporting " regime, obviously with the goal of

building the case to treating nutrients - with the safest track record of any

human consummable - like " drugs " , which would slam the door shut on taking

vitamins and the like. If you want your property rights respected - in how you

control your life and body and what you consume and your personal patient-doctor

relationshiop - here's the

> link to get both of your senators to oppose this latest Big Pharma-backed

assault on natural cures.

>

> http://www.thenhf.com/press_releases/pr_04_feb_2010.html

>

> P.S. European yogis and yogis elsewhere on Earth are welcome to share their

calls for grassroots action, as long as it affects us as yogis. Given the

important role of supplements in the Cleanses created by Yogi Bhajan and offered

by many yogis, obviously this issue is relevant to our path.

>

> Amar Atma

>

[Guest guest]

i feel the point here is freedom of choice!  if this bill is passed we lose our choice, period.  that means the government decides for us what supplements are ok, and which are not!  these are the people who approve things like high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and food coloring (all of which are linked to serious health problems) scary!!

as far as i'm concerned i can decide for myself what i want to take and what i don't...and given the choice i would choose (and do choose) supplements over pharmaceuticals, period.  yes the drugs may be regulated by the fda, but what does that really mean...being the fda is overwhelmed as it is, they approve drugs without sound research only to recall them because people are dying.  hmmmm, supplements, drugs, supplements, drugs, ...i'll stick with my supplements and do my own research by reading articles by doctors i trust who have done sound research, such as dr. dharma, dr. mercola, or andrew weil (just to name a few), then make a decision by myself for what resonates with me!

and the fda regulating supplements definitely does not resonate with me!  i respect what you are trying to say, but i don't think the fda or the government are the right ones to do the job!  i'm all for scientific studies on supplements if the right group of unbiased people are doing it and they don't involve animal testing.

best,karma  

Re: Don't Let McCain & Dorgan Gut DSHEA

Posted by: " dharam_khalsa "  dharam_khalsa  dharam_khalsa

Sat Feb 6, 2010 12:44 pm (PST)

I completely support this amendment. There is ample scientific evidence that taking supplements, including anti-oxidant supplements, increase the risk of cancer and mortality, even at fairly reasonable doses.

 

Nutritional science is a very nascent field of study, and there is much more not known than known. The reason for the good track record of supplements is that not enough research has been done, not because there is any definitive scientific or medical consensus of their safeness of efficacy.

I fully support the scientists and bureaucrats working for the FDA much more than I do the scientists and bureaucrats whose livelihood depends on receiving salaries from the supplement companies. A few links below. To me, your argument is the same as saying that we shouldn't regulate toys from China, because it takes away from our rights to purchase goods with lead in them that are harmful to children. Personally, I would rather know about the lead ahead of time, and the government is the only entity which will do that, as I don't have a team of scientists working for me around the clock in my basement.

[Guest guest]

Sat nam,

 

It's perfectly OK to decline to help the natural health advocacy groups defend

health freedom. While one doesn't have ones own basement scientists protecting

against health harm, we do have the internet. And the yogi opposing this

grassroots call used it to good effect, finding useful info to help him decide

what's best for him. By supporting regulation by government over

self-regulation, one could fall into the trap of contributing to " moral hazard " ,

the hazard that consumers will act immorally, relying not on " caveat emptor " , or

wary purchasing, but rather on reckless behavior based on the false trust that

government will protect against harm.

 

Bureaucracies never have been able to protect against harm, and never will.

Look at Vioxx, a drug people thought safe because FDA said so. It wasn't.

Before FDA's creation, people used common sense, advice from doctors and people

they trusted, and third party private information, including from groups like

JAMA that was quoted by the other yogi, to empower their health decisions.

 

Yogi Bhajan said kundalini yoga empowers us so " we can't be controlled " (by

external coercion). And the Piscean Age was characterized by hierarchy. If we

want a world with more entrepreneurship and creativity, and a level playing

field based on the rule of Natural Law, we have to replace regulation by

external coercion with personal responsibility, with the freedom that's required

for people to raise themselves up so they can control themselves.

 

For those interested in the current threats to dietary supplements, here's a

quote from the attorney and lobbyist for the National Health Federation:

 

As Scott Tips, the president of the National Health Federation, stated,

" This bill strikes at the heart of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education

Act (DSHEA), which was passed unanimously by the U.S. in 1994, and which took

away the Food and Drug Administration's arbitrary powers over supplements. Now,

this bill would create a Euro-style `positive list' of `acceptable' new dietary

ingredients. And by `acceptable,' the bill means acceptable to an appointed

bureaucrat. This is completely unacceptable. Failure to comply would result in

punitive fines upon such a company selling or distributing a product not being

`accepted.' "

 

" Just as bad, " Mr. Tips continued, " would be the proposed change in the

definition of an adverse event to be reported to the FDA concerning any

supplement. As we first predicted when the AER bill was introduced (and

unfortunately supported by too-many dietary supplement companies), this adverse

event reporting bill was only to be the camel's nose in the tent. More would

follow, NHF predicted. And this new bill proves that we were right. McCain and

Dorgan want to change the events to be reported from `serious adverse' events to

any `adverse' events! This is totally unacceptable since supplements already

have the safest track record of any consumable on the planet. It is just once

again politicians using a special-interest group to advance their own

pro-pharmaceutical agenda against natural health products. "

 

Lee Bechtel, the NHF lobbyist, also said, " These two Senators want to

make a law based on NFL players who took weight loss supplements. Supplements

have other healthy benefits, and access of millions of consumers of dietary

supplements should prevail over six highly paid football players, who cannot

read the labels on supplement products. "

 

If you are ready for the Aquarian Age, and the opportunity to regulate your own

life, please help this group protect access to natural healing. Don't let Big

Pharma exploit FDA and its puppet politicians to keep the power at the expense

of your sovereignty. Here's the link to get involved:

 

http://www.thenhf.com/press_releases/pr_04_feb_2010.html

 

And here's the link of the other health group, Natural Solutions Foundation. At

this link the tie in of this Senate assault with the harmonization requirements

of the international government body CODEX are outlined (as well as an update on

the Food " Safety " bill that will jeopardize small organic farming):

 

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26714

 

Amar Atma

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " dharam_khalsa " <dharam_khalsa

wrote:

>

>...> Nutritional science is a very nascent field of study, and there is much

more not known than known. The reason for the good track record of supplements

....

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , " Charles D. Frohman " <cfroh@> wrote:

> >

> > ... If you want your property rights respected - in how you control your

life and body and what you consume and your personal patient-doctor

relationshiop - here's the

> > link to get both of your senators to oppose this latest Big Pharma-backed

assault on natural cures.

> >

> > http://www.thenhf.com/press_releases/pr_04_feb_2010.html

> >

> >

> >

> > Amar Atma

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Dharam Singh,

 

I think you mean " decrease " instead of " increase " the risk of cancer and

mortality. ))

 

GuruBandhu

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " dharam_khalsa " <dharam_khalsa

wrote:

>

> I completely support this amendment. There is ample scientific evidence that

taking supplements, including anti-oxidant supplements, increase the risk of

cancer and mortality, even at fairly reasonable doses.

>

> Nutritional science is a very nascent field of study, and there is much more

not known than known. The reason for the good track record of supplements is

that not enough research has been done, not because there is any definitive

scientific or medical consensus of their safeness of efficacy.

>

> I fully support the scientists and bureaucrats working for the FDA much more

than I do the scientists and bureaucrats whose livelihood depends on receiving

salaries from the supplement companies.

>

> A few links below. To me, your argument is the same as saying that we

shouldn't regulate toys from China, because it takes away from our rights to

purchase goods with lead in them that are harmful to children. Personally, I

would rather know about the lead ahead of time, and the government is the only

entity which will do that, as I don't have a team of scientists working for me

around the clock in my basement.

[Guest guest]

Dear Amar Atma/Charles-

 

I think you have really stepped over the line here, using a forum you moderate,

dedicated to Kundalini Yoga teachers and teachings to express your personal

political views. You have also stepped over the line, as a moderator, in using

Orwellian terms (personal health freedom) to attack any who may have a different

perspective. Is your point really that I don't support health freedom, because

it is quite clear I just have an alternate perspective on how to achieve it.

 

I believe, the next time you delve into a purely political approach, as you have

done here, you should list the following disclaimer, " I, Amar Atma/Charles

Frohman, do not believe that government is ever an appropriate vehicle for

solutions to problems. I believe in no limits on corporate control of our

environment or health. There is no argument, no matter how rational or

supported by facts, that could cause me the change this opinion on any issue. I

have chosen to act as a pundit, therefore, whose opinion can be fully determined

before any discussion or research. "

 

The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 (well it was passed earlier but it was

given teeth in 1970). Some studies show it reduced the amount of lead in the

bodies of Americans by 70% in the first year, others show it reduced the amount

of lead by 50% by 1980. This is one of many instances where government

involvement helped protect the livelihood of the populace.

 

Some readers say they will read Dr. Andrew Weil, etc. for advice. Well, Dr.

Weil doesn't do his own research (I have read some of what he has written on

supplements). He is basing his conclusions on the research of others. Who do

you think funds this independent research? Government grants, in this country

and others.

 

How is not knowing the effects of supplements on the body, except through

research done by the corporations selling the products, health freedom?

 

How would you even know that a label on a product is accurate?

 

Should we promote the right to children's " play freedom " to not know about lead

in toy products from China?

 

Should we promote the right to " canine freedom " to not know about poison in dog

food? After my dog dies of tainted food due to a lack of regulation, I will be

sure to be thankful that at least I chose that product for my dog, instead of

someone informing me ahead of time it had poison in it, or even *gasp* taking

away my right to buy poisoned dog food in the first place. Now that would be

awful.

 

Personally, I will continue to support independent research - which means,

usually, private non-profits funded by government grants, rather than trusting

all my life decisions to our corporate overlords.

 

I will also attempt to make my decisions aboutmy health on rational analysis,

not pre-determined one size fits all ideology.

 

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " cfroh " <cfroh wrote:

>

> Sat nam,

>

> It's perfectly OK to decline to help the natural health advocacy groups defend

health freedom.

[Guest guest]

Dharam, I think yogis will understand if I decline to let our " exchange " sink

deeper into the mud, sliding further and further away from the purpose of this

. So for my part, I'll just end with a reminder why I started this

post in the first place. We have been invited by two natural health advocacy

organizations to defend their access to supplements, recommended by Yogi Bhajan

in his Cleanses, from elimination if unapproved by FDA.

 

Here's the link to learn more or to get involved:

 

http://www.thenhf.com/press_releases/pr_04_feb_2010.html

 

And here's the link of the other health group that seeks our help.

 

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26714

 

Amar Atma