Orovo Miracle Weight-loss and Detox Program

Here I am going to comment on the Orovo Detox product which (apparently) was featured on the Oprah Show some time last year.
Orovo produce a number of different formulations designed for weigh-loss using all natural food products and herbs.
My sister's Doctor recommended to her the Detox product for weight-loss.

The Orovo website has this to say about this product, "these 31 super detoxifying ingredients are designed to decrease body fat, increase energy levels, and provide the optimal wellness in a safe combination that can't be found in any other product on the market" (http://www.orovo.com/detox.php June 9^th, 2008).
The FDA statement that is on the site has this to say in relation to this product, "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not to be sold for treatment, prevention, cure or mitigation of disease" (http://www.orovo.com/detox.php June 9^th, 2008).
It appears that Orovo is marketed via an MLM type of sales network.

Like most health products that are marketed in this way lofty claims are usually made about the efficacy of the product, and a lot of hype and mystique often surrounds them.
Such products are designed and marketed to 'Mr. and Mrs Average' and often promoted as income earning opportunities. Indeed people are encouraged to join the company in order to access 'wholesale prices'.

As I am a trained Naturopathic Physician my sister asked me to peruse the list of ingredients.
I find it very difficult to access such lists with many such 'miracle products'. However Orovo do provide ingredient lists; but as a Naturopathic Physician I like to know where the products are derived from and how it has been both processed and evaluated and such info, in my experience is never available on these MLM products.

As a Naturopath I find that for people buying these blended products in this way it is often quite a bit more expensive than if I had made up and dispensed the product myself on their behalf. I think that a considerable amount of money spent on these products is absorbed by the expensive, extensive marketing techniques that are used.

Most of the ingredients in Orovo products are 'super foods' and are what I would consider fairly inert and safe for general consumption. Some more of them are also amphoteric* which means they are general health enhancers.
I will soon do a more extensive article on amphoterics because amphoterics are extremely interesting things - keep posted. A further definition of what an amphoteric is has been given at the end of the article.

However there are a number of ingredients in the Orovo Detox product that I would not recommend without firstly knowing a full health history of the client, along with their family health history too.
Naturopathic Physicians are required to study medical sciences* for a number of years.

The ingredients I am cautious about are the following;
Vitamin B6 is used in isolation which could possibly cause Vitamin B deficiency symptoms,
Cayenne pepper occasionally is not advised for certain people,
The activity of the Lactobacillus Acidophilus in this product would be questionable if this product is not kept below 22°C and I am unsure that this Company uses refrigerated transport for delivery,
Buchu Leaves are sometimes contraindicated, as too are Juniper berries,
Regarding the use of Senna Leaf which is a 'cathartic' I am wondering if it is necessary to use a herb with such a strong action on the system (though I think I understand their rationale),
Licorice Root can sometimes be dangerous and I would personally want to know where they sourced this ingredient and how it has been processed. This ingredient could possibly be dangerous for people over 40, with a family history of hypertension and/or kidney and heart problems.

Even the Parsley Leaves are something I would like to know more about. In certain concentrations, or in combination with other herbs and/or medicines parsley can exacerbate some mental health conditions when used in high doses. But most generally parsley is a good super food.
Grapefruit Seed is definitely not recommended for people taking heart medications and there are many other medications whose actions are greatly affected by this ingredient, and lastly
Sage Leaf has certain contraindications too.
The product also uses quite a lot of Dandelion which can also interact with certain medications..

Now the moral of this story is;
That though I would consider this product safe and heath enhancing for many people there may be small but not insignificant percentage of the population for whom this product may be harmful or even dangerous.
If you would like to lose weight and/or detox your body safely may I implore you to make the investment to visit your local, highly trained Naturopathic Physician who is familiar with ingestive herbal medicines.
As a Naturopath I always recommend that anyone considering using these MLM products consult first either with their trained Naturopathic Physician or MD who has undertaken additional training in herbal medicines. Your physician will then evaluate and monitor the safety of the product for YOU in particular.

* An amphoteric medicine has properties that cannot be found in orthodox medicines. An amphoteric is a super food or herbal medicine that regulates and corrects imbalances within a body system such as garlic that will, in medicinal doses either raise or lower the blood pressure.
* Properly trained and accredited Naturopathic Physicians undergo many years of training in the medical sciences of; anatomy and physiology, pathology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, microbiology, etiology, prognosis, common medical procedures and diagnostic tools and tests, etc.

To find an accredited Herbal Medicine Practitioner near you (USA) go here http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/

For Australia visit:
http://atms.com.au/
http://www.anta.com.au/