Tiina Lindholm's secret powers of nature

Tiina Lindholm is one of those people who once had a vaguely respectable nursing job, but threw it all away to pursue a career in quackery.

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In her Soul & Spirit magazine advert, she promotes a range of "natural products from Lapland", some of which can apparently help with "all illnesses".

This is my second ASA complaint against the Helsinki-born Tiina (the first one is here). Watch in awe as I fearlessly correct her Finnish grammar!

"I write to complain about an advert appearing in "Soul and Spirit" magazine (Issue 31, Aug 2010, p30).

The advert, for Tiina Lindholm, promotes "natural prodcuts from Lapland". I draw your attention to paragraphs 1. (iii) and 1. (vi), in which claims are made for products that supposedly treat "all illnesses".

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of five sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. Under Sections 3.1 and 50.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people:

(i) The "Birch Ash" and "Birch Ash Water" products "[keep] your body in balance and [help] your body to get the minerals it needs"

(ii) The "Bark Extract" product "stimulates your memory"

(iii) The "Basil Extract" product "helps with all illnesses and for those who want to maintain their Bio Energy [sic]"

(iv) The "Basic Extract" product is suitable for animals

(v) The "Juniper Extract" product "stimulates [the] pancreas"

(vi) The "Kalevala's [sic] Power Extract" product "helps with all illnesses"

(vii) The "Lapland's Power Extract" product "keeps your minerals and trace elements in balance"

(viii) The "Reindeer Lichen Extract" product "helps in neurogenous illnesses"

(ix) The "Tar Honey" product "helps with exhaustion and keeps up good fitness"

2. Under Section 50.3, I challenge whether the claims that the "Kalevala's [sic] Power Extract" and "Basil Extract" products help with "all illnesses" may discourage essential treatment, under Section 7.1 I challenge whether these two claims are misleading, and under Section 6.1 I challenge whether these two claims "exploit the credulity, lack of knowledge or inexperience of consumers".

3. Under Section 7.1, I challenge whether the claim "Tiina Lindholm...is a Master of Public Health" misleadingly implies that the advertiser is employed by local or national government.

4. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser or with the alternative medicine industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser."