IMO, it is the kind of cynicism and group think on display in this thread that robs so many people of the higher quality and longer life than they could otherwise enjoy and puts them at the mercy of the real snake oil salesman, aka “Big Pharma.” Those who make their fortunes canonizing an approach to medicine that pressures us to put absolute faith in convention and pedigree while ridiculing anything or anyone coming from an approach that isn’t dependent on expensive surgeries and/or prescription drugs are, to my thinking, much more dangerous (not to mention responsible for many more unnecessary and premature deaths) than the occasional outside-the-box guru/trainer like Guerrero who comes along.
I once had the privilege of working at a non-profit “lifestyle center” where I witnessed people from all walks of life suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc. return to health and wellness in just 18 days. It was a physician supervised, residential treatment program built on many of the principles TB12 teaches including (plant-based) diet, exercise (including aerobic, strength, and flexibility training), education and behavioral health counseling.
Not only did I witness hundreds of very ill people (some having been sent home to die by their doctors and ALL being treated with conventional drugs/big pharma) made well through this “alternative approach” to healthcare, I personally experienced the power of “lifestyle medicine” to change my life and future. In just a few short months I went from fat, weak, unhealthy and pre-diabetic, to fit, healthy, and strong. I remember one of our physicians always saying that “genetics loads the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger” and that the choice was largely up to us whether we would have a “long life and a short death or short life and a long death.”
If anything, after his playing career is over, I’d like to see TB12 use his fame and influence to do more than merely help athletes recover faster, improve their performance, or increase the longevity of their careers. IMO, Tom Brady has an incredible opportunity to take his methods and his message to the masses where it will impact the lives of millions and, dare I say it, change the world.
I have several friends who believe in, rely on and attest to the value of "alternative medicine" in their lives. These are very credible, well-educated people who ascribe much of their daily well being to practices that are "out of the ordinary." So, yes, there is a whole other model of "wellness" other than the approach of traditional medicine.
I also think that many of the criticisms of "Big Pharma" are right on target, from their testing procedures to the undocumented claims about the benefits of expensive drugs (remember all the commercials about cures for "Low-T" that were pulled from the air?). Their pricing policies are the subject of legitimate debate, especially when they gouge desperately ill people and their insurance companies for some of their new, genetic-based products. The entire business model of "Big Medicine" and "Big Drugs" is so flawed that we could spend all day naming its faults. As the old Wall Street saying goes, "What cannot continue must end." And, eventually, it will.
A lot of what Brady is selling seems to be of great value. It's hard to argue with "Exhibit A" as he leads the NFL in multiple statistics at the age of 40! If I happen to think that some of it is a little hokey, well, I don't have to buy it. If others think it's worthwhile, they will buy it. Free Country. Free Market.
I think some are turned off by how TB12 is pricing much of what it is selling, but it is just following the practice of many large companies by "Skim" pricing at the beginning to recoup development costs and appeal to well-heeled "first adapters." It's a well known and very legitimate business practice. At some point, the strategy will probably evolve to the development of new products, re-positioning part of the product mix for people of more modest means and pursuing some "Penetration" pricing, where they would broaden their target market and try to build share, while still maintaining a Premium Brand image. Nike has managed to do that and there's no reason to believe that Brady couldn't as well. But, it's not easy, as Under Armour is discovering.
Alec Guerrero is another matter. I think that folks are rightly nervous about Guerrero's history. He falsely and repeatedly marketed himself as a "Doctor," when he had no such degree, medical or otherwise. The FTC slammed him for a couple of his ventures. But, he seems to do a lot of good for a lot of people and charge them a lot for doing so. But, I'm reasonably certain that a hefty cut of whatever he charges goes to Brady, because his clients aren't coming to see "Alec Guerrero," but rather "The guy who trains Tom Brady."
Time will tell. Tigers usually don't change their stripes. The bottom line for me, as a Brady and Patriots fan, is that Guerrero "does no harm" to Brady or his reputation. As long as that remains the case, as I said above, "Free Country. Free Market."
