UseYourBrainDiet.comFighting The Good Fight Against Diet Scams!

In a recent update to its advertising guidelines, social media giant MySpace changes the terms of what it deems acceptable as advertisement on its site, and products that make unsubstantiated health claims are specifically singled out. It appears My Space has had enough of those fad products and cheesy Photoshopped before and after pictures. For users of MySpace, who have been bombarded with such ads for a long time, this may come as a relief.

In the updated guidelines, it states that an advertiser within his or her ads must not "make any claim about a product or service (such as diet suppressant, wrinkle remover, or "guaranteed" results) unless it has been substantiated through research or surveys, and that support is publicly available via [their] MySpace profile or third party link from the ad". In this context, we take "support" in this case to mean to prove the efficacy of the product being promoted or link to a reputable site that does this.

It also states that ads must not "contain or imply inaccurate affiliation or endorsement" or "include CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS of any kind". So that should mean we’ve seen the end of "the Rachael Ray Diet" as well as others. It also specifies that the advertiser must not "use another person's or entity's trademark, service mark, slogan, logo, brand name, company name or other identifier unless such party grants prior permission or otherwise permitted by law" so that would rule out the "as seen on CBS or NBC". The intent of these guidelines, as it looks from our end, seems to be to protect legitimate institutions and individuals from being represented as promoting these products without their consent.

Undoubtedly responding to many customer complaints about having been ripped off because they missed something buried in the small print (or the no print in some cases) it states "Any advertiser page containing a transactional interface for the purpose of selling a good or service to the user must contain the full terms and conditions of the offer in an easily accessible manner."

We respect that MySpace has made this commitment to protecting its members by cleaning up advertisements and having quality standards that make advertisers accountable for representing bogus products. MySpace may lose a significant amount of revenue by prohibiting these types of Ads because it makes its money from the space it rents out. Those fad and scam products bought a significant amount of ad space, and without other advertisers willing to pay as much for that space… well you get the picture. We wanted to congratulate MySpace on taking the high road and hope that other sites and search engines will follow in their footsteps.

Read the new terms here.

We stumbled across this cool article on a site called The-F-Word.org. They caught and called the Acai craze early, but we somehow we missed them until now. We salute them.

Even though some of the links unfortunately no longer work (because the offending sites they call out have been since removed) the author’s investigation into Acai berry blogs and scams is pretty interesting. The comments were also interesting and also revealed a suspiciously familiar face… Jenny Conrad of the famous Jenny’s diet blog, or Ann’s diet blog! Yeah, apparently she goes by more than one name and has done the diet more than once!

Here she is in a couple of "her" blog(s):

• Jenny’s Diet Blog dot com
• Ann drops lbs dot com

Better yet, here's the actual stock photos that they used (and modified in adobe photoshop):

Amazing, isn’t it? How these scamsters managed to get away with this for sooooo long amazes me.

Ever catch someone in a lie and call them on it only to have them back up and change their story? Well take a look, it is hilarious to see how many fake diet blogs are right now have changed that miracle diet story from an amazing 30 pounds in 2 weeks to a pound a day or 60 pounds in 3 months. Before it was "the pounds easily melt away" and now it is "with a sensible diet and exercise". What they are doing (the smart crooks) is changing their fake testimonial to try to fit with something that is humanly possible so in case they get a knock on the door, they don’t get to go to jail.

So far, it’s not illegal to make a diet blog with an invented person as the spokesperson, and many people may be feeling like "everyone’s doing it" as new ones spring up. They aren’t even creative about it, that’s why they all follow the same basic formula, copying the original websites that did well with it. Those suggesting purchasing multiple products as a diet combo are most popular because the host of the site gets paid for selling... you guessed it... multiple products.

Why? Because there is huge money in the fad diet industry and almost any moron who can get a basic webpage up and can get a picture of the same person fat and skinny can make money. (This is in no way a suggestion to go into this industry as a career) It is our hope (and suspicion) that they will have to give it all back because their advertising messages were misleading to the public and many of their products, harmful if used as directed.

Thanks to our schooling, most residents in the U.S. have learned the basics of how the heart pumps blood through the body, and how to resuscitate someone who’s had a heart attack. We know sex leads to pregnancy and that can get you infected with transmissible viruses. These are some very important things to know, but doesn’t it seem strange that the average American really has no idea of how the body turns food into poop? Well, we know certain things of course: what you eat can effect how your stomach feels, that food has calories, and that if you don’t eat enough fiber you spend longer on the toilet. Why don’t we know more about our gastrointestinal tract? Maybe because it was not as interesting in 10th grade as the reproductive system and usually when you are young nothing dramatic or life threatening happens with it other than temporary things like hunger, stomach aches, diarrhea or throwing up.

[Disclaimer: We here at useyourbraindiet.com do not claim to be medical professionals. We are researchers and unpaid ones at that, so to prove that, in this article, rather than using more mature and disgusting terms such as bowel movement, stool, or feces, we will instead use the more immature and less disgusting terms like poop and going to the bathroom.]

Most people get the mouth through stomach part, so we’ll skip that. The food gets broken down in the stomach, and further broken down by enzymes from the liver and pancreas. The broken-down food is absorbed through the small intestine. As the food passes through the small intestine, the nutrients are absorbed. When the nutrients are pretty much gone, the liquid remains are passed into the colon.

The colon (also called the large intestine) is last in line, absorbing water and storing waste material until you are ready to go to the bathroom. A myth about the colon is that it gets build-up that won’t come out on its own, as advertisers of detoxifying products would have you believe it is somehow like a gunky pipe that needs some drain cleaner to make it right. This isn’t true. Imagine how you would feel if you were a colon and someone said that about you.

Colon cleansing has been around since the ancient Egyptians. They believed in a concept of auto-intoxication (basically the body making itself sick) as they imagined the food ingested into the body to be digested by the process of rotting. It isn’t too hard to imagine… poo smells bad and rotten food smells bad, logical conclusion for an ancient civilization. Hey, it beats “eat this Mercury, it’ll make you feel good”. The auto-intoxication concept spread to the Greeks and is even alive today, despite its inaccuracy. (Remember “bleeding” someone was once a medical treatment too.) The idea finally transformed into a more modern belief that the intestines store toxins the body is incapable of disposing of… toxins that require outside intervention to flush away. It’s been about 80-90 years since this “science” was abandoned. At this point, colon cleansing products are the only ones still promoting this idea, medical doctors don’t support it. You wouldn’t know this because almost every site on the internet writing about basic colon function are actually sites that promote colon cleansing products or practitioners. So unfortunately, many people looking for information can be mislead into thinking colon cleansing is an important part of keeping their colon healthy.

Why should you avoid colon cleansing or colon irrigation?

First of all: because you don’t need it. Maybe you are constipated every now and then and need a laxative… that isn’t the same as needing to flush your body of toxins. Your colon sheds its cells every few days, basically self-cleaning. Flushing it may disrupt natural healthy bacteria and its ability to function optimally.

Second of all: because you can hurt yourself. Really? Prolonged or intensive cleansing programs can lead to anemia, malnutrition, and even heart failure. Regular use of enemas can foster dependence, and hamper your ability to do your business on your own unassisted.

Third of all: this is included because some products out there are not pushing their product as a detoxifier as much as a diet (or part of) a diet-to-lose-weight solution. Flushing out your system is not going to help you lose weight, sorry. It’s just going to get rid of the nutrients that were being processed to nourish your body.

Our theory on why people still buy this: the laxative or self-irrigation angle gets used to promote fad diets because a dieter is already a person who is emotional, and who can see the immediate results of using the product when standing on the scale. Often those numbers are what matters to the dieter, not whether the weight difference is a loss of fat, muscle, water or poop.

Resources

• USC: Ileo-Pouch Anal Anastomosis Guide
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-cleansing/AN00065
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2668399
• http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural-colon-cleansing-is-it-necessary
• http://www.ncahf.org/articles/c-d/caquackery.html

Here are a few things that most internet consumers don’t know...

1. Many imported herbal pills are shipped in blank bottles to purchasing companies who then put on their labels and packaging. What this means to you is that two supplements that each claim to have a superior blend of this or that, may likely be the same product. The only difference between them is the company marketing them… how they say to use the product, how serious they take customer service, etc.
2. Some products are set up to be scams. They are set up to cheat you out of your money once, figuring they can get away with it with enough people in a short span of time to make it worth their while. Remember, if their brand X starts to get exposed as a cheat, they can always just slap a new brand Y label on their product and start anew with an untarnished reputation. You have seen this “fool me once” approach recently with Acai Berry companies that have offered a free trial where customers don’t have a chance to use the product before they are charged the first month’s subscription fee, in some cases more.
3. Some products employ writers, especially fad products, because they are riding a wave. They are riding a wave that will eventually crash because they are selling an ineffective product, or a product that is marketed to do something it isn’t good at. Strangely, there are actually a lot of people paid to write articles all day long on review sites and blogs. These folks write as many positive reviews about the product as possible to make it look like the few people complaining about the product are in the vast minority. When you think about it, this strategy (although admittedly a rubbish technique) is much cheaper and more effective than running commercials. People are immune to commercials, not to blogs or reviews. Even highly educated people are taken in by these tactics.
4. This is where we meet what we call the “scamwitch”. Let’s say you’ve gotten burned once or you have your doubts about a product. This compels you to feel doubtful about the product and look for information that may be more real than promotional. You run into “Look out for those [insert product name] Scams!” or “Very Dangerous, watch out for [insert product name]!” websites.
   
   These are the other half of the scam. Speaking metaphorically… Let’s say a guy just picked your pocket and took your wallet. Shortly afterwards another guy rushes to your aid offering to report your credit cards stolen on his mobile phone... and then he keeps the credit card numbers instead.

The point is, look at these other sites. They offer you tactics like “Brand X (now defunct company) is a scam! Let us show you other brands like Brand Y and Z, which are great! Read our customer reviews to learn the truth.” Other tactics include “Brand X, is dangerous, beware. Use Brand Z to ensure your safety.” These “helpful stranger” websites are out to sell you what might even be the same product from the same folks who you had the trouble with in the beginning.

I was digging through Google today looking for more places that are talking about the acai blog scams and I found this great web site and blog post: Cranky Fitness Talks About The 1 Rule Diet Blogs

Fantastic. Just fantastic Cranky, thanks for helping inform people about this junk! And thanks for clicking on the ads yourself so they don't have to

A recent nationwide alert by the FDA relates directly to weight loss pills.  This bulletin is put out to inform consumers about products which it refers to as “tainted”.  While it is seeking a recall of these products, which are marketed in some retail stores and on the internet, you may still be able to purchase them for some time or find that you or someone you know owns them already.  If you have been using any of the products listed here, it is suggested that stop using them immediately and contact your doctor.

Here is a list of the products they warn about:

So if you’re wondering what in the world “tainted” means, as it sounds like some sort of werewolf curse, here is the issue:   Many of these products contain undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients, even sometimes prescription drugs that greatly exceed recommended dosages.  Many of these are marketed as “dietary supplements” claiming to be natural and do not mention other active ingredients that are present.   So even if you are one of those people who reads the back of every package and are otherwise careful with your health, you can still find yourself in harm’s way.  These ingredients could put a person at risk for a drug interaction or other serious health complication.

Here are (undeclared) active pharmaceutical agents common to some of the products:

Sibutramine – (Brand name is Meridia, a weight loss prescription drug) It has a laundry list of possible drug interactions and according to the FDA “can cause high blood pressure, seizures, tachycardia, palpitations, heart attack or stroke.”

Rimonabant -  also an anti-obesity prescription drug which helps reduce appetite.  It is not approved for use in the United States.  There is evidence that the drug can cause severe depression along with anxiety and panic attacks in people with no history of those problems.  It is even speculated that the drug could promote neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system such as MS, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinsons in susceptible individuals.

Phenytoin – an anti-seizure medication (Brand name is Dilantin).  The dangers here are the abrupt withdrawal of the drug in an epileptic patient may cause severe seizures.  Another alarming potential as reported by mentalhealth.com: “There have been a number of reports suggesting a relationship between phenytoin and the development of lymphadenopathy (local or generalized) including benign lymph node hyperplasia, pseudolymphoma, lymphoma, and Hodgkin's Disease.”

Phenolphthalein –.  This has been described by the FDA as “A solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer causing agent”.   It has been used for many years for its laxative properties but has been curbed recently due to concerns about cancer.

Bumetanide -  (Brand name Bumex) A diuretic drug (sometimes referred to as water pills) used to treat edema associated with heart failure, liver or kidney disease.  It is also a drug that can be taken for weight loss but its use may result in serious electrolyte depletion.   It is recommended to only take this medication under a doctor’s regular supervision.

Unfortunately inside many of these magic pills are hidden dangers, and it is unfortunate that these unscrupulous products use “herbal supplements” as a way of avoiding detection.  If you have experienced a problem with any drug product, you can report your experience directly to the FDA to help stop the distribution of unsafe products.

Resources:

• http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01933.html
• http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00835.html
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6755665.stm
• http://www.rxmedscanada.com/acomplia-rimonabant.php
• http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-d05.html#Head_6
• http://www.rxlist.com/bumex-drug.htm#
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR602523

Ever minding your own business when you get cut off by a rude driver who then attracts the attention of a cop and gets pulled over? Well we have heard whispers (we can’t confirm) that some of the fake diet blogs are attracting the attention of none other than the FTC and FDA with some involvement from the FBI. Go get ‘em boys! If you go looking for reviews of some of these miracle Acai berry product sites, there are a whole bunch of customers writing about never having even received the product or having been billed extra. Maybe that’s what caught their attention?

It’s also pretty amazing how many topic discussion sites devoted to Acai are completely bombarded by people who praise the product up and down and then link to pages that are advertisements to buy that product. Notice almost every topic discussion hosted by Acai promoting sites don’t have any negative reviews of the product? When has that ever been the case with the internet? Someone somewhere isn’t going to like the taste of it or is going to associate the product with the stomach flu they caught from their cousin. The point is that someone is always going to complain, and you will see those complaints unless they are being censored. Censorship ticks us off. (Of course the hypocrisy is that we would like liars to be censored, and that is sort of the point of this).

It’s interesting to see if we get government intervention on the internet about these things. I suppose the "diet blog" fad is kind of like a disease most people don’t have immunity to. When people see fake blogs, they don’t have the same defense that they would have to say… an infomercial (which is really what they really are). It seems like people see these diet blogs and are more inclined to think it’s like the advice of a friend, just another normal person who’s just writing about their life. We’ve all had something at one time or another that got us so excited that we wanted to share it with the world, so when we see those blogs, they pass under the radar. Some day maybe everyone will all have the immunity to fake blogs, but until then we’ll keep ours going. Thanks for reading!