Mike Spencer's USANA vitamin regimen

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by rondrums, Feb 19, 2014.

ATTN: Our forums have moved here! You can still read these forums but if you'd like to participate, mosey on over to the new location.

  1. Angelea

    Angelea New Member

    3 months for me.
     
  2. John of Ohio

    John of Ohio New Member

    Katkniss, as I expected, you are unable to answer my questions about your dietary approach to Meniere's:

    1. What are the biochemical or biomechanical mechanisms of your preferred diet that suppress or otherwise control Meniere's symptoms? You have no idea. You just claim that your diet works. Fine, for those for whom it does.

    2. Why, then, don't massive numbers of Moderns, who eat the poor diets you avoid, get Meniere's? If a poor diet is the causative factor for Meniere's --- as your approach certainly implies --- why is Meniere's so rare? Hundreds of millions eat diets lacking the advantages of the one you promote but never get any Meniere’s symptoms. This rather strongly implies that diet is not a factor.

    I wouldn’t have asked these questions if I couldn’t answer them for the therapeutic approach I endorse, my Meniere’s Treatment Regimen (http://www.zoominternet.net/~kcshop/JOH.pdf).

    Let me answer the questions I posed for your approach:

    What are the biochemical or biomechanical mechanisms of the John of Ohio Meniere’s Treatment Regimen that in the majority of cases (>80%) bring enduring symptomatic relief?

    1. The lysine of the regimen substitutes for the amino acid arginine during herpes virus replication. An ample concentration of lysine displaces arginine in the new herpes viruses, rendering them unable to replicate, thereby suppressing the activity of the herpes infection in the inner ear. It is this infection that promotes an immune response by the body, resulting in inner ear inflammation that disrupts proper fluid dynamics in the inner ear, resulting in the hydrops (fluid accumulation) that presses upon adjacent nerves and tissues, resulting in all Meniere’s symptoms.

    2. The vinpocetine of the regimen is known to increase micro-circulation in body tissues, as here in the inner ear. By doing so, the increased circulation is more able to disperse accumulated hydropic fluids. This is the exact reason the vinpocetine is the drug of choice for Meniere’s among Russian physicians. German physicians have a high regard for the efficacy of vinpocetine, likewise.

    3. The bioflavonoid eriocitrin, the major bioflavonoid of the lemon bioflavonoids in my regimen, likewise increases circulation in the inner ear, but by a biomechanical mechanism different from vinpocetine. Vinpocetine dilates inner ear capillaries; eriocitrin increases capillary permeability to cellular interstitial fluids, facilitating their extraction by the enhanced circulation of these two regimen elements.

    4. Ginkgo extract likewise enhances inner ear circulation and promotes drainage of excess hydropic fluids. German ENTs prefer ginkgo as a first-line treatment for Meniere’s (behind SERC, betahistine, which is not generally available in the US — it, too, is a vasodilator and increases inner ear circulation).

    5. The methylsulfonylmethane, MSM, of the regimen, is known to suppress allergic inflammation, and there is evidence that such inflammation from the herpes virus or other allergens may be a Meniere’s factor.

    7. The sustained-release vitamin C of the regimen helps maintain an elevated serum ascorbic acid concentration, which is known to help the immune system suppress herpes viruses.

    8. Likewise with the mixed tocopherols vitamin E complex.

    So, the regimen works in four ways to suppress Meniere’s symptoms:

    1. The herpes virus infection that is the root cause of the majority of Meniere’s cases is suppressed by the lysine and the innate immune system, supported by the two vitamins.

    2. The accumulation of fluids, the symptom-causing hydrops, is suppressed by the enhanced circulation caused by the vinpocetine, the lemon bioflavonoids, and the ginkgo extract, each by a different but effective biomechanical method.

    3. The MSM restricts any inflammatory immune-system allergy response.

    4. The immune system’s ability to disable herpes viruses is enhanced by the vitamin C and the vitamin E mixed tocopherols.

    I’ve included nothing in the regimen for which I am ignorant of how it functions to bring symptomatic relief. I’ve spent years perfecting the regimen with personal trials of over a dozen similar substances. I am familiar with the biochemical and biomechanical mechanisms of all of the components of the regimen.

    I was hoping that you might have similar understandings of how and why your approach to Meniere’s works. When you find out, let us know.

    –John of Ohio
     
  3. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    When you say less animal protein, how many grams do you mean per day?

    Whole grains and dairy were the cause of my high inflammatory levels. I won't reintroduce them back in my diet. On occasion, once every 4 or 5 months, I'll eat something with gluten and the end result is generally the same, messed up sinuses and an increase in dizziness and brain fog.

    Contrary to what JOH says, diet is really huge when it comes to lowering the MM/MAV threshold. I would give it a serious try.

    The viral connection is theoretical, not factual. AVs work for some and don't work for others. That goes to show you that this is a syndrome, not a disease with a known cause and official cure..... as yet.
     
  4. John of Ohio

    John of Ohio New Member

    Guess who owns most of the VMS companies. Big Pharma.

    Three of the most reliable VMS retailers are NOT owned by external companies; certainly not by any pharmaceutical.

    VitaCost, Swanson's, and Vitamin Shoppe are solely owned.

    If you would, please tell us which pharmaceuticals own which VMS manufacturers? There are dozens upon dozens of VMS manufacturers. Just how "most" got bought up by five or ten Big Pharmas would be an interesting business school study.

    All Big Pharma companies are publicly owned, selling shares; are therefore listed with the SEC. Ownership of subsidiary companies is therefore a matter of public record. So that we can be "safe," tell which Big Pharma owns which VMS manufacturers? Inquiring minds would like to know.

    This is a pretty strong indictment. Any real evidence for this that can be presented? Or, is this a personal but unsupported opinion?

    --John of Ohio
     
  5. Angelea

    Angelea New Member

    There is no concrete evidence as to how much animal protein is too much. These conclusions can only be based on populations studies at this time and likely the answer would be different for different people based on too many individual factors to accurately assess. But as a general rule, as animal protein intake goes up, so do rates of certain types of cancer and other chronic diseases. No one can say for certain if it is the meat or the dietary habits/exposures of people who consume high meat diets. Correlation does not equal cause and effect. But I know I'm preaching to the choir, Intrepid. :)

    Not all whole grains contain gluten and there are certainly a subset of people who have significant difficutly digesting FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols) of which also includes lactose.
     
  6. Angelea

    Angelea New Member

    I never claimed "my diet" cured MD. I have no evidence that it does or should. But it is likely to improve the overall function of the immune system, decrease undesired inflammation in the body, and deliver an optimal amount of antioxidants in conjunction with the necessary co-nutrients required for their function.

    Everything you propose is conjecture. None of these substances have been studied in the context of treating the presumed etiology of MD.

    It is well-known that the vast majority of people have been infected with herpes. Not all develop signs or symptoms of infection. But even in the millions of people who do, only a small percentage get MD. So clearly herpes alone is not the cause of MD.

    I have nothing else to say on the subject. Everyone here are big boys and girls and I trust they will make the right decision for themselves. I simply wanted to offer an alternative viewpoint to the one that gets a lot of press around here.

    Btw, I ascribe to the conclusions that Stephen Spring has come to. He offers no easy answers and accepts that the cause and treatment of MD are very complex. My own conclusion is in alignment with his which is people with MD have a genetic predisposition to have immune dysfunction which results in not only MD, but eventually an inability to manage the continual insult from a host of infectious and usually noninfectious agents, as well as leading to multiple hypersensitivities to enviromental and food antigens.
     
  7. nwspin

    nwspin New Member

    Not taking sides on this thread but I felt this response from John was incorrect.

    Both Vitacost (VITC on NASDAQ) and Vitamin Shoppe (VSI on NYSE) are publicly traded companies not solely owned.

    If you google "Does Big Pharma invest in Vitamin & Supplement companies" this is the first article that came up along with others. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324392804578362073624344816

    Here is a quote from another article.

    "The pharmaceutical company Reckitt outbid Bayer to purchase Schiff nutrition for $1.4 billion. This marks the third large acquisition of its type this year. In February pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (makers of the popular multivitamin Centrum) boosted their already $1 billion a year nutritional supplements pipeline by buying out the maker of the popular Emergen C brand, Alacer Corp, for $360 million. Even Proctor and Gamble are expanding past their successful grooming and household care range, making a foray into the nutritional supplement world with their $250 million takeover of the organic supplement makers New Chapter. Many of us are engrained to believe it is either drugs or supplements, but the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t buy into this segregation. And, why should they, things have never been better for them. We are sicker than ever, and both industries are easily able to grow in tandem with each other. Right now more than 50% off the population is taking at least one nutritional supplement daily. In the US alone it’s worth an estimated $28 billion a year. The drug companies don’t want to quash the supplement industry, they want to own it. The most recent estimate is that within 5 years the pharmaceutical industry will be producing 50% of the nutritional supplements on the market."
     
  8. Imnoscientist

    Imnoscientist New Member

    I think you are living in fantasy land.

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/06/10/many-vitamins-supplements-made-by-big-pharmaceutical-companies/
     
  9. Imnoscientist

    Imnoscientist New Member

    Great article. Along the lines of what Katniss has been saying in this thread.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/21/how-lobbyists-will-keep-you-hooked-on-vitamins.html
     
  10. Imnoscientist

    Imnoscientist New Member

    For Big Pharma's production/ownership of VMS start here:

    http://www.pfizer.com/partnering/areas_of_interest/consumer_healthcare

    http://www.herron.com.au/Products Owned by Aspen Pharma

    http://www.sanofi.com.au/l/au/en/layout.jsp?scat=11FF229F-FD3D-405F-8AAA-94D6D08CC4B5 - produces VMS ranges - Nature's Own, Cenovis etc

    You don't have to look hard - just Google.
     
  11. Angelea

    Angelea New Member

    Excellent summary of the VMS industry. Recommend anyone taking supplements or considering taking them read this article as a kind of disclaimer acknowledging that VMS manufacturers are not what they want you to believe they are: altutristic, victims of Big Pharma, and "pure and natural." They are none of these things. AND there is nothing to stop anyone from making claims that VMS can treat or prevent conditions for which there is no sound evidence. True, they cannot state such on their labels, wesites, or other literature, but that doesn't prevent everyone from your nextdoor neighbor to a clerk in a health food store from claiming otherwise.
     
  12. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    I am more and more convinced that JOH is 100% irrational when it comes to VMS.
     
  13. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    Not just that but for John to praise VMS coming out of China bases on one or two reports is silly. The most tainted VMS in the world come out of China! Get real JOH.
     
  14. June-

    June- New Member

    JOH offers his observations free and openly. Take them or leave them. No need to make personal attacks. He's not stealing your money or limiting your choices.
     
  15. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    I can also offer you a bunch of free advice and treatments. Doesn't mean they are healthy for you or right for you. Also doesn't mean that they are harmless.
     
  16. June-

    June- New Member

    Agreed. But it wouldn't make you a bad person. It's what we all do here, is offer free advice based on our own experiences and the gentle reader takes it under consideration re his own case.
     
  17. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    I don't see any post stating that JOH is a bad person doing bad things. Not one.

    However, his posts are biased and the recent info on the VMS companies is erroneous.
     
  18. June-

    June- New Member

    His mental ability has been gratuitously attacked. The key word there is gratuitously. I dont agree with JOH on many things but he is not obtuse. In fact he is a lot more generous towards his detractors than they deserve, one might argue. But really, what is the reason for words like obtuse? I would surmise, it is an effort to get a fight going. Isnt is enough to be bounced once? What is the allure of this website that people just gotta come here to fight when there is the whole world wide web?
     
  19. John of Ohio

    John of Ohio New Member

    Forget it everyone. I take a handful of Chinese VMSs every day. I'm gonna die soon.

    And my 10 years of MM remission, in spite of all the VMS stuff I take to combat the disease, sooner or later will come to an end and I'll need a labyrinthectomy --- if I live that long.

    I can hardly sleep each night. Things are gonna get real bad for me, quick. I'm doomed.

    But it's been nice.

    --John of Ohio
     
  20. Vicki615

    Vicki615 New Member

    LOL John, I agree with June and you are a good sport (JOH) and take many negative comments without stooping to the posters level. That takes class and restraint.
     

Share This Page