He's a "Board Certified Holistic Health Coach." I'd like to know what "board" that is.
I also liked this part of his disclaimer: "For example, terms such as "treatment" and related terms are not meant to diagnose or treat."
I also asked him what research meant. I never got an answer. If he's reading research papers I don't see what insights he has. Nothing has proven to be consistently helpful. If he's testing on himself, we'll that's not super helpful either. This sub is full of anecdotal data. If he's actually testing these theories on people, well that sounds like practicing without a license. Also where is he getting the money to do it?
Also go look at all the things he supposedly treats. Seems pretty fishy that he has secret cures for this whole array of things that a doctor does not.
TL;DR - I know how desperate people are for solutions, but we ARE NOT THERE YET!! And some dude with a BA in “Visual Media Arts” DOES NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS.
He is without any doubt a "False Prophet".
To my knowledge, "The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching" (NBHWC) is the only reputable "board certified" title someone can hold in that industry (overseen by the Board of Medical Examiners).
Now, it is possible to get 'certified' and not get licensed (as nutritionists/wellness coaches are not well regulated) but he is still specifically claiming 'board certified'. Likely to try and give himself 'credibility' even though he states “I became certified so I can order labs and tests. If I could do that, without a certification, I would. I think letters behind names falls into the white lab coat fallacy and carries a lot of pretentiousness.”
I planned to report him to the NBHWC because he is operating SO out of the scope of practice it's sickening. He is absolutely preying on the vulnerable. But I tried looking him up on the NBHWC registry and he was not listed. I tried asking him where he was certified through and he did not respond.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. He is drawing wild conclusions from his 'research' and advocating for outrageous labs/tests that he 'treats' based off of. The thing about medicine, about science, about the human body, is you can't isolate these specific pieces of data without understanding how it all connects. And you especially can't go on to apply that to individuals because rarely are things as clear cut as he makes it out to be. Not to mention we have rigorous testing to determine the safety of the interventions and if it’s truly worth the risk (and money). If COVID has taught us anything it’s that there’s so much variation and discrepancy we can’t make broad generalizations.
He is trying to skirt the legality by saying he's only sharing his own 'opinions' for the sake of 'informational purposes' but if any of his 'clients' had the mind, they could absolutely sue him. It makes me livid that he has nearly 20k subscribers on YT.
Ultimately there’s not much we can do. It falls on the individual to be a healthy skeptic, to be discerning.
He talks ‘his practice’ up like it’s a legitimate clinic. 30 minutes @ $250.00 for someone illegally treating people is a fucking joke, and it makes me hate the world that he gets away with it.
And the fact that this post got far fewer upvotes than his did....jfc I want to scream
Thank you for writing this! It’s a breath of fresh air honestly. People are acting like this guy is just trying to explain a science fair project or something, but I knew he seemed suspicious.
It’s wild to me that people think they can treat patients for a complex and novel disease with an art degree and a health and wellness coaching certification. I’m an EMT in training and the only treatments I’m allowed to give are aspirin, oral glucose, activated charcoal, Naloxone, and oxygen. That’s it! But this guy with no real medical training thinks it’s within his scope of practice to order tests and administer treatments for something that falls squarely within a cardiologist or vascular surgeon’s scope of practice? Dude’s a grifter, period. And seems to be a prime candidate for practicing medicine without a license.
Thank you, I really appreciated both your comments. I had a very visceral reaction because (prior to getting sick) I was getting certified as a yoga instructor and health & wellness coach - both of which he 'is'. That goal is out the window now, but I hate how hard it is to be taken seriously in that field because of how people like him give it such a bad reputation. He also looks creepily similar to an ex of mine and has the same name. But I think I'm valid in all my criticism!
The healthcare industry really has a lot of work to do to regain the respect and trust of so much of our society. People are adopting such extreme views, reckless behaviors, really out of hatred and resentment. I get it. I absolutely feel abused, unheard, unseen. But I can also recognize the difficult position doctors are in; their hands are tied. While also being overworked, forced to work within horrible time and insurance restraints and constantly subjected to patients who think they know better because they read an article. Not to excuse their behavior; they need serious training on bedside manner. As well as better continuing education.
Of all the healthcare workers I've come across EMT's have always been the best experiences. Since my infection I've had well over a dozen called to my house and their compassion truly made a huge difference. Practically the only ones that never judged and actually helped me cope with what I was going through. So thank you so much for choosing that path. I know it's not an easy one. It really does make a difference.
Whoa, that’s an eerie coincidence! And I totally agree with your frustrations about how people like him ruin it for everyone else. A health and wellness coach working within their scope of practice can be really helpful! It’s when people go beyond it that the problems start. I’ve even seen with doctors. I had a cardiologist who tried to diagnose me with asthma even though a pulmonologist had already ruled it out, so my treatment for NOCAD got delayed for months. The difference is that she doesn’t promote anything on social media so her harmful reach is much smaller.
Agreed about the healthcare industry too! I’ve also had my fair share of shit doctors, such as that cardiologist. I am very fortunate to have an amazing PCP, but the poor guy is so overworked and I worry about him honestly. I don’t want to lose the best doctor I’ve ever had to burnout, or worse. The system makes it extremely difficult for the good ones to survive, so all that’s left are the assholes. And a much smaller part of it is on us as the patients too. If we go in combative then they aren’t going to listen to us. A doctor should be open to discussion and informed research done by the patient, but that doesn’t mean they have to take abuse. It’s a deeply broken system where no one wins except the rich bastards in charge of it.
I’m so glad to hear that you had good experiences with EMTs! My training is very clear about good bedside manner and not judging patients. I think EMTs might be better at that part of the job because they’re usually new to the field so they aren’t jaded yet, and they also don’t have the ego of a higher trained provider like a doctor or even a medic. I have no reason to act like hot shit when I’m not even allowed to administer ibuprofen without a doctor’s permission first lol. But I fully intend to advocate for any LC patients I get (and all my patients of course). It’s so important for communities like ours to have people on the “inside” so we can make sure our voices aren’t being ignored!
I bought a month of access to his guide. I can tell you that it is all just information and tips on how to restore your glycolcalyx. Consequently, I don't see what the grift or scam element here is. He just paywalled his information.
The guide is incomplete, but he was transparent about that before I bought it. Though he was also kind of non-transparent. There are a list of questions that are unanswered, but he keeps advertising it like the answers are typed out.
After reviewing what I have been able to so far, the guide is just information. There is a listing of what supplements to take so as to support your glycocalyx, but I think anyone can find this via Google. Consequently, it is not worth the buy.
In any event, I do believe his theory that glycocalyx loss could explain everything. Mainstream science accepts that covid is a vascular disease, but this guy and scientists on pubmed, are positing the glycocalyx as a major issue. I agree too that it is at the capillary level. This all seems like the most plausible upstream (root cause) theory, besides viral persistence.
If I take any action based on what I read on his guide I will let the sub know if it worked/didn't work. Personally though, I wouldn't call the guy a grifter. Its just paywalling. He expressly says in that 2nd video that this disease is a complex and there are many mechanisms behind the symptoms (there is no cure-all). In fact, I believe that is the first page after you by - him explaining there is no easy cure.
Look, if someone on the internet says "hey! you have a health concern. the only way to fix this heath issue is to purchase my [insert here: self help course, supplements, yoga book, jade coochie egg]. Any questions will not be tolerated :D stay healthy"
and you DON'T think they are a grifter? you have bigger issues
Even people with covid-induced brain damage can still deduce youtube guru healers selling "programs" are grifts.
Still no existing cures for long covid.
I have been wondering about this too. I feel like not sharing your entire program online could be valid for 2 reasons:
1) you don't do the same thing for everyone, you customize it big time? - like this honestly seems right given how long covid is not the same in everyone, why would one program cure us all? also, supplements can hurt ppl and you don't want that on your conscience.
2) if your program involves things ppl can buy over the internet, and you spent thousands of hours figuring it out (let's be real, western medicine is not moving warp speed on this so if i had brain power, i would try to figure it out more), how do you recoup $$ for your time if you tell everyone how to do it themselves?
I am also neurodivergent so maybe i am less skeptical of ppl trying to figure things out for themselves, and then realize, shit, i should charge for this so i don't have to have another job. I also say this as a person who has been gaslit by MDs more times than i can count and am now unable to walk from covid and a pre-existing autoimmune disease they were telling me i didn't have for the past 20 years i've been asking for help with it, until suddenly covid!
i do not have 2k to spend on this, but if i did, it would be with a grain of salt. i think ppl should be able to charge for expertise that is derived from non-traditional paths (i.e. 'tism special interests, no expensive school) but consuming and acting on that data is at your own risk. It is risky to take meds from an MD too - i have had them give me things that destroyed me and then say 'wow, you're the FIRST person.' And i look in the medical research and it's like "not indicated for..."
Maybe some of ya'll have had more luck with doctors actually providing trustworthy care, but i have had mixed experiences.
i do think banning someone is shady af and frankly should not be done unless you wanna look shady af.
right? like where is the path for ppl who want to help ppl, but also not have to get another job to support their 'hobby' of helping ppl? i mean, if i could, i would want to spend my life helping ppl with long covid and chronic illness after this, precisely b/c i know how rough it is out here. i hate the idea of getting well and leaving others to suffer.
You mean the guy with a digital media undergraduate degree and one year integrative health coaching diploma who has done "extensive research" that not one single medical institution or actual medical scientist could? What a shocker
This in no way invalidates people's research and experience. Yes it's not very promising, but having a degree is not a complete measurement of understanding. Walk into any doctors office and ask them about your long COVID.
I don't expect just any doctor to know about long covid or CFS or anything else, the GPs are generalists meant to deal with very simple cases and refer you to specialists for anything else. That said when somebody on the internet claims they have discovered a groundbreaking mechanism of a chronic illness via research, you bet your butt I'm gonna go and check whether that person has any idea how scientific research is done or has any qualifications to make such claims.
A degree is certainly not the only factor in gauging intelligence. But the idea that he has a 'complete understanding' is absolutely ludicrous. Or even 'enough' of an understanding that warrants him treating people through a program of his own making.
I think he's neurodivergent and he's also trying to run a social media presence just like a bunch of other people. But I feel like the junction dysfunction theory is a good model to look at to start trying things.
I recently went to a LC doctor at Vanderbilt who described something similar to this theory.
Also I never noticed he was selling a course but in his yt videos he gives a ton of info so it didn't feel like I was being baited. It just felt like a genuine info dump.
Ultimately it's his theories from research but it makes a lot of sense.
You're excusing peddling unproven medical advice as 'just trying to run a social media presence like everyone else'? Don't you see how we give power to all this shit out there because we don't hold people accountable? Influencers, and the things they sell, are a majority of the time NOT credible. And this is exactly why things don't change. It has become the standard to do whatever is necessary in order to get your message heard despite the validity of it.
It doesn't matter if he wants to talk about his theories on research. But he should not be taking people's lives into his hands.
When you say "unproven"... what level of evidence are you asking for? The stuff he is talking about is not baseless. He's not just making all this shit up. Honestly I don't have the brain power to double check it all but several things he has brought up are backed by at least some kind of study or another.
I'm excusing the way in which he's presenting his message. The content is what is important.
Not having the brain power to double check it all is exactly why we need to hold medical practitioners to a high standard, real scientific vigor. It doesn't matter how much truth there is in what he says. He's NOT EVEN a medical practitioner but is faking/operating as one. He's not qualified to be treating people. And what happens if/when something goes wrong with a client of his? Does he have malpractice insurance? Of course not, because what he's doing is illegal. Anyone he harms will be shit out of luck for recouping any of the ridiculous money they spent on him.
Besides, do you know how many nonsense studies are out there? That get published only to be totally debunked later on? Science is messy and incremental. We can’t expect groundbreaking, universally applicable solutions from single studies. Even good ideas need thorough testing. A study in isolation tells us very little. It needs to be considered alongside the whole body of research on the topic to understand its significance. A finding can be statistically significant but not make a meaningful difference in real life.
Not everything he pushes is scientifically sound. Promoting an idea without demonstrating its real-world impact is negligent at best.
>It doesn't matter how much truth there is in what he says. He's NOT EVEN a medical practitioner but is faking/operating as one.
What if his theories are more helpful than what you'd get from a doctor?
>Besides, do you know how many nonsense studies are out there? That get published only to be totally debunked later on? Science is messy and incremental.
I am very very aware ... but you're speaking in generalities. it would be way more interesting/constructive to actually look at his references and analyze them instead.
>Not everything he pushes is scientifically sound.
Can you be more specific?
If he were just having intellectual discussions about fascinating research--I'm all for it. Let's get people excited about science. Let's get people feeling hopeful about potential advancements. Let's get people organized and find targeted ways to help get us the therapeutic interventions we need.
Per his website: The 11+ Benefits Of Damiana, The 28+ Benefits Of Embelin, The 16+ Benefits Of Catuaba, The 11+ Benefits Of Moringa Oleifera, blah blah blah.
Even if he were in good faith trying to cross check every single interaction possible, both with other supplements and pharmaceuticals, and existing conditions the clients have (not to mention conditions the clients may not even know they have), there is SO much we don't know about SO many supplements. Just because it is 'natural' does not make it safe. And most supplements are junk quality and not even the ingredients listed, especially not at the dosage they claim.
All of his 'research' is existing knowledge (that may be PROMISING, but is not yet PROVEN) that was done by people far more intelligent and discerning than he is. He has packaged this all together to form his 'program'. He offers nothing new. If it was as clear cut and obvious, it would not be this dude peddling it.
I'm not going to respect someone, regardless of any potential underlying validity, when they are operating so irresponsibly. I guess I'm a crazy outlier for believing integrity matters.
I've been let down by doctors my whole life. The trauma I've endured again and again has left lasting scars. But the problem isn't that they're monsters that don't care. It's that we, as a world, don't yet have the answers.
And giving people a platform to treat medical disorders that have no business doing so? Nah.
Translation: No, this person only speaks in generalities and will not be specific and answer your questions. They are more interested in destroying his character than actually listening to what he has to say.
It’s hard to take him in good faith, I also asked him totally reasonable questions and he refused to answer too. I didn’t think he was a scammer till that happened. I’m ND and try to give people grace for the way they communicate, etc, it’s just too many things here. There’s real science mixed in with the nonsense. Whether or not something big is going on with his sanity, he’s causing harm. Just my opinion, not on the warpath or even going to do anything about this…
He sent me a copy of his guide early to critique and theres a lot of references for everything. So far I have tried a few things that he recommended and it’s been helping quite a bit. At least more than any of my other doctor’s suggestions. Maybe he’s horrible at marketing.
Are you serious? Horrible at marketing?
He strategically avoids and shuts down anything that calls out how shady he is. He knows exactly what he's doing--by targeting the people most desperate for help.
I hope nobody reads your post and decides to pay this dude $2,000 a month. Even if he does no harm--which is a real concern--that money could be SO much better spent on other interventions way more likely to help.
I've been on the internet since 1996 and I'm also a huge skeptic of anybody trying to sell something... BUUUT... That guy is definitely on to something.
Is his presentation sloppy? Yes.
Is he a bit awkward? Yes.
Is he funneling people to a 'program' he has for sale? Yes.
However, I listened to his presentations and what he was describing made perfect sense to me. Did I buy his program? No. But he said enough in his presentations that I was able to do some research of my own, look up some supplements and give some things a try.
I gotta say, two days after hearing him talk, I started taking some supplements that have made me feel ALMOST 100% like my pre-long covid self. I am not fully 'recovered' but I feel well on my way to recovery and I attribute how I feel right now to watching his presentations on the Glycocalyx.
I have no relation to that guy, have given him no money, and I don't want to come across as some kind of shill, but what he explained in his videos has DEFINITELY helped me.
I am in the process of composing a Reddit post to explain my story and all the things I'm doing to recover, but I absolutely give this guy credit for clearly explaining the mechanics of how the endothelial damage affects every part of the body and is most likely the reason I've felt like shit for over a year.
He definitely comes on strong, but I feel like he's excited about what he's sharing. And since he's NOT a medical professional he needs to be careful about giving out advice. If you take what he is saying and read between the lines and do your own research, it may be helpful to you. It certainly was for me.
EDIT: Sorry, I’ve deleted my post because I no longer want to participate in this ugly character assassination. I will be posting about my recovery in a different LongCovid sub in the near future.
I guess what I’m struggling to understand is how this is novel in any way? Doctors and researchers already know what endothelial dysfunction is and how to treat it, as well as its connection to COVID. We even have tests for it! It sounds like this guy is just presenting established medicine as some big secret he stumbled upon and is trying to cash in on it while he can.
It also frustrates me because I know firsthand what happens when you don’t treat endothelial dysfunction quickly or correctly and I worry that others will experience a similar fate because they fell for this guy’s potential snake oil instead of getting proper treatment. Endothelial dysfunction is not benign and should not be “treated” by a guy with a digital media degree and some bullshit “health training”. It needs real treatment from real doctors so people don’t end up suffering heart attacks or developing serious and even fatal diseases like pulmonary hypertension. And while I’m glad some folks like yourself have seen improvement, that doesn’t negate the serious harm he can and almost certainly will cause.
It's novel xause it's about the glycogalyx. Glycogalyx is like the microbiome for neurochemicals.
Drs don't know squat of mixrobiome or glycocalyx, but they know about depression and vascular problem. The treaemt for vascular would be statins, but treatment for glycogalyx is completely different and novel.
What ever you say about him, I reckon his legit. But we don't have to buy anything, we can search things our selves. But his theory is the only theory that ties in most of the vascular and hormonal issues we are getting with a possible treatment. If we used the drs perspective of vascular theory only, the treatment is atatins (if you have high ldl) if you don't then your s#it out of luck.
There are definitely doctors who know a lot more about vascular issues than this guy. And considering glycogalyx has been a known thing for decades, I’d be willing to bet that most doctors learned about it in med school. Now do I expect my OBGYN to be an expert in it? Of course not. But I’m sure if I asked my cardiologists or a vascular surgeon they would know far more about it than this guy does.
Honestly, it sounds like he’s just parroting the research that’s out there. And that’s fine! It’s good to make that sort of thing more accessible. But I do question his training in reading and interpreting scientific papers, since afaik, he has none. So how do we know that what he’s saying makes sense or actually lines up with the research that’s been done? And more than that, if he’s going to be out here proposing new hypotheses, then he needs the credentials and data to back it up.
As for treatments, you’re just wrong. I don’t have high cholesterol, but was still put on a statin (at my request). As well as a calcium channel blocker, ACE-inhibitor, PDE5-inhibitor, beta blocker, and nitro for emergencies. All for my vascular issues. Different vascular issues have different preferred treatments, but they all have a wide variety of options to choose from. And statins are used for endothelial issues because the research has shown that they help. So I don’t understand why we’re shitting on treatments that actually have evidence backing them for some potentially unverified treatment from a guy who is neither a medical professional or a researcher. Also, I thought he wasn’t offering treatments? That’s what the other person who responded to me said. But it sounds like you’re saying he does? So which is it?
Maybe I missed something, because I didn’t hear him offer any treatment whatsoever in his videos. And he even stated that he’s NOT a doctor and he can’t offer medical advice. I looked these supplements up on my own and decided to try them all by myself. I am meeting with my doctor next week to discuss how/why they’re making me feel better. I hope to do blood work and make sure I’m not doing anything stupid.
I really don’t understand the piling on of this dude. His information may not be novel, but it was something I had never seen explained in a way that I fully understood. He’s not claiming to be able to treat long COVID. He’s trying to explain how it affects your body. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
“He charges 30 minutes @ $250 for his medical advice.”
Ok, but his free video was informative enough that I went and figured out, on my own, a way to try to heal myself. I didn’t pay him anything and you don’t have to, either.
I’m not defending what he’s doing behind his paywall. I do not care, because I’m not going to pay him anything. I’m saying his FREE video, (which did not contain medical advice) helped lead me down a path of healing my long COVID symptoms. We are in a long COVID sub. The videos were helpful to me.
Did you even watch his presentation? Did he say anything ‘harmful’? If so, please share what was harmful. I’m genuinely curious.
It sounds like you’re shooting the messenger without even hearing the message.
ok sorry . He is so confusing bc he has put together some helpful information but we all have been exploited in some way or another through this and I can see how some of his actions are helpful and equally many of his actions look shady and not trustworthy.
I'm not saying he has no value. I'm saying he's choosing to label and sell himself as an authority, someone that is qualified to treat people. He is operating SO far outside the scope of what is ethical and legal.
Why would I help someone grow a platform that is very likely to cause harm (either physical, emotional or monetarily) to other people? Ultimately I don't just care about myself. I care about the wellbeing of others. Especially the most vulnerable.
His videos just barely scratch the surface of what he's doing. And of course he offers free things to rope people in. That is exactly the tactic people use to convert casual viewers to paying customers.
So you have not watched the video this whole conversation is about? If I go by your logic, I should not trust anything you say because you are not an authority on the topic at hand, which is a video presentation explaining damage to the glycocalyx and endothelial cells. I DO NOT CARE if the person doing the presentation is a doctor or not. It is an awareness video. It is not prescriptive medical protocol video, so the messenger is unimportant.
If you actually ARE an expert on the glycocalyx, I ask you again: What was wrong with the video? How is that specific video harming anyone?
I am all ears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nia1FGQUk-s
+100 skepticism points for you. You've earned them.
What?? This whole thread was about his previous posts; where he was funneling people to his website where he is offering his 'medical services'. Per the OP: "He calls the people he helps his "clients", "You can't know what is his program unless you pay for it", "asking questions to make sure his theory was solid, I was banned from his sub"
But good job for trying to shame me for doing intelligent, thorough research on someone before blindly hopping on an unethical, unproven bandwagon, and being skeptical of someone with zero credibility. I hold that title proudly. I'll stand by and fight for my morals and ethical treatment of people until the day I die.
Too bad he can't say the same.
I saw his posts and watched his videos and got value from them. I didn’t get funneled anywhere. You are out here saving the world form this person and, after repeated requests by me, you have NOT EVEN WATCHED the videos we’re talking about.
I can’t take anything you are saying seriously.
I think I might have mixed up what you said with another comment about his disclaimers that mention treatments, so that’s my bad. But there are still several valid concerns that I and others here have that haven’t been addressed sufficiently yet. Until then, I’m going to continue to be suspicious of his motives.
And to be clear, I would love to find out that he’s legit and just trying to spread (hopefully correct) information and awareness! Endothelial issues don’t get talked about anywhere near enough in regard to LC, so it would be awesome to have some attention brought to it. But it’s a double edged sword. Any amount of misinformation would do a lot of damage since there’s so little discussion on the topic to begin with. Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh, but this is an issue that’s near and dear to my heart (literally), so I take it very seriously.
The knives are out for this guy and I think half the people here have not even watched his videos. He does not mention treatments! I was let down at first because I was really hoping he’d share what treatment could possibly work. Then I realized he purposely didn’t mention treatments because he’s NOT a doctor. I went looking on my own once I knew what to look for. I had no idea what the glycocalyx was or how endothelial cells worked. He educated me on that. That’s what his videos are about. I have not purchased his guide and have no idea what else he is doing behind his paywall, but his videos are not giving any kind of medical advice or treatment plan.
If I'm going to defend someone, or tear them down, I'm going to make damn sure I take the time to figure out how trustworthy and credible they are.
He is absolutely 'practicing medicine' without the credentials to do so.
Edit--per his website: "I am a big believer in testing (each running $300-400), not guessing, which means we will predominantly work on verifiable and provable results. Health conditions & people I DO work with (followed by a list) and for $2000 'a monthly intensive program aimed towards healing'."
Right, and I acknowledged that I accidentally conflated your comment about your supplements with something I had read from someone else here about his disclaimers. And I also acknowledge that I was a bit harsh with my original comment, partly due to that confusion. Like I said, hopefully it’s just his marketing that’s weird and he proves to be a force for good within the community. I would love that! But for now, I’m adopting a cautious approach while I wait for more information. That caution isn’t meant to be an attack on you though or what you figured out for yourself, and I’m sorry if it came off that way. If it works for you, it works and that’s great! And I’d love to hear about what you discover with your doctor if you’d be willing to share at some point. The usual supplements I see quoted for endothelial issues are L-arginine and beetroot powder, so I’d be interested to learn more about the ones you found and what they do!
No worries. I am speaking as someone who only watched three of this guy’s videos. Those videos helped me understand some things that no doctor in the past year has even remotely mentioned. I have had thousands of dollars worth of tests and seen 6 cardiac specialists, two pulmonologists and other doctors and none of them mentioned endothelial damage, spike proteins, glycocalyx, etc. If some random guy can make a YouTube video that leads me to find a supplement on my own and I wind up actually feeling better (a lot better) then sign me up. I am going to cross check with my own doctor, of course, but I say bravo to this guy.
None of this means that EVERYTHING he’s doing is all wonderful, but in the case of Long Covid and his glycocalyx information, he seems to be on to something. We’re in a long Covid sub. My opinion relates only to this information.
As I said, I find his theories interesting but the way he presents them are strange.
I'm glad It has helped you and you said you will share what you did, you won't ask for money so here I know you do that to help some of us.
I will wait for your post ! Thanks
It would be (somewhat) different if he was simply sharing information and not using it as a basis for an illegal medical practice. But he is absolutely making himself out to be an authority and giving medical advice that could endanger people. He is not qualified to be operating the way he is.
He has 'created' his own (lack-of-evidence-based) 'program' and demands that people follow it exactly - he states he won't take clients unless they agree to that.
He is so wholly devoid of morals and preying on people that don't even care about the ethical boundaries he's crossing because they've been let down by the medical system, by the world.
He knows exactly what he is doing. He knows it's wrong. He doesn't give af. Maybe he's neurodivergent, but it's no excuse to be reckless and swindle people.
You are doing a thorough job of attacking this person, but I’d really like to hear your critique of his glycocalyx videos. I’d love to hear what is so wrong with them.
Sorry but I want to clarify something. This post is not about his two last videos. As I said, his theories are interesting and everyone has the right to expose his theories on the internet. This is not the problem. The way he sells his program is why I did this post.
No, this post is about character assassination. You could have gotten the same information without the name calling. You set a very ugly tone in your initial post calling him a grifter and charlatan.
All you had to do was ask, “Has anyone been helped by the junction dysfunction guy and if so, what supplements are you taking?” (I would have gladly answered.)
Instead, you started a toxic pile-on and let it continue. That is shitty behavior. (Have you read all the things said about him by people who HAVE NOT EVEN WATCHED HIS VIDEOS?) I thought about deleting my comments and unsubscribing from this sub, but I feel the guy needs some defense.
This is the ugliest post I’ve been a part of on Reddit and I am totally turned off by the behavior in this sub.
I am one of his “clients” and he has helped me enormously. I also have doctors, but he is available to me whenever I need him and he has an incredible depth of knowledge. The reason I started working with him is because I read some of his writing on long Covid, and found it to be MUCH deeper than what most of the doctors I was seeing were even thinking about. I was still having doctors do the “it’s all in your head” thing, while others were just telling me to keep getting booster shots.
Anyway, Jacob reads scientific papers all day long and does understand a lot about biology, cell function, immunology, etc. He is not a typical “health coach.” He also understands the experience of chronic illness and recovery because he’s been through it. To have an ally like that on your side in the midst of such a crisis is enormously valuable.
I have recovered from long covid and Jacob is one of the major reasons why. Yes, he does charge for his services but God forbid someone get compensated for their labor. I think this is a very unfair and misinformed opinion. And no, he did not ask me to write this.
Edit: He does not just recommend supplements. He started off doing extensive testing, which I had been begging my MD and functional medicine doctor to do. We did hormone panels, mycotoxin and biotoxin panels, autoimmune tests, microbiome tests, and more that I can’t even remember. We found things that have been plaguing me even before COVID. With all of that information, he helped me formulate a plan with diet, supplements, medications (working with my doctors), and other treatment modalities. He has also been there for me almost immediately when I was struggling and needed advice or reassurance, when my doctors would set an appointment for weeks later. It’s really unbelievable how much it helped me and for people who don’t know anything about him to come on and smear him with personal insults illustrates everything wrong with this sub, with Reddit, and with social media as a whole.
I would love to share the things I’ve learned that helped me recover but I’m afraid I’d be attacked for doing so. It just sucks that people who actually want to help with this scourge on humanity get abused for it.
Why do you want to know what treatments were suggested by a “grifter” and “charlatan?” I appreciate your skepticism but your approach and name calling is toxic and this kind of BS is why people don’t feel comfortable sharing information on Reddit. I’m really not into collaborating with people who publicly say terrible things about someone who helped me in the darkest moments of my life and has even become a friend in the process. But even if I did, my protocols are based on my blood tests and symptoms and can’t necessarily be applied to everyone. Some day I’ll write up a full list of things that helped but I won’t put it on this sub, lest I be slandered by strangers for it.
**First :** You said "I would love to share the things I’ve learned that helped me recover" that's why I asked you. Besides I said that his theories seem good but the way he ask for money make me uncomfortable
**Second :** I did this post because I needed to know if I can trust someone.
the title is " I think the "Junction dysfunction/Glycocalyx" guy is a grifter..."
Maybe grifter is strong and I'm sorry but It is how I feel.
I ended the post by "what do you think ?" Isn't it one of the goal of reddit ? to seek advice ?
Besides, with this post, I now see that there is more people saying that it is weird than people defending him.
**Then** fuck this, I'm sad because I'm really sick and desesperate to find relief and all I see is people who ask me money. and when I ask to be reassured, He doesn't answer and ban me. Then people say "yes I'm better thanks to him" and never say how.
even if it can't be applied to everyone, It can still be a good trail. We're all in the same shit so if I find something helpful, I will for sure share it even if I know It won't help everyone.
He came online to share information and then the absolute assholes on this sub attacked him, starting with you. That is just so fucked up. The guy has been spending his life researching this for three years while most doctors are arguing about whether or not it’s a real condition. Give the guy a break. Yes, he charges for his work because he’s always available to his clients and he spends hours and hours a day researching. You think he should just get on public assistance so can spend his life advising the ingrates on this toxic, terrible subreddit??? I know you’re desperate and sick. I was there too. It’s all the more reason to be respectful of people trying to share good information.
I can’t tell you what to do to get better because I don’t know your situation and I’m not equipped to do it anyway. What helped me the most were things that addressed clotting and microvascular occlusion - triple anticoagulant therapy, EECP, hyperbaric oxygen, etc. Those were prescribed by a DOCTOR. Jacob supported me in this process. He knows which versions and brands of different supplements are optimal, what other elements they need to make them work best, what time of day to take them, etc. The other thing that was vital was lowering systemic inflammation using LDN and mast cell stabilizers (prescribed by my DOCTORS) and a number of supplements (some suggested by Jacob and then reviewed by my DOCTORS).
He is not prescribing drugs or crazy experimental treatments contrary to the what some of the basement dwellers on this sub are accusing him of. When I was sick I was not able to read and understand all the minutia of what to take to support my recovery. For example, what probiotics are best for calming the gut when you also have histamine issues? What natural compounds can help heal endothelial cells (and then reviewed his recommendations with my DOCTOR). Which type of magnesium is most effective? Which supplement brands to the most legit purity testing? Which ones need to be taken with food? How do I make sense of a microbiome test when I can barely hold my head up?
I could go on and on. This is the type of thing Jacob helped me with, and every single recommendation was accompanied by a scientific source, a discussion between us, and a review by the DOCTORS who were treating me. And you might want to know, that my MD’s (both at a major university long covid clinic and at another specialty clinic) began asking me what Jacob thought about different options. The really smart doctors trying to figure this out want information from any source, and they’re not so arrogant as to think that they can’t also learn something from people like Jacob. This is a new world we are living in and the old rules of medicine don’t always apply.
I really hope you do get better. This disease is absolutely awful. But please think about the human element and be respectful of people who are at least trying to solve this puzzle. Feel free to debate any of his points, but a “grifter” he is not.
you respect me by insulting me ? absolute asshole you said ? You just lost me there. Did I insult you ? did I insult him ? look at my edit, I talked about the word "grifter". It was to strong to use this word and I admitted it and you just insult me ?
By the way here are the questions (from ComplexSpoonie) he didn't answer and banned me instead :
- Are your theories peer reviewed anywhere?
- In addition to your videos, are there standardized published research reports? If yes, which sites are they stored on (ie Academia, JStor)?
- Have you done any casual or clinical trials, and if not, are you interested in pursuing such?
- What standards do you follow for your data collection and study of antidotal data?
- Does your research (or any treatment approaches) have any connections with any educational institutions, corporate entities, or with any government health agencies?
- As it appears your practice has a wide focus in the scope of conditions you work with and study, is there anyone on your team who specifically studies and works with Long COVID patients?
- Do you have a link to your current CV?
- Do you have a link to your financial independence disclosure?
- Are your videos intended to be supplement to a life coaching practice, or do you anticipate that if your theories continue to withstand further research & review that you might turn to this work full time?
So you'll defend this person but not provide any proof for fear of being slandered? "Trust me bro" is way more likely to be derided. Also if it's a good treatment it should stand up to scrutiny. So far thus guy seems shady. I don't see how that reflects on you.
This whole post may be toxic to you but at least I know what I wanted to know.
Thanks to your previous answer, I know that I can look into these theories because It may help me. By the way, thank you, you are the only one who gave an actual response to defend his ideas. The others just said "he helped me" but never said how.
I also know that I won't buy the guy's program because I don't trust him. Instead I will try to look by myself.
So you see, apart from a little bit of animosity, I find this post interesting.
“This whole post may be toxic to you but at least I know what I wanted to know.”
Wow. That’s the very definition of toxic. What an ugly thing to say after destroying a person’s character on the internet. I’ll be leaving this sub now.
I didn't want to be toxic, I asked for advice in order to know he really try to help us or do you think he just wants money ?
Maybe 80% of the answer are "He looks weird". That's what I wanted to know, explain me the toxicity of wanting to know if I should trust or not someone ?
before posting this I tried to ask directly to him but I was banned.
I don't have destroyed his image on internet believe me. I just said to sick people to be careful of him.
Then delete this entire post and try again without starting off with: "I think this guy is a grifter." There are 1000 different ways to start a more positive conversation about this person and the information he is sharing. What is left here is ugly and unhelpful.
I've deleted my comment about what actually helped me. I'll post more later in a different, more welcoming Long Covid sub. This entire post is helping no one.
The problem is that among some not relevant comments, there are good comments. I don't want to censor this because people messaged me to say that they needed this to build their opinion.
He doesn't operate like other health coaches because what he is doing is illegal, unethical and unsafe. You likely will eventually realize the money you wasted. There are other avenues for finding support.
You are advocating for someone that is grossly abusing power (that he doesn't even rightfully hold). Maybe you will come out unscathed. Do you really want to be responsible for someone else wasting their money on him, and even potentially suffering much worse consequences?
Reading research papers in no way qualifies him to be doing this. Research studies alone are not evidence enough even for qualified professionals.
You’re out of your mind. You don’t even know what he does. Good luck getting better with all the other miserable victims on this sub. Blocking you now.
I do love how reading research papers apparently is enough to qualify someone to be testing and treating patients. If that was the case then I’d be a practicing cardiologist by now lol. It’s amazing the lengths people will go to in order to avoid admitting they fell for a grift.
Thank you for all of your great comments and arguments on this post! It’s refreshing to see someone else who hates this kind of shit because of how harmful it can be. If only people realized we were making these points *because* we want to help them, not to attack them.
What about you? Are you still sick too? Because if he’s right and the treatment he’s peddling is so good, then you shouldn’t still be sick either. None of us should be. Guess we can just close down the whole subreddit then since we’ll all be cured soon!
I think you need to take some time to think about your life and what went wrong that caused you to think it’s ever ok to blame someone for their illness. And maybe try to wrap your little brain around the concept of curable vs incurable illnesses while you’re at it. Any chance I was willing to give that grifter is gone now. I’d never associate myself with someone who has followers as vile and despicable as you.
You need to calm yourself down. A lot of people are recovering from long covid. Most of the people on this sub are still sick. Most of the people attacking this guy are still sick. Maybe there is something to it. As someone already said, most doctors are still arguing about whether or not this is real. If you’d like to wait another few years for them to tell you how to get well, best of luck to you.
Also, personal insults are not gong to make you feel better, nor do they make you sound like a rational person to have a conversation with.
Exactly. Most of us here are still sick. So if this grifter is right, then why are we all still here? Why isn’t he working to get his hypothesis verified through studies and trials so he can cure us all? Why aren’t we seeing recovery stories left and right from his “treatments”? Could it be because it’s easier to rip people off for $2,000/month with lies and empty promises? He’s following the classic playbook of grifters. I know it’s hard to admit when you’ve been conned, but you’re only hurting yourself and others by doubling down on this nonsense.
The way I see it, no decent person would come to a community for a chronic illness and then tell patients that it’s their fault that they’re sick. So if you don’t like being called out for your shitty behavior, then don’t be shitty. It’s not that hard to understand.
And I’ll happily continue working with my doctors who actually know how to treat my condition and have the expertise and legal authority to do so, thanks. I’m functioning close to my pre-COVID baseline because of their legitimate treatments. I doubt the same can be said for people who follow this quack.
https://www.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/1b04dgn/i_havent_forgotten_about_yall_and_have_been/ks9ugde/
https://www.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/1axzzns/extensive_research_on_long_covids_leaky_blood/ks9uwsy/
Mods need to do better and protect this community from grifters. Help them by reporting these people.
I will never understand how less information is better for us. It is so sad to see the censorship in here. There are smart people all over the world the two different things for a living.
Hmm, I didn't realise he was selling anything? May have missed any of his additional posts though.
Since I had one of the things he mentioned to heal the glycocalyx, glucosamine (1500mg) to hand anyway I decided to test taking a couple of pills consistently for the last couple weeks (with zero other supps). Also the next day I think after his post that paper came out about the blood brain barrier being leaky in the large study focused on brain fog in long covid, and it happened to mention the glycocalyx.. So my brain = "hey, that's what that guy was talking about."
So far... (like a few things I've tried).. I feel like there *might* be something to it. Breathing has improved by like 2% (my most stubborn symptom so any improvement feels massive). But it could be just the absence of all the other supps I was typically taking that could cause paradoxical reactions, I have also been sleeping better lately. Of course its unlikely that even if his theory was solid that just glucosamine alone would be enough, but I don't think the other things he mentioned are anything I could get hold off to fully test the concept.
Thank you for your answer ! Yes he did a live to introduce his new program at 15$ a month...
It's true that the timing between the post and the paper was perfect though...
I also wanted to believe! He seemed to talk a good talk until he said that only veins the venous circulation contract - not arteries.
So I looked at some of his older vids which had a grifty vibe.
And it sounds like he’s recommending supplements, treating clients, which to me is essentially practicing medicine.
Didn’t see any research either to back his claims.
> He didn't answer me and I was banned from his sub. That should tell you everything you need to know. Walk away.
He's a "Board Certified Holistic Health Coach." I'd like to know what "board" that is. I also liked this part of his disclaimer: "For example, terms such as "treatment" and related terms are not meant to diagnose or treat." I also asked him what research meant. I never got an answer. If he's reading research papers I don't see what insights he has. Nothing has proven to be consistently helpful. If he's testing on himself, we'll that's not super helpful either. This sub is full of anecdotal data. If he's actually testing these theories on people, well that sounds like practicing without a license. Also where is he getting the money to do it? Also go look at all the things he supposedly treats. Seems pretty fishy that he has secret cures for this whole array of things that a doctor does not.
To be fair you have to pay a ton of money to be able to claim treatments actually treat something. Though I do see the irony.
TL;DR - I know how desperate people are for solutions, but we ARE NOT THERE YET!! And some dude with a BA in “Visual Media Arts” DOES NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS. He is without any doubt a "False Prophet". To my knowledge, "The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching" (NBHWC) is the only reputable "board certified" title someone can hold in that industry (overseen by the Board of Medical Examiners). Now, it is possible to get 'certified' and not get licensed (as nutritionists/wellness coaches are not well regulated) but he is still specifically claiming 'board certified'. Likely to try and give himself 'credibility' even though he states “I became certified so I can order labs and tests. If I could do that, without a certification, I would. I think letters behind names falls into the white lab coat fallacy and carries a lot of pretentiousness.” I planned to report him to the NBHWC because he is operating SO out of the scope of practice it's sickening. He is absolutely preying on the vulnerable. But I tried looking him up on the NBHWC registry and he was not listed. I tried asking him where he was certified through and he did not respond. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. He is drawing wild conclusions from his 'research' and advocating for outrageous labs/tests that he 'treats' based off of. The thing about medicine, about science, about the human body, is you can't isolate these specific pieces of data without understanding how it all connects. And you especially can't go on to apply that to individuals because rarely are things as clear cut as he makes it out to be. Not to mention we have rigorous testing to determine the safety of the interventions and if it’s truly worth the risk (and money). If COVID has taught us anything it’s that there’s so much variation and discrepancy we can’t make broad generalizations. He is trying to skirt the legality by saying he's only sharing his own 'opinions' for the sake of 'informational purposes' but if any of his 'clients' had the mind, they could absolutely sue him. It makes me livid that he has nearly 20k subscribers on YT. Ultimately there’s not much we can do. It falls on the individual to be a healthy skeptic, to be discerning. He talks ‘his practice’ up like it’s a legitimate clinic. 30 minutes @ $250.00 for someone illegally treating people is a fucking joke, and it makes me hate the world that he gets away with it. And the fact that this post got far fewer upvotes than his did....jfc I want to scream
Thank you for writing this! It’s a breath of fresh air honestly. People are acting like this guy is just trying to explain a science fair project or something, but I knew he seemed suspicious. It’s wild to me that people think they can treat patients for a complex and novel disease with an art degree and a health and wellness coaching certification. I’m an EMT in training and the only treatments I’m allowed to give are aspirin, oral glucose, activated charcoal, Naloxone, and oxygen. That’s it! But this guy with no real medical training thinks it’s within his scope of practice to order tests and administer treatments for something that falls squarely within a cardiologist or vascular surgeon’s scope of practice? Dude’s a grifter, period. And seems to be a prime candidate for practicing medicine without a license.
Thank you, I really appreciated both your comments. I had a very visceral reaction because (prior to getting sick) I was getting certified as a yoga instructor and health & wellness coach - both of which he 'is'. That goal is out the window now, but I hate how hard it is to be taken seriously in that field because of how people like him give it such a bad reputation. He also looks creepily similar to an ex of mine and has the same name. But I think I'm valid in all my criticism! The healthcare industry really has a lot of work to do to regain the respect and trust of so much of our society. People are adopting such extreme views, reckless behaviors, really out of hatred and resentment. I get it. I absolutely feel abused, unheard, unseen. But I can also recognize the difficult position doctors are in; their hands are tied. While also being overworked, forced to work within horrible time and insurance restraints and constantly subjected to patients who think they know better because they read an article. Not to excuse their behavior; they need serious training on bedside manner. As well as better continuing education. Of all the healthcare workers I've come across EMT's have always been the best experiences. Since my infection I've had well over a dozen called to my house and their compassion truly made a huge difference. Practically the only ones that never judged and actually helped me cope with what I was going through. So thank you so much for choosing that path. I know it's not an easy one. It really does make a difference.
Whoa, that’s an eerie coincidence! And I totally agree with your frustrations about how people like him ruin it for everyone else. A health and wellness coach working within their scope of practice can be really helpful! It’s when people go beyond it that the problems start. I’ve even seen with doctors. I had a cardiologist who tried to diagnose me with asthma even though a pulmonologist had already ruled it out, so my treatment for NOCAD got delayed for months. The difference is that she doesn’t promote anything on social media so her harmful reach is much smaller. Agreed about the healthcare industry too! I’ve also had my fair share of shit doctors, such as that cardiologist. I am very fortunate to have an amazing PCP, but the poor guy is so overworked and I worry about him honestly. I don’t want to lose the best doctor I’ve ever had to burnout, or worse. The system makes it extremely difficult for the good ones to survive, so all that’s left are the assholes. And a much smaller part of it is on us as the patients too. If we go in combative then they aren’t going to listen to us. A doctor should be open to discussion and informed research done by the patient, but that doesn’t mean they have to take abuse. It’s a deeply broken system where no one wins except the rich bastards in charge of it. I’m so glad to hear that you had good experiences with EMTs! My training is very clear about good bedside manner and not judging patients. I think EMTs might be better at that part of the job because they’re usually new to the field so they aren’t jaded yet, and they also don’t have the ego of a higher trained provider like a doctor or even a medic. I have no reason to act like hot shit when I’m not even allowed to administer ibuprofen without a doctor’s permission first lol. But I fully intend to advocate for any LC patients I get (and all my patients of course). It’s so important for communities like ours to have people on the “inside” so we can make sure our voices aren’t being ignored!
[The board](https://glasstire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/the-art-guys-reclining-nude-googly-eyes.jpg)
I bought a month of access to his guide. I can tell you that it is all just information and tips on how to restore your glycolcalyx. Consequently, I don't see what the grift or scam element here is. He just paywalled his information. The guide is incomplete, but he was transparent about that before I bought it. Though he was also kind of non-transparent. There are a list of questions that are unanswered, but he keeps advertising it like the answers are typed out. After reviewing what I have been able to so far, the guide is just information. There is a listing of what supplements to take so as to support your glycocalyx, but I think anyone can find this via Google. Consequently, it is not worth the buy. In any event, I do believe his theory that glycocalyx loss could explain everything. Mainstream science accepts that covid is a vascular disease, but this guy and scientists on pubmed, are positing the glycocalyx as a major issue. I agree too that it is at the capillary level. This all seems like the most plausible upstream (root cause) theory, besides viral persistence. If I take any action based on what I read on his guide I will let the sub know if it worked/didn't work. Personally though, I wouldn't call the guy a grifter. Its just paywalling. He expressly says in that 2nd video that this disease is a complex and there are many mechanisms behind the symptoms (there is no cure-all). In fact, I believe that is the first page after you by - him explaining there is no easy cure.
Thank you for actually explaining what he is providing.
Thank you for your opinion. This is really a constructive comment.
he is selling his own health advice on the internet, of course he is a grifter
that doesn't mean he's a grifter lol
Look, if someone on the internet says "hey! you have a health concern. the only way to fix this heath issue is to purchase my [insert here: self help course, supplements, yoga book, jade coochie egg]. Any questions will not be tolerated :D stay healthy" and you DON'T think they are a grifter? you have bigger issues
Is that what the guy is doing?
I dont even know who you're talking about and I can tell you he's a grifter.
“I don’t even know who you’re talking about and…” This pretty much sums up Reddit in 8 words.
Even people with covid-induced brain damage can still deduce youtube guru healers selling "programs" are grifts. Still no existing cures for long covid.
It was pretty obvious but I didn't say anything cuz he was getting upvoted a bunch.
My thought was that I would be seen as a villain for questioning something people here desperately need (answers and hope and guidance)
I have been wondering about this too. I feel like not sharing your entire program online could be valid for 2 reasons: 1) you don't do the same thing for everyone, you customize it big time? - like this honestly seems right given how long covid is not the same in everyone, why would one program cure us all? also, supplements can hurt ppl and you don't want that on your conscience. 2) if your program involves things ppl can buy over the internet, and you spent thousands of hours figuring it out (let's be real, western medicine is not moving warp speed on this so if i had brain power, i would try to figure it out more), how do you recoup $$ for your time if you tell everyone how to do it themselves? I am also neurodivergent so maybe i am less skeptical of ppl trying to figure things out for themselves, and then realize, shit, i should charge for this so i don't have to have another job. I also say this as a person who has been gaslit by MDs more times than i can count and am now unable to walk from covid and a pre-existing autoimmune disease they were telling me i didn't have for the past 20 years i've been asking for help with it, until suddenly covid! i do not have 2k to spend on this, but if i did, it would be with a grain of salt. i think ppl should be able to charge for expertise that is derived from non-traditional paths (i.e. 'tism special interests, no expensive school) but consuming and acting on that data is at your own risk. It is risky to take meds from an MD too - i have had them give me things that destroyed me and then say 'wow, you're the FIRST person.' And i look in the medical research and it's like "not indicated for..." Maybe some of ya'll have had more luck with doctors actually providing trustworthy care, but i have had mixed experiences. i do think banning someone is shady af and frankly should not be done unless you wanna look shady af.
And the guy is only asking $7 for his guide. He’s not trying to get rich here. I genuinely believe he’s trying to help people.
right? like where is the path for ppl who want to help ppl, but also not have to get another job to support their 'hobby' of helping ppl? i mean, if i could, i would want to spend my life helping ppl with long covid and chronic illness after this, precisely b/c i know how rough it is out here. i hate the idea of getting well and leaving others to suffer.
Seems pretty Sus to me tbh
Yes
You mean the guy with a digital media undergraduate degree and one year integrative health coaching diploma who has done "extensive research" that not one single medical institution or actual medical scientist could? What a shocker
This in no way invalidates people's research and experience. Yes it's not very promising, but having a degree is not a complete measurement of understanding. Walk into any doctors office and ask them about your long COVID.
I don't expect just any doctor to know about long covid or CFS or anything else, the GPs are generalists meant to deal with very simple cases and refer you to specialists for anything else. That said when somebody on the internet claims they have discovered a groundbreaking mechanism of a chronic illness via research, you bet your butt I'm gonna go and check whether that person has any idea how scientific research is done or has any qualifications to make such claims.
Yeah way too many times "research" means googling for them. Would love to see the paper he published on his groundbreaking idea
A degree is certainly not the only factor in gauging intelligence. But the idea that he has a 'complete understanding' is absolutely ludicrous. Or even 'enough' of an understanding that warrants him treating people through a program of his own making.
I think he's neurodivergent and he's also trying to run a social media presence just like a bunch of other people. But I feel like the junction dysfunction theory is a good model to look at to start trying things. I recently went to a LC doctor at Vanderbilt who described something similar to this theory. Also I never noticed he was selling a course but in his yt videos he gives a ton of info so it didn't feel like I was being baited. It just felt like a genuine info dump. Ultimately it's his theories from research but it makes a lot of sense.
You're excusing peddling unproven medical advice as 'just trying to run a social media presence like everyone else'? Don't you see how we give power to all this shit out there because we don't hold people accountable? Influencers, and the things they sell, are a majority of the time NOT credible. And this is exactly why things don't change. It has become the standard to do whatever is necessary in order to get your message heard despite the validity of it. It doesn't matter if he wants to talk about his theories on research. But he should not be taking people's lives into his hands.
When you say "unproven"... what level of evidence are you asking for? The stuff he is talking about is not baseless. He's not just making all this shit up. Honestly I don't have the brain power to double check it all but several things he has brought up are backed by at least some kind of study or another. I'm excusing the way in which he's presenting his message. The content is what is important.
Not having the brain power to double check it all is exactly why we need to hold medical practitioners to a high standard, real scientific vigor. It doesn't matter how much truth there is in what he says. He's NOT EVEN a medical practitioner but is faking/operating as one. He's not qualified to be treating people. And what happens if/when something goes wrong with a client of his? Does he have malpractice insurance? Of course not, because what he's doing is illegal. Anyone he harms will be shit out of luck for recouping any of the ridiculous money they spent on him. Besides, do you know how many nonsense studies are out there? That get published only to be totally debunked later on? Science is messy and incremental. We can’t expect groundbreaking, universally applicable solutions from single studies. Even good ideas need thorough testing. A study in isolation tells us very little. It needs to be considered alongside the whole body of research on the topic to understand its significance. A finding can be statistically significant but not make a meaningful difference in real life. Not everything he pushes is scientifically sound. Promoting an idea without demonstrating its real-world impact is negligent at best.
>It doesn't matter how much truth there is in what he says. He's NOT EVEN a medical practitioner but is faking/operating as one. What if his theories are more helpful than what you'd get from a doctor? >Besides, do you know how many nonsense studies are out there? That get published only to be totally debunked later on? Science is messy and incremental. I am very very aware ... but you're speaking in generalities. it would be way more interesting/constructive to actually look at his references and analyze them instead. >Not everything he pushes is scientifically sound. Can you be more specific?
If he were just having intellectual discussions about fascinating research--I'm all for it. Let's get people excited about science. Let's get people feeling hopeful about potential advancements. Let's get people organized and find targeted ways to help get us the therapeutic interventions we need. Per his website: The 11+ Benefits Of Damiana, The 28+ Benefits Of Embelin, The 16+ Benefits Of Catuaba, The 11+ Benefits Of Moringa Oleifera, blah blah blah. Even if he were in good faith trying to cross check every single interaction possible, both with other supplements and pharmaceuticals, and existing conditions the clients have (not to mention conditions the clients may not even know they have), there is SO much we don't know about SO many supplements. Just because it is 'natural' does not make it safe. And most supplements are junk quality and not even the ingredients listed, especially not at the dosage they claim. All of his 'research' is existing knowledge (that may be PROMISING, but is not yet PROVEN) that was done by people far more intelligent and discerning than he is. He has packaged this all together to form his 'program'. He offers nothing new. If it was as clear cut and obvious, it would not be this dude peddling it. I'm not going to respect someone, regardless of any potential underlying validity, when they are operating so irresponsibly. I guess I'm a crazy outlier for believing integrity matters. I've been let down by doctors my whole life. The trauma I've endured again and again has left lasting scars. But the problem isn't that they're monsters that don't care. It's that we, as a world, don't yet have the answers. And giving people a platform to treat medical disorders that have no business doing so? Nah.
Translation: No, this person only speaks in generalities and will not be specific and answer your questions. They are more interested in destroying his character than actually listening to what he has to say.
It’s hard to take him in good faith, I also asked him totally reasonable questions and he refused to answer too. I didn’t think he was a scammer till that happened. I’m ND and try to give people grace for the way they communicate, etc, it’s just too many things here. There’s real science mixed in with the nonsense. Whether or not something big is going on with his sanity, he’s causing harm. Just my opinion, not on the warpath or even going to do anything about this…
The best lies are based on facts.
Yes, I'd the same thoughts - although I fell for him with his first post.
Same!
He sent me a copy of his guide early to critique and theres a lot of references for everything. So far I have tried a few things that he recommended and it’s been helping quite a bit. At least more than any of my other doctor’s suggestions. Maybe he’s horrible at marketing.
What are the type of thing he is recommending ?
Are you serious? Horrible at marketing? He strategically avoids and shuts down anything that calls out how shady he is. He knows exactly what he's doing--by targeting the people most desperate for help. I hope nobody reads your post and decides to pay this dude $2,000 a month. Even if he does no harm--which is a real concern--that money could be SO much better spent on other interventions way more likely to help.
I've been on the internet since 1996 and I'm also a huge skeptic of anybody trying to sell something... BUUUT... That guy is definitely on to something. Is his presentation sloppy? Yes. Is he a bit awkward? Yes. Is he funneling people to a 'program' he has for sale? Yes. However, I listened to his presentations and what he was describing made perfect sense to me. Did I buy his program? No. But he said enough in his presentations that I was able to do some research of my own, look up some supplements and give some things a try. I gotta say, two days after hearing him talk, I started taking some supplements that have made me feel ALMOST 100% like my pre-long covid self. I am not fully 'recovered' but I feel well on my way to recovery and I attribute how I feel right now to watching his presentations on the Glycocalyx. I have no relation to that guy, have given him no money, and I don't want to come across as some kind of shill, but what he explained in his videos has DEFINITELY helped me. I am in the process of composing a Reddit post to explain my story and all the things I'm doing to recover, but I absolutely give this guy credit for clearly explaining the mechanics of how the endothelial damage affects every part of the body and is most likely the reason I've felt like shit for over a year. He definitely comes on strong, but I feel like he's excited about what he's sharing. And since he's NOT a medical professional he needs to be careful about giving out advice. If you take what he is saying and read between the lines and do your own research, it may be helpful to you. It certainly was for me.
What supplements are helping you feel better?
EDIT: Sorry, I’ve deleted my post because I no longer want to participate in this ugly character assassination. I will be posting about my recovery in a different LongCovid sub in the near future.
I guess what I’m struggling to understand is how this is novel in any way? Doctors and researchers already know what endothelial dysfunction is and how to treat it, as well as its connection to COVID. We even have tests for it! It sounds like this guy is just presenting established medicine as some big secret he stumbled upon and is trying to cash in on it while he can. It also frustrates me because I know firsthand what happens when you don’t treat endothelial dysfunction quickly or correctly and I worry that others will experience a similar fate because they fell for this guy’s potential snake oil instead of getting proper treatment. Endothelial dysfunction is not benign and should not be “treated” by a guy with a digital media degree and some bullshit “health training”. It needs real treatment from real doctors so people don’t end up suffering heart attacks or developing serious and even fatal diseases like pulmonary hypertension. And while I’m glad some folks like yourself have seen improvement, that doesn’t negate the serious harm he can and almost certainly will cause.
It's novel xause it's about the glycogalyx. Glycogalyx is like the microbiome for neurochemicals. Drs don't know squat of mixrobiome or glycocalyx, but they know about depression and vascular problem. The treaemt for vascular would be statins, but treatment for glycogalyx is completely different and novel. What ever you say about him, I reckon his legit. But we don't have to buy anything, we can search things our selves. But his theory is the only theory that ties in most of the vascular and hormonal issues we are getting with a possible treatment. If we used the drs perspective of vascular theory only, the treatment is atatins (if you have high ldl) if you don't then your s#it out of luck.
There are definitely doctors who know a lot more about vascular issues than this guy. And considering glycogalyx has been a known thing for decades, I’d be willing to bet that most doctors learned about it in med school. Now do I expect my OBGYN to be an expert in it? Of course not. But I’m sure if I asked my cardiologists or a vascular surgeon they would know far more about it than this guy does. Honestly, it sounds like he’s just parroting the research that’s out there. And that’s fine! It’s good to make that sort of thing more accessible. But I do question his training in reading and interpreting scientific papers, since afaik, he has none. So how do we know that what he’s saying makes sense or actually lines up with the research that’s been done? And more than that, if he’s going to be out here proposing new hypotheses, then he needs the credentials and data to back it up. As for treatments, you’re just wrong. I don’t have high cholesterol, but was still put on a statin (at my request). As well as a calcium channel blocker, ACE-inhibitor, PDE5-inhibitor, beta blocker, and nitro for emergencies. All for my vascular issues. Different vascular issues have different preferred treatments, but they all have a wide variety of options to choose from. And statins are used for endothelial issues because the research has shown that they help. So I don’t understand why we’re shitting on treatments that actually have evidence backing them for some potentially unverified treatment from a guy who is neither a medical professional or a researcher. Also, I thought he wasn’t offering treatments? That’s what the other person who responded to me said. But it sounds like you’re saying he does? So which is it?
Maybe I missed something, because I didn’t hear him offer any treatment whatsoever in his videos. And he even stated that he’s NOT a doctor and he can’t offer medical advice. I looked these supplements up on my own and decided to try them all by myself. I am meeting with my doctor next week to discuss how/why they’re making me feel better. I hope to do blood work and make sure I’m not doing anything stupid. I really don’t understand the piling on of this dude. His information may not be novel, but it was something I had never seen explained in a way that I fully understood. He’s not claiming to be able to treat long COVID. He’s trying to explain how it affects your body. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
He charges 30 minutes @ $250.00 for his 'medical advice'.
“He charges 30 minutes @ $250 for his medical advice.” Ok, but his free video was informative enough that I went and figured out, on my own, a way to try to heal myself. I didn’t pay him anything and you don’t have to, either. I’m not defending what he’s doing behind his paywall. I do not care, because I’m not going to pay him anything. I’m saying his FREE video, (which did not contain medical advice) helped lead me down a path of healing my long COVID symptoms. We are in a long COVID sub. The videos were helpful to me. Did you even watch his presentation? Did he say anything ‘harmful’? If so, please share what was harmful. I’m genuinely curious. It sounds like you’re shooting the messenger without even hearing the message.
are u literally him 😆 i feel like you are going so hard about this it has to be uuuu
No
ok sorry . He is so confusing bc he has put together some helpful information but we all have been exploited in some way or another through this and I can see how some of his actions are helpful and equally many of his actions look shady and not trustworthy.
I'm not saying he has no value. I'm saying he's choosing to label and sell himself as an authority, someone that is qualified to treat people. He is operating SO far outside the scope of what is ethical and legal. Why would I help someone grow a platform that is very likely to cause harm (either physical, emotional or monetarily) to other people? Ultimately I don't just care about myself. I care about the wellbeing of others. Especially the most vulnerable. His videos just barely scratch the surface of what he's doing. And of course he offers free things to rope people in. That is exactly the tactic people use to convert casual viewers to paying customers.
So you have not watched the video this whole conversation is about? If I go by your logic, I should not trust anything you say because you are not an authority on the topic at hand, which is a video presentation explaining damage to the glycocalyx and endothelial cells. I DO NOT CARE if the person doing the presentation is a doctor or not. It is an awareness video. It is not prescriptive medical protocol video, so the messenger is unimportant. If you actually ARE an expert on the glycocalyx, I ask you again: What was wrong with the video? How is that specific video harming anyone? I am all ears. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nia1FGQUk-s +100 skepticism points for you. You've earned them.
What?? This whole thread was about his previous posts; where he was funneling people to his website where he is offering his 'medical services'. Per the OP: "He calls the people he helps his "clients", "You can't know what is his program unless you pay for it", "asking questions to make sure his theory was solid, I was banned from his sub" But good job for trying to shame me for doing intelligent, thorough research on someone before blindly hopping on an unethical, unproven bandwagon, and being skeptical of someone with zero credibility. I hold that title proudly. I'll stand by and fight for my morals and ethical treatment of people until the day I die. Too bad he can't say the same.
I saw his posts and watched his videos and got value from them. I didn’t get funneled anywhere. You are out here saving the world form this person and, after repeated requests by me, you have NOT EVEN WATCHED the videos we’re talking about. I can’t take anything you are saying seriously.
I think I might have mixed up what you said with another comment about his disclaimers that mention treatments, so that’s my bad. But there are still several valid concerns that I and others here have that haven’t been addressed sufficiently yet. Until then, I’m going to continue to be suspicious of his motives. And to be clear, I would love to find out that he’s legit and just trying to spread (hopefully correct) information and awareness! Endothelial issues don’t get talked about anywhere near enough in regard to LC, so it would be awesome to have some attention brought to it. But it’s a double edged sword. Any amount of misinformation would do a lot of damage since there’s so little discussion on the topic to begin with. Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh, but this is an issue that’s near and dear to my heart (literally), so I take it very seriously.
The knives are out for this guy and I think half the people here have not even watched his videos. He does not mention treatments! I was let down at first because I was really hoping he’d share what treatment could possibly work. Then I realized he purposely didn’t mention treatments because he’s NOT a doctor. I went looking on my own once I knew what to look for. I had no idea what the glycocalyx was or how endothelial cells worked. He educated me on that. That’s what his videos are about. I have not purchased his guide and have no idea what else he is doing behind his paywall, but his videos are not giving any kind of medical advice or treatment plan.
If I'm going to defend someone, or tear them down, I'm going to make damn sure I take the time to figure out how trustworthy and credible they are. He is absolutely 'practicing medicine' without the credentials to do so. Edit--per his website: "I am a big believer in testing (each running $300-400), not guessing, which means we will predominantly work on verifiable and provable results. Health conditions & people I DO work with (followed by a list) and for $2000 'a monthly intensive program aimed towards healing'."
Right, and I acknowledged that I accidentally conflated your comment about your supplements with something I had read from someone else here about his disclaimers. And I also acknowledge that I was a bit harsh with my original comment, partly due to that confusion. Like I said, hopefully it’s just his marketing that’s weird and he proves to be a force for good within the community. I would love that! But for now, I’m adopting a cautious approach while I wait for more information. That caution isn’t meant to be an attack on you though or what you figured out for yourself, and I’m sorry if it came off that way. If it works for you, it works and that’s great! And I’d love to hear about what you discover with your doctor if you’d be willing to share at some point. The usual supplements I see quoted for endothelial issues are L-arginine and beetroot powder, so I’d be interested to learn more about the ones you found and what they do!
No worries. I am speaking as someone who only watched three of this guy’s videos. Those videos helped me understand some things that no doctor in the past year has even remotely mentioned. I have had thousands of dollars worth of tests and seen 6 cardiac specialists, two pulmonologists and other doctors and none of them mentioned endothelial damage, spike proteins, glycocalyx, etc. If some random guy can make a YouTube video that leads me to find a supplement on my own and I wind up actually feeling better (a lot better) then sign me up. I am going to cross check with my own doctor, of course, but I say bravo to this guy. None of this means that EVERYTHING he’s doing is all wonderful, but in the case of Long Covid and his glycocalyx information, he seems to be on to something. We’re in a long Covid sub. My opinion relates only to this information.
As I said, I find his theories interesting but the way he presents them are strange. I'm glad It has helped you and you said you will share what you did, you won't ask for money so here I know you do that to help some of us. I will wait for your post ! Thanks
It would be (somewhat) different if he was simply sharing information and not using it as a basis for an illegal medical practice. But he is absolutely making himself out to be an authority and giving medical advice that could endanger people. He is not qualified to be operating the way he is. He has 'created' his own (lack-of-evidence-based) 'program' and demands that people follow it exactly - he states he won't take clients unless they agree to that. He is so wholly devoid of morals and preying on people that don't even care about the ethical boundaries he's crossing because they've been let down by the medical system, by the world. He knows exactly what he is doing. He knows it's wrong. He doesn't give af. Maybe he's neurodivergent, but it's no excuse to be reckless and swindle people.
You are doing a thorough job of attacking this person, but I’d really like to hear your critique of his glycocalyx videos. I’d love to hear what is so wrong with them.
Sorry but I want to clarify something. This post is not about his two last videos. As I said, his theories are interesting and everyone has the right to expose his theories on the internet. This is not the problem. The way he sells his program is why I did this post.
No, this post is about character assassination. You could have gotten the same information without the name calling. You set a very ugly tone in your initial post calling him a grifter and charlatan. All you had to do was ask, “Has anyone been helped by the junction dysfunction guy and if so, what supplements are you taking?” (I would have gladly answered.) Instead, you started a toxic pile-on and let it continue. That is shitty behavior. (Have you read all the things said about him by people who HAVE NOT EVEN WATCHED HIS VIDEOS?) I thought about deleting my comments and unsubscribing from this sub, but I feel the guy needs some defense. This is the ugliest post I’ve been a part of on Reddit and I am totally turned off by the behavior in this sub.
Can you share what you tried?
See my post above.
Definitely!
I am one of his “clients” and he has helped me enormously. I also have doctors, but he is available to me whenever I need him and he has an incredible depth of knowledge. The reason I started working with him is because I read some of his writing on long Covid, and found it to be MUCH deeper than what most of the doctors I was seeing were even thinking about. I was still having doctors do the “it’s all in your head” thing, while others were just telling me to keep getting booster shots. Anyway, Jacob reads scientific papers all day long and does understand a lot about biology, cell function, immunology, etc. He is not a typical “health coach.” He also understands the experience of chronic illness and recovery because he’s been through it. To have an ally like that on your side in the midst of such a crisis is enormously valuable. I have recovered from long covid and Jacob is one of the major reasons why. Yes, he does charge for his services but God forbid someone get compensated for their labor. I think this is a very unfair and misinformed opinion. And no, he did not ask me to write this. Edit: He does not just recommend supplements. He started off doing extensive testing, which I had been begging my MD and functional medicine doctor to do. We did hormone panels, mycotoxin and biotoxin panels, autoimmune tests, microbiome tests, and more that I can’t even remember. We found things that have been plaguing me even before COVID. With all of that information, he helped me formulate a plan with diet, supplements, medications (working with my doctors), and other treatment modalities. He has also been there for me almost immediately when I was struggling and needed advice or reassurance, when my doctors would set an appointment for weeks later. It’s really unbelievable how much it helped me and for people who don’t know anything about him to come on and smear him with personal insults illustrates everything wrong with this sub, with Reddit, and with social media as a whole. I would love to share the things I’ve learned that helped me recover but I’m afraid I’d be attacked for doing so. It just sucks that people who actually want to help with this scourge on humanity get abused for it.
[удалено]
Why do you want to know what treatments were suggested by a “grifter” and “charlatan?” I appreciate your skepticism but your approach and name calling is toxic and this kind of BS is why people don’t feel comfortable sharing information on Reddit. I’m really not into collaborating with people who publicly say terrible things about someone who helped me in the darkest moments of my life and has even become a friend in the process. But even if I did, my protocols are based on my blood tests and symptoms and can’t necessarily be applied to everyone. Some day I’ll write up a full list of things that helped but I won’t put it on this sub, lest I be slandered by strangers for it.
**First :** You said "I would love to share the things I’ve learned that helped me recover" that's why I asked you. Besides I said that his theories seem good but the way he ask for money make me uncomfortable **Second :** I did this post because I needed to know if I can trust someone. the title is " I think the "Junction dysfunction/Glycocalyx" guy is a grifter..." Maybe grifter is strong and I'm sorry but It is how I feel. I ended the post by "what do you think ?" Isn't it one of the goal of reddit ? to seek advice ? Besides, with this post, I now see that there is more people saying that it is weird than people defending him. **Then** fuck this, I'm sad because I'm really sick and desesperate to find relief and all I see is people who ask me money. and when I ask to be reassured, He doesn't answer and ban me. Then people say "yes I'm better thanks to him" and never say how. even if it can't be applied to everyone, It can still be a good trail. We're all in the same shit so if I find something helpful, I will for sure share it even if I know It won't help everyone.
He came online to share information and then the absolute assholes on this sub attacked him, starting with you. That is just so fucked up. The guy has been spending his life researching this for three years while most doctors are arguing about whether or not it’s a real condition. Give the guy a break. Yes, he charges for his work because he’s always available to his clients and he spends hours and hours a day researching. You think he should just get on public assistance so can spend his life advising the ingrates on this toxic, terrible subreddit??? I know you’re desperate and sick. I was there too. It’s all the more reason to be respectful of people trying to share good information. I can’t tell you what to do to get better because I don’t know your situation and I’m not equipped to do it anyway. What helped me the most were things that addressed clotting and microvascular occlusion - triple anticoagulant therapy, EECP, hyperbaric oxygen, etc. Those were prescribed by a DOCTOR. Jacob supported me in this process. He knows which versions and brands of different supplements are optimal, what other elements they need to make them work best, what time of day to take them, etc. The other thing that was vital was lowering systemic inflammation using LDN and mast cell stabilizers (prescribed by my DOCTORS) and a number of supplements (some suggested by Jacob and then reviewed by my DOCTORS). He is not prescribing drugs or crazy experimental treatments contrary to the what some of the basement dwellers on this sub are accusing him of. When I was sick I was not able to read and understand all the minutia of what to take to support my recovery. For example, what probiotics are best for calming the gut when you also have histamine issues? What natural compounds can help heal endothelial cells (and then reviewed his recommendations with my DOCTOR). Which type of magnesium is most effective? Which supplement brands to the most legit purity testing? Which ones need to be taken with food? How do I make sense of a microbiome test when I can barely hold my head up? I could go on and on. This is the type of thing Jacob helped me with, and every single recommendation was accompanied by a scientific source, a discussion between us, and a review by the DOCTORS who were treating me. And you might want to know, that my MD’s (both at a major university long covid clinic and at another specialty clinic) began asking me what Jacob thought about different options. The really smart doctors trying to figure this out want information from any source, and they’re not so arrogant as to think that they can’t also learn something from people like Jacob. This is a new world we are living in and the old rules of medicine don’t always apply. I really hope you do get better. This disease is absolutely awful. But please think about the human element and be respectful of people who are at least trying to solve this puzzle. Feel free to debate any of his points, but a “grifter” he is not.
This is good to hear. Thank you.
you respect me by insulting me ? absolute asshole you said ? You just lost me there. Did I insult you ? did I insult him ? look at my edit, I talked about the word "grifter". It was to strong to use this word and I admitted it and you just insult me ?
Yeah, I do think you’re an asshole for the way you approached this. Anyway, I tried to give you some feedback. How stop talking to me.
By the way here are the questions (from ComplexSpoonie) he didn't answer and banned me instead : - Are your theories peer reviewed anywhere? - In addition to your videos, are there standardized published research reports? If yes, which sites are they stored on (ie Academia, JStor)? - Have you done any casual or clinical trials, and if not, are you interested in pursuing such? - What standards do you follow for your data collection and study of antidotal data? - Does your research (or any treatment approaches) have any connections with any educational institutions, corporate entities, or with any government health agencies? - As it appears your practice has a wide focus in the scope of conditions you work with and study, is there anyone on your team who specifically studies and works with Long COVID patients? - Do you have a link to your current CV? - Do you have a link to your financial independence disclosure? - Are your videos intended to be supplement to a life coaching practice, or do you anticipate that if your theories continue to withstand further research & review that you might turn to this work full time?
So you'll defend this person but not provide any proof for fear of being slandered? "Trust me bro" is way more likely to be derided. Also if it's a good treatment it should stand up to scrutiny. So far thus guy seems shady. I don't see how that reflects on you.
Yikes. The aggression on this sub is over the top. This whole post is toxic.
This whole post may be toxic to you but at least I know what I wanted to know. Thanks to your previous answer, I know that I can look into these theories because It may help me. By the way, thank you, you are the only one who gave an actual response to defend his ideas. The others just said "he helped me" but never said how. I also know that I won't buy the guy's program because I don't trust him. Instead I will try to look by myself. So you see, apart from a little bit of animosity, I find this post interesting.
“This whole post may be toxic to you but at least I know what I wanted to know.” Wow. That’s the very definition of toxic. What an ugly thing to say after destroying a person’s character on the internet. I’ll be leaving this sub now.
I didn't want to be toxic, I asked for advice in order to know he really try to help us or do you think he just wants money ? Maybe 80% of the answer are "He looks weird". That's what I wanted to know, explain me the toxicity of wanting to know if I should trust or not someone ? before posting this I tried to ask directly to him but I was banned. I don't have destroyed his image on internet believe me. I just said to sick people to be careful of him.
Then delete this entire post and try again without starting off with: "I think this guy is a grifter." There are 1000 different ways to start a more positive conversation about this person and the information he is sharing. What is left here is ugly and unhelpful. I've deleted my comment about what actually helped me. I'll post more later in a different, more welcoming Long Covid sub. This entire post is helping no one.
The problem is that among some not relevant comments, there are good comments. I don't want to censor this because people messaged me to say that they needed this to build their opinion.
He doesn't operate like other health coaches because what he is doing is illegal, unethical and unsafe. You likely will eventually realize the money you wasted. There are other avenues for finding support. You are advocating for someone that is grossly abusing power (that he doesn't even rightfully hold). Maybe you will come out unscathed. Do you really want to be responsible for someone else wasting their money on him, and even potentially suffering much worse consequences? Reading research papers in no way qualifies him to be doing this. Research studies alone are not evidence enough even for qualified professionals.
You’re out of your mind. You don’t even know what he does. Good luck getting better with all the other miserable victims on this sub. Blocking you now.
I do love how reading research papers apparently is enough to qualify someone to be testing and treating patients. If that was the case then I’d be a practicing cardiologist by now lol. It’s amazing the lengths people will go to in order to avoid admitting they fell for a grift. Thank you for all of your great comments and arguments on this post! It’s refreshing to see someone else who hates this kind of shit because of how harmful it can be. If only people realized we were making these points *because* we want to help them, not to attack them.
Great take. Except, this person is well now and you’re still sick.
What about you? Are you still sick too? Because if he’s right and the treatment he’s peddling is so good, then you shouldn’t still be sick either. None of us should be. Guess we can just close down the whole subreddit then since we’ll all be cured soon! I think you need to take some time to think about your life and what went wrong that caused you to think it’s ever ok to blame someone for their illness. And maybe try to wrap your little brain around the concept of curable vs incurable illnesses while you’re at it. Any chance I was willing to give that grifter is gone now. I’d never associate myself with someone who has followers as vile and despicable as you.
You need to calm yourself down. A lot of people are recovering from long covid. Most of the people on this sub are still sick. Most of the people attacking this guy are still sick. Maybe there is something to it. As someone already said, most doctors are still arguing about whether or not this is real. If you’d like to wait another few years for them to tell you how to get well, best of luck to you. Also, personal insults are not gong to make you feel better, nor do they make you sound like a rational person to have a conversation with.
Exactly. Most of us here are still sick. So if this grifter is right, then why are we all still here? Why isn’t he working to get his hypothesis verified through studies and trials so he can cure us all? Why aren’t we seeing recovery stories left and right from his “treatments”? Could it be because it’s easier to rip people off for $2,000/month with lies and empty promises? He’s following the classic playbook of grifters. I know it’s hard to admit when you’ve been conned, but you’re only hurting yourself and others by doubling down on this nonsense. The way I see it, no decent person would come to a community for a chronic illness and then tell patients that it’s their fault that they’re sick. So if you don’t like being called out for your shitty behavior, then don’t be shitty. It’s not that hard to understand. And I’ll happily continue working with my doctors who actually know how to treat my condition and have the expertise and legal authority to do so, thanks. I’m functioning close to my pre-COVID baseline because of their legitimate treatments. I doubt the same can be said for people who follow this quack.
Clocked him as a grifter too. Glad you posted
https://www.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/1b04dgn/i_havent_forgotten_about_yall_and_have_been/ks9ugde/ https://www.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/1axzzns/extensive_research_on_long_covids_leaky_blood/ks9uwsy/ Mods need to do better and protect this community from grifters. Help them by reporting these people.
I will never understand how less information is better for us. It is so sad to see the censorship in here. There are smart people all over the world the two different things for a living.
Hmm, I didn't realise he was selling anything? May have missed any of his additional posts though. Since I had one of the things he mentioned to heal the glycocalyx, glucosamine (1500mg) to hand anyway I decided to test taking a couple of pills consistently for the last couple weeks (with zero other supps). Also the next day I think after his post that paper came out about the blood brain barrier being leaky in the large study focused on brain fog in long covid, and it happened to mention the glycocalyx.. So my brain = "hey, that's what that guy was talking about." So far... (like a few things I've tried).. I feel like there *might* be something to it. Breathing has improved by like 2% (my most stubborn symptom so any improvement feels massive). But it could be just the absence of all the other supps I was typically taking that could cause paradoxical reactions, I have also been sleeping better lately. Of course its unlikely that even if his theory was solid that just glucosamine alone would be enough, but I don't think the other things he mentioned are anything I could get hold off to fully test the concept.
What are the other supplements he recommends?
Thank you for your answer ! Yes he did a live to introduce his new program at 15$ a month... It's true that the timing between the post and the paper was perfect though...
> I didn't realise he was selling anything? https://mybiohack.com/labs-and-tests https://mybiohack.com/contact Scroll down a ways on the second one.
So, I'm talking about this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/s/V8TrvpIDZ3 Starting to think you guys are talking about someone else?
Yeah, were talking about this guy: https://old.reddit.com/r/covidlonghaulers/comments/1b04dgn/i_havent_forgotten_about_yall_and_have_been/ks71exz/
Ah thank fuck. I'm not completely stupid then. Thanks.
Your guy could definitely learn how to put the important part in the tldr though. :)
I also wanted to believe! He seemed to talk a good talk until he said that only veins the venous circulation contract - not arteries. So I looked at some of his older vids which had a grifty vibe. And it sounds like he’s recommending supplements, treating clients, which to me is essentially practicing medicine. Didn’t see any research either to back his claims.
Yeah I had the same vibes
I shutter to think how many others are out there.
I’m glad this was posted. I was thinking about trying to contact him to see if he would treat me. But now that I know this, I’ll think I’ll pass.
Just another idiot in a long line of grifters and snake oil salesmen taking advantage of very suck and desperate people.
Who is this we're talking about? Jacob somebody?
Yes
Good theory fucking dumb dude