Official LegendaryLife.com Blog

Seems like every once in a while, there is a show (in this case, a confirmed hoax) that really sparks worldwide condemnation even if it actually serves a greater good.

The State of Organ Donations

People around the world are truly upset at how a TV show by Dutch TV channel BNN, which also created “Big Brother”, could have even done such an evil thing as possibly awarding a much needed organ for our entertainment but let’s look at some (although dated) very sobering facts.

USA

• There is a constant critical shortage of organs, in 2002 out of the 80 thousand waiting patience, less then 13 thousand organs where made available
• Organ transplantation waiting lists are growing at a faster rate then that of organ donation
• In 2001, over 6 thousand people DIED waiting for a much needed organ

Canada

• Between 1996 and 2000, waiting lists grew 62% while number of transplants grew by just 22%
• By 2001, there where almost 4 thousand patients waiting for organs
• In 1999, 170 people waiting for an organ died due to their condition which represented 40% of those ON the list

Organ Donation Rates (worldwide)

• USA: 22 per million
• Canada: 15 per million
• Europe: 15 per million

Let’s put this into perspective

In 2001, there where a reported 2,416,425 deaths reported in the United States, which includes 6 thousand waiting transplant patients representing 0.2% of this total. Based on this, more people died simply WAITING for an organs to be made available to them than almost twice the number that died during the September 11th terrorists attacks in New York City, yet, where is the worldwide outcry? Where is the hundreds of billions of fresh investment into educational and alternative technologies that benefit the health of ALL of mankind? Where are the UN resolutions upon resolutions casting a solid mandate towards solving this solvable problem? Where is the leadership? The sad fact is, diseases and health simply are NOT a high priority until they are needed by those in power. If you keep tabs on the marketing you see around you and you will quickly realize that there is far MORE money spent by companies promoting alcohol and tobacco consumption to the general public then those promoting healthy lifestyles!

What does all this mean?

If you believe in God, screw asking for a great afterlife, if you are in need of a transplantation, ask to live long enough for a donor to become available!

BNN Chairman defends the show

I don’t know if at the end of the show, the hoax was simply a way out of the controversy or the original intent was to actually award the organ, but I am happy that once again, a REAL AND GROWING problem has been pushed to the forefront around the world. As the chairman of BNN (Laurens Drillich) states while defending the show from the great criticism he and his network has received:

“At least in this case… the contestants in the show have a 33 percent chance of getting a new kidney. They would have to wait much longer in real life for the same deal.”

I couldn’t agree more!

Solutions

I do know that this is a Worldwide problem, some governments have decided to pursuit a “sign if you DON’T want to be a donor” instead of the conventional “sign if you DO want to be a donor” with great success. There is also the emergence of “living donors” for such items as kidneys but the problem is that a few years alter, these donors may themselves need a transplant. There IS a black market in third world countries for organs including China where “inmates” are routinely made available to wealthy individuals for organ transplantation before their execution.

The Bottom Line

Organ transplantation is the easiest sacrifice you could ever make as they no purpose to you once your dead. I always sign my organ donation card, do you?

References:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ICF/is_1_30/ai_n18615365
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14570230

I recently read and saw a show about Mannatech on ABC News and was surprised by quite a few things so I decided to take a closer look on my own.

Mannatech Background: From their own site

I visited their website to get some information about their products and services, a few things jump out to me right away.

• a disclaimer saying that statements said on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA, this is standard fare in the health industry, so no big deal but where IS any documentation showing ANY of the products being sold HAVE been evaluated by the FDA?
• WARNING #1: Page dedicated to the “Science of Wellness”. Wellness is NOT a science, this is equivalent to using the “Science of Creationism” to explain our beginnings. In other words, wellness is a belief, not a scientifically proven fact.
• WARNING #2: Scare tactic about how you may not be getting “enough” glyconutrients in your diet due to pollution, industrial farming etc… simple solution would be to simply eat more fruit and vegetables if you are really eating that BAD a diet or if you are that concerned, set-up your own hydroponics system or backyard garden.
• WARNING #3: Multi-level marketing approach, I would dismiss this entire company simply based on this. Does the Herbal Life plague ring a bell?
• WARNING #4: The CEO of Manatech is also the founder of Mannarelief Ministries who uses the “love of God through world-changing nutritional products designed to improve the quality of life and health.” I guess this explains Warning #1 quite well.
• WARNING #5: Pharmaceuticals are highly complex, require extensive testing and are promoted by highly skilled people. Although this company isn’t a pharmaceutical company and makes no mentions otherwise, it IS blurring the lines extensively throughout it’s web site.
• WARNING #6: Board member on the Council for Responsible Nutrition. This is an association that aggressively pushes for self-regulation of the supplements industry and keeping the FDA as far away from said supplements as humanly possible. This is no different then the Better Business Bureau approach which has no jurisdiction for any type of enforcement and simply take your money to become a member. Why NOT put stringent double blind, pharmaceutical grade testing and evaluation on all supplements?

Clarification regarding warning #4

Regarding warning #4, I absolutely give high praise for whatever the CEO of Mannutech can do to change the fate of under-privileged and poverty stricken children around the world, no matter his methods nor beliefs. What I don’t like is this mix of God and Science, simply believing something doesn’t make it a fact.

Mannatech Background: Based on ABC News Findings

When ABC News takes the time to not only write an article about your company but a three month investigation, heads are going to roll. In this case, I am very happy they put the spotlight to confirm my suspicions that arose simply by visiting Mannatechs own website.

• When asked point blank during an interview by ABC News if Mannutech products cured cancer or where promoted as such, the answer completely dodged the question.
• Video after video of sales demonstrations purporting that their product Ambrotose is able to cure cancer. I saw this bull shit at The Health Expo in Toronto last year and it turned my stomach.
• Unless you have a congenital defect, your body DOES produce enough glyconutrients that Mannatech tries to scare you otherwise.
• Proof that the science behind Mannatechs Ambrotose works is funded by the company itself, sure sounds like Atkins all over again doesn’t it?
• CEO of Mannatech, Sam Caster has a history of selling things that either didn’t work or didn’t even come close to what was claimed, sure sounds like another Kevin Trudeau doesn’t it?
• Sales associates (ei: multi-level distributors) telling others how to work around legal restrictions about their products

Mannatech isn’t all bad

I don’t believe everything Mannatech does is bad, it does help children around the world with SOME of its profits, for that, again, I give them praise. They are providing income streams for people around the world who wouldn’t have them otherwise. They are putting “health” into the forefront for massive amounts of people, although highly misguided and biased with a strong profit motive.

As this is a Christian company doing Gods work through an affiliated Ministry…

… then they should not only show their values but live by them. From what I see, they have broken Commandment #3 (do not misuse the name of God), Commandment #8 (do not steal) and of course Commandment #9 (do not lie). Mannutech and its distributors tie in faith to their product in various subtle ways, they steal lives from individuals who could possibly be saved using proven medical science (who cares about the wasted money) and lie to get their stuff out the door. If their stuff REALLY cures the plagues of this world, spend 25% of your estimated half a billion dollars worth on double blind studies in a clinical setting with a few hundred Cancer, HIV Positive and other patience. If I had any of these conditions, you would be the last people I would ask for help.

The Bottom Line

I believe, God being my witness, that Mannatech is no different then an Evangelized Herbal Life, I really do wish the FDA clamps down on the entire supplements industry to put an end to all this *wellness* nonsense.

References
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=3228488&page=1
http://www.mannatech.com