#2394: Brenda Watson

Brenda Watson is not a medical doctor, but an “N.D. [short for “not a doctor”], C.N.C.” (a certification given out by the American Association of Nutritional Consultants, the organization that also gave a “certified professional membership” to science writer Ben Goldacre’s deceased cat Hettie for a $60 fee), and according to herself “among the foremost authorities on natural digestive care and nutrition” – “natural” being the key word, of course: you should not take her advice on actual digestive care and nutrition. Watson is a naturopath and a nutritional consultant, and proudly “holistic”. According to Watson, all health problems are related to nutrition, and treatable by detoxification and the kind of bullshit nutritional supplements she happens to sell you. 

Together with her husband Stan, Watson is the founder of ReNew Life Formulas, Inc., a company that manufactures and distributes “natural digestive care” products and “functional foods” with supplements normal people do not need. They also promote colonic irrigation, which is a strange way to get rid of some money without getting anything any reasonable person would want in return.

 

Her nonsense has been repeatedly promoted by the PBS, including the PBS special “Join Me on the Road to Perfect Health”, where she’s been given plenty of space to promote her products and detox nonsense. She has also written a number of books to promote the same.

 

Diagnosis: Just one of many, many promoters of questionable and idiotic health advice who adorn themselves with alphabet soups to convey some sort of authority to those who don’t bother to check, and who proceed entirely without concern for science, evidence or accountability. Watson, however, has been given plenty of room to promote herself by channels that really should know better (or have a bit more of a spine), and is hence worthy of an entry.

 

Hat-tip: Skepdic