Misplaced Pages

Robert O. Young: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 02:11, 7 September 2012 editAnachronist (talk | contribs)Edit filter managers, Autopatrolled, IP block exemptions, Administrators67,297 edits Undid lengthy unsourced commentary added by Adecoratingmom (talk)← Previous edit Revision as of 02:14, 7 September 2012 edit undoAdecoratingmom (talk | contribs)22 editsm →Legal issues: The sources that you site have been contacted to retract. There is no legal findings for these references. The arrest records do not exist. Dr. Young records are clear of the arrests. The newspapers references are false.Tag: section blankingNext edit →
Line 33: Line 33:


Live blood analysis is used by alternative medical practitioners, who claim it to be a valuable qualitative assessment of a person's state of health. Live blood analysis lacks scientific foundation, and has been described as a fraudulent means of convincing patients to buy ]s and as a medically useless "money-making scheme".<ref name="sdut-2005"/><ref name="ernst">{{cite news | last = Ernst |first = Edzard |authorlink = Edzard Ernst | date = 2005-07-12| url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1526339,00.html | title = Intrigued by the spectacular claims made for Live Blood Analysis? Don't be. It doesn't work | work= ] | accessdate= 2008-11-17}}</ref><ref name="freyer">{{cite news | last = Freyer | first = Felice | date = 2005-06-21 |title = Chiropractor ordered to halt blood tests| work= ]| url = http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20050621_chiro21.2342042.html }}</ref> Live blood analysis has been described by the ] as an "unestablished laboratory test", or test that is not generally accepted in laboratory medicine.<ref name="CLIA">{{cite web | url = http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-05-00-00250.pdf | format = PDF | title = CLIA regulation of unestablished laboratory tests | publisher = ] | date = July 2001}}</ref> Live blood analysis is used by alternative medical practitioners, who claim it to be a valuable qualitative assessment of a person's state of health. Live blood analysis lacks scientific foundation, and has been described as a fraudulent means of convincing patients to buy ]s and as a medically useless "money-making scheme".<ref name="sdut-2005"/><ref name="ernst">{{cite news | last = Ernst |first = Edzard |authorlink = Edzard Ernst | date = 2005-07-12| url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1526339,00.html | title = Intrigued by the spectacular claims made for Live Blood Analysis? Don't be. It doesn't work | work= ] | accessdate= 2008-11-17}}</ref><ref name="freyer">{{cite news | last = Freyer | first = Felice | date = 2005-06-21 |title = Chiropractor ordered to halt blood tests| work= ]| url = http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20050621_chiro21.2342042.html }}</ref> Live blood analysis has been described by the ] as an "unestablished laboratory test", or test that is not generally accepted in laboratory medicine.<ref name="CLIA">{{cite web | url = http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-05-00-00250.pdf | format = PDF | title = CLIA regulation of unestablished laboratory tests | publisher = ] | date = July 2001}}</ref>

==Legal issues==
In 1995, Young allegedly drew blood from two women, told them they were ill, and then sold them herbal products to treat these illnesses. He was charged with two third-degree ] of practicing medicine without a ], but ] to a reduced ] charge.<ref name="dn-1996">{{cite news | url = http://www.deseretnews.com/article/469857/HERBALIST-IN-ALPINE-PLEADS-GUILTY-TO-REDUCED-CHARGE.html | title = Herbalist in Alpine pleads guilty to reduced charge | work = ] | date = February 5, 1996 | accessdate = July 20, 2008}}</ref><ref name="sdut-2005">, by Logan Jenkins. Published in the '']'' on April 11, 2005; accessed July 20, 2008.</ref> Young argued that he had never claimed to be a medical doctor, that the women had ] him by asking to be part of his research, and that he "looked at the women's blood and simply gave them some nutritional advice."<ref name="dn-1996"/>

In 2001, Young was again charged with a felony in Utah, after a cancer patient alleged that Young told her to stop ] and to substitute one of his products to treat her cancer. Subsequently, when an undercover agent visited Young, he allegedly analyzed her blood and prescribed a liquid diet. The case was taken to preliminary trial, but charges were dropped after the prosecutor stated that he could not find enough people who felt cheated by Young.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/young3.html |title=A Critical Look at "Dr." Robert Young's Theories and Credentials |publisher=Quackwatch.org |date= |accessdate=2011-09-19}}</ref> Young dismissed the arrests as "harassment" and stated that he moved to California because the legal climate there was more tolerant.<ref name="sdut-2005"/>


==Kim Tinkham== ==Kim Tinkham==

Revision as of 02:14, 7 September 2012

For other people named Robert Young, see Robert Young (disambiguation).
Robert O. Young
Robert O. Young
BornMarch 6, 1952
Occupation(s)Author, naturopath
Known forpH Miracle book series

Robert O. Young (born 1952) is an American entrepreneur and author of alternative medicine books promoting an alkaline diet. His most popular works are the "pH Miracle" series of books, which outline his beliefs about holistic healing and an "alkalarian" lifestyle. According to a book review by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, portions of his diet such as the emphasis on eating green leafy vegetables and exercise would likely be a healthy. However, the "obscure theory" on which his diet is based on and the reliance on complicated fasting regimens and nutritional supplements means that this diet "is not a healthy way to lose weight."

Young resides in Alpine, Utah as well as at Rancho Del Sol, an avocado and grapefruit ranch in Valley Center, California, with his wife, Shelley Redford Young. Together, they run the pH Miracle Center, farm alkaline fruits and vegetables, hold health retreats, and teach live blood analysis and seminars on what they refer to as "The New Biology", which promotes an alkaline diet and a physically active, low-stress lifestyle.

Background

According to Young's website, he is a great-great grandson of Brigham Young and Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, King of Norway and Sweden. Young's website also states that he attended the University of Utah on a tennis scholarship and studied biology and business in the early 1970s, after which he did missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years in London. He received several degrees from Clayton College of Natural Health, a now defunct unaccredited distance learning school. These include an Masters degree in nutrition (1993), a D.Sc. with emphasis in chemistry and biology (1995), a Ph.D. (1997) and an N.D. (Doctor of Naturopathy, 1999).

Published books

Young has authored a series of best-selling books and videos titled The pH Miracle (2002), The pH Miracle for Diabetes (2004), The pH Miracle for Weight Loss (2005), and "The pH Miracle Revised" (2010). Other books he has authored include Herbal Nutritional Medications (1988), One Sickness, One Disease, One Treatment (1992), Sick and Tired (1995), Back to the House of Health (1999), and Back to the House of Health 2 (2003). According to Young's website, the pH Miracle books have sold more than 1,000,000 copies as of February, 2012, and have been translated into 21 different languages.

Work

Young promotes an alkaline diet. He claims that health depends primarily on proper balance between an alkaline and acid environment in the human body, and that an acid environment causes cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, yeast overgrowth, flu, skin disorders, and other diseases. Young writes about pleomorphism, a school of thought which was prominent in late-19th-century microbiology but which fell out of favor with the advent of modern germ theory. Young's fundamental claim is that the human body is alkaline by design and acidic by function, and that there is only one disease (acidosis) and one treatment (an alkaline diet).

Young's books recommend a low-stress lifestyle and a high-water-content, high-chlorophyll, plant-based diet. He recommends moderate intake of high-carbohydrate vegetables, some grains, and fresh fish. Young recommends abstaining from "acidic" foods—sugar, red meat, shellfish, eggs, dairy, processed and refined foods, stored grains, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, and sodas—because he believes that such foods overload the body with acidity and cause disease. Young claims that disorders such as weight gain, water retention, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and tumors are all life-saving mechanisms for dealing with excess acidity in the body. Young's writings commonly explain these theories using a "fish tank" metaphor that compares the environment of the human body to a fish tank.

Research supporting alkaline diets, like that promoted by Young, is limited to in vitro and animal studies. A number of recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the medical literature have concluded that there is no evidence that alkaline diets are beneficial to humans. According to the National Council Against Health Fraud, a 2005 MEDLINE search indicated that Young had not published any research in recognized scientific journals.

Nutritional microscopy

Main article: Live blood analysis

Young bases some of his theories, research, and written works on the alternative medical approach of live blood analysis. Young teaches microscopy courses in which he trains people to perform live blood analysis as well as dry blood analysis. Young has also stated that he teaches live blood analysis solely for research and educational purposes, and not for use in diagnosing medical conditions—an important legal distinction.

Live blood analysis is used by alternative medical practitioners, who claim it to be a valuable qualitative assessment of a person's state of health. Live blood analysis lacks scientific foundation, and has been described as a fraudulent means of convincing patients to buy dietary supplements and as a medically useless "money-making scheme". Live blood analysis has been described by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as an "unestablished laboratory test", or test that is not generally accepted in laboratory medicine.

Kim Tinkham

In 2007, Kim Tinkham, diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, adopted Young's protocols after appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She enthusiastically promoted them on her website "cancerangel.org". Young in turn used Tinkham's story in a 2008 press release asserting that she was "cancer free by all medical terms". The same press release asserted his five degrees, including three doctorates, while saying he "is not a medical or naturopathic doctor or practicing as such." Young was criticized following Tinkham's death of cancer on December 7, 2010.

References

  1. ^ "Authors Say Key to Health is in the Blood". Arizona Tribune. May 30, 2002. Retrieved Apr 01, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ Young, Robert (2001). Sick and Tired. pp. 9–11. ISBN 1-58054-030-9. Cite error: The named reference "sickTired" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. Young, Robert (2002). The pH Miracle. pp. 1–11. ISBN 0-446-52809-9.
  4. ^ pH Miracle Living, About Us
  5. "The pH Miracle for Weight Loss Book Review". Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. Utah County Property Owners 2008
  7. "pH Miracle Press Release for pH Miracle book series" (Press release). Phmiracleliving.com. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
  8. ^ Robert Young Website Media Kit
  9. The Alkalarian Approach to Optimal Health
  10. Cite error: The named reference dn-1996 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. "In Search for Alternative..." WCMessenger. Retrieved Jul, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. Young, Robert. Overacidity and Overgrowth of Yeast, Fungus and Moulds. Canada Consumer Health. May 1997.
  13. Young, Robert (2002). The pH Miracle. pp. 37, 41, 50–80. ISBN 0-446-52809-9.
  14. ^ Young, Robert (2002). The pH Miracle. pp. 58, 81–91. ISBN 0-446-52809-9.
  15. Karr, Chris (2007). Crazy Sexy Cancer. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-59921-231-9.
  16. Alkaline Diets and Cancer: Fact or Fiction?, by Stephanie Vangsness, R.D., L.D.N. Intelihealth, published May 3, 2006; accessed July 17, 2008.
  17. Fenton TR, Tough SC, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Hanley DA (2011). "Causal assessment of dietary acid load and bone disease: a systematic review & meta-analysis applying Hill's epidemiologic criteria for causality". Nutr J. 10: 41. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-41. PMC 3114717. PMID 21529374.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  18. Fenton TR, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Hanley DA (2009). "Meta-analysis of the effect of the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis on calcium balance". J. Bone Miner. Res. 24 (11): 1835–40. doi:10.1359/jbmr.090515. PMID 19419322. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. Fenton TR, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Hanley DA (2009). "Phosphate decreases urine calcium and increases calcium balance: a meta-analysis of the osteoporosis acid-ash diet hypothesis". Nutr J. 8: 41. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-8-41. PMC 2761938. PMID 19754972.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  20. "'Dr.' Robert O. Young lacks legitimate credentials". Consumer Health Digest. National Council Against Health Fraud. April 5, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference sdut-2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. Ernst, Edzard (2005-07-12). "Intrigued by the spectacular claims made for Live Blood Analysis? Don't be. It doesn't work". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  23. Freyer, Felice (2005-06-21). "Chiropractor ordered to halt blood tests". Providence Journal.
  24. "CLIA regulation of unestablished laboratory tests" (PDF). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. July 2001.
  25. ""Cancer Angel: The Explanation of What Cancer Is and Its Prevention and Cure" Speaking Tour Begins Tuesday, January 15, 2008" (Press release). January 14, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  26. David Gorski. "Death by "alternative" medicine: Who's to blame? (Revisited)". ScienceBasedMedicine.org.
  27. Van Bockstaele. "Kim Tinkham, the woman whom Oprah made famous, dead at 53". Digital Journal.

External links

Media related to Robert Young (author) at Wikimedia Commons

Template:Persondata

Categories: