15 Jun 2010 05:43a.m.

Maria Murphy wrote:

Some of us have worked in the medical field for years, I was in it as a nurse for 34 to supplement the income for a reasonable large to moderate family, I was brought up with the veges fruit garden little meat, basic welfare living - my Mum was a nurse also brought me up with the NZ native bush herb medicines encouraged me to study all herbs I feel the great need to encourage all people to be educated well in depth of their subject like our Naturopaths, Herbalists, Nutritionists all those dedicated people in the natural industry have their knowledge is far more superior and invaluable as is the medicines learnt in the Bible - I am now devoted to studying in depth the Natural organic raw green superfoods, herbs you name it I am after it and have lived it all my life and so has 5 generations in my history - no one can face any that has such and indepth of lifestyle as such and not crumb with inexperience and worthless woes of nothing when they don't know what they are doing or saying media, money pusher, bureaucraps the like they certainly will never get my vote confidence, or a penny to look at folks I wouldn't waste my time or my breath it is worthless and they will not stand a chance anywhere mark my words; since my children have grown and left home they know the value, and devoted difference that bring them the greatest joy of living sorry others don't stand a chance - live what you live know it and speak soundly with compassion - and don't muck around with the the pure goods - live it we'll love you and you will get our support - Be strong - it is a win, win situation just have faith you will never faulter trust me!!!!!! Maria

27 May 2010 10:37a.m.

celeste wrote:

I agree that this is the cause of the agenda of that of registration of the natural health industry. There is going to be a big push now to witch hunt so that they can regulate the natural health industry. Government is currently looking at how to regulate the natural health industry. We will see alot more of this. Why are we not seeing how many medical misadventures there are?? There is only profit from sick people, as far as the pharmaceutical companies are concerned, and government.Also where is our freedom of choice at the end of this?We should be looking at the medical world where medical misadventures happen on regular basis. Doctors only know what the Pharmaceutical companies let them know, by providing them with their drug books and funding. Look at Doctor Oz for example, always looking at the natural way to deal with the pollutants we gorge.Why is his following so huge?He has the title Doctor, in which most people will trust.
Also I am a bit concerned with the daughter changing her tune. She had a fall out with her mother regarding her mother not listening to her advise. So if she is not listening to her daughter, why would she listen to Ruth????

24 May 2010 08:54p.m.

Juliet Sorensen wrote:

Re 60 Minutes Programme Wed 19th May. I am one of the patients who attends the Hastings Vitamin C Clinic and observed the filming of the Vitamin C item.

I believe most viewers would have learned little from the screening of this item. It was unfortunate that our material was teamed up with the 'scrap' between a cancer patient and her Naturopath. The two items were totally unrelated.

The doctor who supervises our clinc explained to your interviewer the benefits of intravenous Vitamin C and how it actually works. It was regrettable that you chose not to show that interview.

As a reasonably long-term recipient of high dose Vitamin C I am well aware of its benefits, which I also explained to your interviewer.

Although intravenous Vit C is expensive, most people only have it two or three times a week, instead of seven days weekly as Pam does, and therefore do not incur her costs.

I was extremely disappointed with the very incoplete portrayal of this subject and the negative connotations implied from the overall context in which it was screened.

23 May 2010 02:20p.m.

Kezia wrote:

Conventional medicine is the leading cause of death in the world! NO deaths from vitamins and minerals. Compare the death toll from conventional medical treatment. An article titled Death by Medicine comes up with a figure of over 780,000 deaths annually, which does not include unnecessary medical procedures. This woman MOVED house so she lived down the road from Ruth Nelson. She FOLLOWED Ruth Nelson around the country when Ruth was on holiday. Sorry but that is CRAZY. I know whos story I believe out of the two.

22 May 2010 09:47p.m.

Bev wrote:

This story has been sensationalised in order to highlight a specific agenda, that of registration of the natural health industry. We have a system which is intent on taking away choice and on fleecing people for every cent they have - that's why drug companies do so well and why doctors and drug companies alike are pushing this band wagon. The presenting of the facts in this case is severely one sided and disappointing after believing that 60 minutes cared more about truth than agenda's. Ask the hard questions please: Why did this ladies family not once, at any time during the months she was seeing Ruth Nelson, pick up a phone and call a GP or 111? Why did this ladies family sit by and watch as their mother apparently deteriorated? On the numerous occasions where the opportunity arose to drive this lady to a registered medical practitioner (GP, Hospital or other) why did this family and this lady choose instead to follow Ruth Nelson? And why, if this lady had such complete faith in Ruth Nelson, did she refuse the one natural health treatment Ruth believed would be most likely to succeed? Ruth has been treating people for over 30 years, and can count amongst her clients some of New Zealand's top "brains" (lawyers, judges, business people, teachers, registered health professionals). On top of that her work has never been a money making exercise but one of genuine desire to help people. And often times where our medical system has failed or has given up on people. In the 40 plus years I have know Ruth this would be the FIRST TIME EVER where someone has made such wildly ludicrous claims, where even the nature of the language they have quoted suggests words which have never been uttered by Ruth.

20 May 2010 02:00p.m.

Stacey Hancock wrote:

I feel for this naturopath. As she said, She wishes she had washed her hands of it from the outset. But of course, with 30 years experience, and with her client telling her it was just a cyst she was well within her experience to treat it. Unfortunately this poor Naturopath was given false information. One can only assume at this stage, but given that the daughters story of trying to get mum to the doctor matches the naturopaths recommendation to see a doctor, it would seem that this lady was at the mercy of her own irrational fears of the medical profession. I certainly hope this hasn't put a bad feeling around natural therapists. I'm a nutritionist myself, and certainly don't attempt to cure any medical ailments as I deal in food only and supporting the body's natural processes. A story like this is fairly damaging to us as many people don't recognise the differences between herbalists, naturopaths, nutritionists, dieticians and other alternative therapies involving plants and food. The story did feel slanted towards the "victim". But I feel the victim in the case is the naturopath who appears to have unknowingly ended up being manipulated. For what reason...who knows.

20 May 2010 12:52p.m.

judi wrote:

How dare you, CH3! how about all those every day who die from the medical system! Report THOSE shocking figures!After spending long hours this weekend at hospital, I witnessed YET AGAIN the mickey mouse outfit that makes SO many mistakes - we all know about them - tell THAT story! Thank goodness we do have (some)choices left - STOP trying to take that away from us!

20 May 2010 11:46a.m.

Greg wrote:

It mentioned in the program that alternative treatments are becoming more acceptable in mainstream medicine but not many trials have been done. When mainstream medicine trials anything, in an experiment, it normally only tests one of the ingredients, isolated from any others that might normally be used, in alternative medicine. This is because they find it harder to see what effects each ingredient has and it is more expensive to try and test many ingredients together. In alternative medicine, both herbs and nutritional treatments work best mostly with multiple ingredients. Sometimes there is very little benefit from one ingredient or even an ill effect from prolonged use of a single ingredient at high dose. This makes me very sceptical that mainstream medicine will ever really accept alternative medicine. There is also the pressure of the drug companies that dominate mainstream medicine.

20 May 2010 11:02a.m.

JoT wrote:

I believe rather than highlight the fact we are responsible for our choices, your story sent the message that blame is ok.
Yvonne and her family had every opportunity to utilise all the options available in this country. They made their choices.
I don't think it fair for your journalist to infer that the naturopath was negligent and to belittle naturopathy.
Many GP's train in natural therapies and apply them in their treatment of patients. Does that make them lesser doctors because they are using something 'unproven'? All approved medicine was 'unproven' at some stage.
There's even a Hippocrates quote, 'A physician without a knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician.'
Fortunately we are all able to believe in what works for us and we do have choices.
This naturopath wasn't pretending to be a doctor, she was offering her services to those who chose to take them up.
She said she had encouraged Yvonne to seek further help. She certainly didn't tie her to a bed. If Yvonne's own daughter didn't call in a doctor for whatever reason, how can they blame someone else for not doing so? Can we also point the finger at every doctor who hasn't been able to cure patients who have put so much blind faith in their conventional medicine?

Thank goodness for inquisitive and open minds, they're a good antidote for blame.
Can someone please prescribe a good dose of unbiased reporting for next week?

19 May 2010 09:55p.m.

BKT wrote:

Kia kaha Ruth - be strong. This story highlights how easy it is to blame other people when we don't want to blame ourselves - Yvonne has the daughter who appeared on TV, at least one other child and a husband. When did they pick up the phone and call for help? If, as they put it, Yvonne had the utmost faith in Ruth, but they didn't, and they could see it getting worse and worse, where was their effort to obtain medical intervention? The pick up of a phone and dial 111. So called medical experts get it worng on far too many occasions yet Dr Swee Tan would have us put our faith in them. I did that and ended up with damage so severe that the medical professionals have told me I will have to spend the rest of my life in pain often so severe I can only crawl around my house. Ruth Nelson has been the one who has stuck by me, even when I still had blind faith in the so called "experts" - who sent me home with a prescription addictive painkillers and the "there's nothing more we can do" message. Thanks to Ruth I now have more good days than bad, I have hope that I will get through it and as I continue to improve I have total confidence that the medical "experts" got it wrong. After nearly costing me my unborn baby's life, and my sanity/health for several years - the repercussions for the medical professional who "stuffed up" - NIL. Where are these stories???