I was excited to attend and lecture at this year’s Health Freedom Expo in Chicago. When things got underway, my anticipation was exceeded by what I experienced. Thousands of people attended this year’s expo to learn about new health products, technologies, listen to lectures, and learn about the difficulties that alternative health advocates are facing.
I was honored to be on a panel titled: Heroes of the Health Freedom Movement. Along with nationally syndicated radio host Robert Scott Bell, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Kevin Trudeau, John Gray (who wrote Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus), Dr. Hal Huggins, and the amazingly funny and passionate Dick Gregory, I spoke about the challenges and joys of being a “thought leader” in the alternative health movement. Who knew I was a thought leader?!
I shared my story of challenging New York State Governor’s wife Michelle Paige Paterson on the prevalence of sugary, flavored milks in our public schools. Let me tell you, if you’ve never made a verbal stand against outrageous policy to a governor’s wife, it’s a little nerve wracking. But it was worth it!
I also shared my stories of trying to make changes and bring awareness to my son’s pre-school about the quality and health of snacks, party food, and food colorings. I’m happy to report that my son’s teachers are very accommodating and willing to work with me to make improvements. Still, constant vigilance is necessary to make sure that the best quality ingredients are brought into our schools.
After the lecture, which was attended by hundreds of expo goers, the panel adjourned to a reception where we all skipped the complimentary wine, and enjoyed sparkling water and conversation. My lecture on Sunday, titled “How A Vegan Diet Will Save The World!” was a blast!
This year’s Health Freedom Expo was a great success, and I would be happy to return for a third time. I encourage everyone interested in alternative, natural health to check out the website and stay informed about the state of our health freedoms.
Organized by the Health Keepers Alliance, this annual expo presents valuable information to the public and continues to inspire attendees and lecturers alike.
(P.S. Like my killer new turquoise bag? It’s vegan! EenaMaria is a great designer offering loads of cruelty-free bags at low, low prices on Target.com)
After watching Jamie Oliver on Friday nights, my eyes have been opened wide to the challenges in changing food policy in our country. It’s ridiculous the number of hoops that need to be jumped through and set on fire to get stuff done! You are a trooper for sticking it out and working on making those changes.
It was an absolute pleasure hearing you speak and finally meeting you in person (I’ve been a fan for years). Hopefully next year, you will have a two hour slot at the Expo. I believe I speak for most everyone who attended your lecture on Sunday that we all want to hear more of what you have to say. You’re a wonderful teacher, an inspiration and I thank you. (I wasn’t able to attend the panel on Saturday, but I did buy the dvd so that I can watch it this weekend.)
Kevin “Aids is a Hoax” Trudeau? That fraud? You must be kidding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Trudeau
“The consumer protection website Quackwatch analyzed a transcript of the infomercial used to sell the book and said the claims were fraudulent and misleading.[11] Other doctors have expressed serious concerns that the book’s instructions, such as stopping all medication and refusing vaccinations, are not only misleading but harmful. Some of the claims in the book are disputed, such as the claim for a “natural cure” for diabetes that was researched at the University of Calgary. The University insists that “there have been no human studies conducted at the University of Calgary in the past 20 years on herbal remedies for diabetes.”[10]
The New York State Consumer Protection Board issued a 2005 warning that the book contains no actual cures, merely “page after page after page of pure speculation.”[12] The Board also stated that consumers have complained that the book is merely an advertisement for Trudeau’s website and newsletter, at a cost of $71 per month. The book also contains a dustcover endorsement from former FDA commissioner Herbert Ley, who died several years before the book was published. A spokesperson for the Board stated that “The hypocrisy surrounding this book and its advertisements is galling because people with real illnesses are being misled…This book and its marketing machine are a cynical attempt by Mr. Trudeau to cash in on his legal troubles with the federal government.”[12] Another posting by the Board stated that Trudeau was selling the information provided by those who order the book to junk mailers, telemarketers and other direct marketers. Trudeau’s website lacks a privacy policy, and thus customers are not made aware of Trudeau’s use of their information. Customers have also reported being charged $71 per month without their consent for Trudeau’s newsletter, as well as problems with refunds, and only being able to access Trudeau’s company for a refund through a long-distance call rather than the toll-free line used to purchase products.[13]”
More Natural “Cures” Revealed
“In May 2006, Trudeau self-published More Natural “Cures” Revealed: Previously Censored Brand Name Products That Cure Disease. This book responded to complaints that its earlier version did not actually contain any cures but pointed consumers to his subscription website. In More Natural “Cures” Revealed, Trudeau says that workers at the FDA and FTC want to censor him and, figuratively, burn his books. In his review of the book for LiveScience.com science writer Christopher Wanjek described this as “a fascinating cross between a health book, fictitious novel, and a paranoid, hate-filled rant along the lines of ‘Mein Kampf.’”[14]
I like all things vegan, but I can really do without such science-denying quackery. Please get a clue!
I’m really interested in the current legal push against Trudeau by the US government. While I may not agree with what is in his books, I believe in his right to publish and speak his mind freely. That was one of the aspects of this conference – protecting all Americans’ rights to speak about health alternatives. It’s up to all of us to protect the basic rights, whether we agree with what they’re saying or not, of free speech.
It’s also up to each of us to weigh the opinions and facts of what we’re presented with and decide what we believe to be true.
Keep your eyes open and being outspoken, Stoic Vegan! I love it when people call others on their BS!
Alexandra
I’m all for free speech too Alexandra, but (as I am sure you are aware) there are limits. Just as one cannot falsely shout “fire!” in a crowded movie theater and cause a panic that results in injury or even death, an individual that sells snake oil cures by quoting non-existent scientific studies is not only a liar, he may be causing similar harm or even death to those gullible enough to believe in his “cures.”
And don’t get me wrong — “modern” medicine certainly offers up its share of snake oil cures as well. But while there are ailments and maladies where mainstream medicine doesn’t yet have adequate science to know the causes, let alone the cure, there are indeed things that we do know. As a person who has had a few friends pass away from the dreaded AIDS virus, I’m not only offended but outraged that someone can call it a “hoax” and then turn around an offer his “natural cure” for the disease (for the low, low price of $999), not to mention his “cures” for cancer, diabetes, etc.
As far as I can tell, the government isn’t prosecuting Trudeau for speaking freely — they are prosecuting him for fraud. Free speech and fraud are two different things. Trudeau’s free speech rights on such matters end when his speech harms or fleeces his customers, and it appears that there is plenty of evidence that he has done this. It’s not that his free speech rights are being trampled (no one from the government has banished him from publishing books such as “Natural Cures”), he is simply not being allowed to sell products (like “coral calcium”) using false claims and lies.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral.html