Great article, Go Gadget go…

Great. The old “doctors once prescribed thalidomide too!!” argument. Meaning, AZT is just a drug that the big pharma companies are pushing on everyone through shills but is really hurting people. This shows that Nic doesn’t for a second believe that Holford is JUST “saying things like ‘Take Vitamin C’”.

Moonflake, the problem with the smartest people we know, is that they are simply more sure they are right when they are not. The rest of us lunkheads have to rely on “science” and “studies” instead of being able to conceptualize what people like Holford are trying to get across. Some people are just smart enough to not need evidence anymore.

As to my comment, I am being facetious about the water drinking, but I was being completely factual about the vitamin C. I am not saying you shouldn’t take vitamin C. I am saying that the research shows that megadoses of vitamin C, when taken for colds, have no more effect that normal doses of vitamin C, which is contrary to what Holford claims. I am not suggesting anyone do anything other than read the current research, familiarise themselves with the studies, and then act on that information. You shouldn’t listen to me any more than you should listen to Holford, neither of us are experts, but the difference is that I will direct you to a peer reviewed publication on PubMed to support my position, whereas Holford will suggest you buy his books.

As to the AZT comment, I will quote Holford’s exact words and you can make up your own mind:

“What I have said in the latest edition of my book, the New Optimum Nutrition Bible… is that ‘AZT, the first prescribable anti-HIV drug, is potentially harmful and proving less effective than vitamin C’.”

As to the self-granted qualification, i was incorrect in calling it a ‘doctorate’, it was in fact Holford’s qualification as a nutritionist, his honourary ND, that he conferred upon himself as director of ION. Some have questioned his qualification to call himself a nutritionist based on this fact, but as I’m sure you are well aware the term ‘nutritionist’ is not legally protected and no qualifications whatsoever are required to call yourself one. So I guess it doesn’t matter whether he gave himself the diploma or not, and whether it’s honourary or not, since it’s worth exactly the same either way.

As one of your listeners, I only ask that you research your guests thoroughly before putting them on your show and your website. You are probably one of the smartest people in entertainment today, and you have an amazing opportunity to present millions of listeners with things that are true rather than things that are popular, to change their way of thinking for the better in a truly non-random act of kindness. I’m not impressed by Ben Goldacre going to med school, I’m impressed by him backing up his opinions with verifiable facts that are publically accessible. I only wish you would be impressed by the same, more so than a charming smile and a smooth patter. If you really want to give your listeners good nutritional advice, consult a dietician. They actually have to take the Hippocratic Oath and register with the HPCSA and back up their claims with science, unlike nutritionists.

As to who I am, I don’t give out my details here because this blog attracts nutcases. The nudity you should be used to, being famous and all

Let’s be honest, though. We could, if we wanted to, read from your email that you’re saying we shouldn’t drink water (because it could kill us) or take Vitamin C (because you claim suggestions that it’ll help my immune system fend off colds are rubbish). Then I could call you a quack and start a paranoid moonflakeWatch website. I’m just not sure it’s fair, and I’m not sure – if we’re town-crying the importance of checking our facts – that we should jump to believe too much of what we read online or in the papers.

You’ve made some claims, and the best I can do is to give you my experience of them. I’ve never seen Holford try to pass himself off as a doctor. In the front of the only two books I can find lying around at work, he’s suggested very explicitly that people with serious medical conditions contact medical doctors or nutritionists to talk to them, instead of simply following his advice. I’ve never heard or read that he has a doctorate: honorary, self-awarded or otherwise. He’s never called himself Dr Holford. When we chatted about the AZT-vs-Vit C story, he said he’d been misquoted and that he was encouraging human trials that haven’t been done – have they? Are there results? I’m sure he could be wrong, and I’m as far from a disciple as is possible.

Frankly, I don’t really care, I certainly don’t believe that Vitamin C is more effective than AZT. At issue here is that he hasn’t, at least in my chats with him, ever claimed that. I’m absolutely behind an AZT roll-out and continue to feel that HIV/AIDS is, imho, the single most important issue facing this country. That said, I really hope you’re also reading studies about the efficacy of drugs like AZT, instead of simply being hugely impressed by guys like Ben having spent six years at med school. It wasn’t too long ago that doctors (real ones!) were pushing thalidomide for morning sickness?

Now, you had a go about us putting him on the radio. My response to that was, and still is, that he’s saying things like Take Vitamin C (I’ll assume you don’t honestly think that’s a bad idea), drink water (ditto), eat seeds. It’s not rocket science, but it will, as far as I’m concerned, improve people’s general well-being.

Hope that helps.

p.s. I always feel a bit naked in these forums, since people hide their opinions behind monikers. Where/when did we debate together?

Seriously, you may think those of us who bother to check the facts are a ‘fringe’ element, but that doesn’t mean we’re not right. Do yourself a favour and do some reading on Mr. Holford. Read what Dr. (a real one this time) Ben Goldacre over at The Guardian has to say about Holford. Take some time to peruse HolfordWatch. Then see if you still think he’s just a guy who tells people to drink water and take vitamin c for colds.

I seem to remember that I likened you to a child in the playground. I’ll look up the post and get back to you.

Moonflake: http://www.ballacorkish.net/6000/750.html & http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/11/10-awesome-gadg.html

But then, I have never liked him. Full stop.