In a message dated 3/29/00 9:01:07 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< I find this advertising of ensure for the elderly and pediasure for kids
to be humorous. As a pediatric nurse, I recognize them as a supplements
for the infirm. >>

I agreed w/ your entire post, Susan, but what concerns me is that the health
care industry is the reason these utterly inferior products are consumed by
anyone at all. Consider who the largest purchasers of ABM and Ensure are--the
govt and hospitals and nursing homes. It is the most frail and vulnerable who
are fed this stuff. We could say that there is a place for all of these
products, of course, but that place is very, very small. Two close family
members of mine recently had cancer surgery and both were fed "foods" like
jell-o and Ensure after their surgery. Doesn't anyone even consider the harm
to a vulnerable, immune-compromised body of the artificial flavors, colors
and other chemicals in these "foods"? There are healthy, natural counterparts
on the market, but artificial foods are much cheaper. IMO, the marketing of
ABM is just a symptom of an industry (health care) that is basically ignorant
of the biological imperative for good nutrition. I continue to be amazed that
we as a culture actually rely on manufacturers of these products to educate
us about their use. It is no surprise to me that a culture that will
routinely feed its infants ABM will feed its elderly Ensure.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

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