#2060: Diem T. Nguyen

Diem T. Nguyen is a chiropractor, “functional wellness practitioner” and conspiracy theorist who runs something called the NorCal Natural Integrative HealthCare (oh, yes: both natural and integrative, since neither word means anything in this context, but are good dog whistles for her intended audiences). According to Nguyen, America’s “Medical Monopoly” is actively promoting diabetes as some sort of conspiracy, but fortunately Nguyen is there to help you – she even offers “free seminars” for diabetic patients. The treatments she offers, however, are about as free as they are effective; an unsatisfied customer claims Nguyen charged her $8,500 for a six-month supply of useless supplements, for instance.

In more detail, Nguyen promotes the idea that type 2 diabetes is an “insulin- and leptin signaling disease” – it is not – and that  supplements, detox treatments and various nonsense such as spinal decompression are effective means to reverse and prevent it. This is, of course, not the case.

As for the conspiracy telling you that her nonsense is nonsense: According to Nguyen, science-based medicine (a.k.a the “medical monopoly”) doesn’t want to cure you but rather “to treat your symptoms until you die” because “that’s where the money is – dependent patients for life” (which is rather easily demonstrably false). How Big Medicine deals with Big Insurance, which has opposite interests – or how the conspiracy is supposed to work in other countries with government-run and government-paid-for healthcare – is left vague (Nguyen’s target group is probably those who don’t think about such issues anyways); Nguyen’s handwaves – “[p]owerful lobbies and huge corporate interests shape the insurance model of traditional medicine,” and these interests “always center on profit, control of the population through government regulation, and long-term self-survival” – do, in a rather striking manner, exactly not address the “how” and “why” questions, but that’s what she’s got. According to Nguyen this is nevertheless why science-based medicine only treats symptoms of disease (with “stress-creating drugs”), not the disease itself, and doesn’t want you to know about the drugless, natural approaches that help you achieve “balance” and “improved well-being”. How supplements, detox therapies and spinal decompression became “natural” is anyone’s guess, but again: “natural” means exactly what Nguyen wants it to mean in this context.

Apparently Nguyen also offers treatments for overweight, thyroid problems and autoimmune disorders. According to Nguyen, “[i]t is estimated that nearly 70% of all Americans suffer from some form of autoimmune disorder, mostly undiagnosed,” with “it” in this context being Nguyen’s own ass. In reality, between 5% and 8% of Americans have one of the more than 80 identified autoimmune disorders, but we suspect that Nguyen will be able to give you a diagnosis that she will, coincidentally, have an expensive treatment for no matter what your doctor says.

Diagnosis: Spam. This is spam. Pushed by a disgusting excuse for a human being who does by all ethical measures appear to be practicing medicine without a license for those who may be interested in such issues.

Hat-tip: Skepdic