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."

Tiina Lindholm and her 'secret powers of nature'

Tiina Lindholm is, to the best of my knowledge, the first person of Finno-Ugric descent to appear on this blog.

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Tiina describes herself as a "Nordic spiritual healer" and a "Master of Public Health". Whatever the hell that means.

Tiina is also pretty keen on pyramids which she imagines will block electromagnetic (EM) radiation - see this advert if you really want to know more.

ASA complaint already submitted - unless Tiina really can intefere with EM radiation.

"I write to complain about an advert in "Soul and Spirit" magazine (Issue 28, May 2010).

The advert, for Tiina Lindholm, promotes various products and services.

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of two 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. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims:

(i) The "Spiritually programmed [sic] Tetrahedron" "breaks ground radiation"
(ii) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" is "effective within 40 metres"
(iii) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" maintains "Bio [sic] energy fields" and "cleans"
(iv) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" blocks "electromagnetic radiation"
(v) The "Spiritually programmed [sic] Quartz granules" "helps[sic] you to stay fit and healthy"
(vi) The "Spiritually programmed Quartz granules" are "effective within 5 metres"

3. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

4. Under Section 50.1, I challenge whether any of the following claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of clinical trials conducted on people:

(i) Tiina Lindholm can "help" with "insomnia"
(ii) Tiina Lindholm can "help" with "illnesses"

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