MLM HORROR STORIES #89 | Doctor shilling Optavia to elderly patients, misses cancer diagnosis

[@HannahAlonzo]

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[@plzhd2]

Can you buy it for someone else? Surprise my son n his gf!

[@maryellen9503]

if you're trying to respect the writer's wishes, you might want to take out the dr's name etc, I found them with one google just cause I was horrified.

[@reinareinhart]

@@maryellen9503 Yeah came here to say this .Since the first person asked to not share the website, I think showing the pictures negates that a little. I used Google images and found their website immediately. A good way mightve been to just read or show the descriptions without the images

[@Cindyxx0]

Saying something is natural so it can't do any harm is so stupid when there are poisonous plants...

[@michaelmurphree4972]

A few other all natural things: crude oil, snake venom, bee stingers, mercury, uranium, radon, you get the idea…

[@daphnereal3129]

Putting a foreign substance on someone else's baby is NOT ok. ESPECIALLY when they waited until mom left the room to do it. Clearly the friend suspected that OP wouldn't allow this if she asked. New Mom OP does not owe the friend an apology for taking her baby back and washing that junk off.

[@kiimdahyun]

as a doctor in training the first story makes me furious. it's exactly the case we're taught to worry about and make sure to eliminate cancer first in a patient presenting with those symptoms especially at their age. those few months could've changed the trajectory of the illness and were crucial to his prognosis. a serious medical malpractice he should've lost his license over.

[@lannah080907]

Good luck with training ❤❤❤

[@kiimdahyun]

@@lannah080907 thank you so much 🤍

[@lelisbet]

I'm in training too and also furious. 1st year med student wouldn't be as negligent as that idiot was.

[@kiimdahyun]

@@lannah080907 thank you so much 🤍

[@kiimdahyun]

@@lelisbet the 3 classic alarm symptoms of malignancy are literally drilled into your head the second you walk in through the doors there’s simply no excuse. i’m still glad that his family was able to tell something wasn’t right & did the best they could.

[@mhi11]

ANY medical professional shilling MLM products should lose any licence they have to practice. How unethical..

[@peacebichons]

Sadly there would be A LOT of license revocations…I work in Health care and MLMs are rampant.

[@sweetpea1989]

My dentist's wife did billing for his office. She had pamphlets, samples and wore Herbalife shirts. I avoided her, never asked about the product, and could tell she really wanted me to. I noticed this last year she is no longer wearing the shirts, the samples are gone. Hoping she learned the truth about them.

[@QueenTaco24]

I fully agree. I even quit seeing medical professionals who try to push off their “preferred” brand of supplements. Thankfully I found providers who don’t do this. Although my chiro does recommend supplements based on certain things (like osteoporosis or joint swelling), it’s always “you can get it cheaper from Amazon or Walmart than I can get it for you.”

[@alyciaosante5492]

Agreed! My midwife went that route. So disappointing, after the birth of my son I had questions and she tried to get me on Melleleuca (sp?) I had horrible postpartum. She left her job, went to work on research and was going to “step away” because her “business” was growing. Ridiculous

[@samsongomah1318]

@@sweetpea1989 Or someone complained to the dentist's professional body.

[@heatherrussell6271]

As a former Beachbody coach, I can confirm that they do not care what they tell you as long as you buy shakeology. I have an aunt who has celiac disease, and she asked me about drinking shakeology when I was in Beachbody and for some proof that it was gluten-free. I couldn’t find any and I asked my up line about it and she just told me to tell her it is. I told my aunt I had no proof. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I didn’t want my aunt to end up sick or in the hospital because I tried to sell her Shakeology. 😅

[@FroilanTrejo]

Shakeology is so gross, I think I tried it once and ended up throwing it away

[@DarkFire1536]

I can't imagine puttiing essential oils on a 6 week old baby, let alone someone else's 6 week old baby. These essential oil people are so dangerous!

[@42ayla]

I was as far from a crunchy mom as you could get but I used corn starch instead of baby powder because of the talc and perfume in it. No way would something like an oil have been allowed anywhere close. Good for her standing up for her baby. Just shows that good parenting knows no age limit.

[@hannahgiza1992]

Story one, that doctor NEEDS to be sued for malpractice and have his license taken away. What a horrible doctor! 😡

[@lelisbet]

As a med student, I absolutely agree.

[@jesusfreakof2000]

I thought the exact same thing! My grandma was a nurse for 60 years and hearing something like that is absolutely a great case for malpractice. What a sad couple to cause so much damage under the guise of doing goood

[@Keshlynne]

As a doctor, I completely agree with this.

[@samsongomah1318]

The person who wrote the story should report the doctor to the relevant professional body. Every Canadian province and US state has such a body. I'd also go to the media to ensure action gets taken!

[@Julianaao2601]

Absolutely! It’s so disgusting he’s letting his wife ‘coach’ HIS patients on weight loss without any proper credentials or training 😰 how’s he still practicing!

[@chutchie7659]

I'm a nurse and one of the questions we ask every patient admitted to the hospital is, "have you had any unintentional weight loss in the last year?" It's a red flag for cancer that most people don't know about. 😢

[@SaphirBeere]

I think the clue word here is "unintentional". I believe the grandfather may have said no to this as well...

[@mackie490]

Optavia used to be Medifast - that is probably what the grandparents were on. 9:00

[@ultraboombean]

Woah this is crazy it was called that and it has been around for a while.

[@raetay113]

Omg, I’m not a mom, but I would be SO MEAN to anyone who harms my kid like that🤮Jesus would have to come back to prevent me from saying so many insulting words🤬

[@JamesQMurphy]

I totally agree that we should extend grace to those in MLM’s, since they can be victims themselves. But not the doctor-and-wife team - that’s just predatory.

[@sarahbell3038]

Yes, good people can still make mistakes and do bad things, but usually good people stop the bad thing and learn from it, whilst the bad continue and do more and more!

[@samsongomah1318]

Grace stops when people push useless products on vulnerable people.

[@SyKnife]

Seniors in their 70’s and 80’s are especially vulnerable to scams like this first story. They were raised to see doctors as authority figures who are not to be questioned. Coupled with the way some doctors dismiss the pain of elderly people as “they’re just old” can lead to substandard care. Be advocates for your parents and make sure healthcare providers take their complaints seriously.

[@42ayla]

Very true about them not questioning doctors. My MIL was a smart woman but trained as a nurse just before marrying and having kids and abandoning the job. Because of that training with no real experience doctors were put on a pedestal that no one should be. That made it very difficult when she was at the end of her life and refusing to listen to reason rather than the overworked and apathetic doctors that saw her in the hospital. Had one suggested something from an MLM she would have 100% been all over it.

[@user56gghtf]

I agree somewhat. But also there are those that don't believe everything the doctor tells them but they themselves feel they know it all. Some not in a stubborn mean way but more of "I've been through life. I know what best for me. I'm not changing my mind." And a lot of them are terrified of death and feeling they are close to that. They will do anytime that sounds legit. But just as life evolves legitimacy if something can change. And if you aren't apt to at least be acceptable to hearing or vetting another opinion or option it can be to your demise unfortunately.

[@greenie2390]

What essential oil MLM people don't realize is that poison ivy is also "natural".

[@JessiNaka]

I'm an ex-Mormon, and seriously, the parallels between MLMs and a religious cult like the Mormon church (I will not waste time arguing with anyone who disagrees with that definition; it absolutely hits every marker of a cult) are so insanely strong, that for a moment while you were talking about having compassion for people in MLMs following Story 2, I realized you could swap out "product" for "gospel" and "zoom calls" for "church meetings" and it all still rings true. I'm still on the road to recovering from my experience growing up in such a controlling and spiritually abusive environment, but listening to these stories and being able to draw these parallels with my own experience (not to mention almost getting sucked into MLMs twice myself) just reminds me of the bullets I dodged, and the responsibility I sometimes feel to share my own story to help others realize how their vulnerabilities are being preyed on by these sorts of organizations. Sorry for the long comment! I've been really enjoying your videos. ♡

[@kndr2094]

Fellow ex-Mo here, sending love. ♡

[@nikkikoz4720]

My anti-mlm videos led me to the Mormon stories podcast and then I fell down a rabbit hole learning all about high demand religions and cults. It's crazy how many mlms are actually started by Mormons and perpetuated by the emphasis on mothers staying in the home and presenting the "opportunity" as a way for them to make money while doing so. It's so freaking predatory.

[@mathsalot8099]

As someone from a different, very controlling religious group, I feel you. I would like to say that some ways that people practice religions, even in the same denomination, are not as controlling or predatory. I was an Independent Fundamental Baptist, and while I have moved away from that hyper-controlling subculture/cult, I still consider myself a Baptist, just a different type. I don't know enough about Mormons to say if there are different sub-denominations within it like there are with Baptists (Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Free-Will Baptists, General Baptists, etc.)

[@kellys6447]

Melissa Dougherty on KZbin has a recent video about the parallels between MLMs and spiritual groups or even cults. It’s fascinating.

[@hummingbirdchen]

The paired app was low key part of ending my relationship, because it highlighted how little we knew each other and how guarded we were with sharing emotional things or being vulnerable. We both have insecure attachment styles and the app can be really confrontational with the level of vulnerability it requires for some questions. When the questions were anything else but surface level, we'd skip them. A few times i saw that my partner was outright lying to make himself look better in the answer. Anyway, it was a bad relationship so i suppose this is a recommendation for the app 😂 I guess I'd just say, be careful when you use these things because you might not *love* what comes up for you ❤

[@XLindsLuvsPinkX]

If someone put oils on my baby, and my mom said I should apologize for being mad and leave; I would send a picture of the rash/hives to that person. I would also ask that *she* give *me* an apology. •There are ways you can send a picture of that nature to someone with a zoomed in shot, or blur/otherwise editing over any private areas.

[@wiccanloverkris]

If someone did that to my baby I'd lose my mind. I'd then lose my mind at my mum for defending it. Especially if my child came out in such a visual allergic reaction.

[@TammyMayCormier]

I am a Mental Health professional and recently attended a training for treating trauma. My employer must have paid big bucks to bring this "expert" in from another province. She was a doterra rep and had links to her "join my team" "purchase my oils" in her handouts. She also mentioned the use of her oil in her work with clients. Currently looking into how to report this to her proessional governing body. She also mentioned a "supplement" she uses for "energy" at the start of her presentation, but I didnt think anything of it until I saw the doterra links. Now I am positive it has to be another mlm product.

[@kelliatlarge]

Please, please, please report it 🙏

[@starsunmoon30]

It IS A MLM.

[@samsongomah1318]

Immediately report this person to the relevant professional body.

[@melindabrock2275]

As an mis diagnosed (stage 4 colon), now cancer survivor, my head whipped around when you said “last diet ever@!!!!! Best believe it could be your last diet ever! Now 10 years cancer free, I’m living proof you are your own best healthcare advocate. I was sent home to die with otc hemorrhoid cream. It wasn’t till I escalated it to a GI I was properly diagnosed.

[@maryeckel9682]

I'm glad you're a survivor, but that shouldn't have happened!

[@carrained]

I'm so happy that first sentence contained the word "survivor" ♥️ I hope you're okay now. I'm really worried this is what is happening to me, but I feel stupid for worrying (not a feeling doctors try to lessen...)

[@melindabrock2275]

@@carrained I hope that’s not the case for you. But, yes at the tender age of 37 my symptoms began July 31, with what I dismissed as popcorn regret, and with in 6-12 weeks had escalated to extreme pain and many episodes of nearly blacking out on the toilet, I saw stars ✨ and a black curtain dropping down over my field of vision more times than I can count. The pain irritation and severe constipation was unrelenting. But the truly unsettling part is I was told I had cancer for 2 1/2- 3 years prior to any symptoms. I still have struggles, but I’m grateful to still be here, and I always give doctors the benafits of the doubt, it is called practicing medicine after all. Nobody knows better than you what’s going on in your body, and you have to speak up. And if the doctor you’re in front of is not a good fit, find one that is. Best of luck and health to you.

[@carrained]

@@melindabrock2275 Oh that must have been so terrifying, I'm glad you could stand up for yourself and yet still have understanding for the doctors, you seem like a good person 🫶🏻

[@morganelova]

I've been binge-watching your anti-MLM videos for the past few days and saw the number of your subscribers go up so fast in these few days! You totally deserve it Hannah, what you do is so important, thank you!

[@BYUIPolitico]

Literally the perfect thing to binge listen to, especially when working or roadtripping

[@ninamal6]

Her channel is growing freaky fast!

[@morganelova]

@@BYUIPolitico I agree! I've been listening to her videos while knitting ahah

[@morganelova]

@@ninamal6 It is! That's so impressive

[@valbrenneman9071]

Before it was Optavia it was Medifast and sold in doctor offices.

[@jakeking3859]

Medifast? I vaguely recall a name like that. Although I might be thinking of Optifast, which I think is a legit company. It's so frustrating to have so many weight-loss related products, that all sound so similar to each other, some of which are MLM products, some of which are not.

[@melissashiels7838]

Holy sh*t! My mother was on that, sold by a couple in her church. My mother did lose 150lbs in the space of 12-18 months, but gained it all back when she couldn't afford to pay insane amounts of money for these sachets anymore, and a knee injury meant she couldn't work out for hours every day. She was 59 years old when she got sucked in and thought this would be the final answer to decades of yo-yo dieting.

[@Annie_Annie__]

I had a psychiatrist try to convince me that losing weight would cure my physical and mental conditions and pushed an extremely expensive MLM or MLM-esque meal plan. It might have been Medifast. That guy was terrible. He did so much unethical stuff. I reported him, but it’s been years and he’s still practicing. I heard through the grapevine that now he thinks the cure for everything is massive doses of vitamin D and essential oils. Don’t know which oil brand, but I’d bet it’s a specific one that he’s selling.

[@Shetooktothewoods]

That’s because Medifast is “the company behind the $1billion brand OPTAVIA”!!!! They are located near where I used to live.

[@sarahbell3038]

I just looked it up Optavia and Medifast are the same company

[@LydRitz]

Regarding story 4, I’m really annoyed with the 18 year old’s mom and her response to her daughter. She prioritized her best friend’s hurt feelings and prioritized “politeness”. She did this over her grand-daughter’s health and safety, and her daughter’s parenting and her wishes. That is ridiculous to me, and super frustrating. I would be concerned that if the daughter left her baby with her mom and her mom had her friend over, that it could happen again. She clearly did not understand why it was a big deal, because if she did, she wouldn’t be prioritizing her friend’s feelings, I can almost guarantee it.

[@kayliemcintosh7841]

“Go Cougs!” Hannah, “Absolutely not!” ROFL I was JUST in Spokane and did a double take at my phone. You can’t go two blocks in that town without seeing school spirit somewhere. 😂

[@QueenTaco24]

That made me laugh so hard. It reminds me of the multiple times I was in Manhattan, KS (the home of Kansas State University Wildcats (KSU 🤮) & would proudly wear all my Kansas University Jayhawks gear (I never went there but Rock Chalk!). I was there for activities ON KSU’s campus. 😂 I would get looks, some “Oh hell No’s” or “KU sucks!”. School Spirit is STRONG! 😂

[@ashleydanielson3222]

I'm from Spokane. Every time she mentions UW, I think of the movie Ten Things I Hate About You.

[@mandibriar9837]

I have never been sucked into an MLM but I absolutely love watching your videos and I appreciate how in depth you go with everything you post. Thank you and keep up the amazing work!

[@sariahrahman968]

Hey Hannah. I wanted to clarify something. As a former receptionist for Vector, I want to state that Vector does not do door-to-door sales but instead has their reps reach out to people they know to do demos. I personally find this more despicable than door-to-door sales as they feel the added pressure of not wanting to ruin relationships

[@Mollyrae0607]

When I worked with them for a week we they had us do door to door, I quit cause I wasn’t comfortable doing that

[@sariahrahman968]

Back in 2016, I know that the central area absolutely discouraged it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other areas encouraged it

[@terriwhite3372]

Wow, that first story is heartbreaking. My Dad went to the doctor for jaw pain. He was brushed off, told it was nothing, and he needed to learn what foods didn’t bother him (thought was a hiatal hernia). The doctor said weight loss was not concerning. Months go by, finally got an answer from someone else. Cancer of the esophagus. He died at 58. Anyone who feels they are not being listened to needs to push for answers.

[@theoddcottage]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my dad to that cancer when he was 59. It’s a horrible disease and frequently is misdiagnosed, which often leads to a late stage diagnosis, as both you and I experienced with our dads.

[@terriwhite3372]

@@theoddcottage I’m so sorry to hear this! My Dad has been gone almost 36 years now, crazy to think about. Sure miss his advice and wisdom. You’re so right, the disease is so often missed.

[@Lizzypoohxo]

That makes me so mad! My father (smoker) told his doctor for 2 years that he was coughing up spots of blood. For whatever reason his doctor told him it wasn't anything to be concerned about. At some point he had gone in for a second opinion and as we were moving across the country he was diagnosed with lung cancer. We got him in to a doctor right away in arkansas and they started treatments immediately. Unfortunately the treatments were too aggressive, he ended up getting very sick and passed away the day after his last treatment. It was very sad and i almost wish i hadnt pushed him to do the treatments but his doctors were very optimistic that hed live another 5-10 years. Had his original doctor taken him seriously, hed probably still be here but thats just playing what ifs.

[@terriwhite3372]

@@LizzypoohxoYou did what you thought was best! I’m sorry your Dad had to suffer like that, and for your family’s grief. ❤

[@darkstar940able]

I hope the doc got his license revoked for mal practice.......

[@nicolegreggo9939]

Omg. I'm at work right now and watching a bunch of your videos - just watched the rage bait one and when I clicked to pick another one I saw you had uploaded six minutes ago! Woo! Especially love an Optavia one because I know a woman at work who does it. Ugh.

[@esikazemese]

I am scared for anyone around those people who has put oils on the baby... I'm glad that girl was confident enough to stand up for herself and her baby and LEAVE.

[@klaytonalexandermatthews2047]

I've been thinking of telling my story, it's not horrifying, per say, it's more of a thriller lol

[@annepoitrineau5650]

Please do!!

[@Ann-op5kj]

Share!!

[@averithrower3274]

Yes!

[@maryeckel9682]

We want a thrill-er, thriller now

[@jadedbelle4788]

I'm really surprised that door to door sales exists still in the age of online shopping. I would think the companies would think of it as not financially viable.

[@ashleysavage2484]

Hi Hannah!! Thank you for all you do ❤️ the story of the grandfather is so disturbing to me.... I will say my mother two years ago was also sold a weight loss program through her doctor. They called it Ideal Protein, I'm not sure if IP was/is some kind of MLM but it was ridiculous. Also packets of food, and shakes. And they had my mother on only 750 calories per day!!!!!! I told her that was not sustainable, and I really urged her not to use this. Or to only use it to supplement regular food if she was so dead set on it. My mother lost 60 pounds, in only 2 and a half months 😕 And we went on vacation -with her and my two other sisters, we are all adults at this point. She ended up passing out while we were at the airport.... My mother is ok today, and has gained some weight back. But this stuff is scary coming from health practitioners!!!

[@katiebanks7460]

I hope she now has a new dr. Wishing your mom well.

[@ashleysavage2484]

@@katiebanks7460 thank you very much 😊 she luckily is doing much better these days! I appreciate your support!

[@hannahbanana84237]

I was MIND BLOWN when you said shakeology is up to $130 per 30 servings. And to think many consultants most likely consume multiple servings a day.

[@LovinglfDesigns]

My MIL dropped from 174 lbs to 130 lbs while struggling to eat. My husband and I went with her to the doctor and he congratulated her on her weight loss. It was because she couldn't eat food. She was actually in the beginning stages of the dying process and the doctor didn't recognize it. I did a lot of research and it was either ARFID or the beginning of the natural death process. Given that my MIL was in her 90s and was in otherwise good health it seemed to be the natural dying process. I got her into hospice which was timely because she declined pretty rapidly after that and was gone in 5 weeks. I just feel that doctors are so focused on weight loss as a positive thing when it can be a clear sign of declining health.

[@draconicfeline6177]

And being overweight can also be a symptom of an underlying issue. Yeah it can cause it's own problems but just going "oh your fat lose weight lol" does nothing but shame a patient and potentially cause disordered eating. Perfect example is hormone related issues where the body just hold onto the weight because of the signals it's getting from itself.

[@marthaj67]

@@draconicfeline6177 Yes! This! ☝🏻☝🏽☝🏿It's why so many people struggle to lose weight or even just not to GAIN weight, during midlife (peri-menopause and post-menopause for women). Men deal with losing their testosterone which has its own issues. But primary care doctors either don't know about or refuse to discuss hormone issues with their patients. So, people suffer with weight gain and other symptoms because they think "it's just part of getting old". *It doesn't have to be this way!*

[@user56gghtf]

@marthaj67 very true

[@Puddleduck1]

Had someone done that to my newborn, I honesty think I'd have lost it and thrown hands. Especially because she waited for mum to leave the room, she knew what she was doing 🤯

[@DarkFire1536]

Absolutely! I can't believe her mom was sitting right there and let her friend put oils in her grandchild's diaper! 🤬🤬🤬

[@ajejebrazorf1888]

We want a Zeke cam!

[@JamesQMurphy]

Cooper cam as well… I think that was Cooper making a rare cameo today.

[@RubyRedRainbow]

@HannahAlonzo Can you make a video about what the process of "waking up" and coming out of an MLM is like? *do they send apologies or explanations to family, friends and people from highschool they cold messaged? *do people ever stay in and decide to do this to leak current info, videos, that kind of thing? *what is the emotional journey like?

[@elisa-beary]

OMG the diaper full of peppermint oil took me OUT!! On a newborn. I’m 35 & I use mint oil DILUTED as a muscle rub, not from an MLM but it can burn anyone. Had it sat there & she didn’t see her do it I can’t even imagine if that got on her privates- that would burnnnnn. How disrespectful, beyond crossing boundaries. No excuse, you still ask before doing anything to someone’s baby but also of all the oils MINT down a DIAPER is so disgusting! Poor new mom. 😢

[@maryeckel9682]

I got mint essential oil near my eye (not even in it) when using it to help with a migraine. I thought I was going to lose my vision, it burned so bad!

[@emilycarolliles8226]

I had an “interview” for cutco and it was so shady my mom tried to come in the building (she was waiting in her car outside) because “she kept seeing kids go in but not come out and it was taking a long time” and the reps got mad at her for being concerned.

[@JDog6823]

It was HORRIBLY shady and they wouldn't even let you know what you were supposed to be doing until you were a whole day into the training. I still have the knives, but I would have rather bought them outright.

[@bradpenrice6265]

Hi Hanna FYI the first story there is a program called ideal protein, it is a bunch of little packages high protein no carbs blah blah blah . I’m not sure if it’s an MLM . But apparently it’s very restrictive.

[@Melissa-ji4xl]

That’s exactly how I found you, was from your influencer insanity vids!! Now I’m hooked on your anti-MLM vids. My mom got sucked into so many pyramid schemes when I was growing up. partylite, creative memories, etc etc. Anyways, great vids as always!

[@mamadee3894]

HANNAH, I was just coming into KZbin hoping you were having a new video 🎉😂❤

[@makisekuristina8192]

I was in a weight loss program that used the New Direction weight management soups/shakes which were also protein-based. However, the medical team at the weight loss clinic was very attentive and we were required to have appointments with the doctors every two weeks and do regular blood draws. They were very thorough and followed up on EVERY side effect we reported and intervened if we lost weight faster than 2lb per week. It is 100% not the absolute best way to lose the weight, but it is helpful for those of us with medical issues that make weight loss difficult. DO NOT do any kind of strong calorie restriction without a trusted medical team monitoring you.

[@maryeckel9682]

Sadly, those grandparents thought they had trusted medical professionals.

[@atxcats42]

Ugh, those pre-package portions of possibly pea protien powder are the worst for weight management. Been there, done that - it's just not healthy or sustainable in the long term. Such asad story.

[@verminter]

I just had your Deep Dive playlist on while I was doing some work. My dog knows when he hears your voice he can go to sleep, because I'm not going anywhere for a while 😆 Good to see a new one up!

[@mungbean345]

That's really cute!

[@sarahstroud6021]

Hey Hannah I wanted to tell you that my husband is in the Army and we have been through many deployments. The first is always the hardest but it gets better! We have been married 22 years and have 2 kids and he’s now a Master Sgt so we are definitely a seasoned military family 😀good luck on your deployment and I’m praying for yall!

[@angelika_munkastrap4634]

I don’t understand how he can be a husband and father when he’s rarely there - how do kids get to know an absent parent? How do you personally get to feel love and affection of someone who’s rarely touching you? To me it seems the most horrendous way to be in a relationship or a family with a parent who doesn’t have a choice to even be there if a crisis happens to you How do you handle this? I’d feel completely lost if it were me - and hollow actually

[@NikkiRN-CLC]

​@@angelika_munkastrap4634that's really ignorant. A person in the military is not an "absent parent". They do come home. They face time. They call. It may not work for you and that's fine. But who TF are you to make those comments about someone else's family? Especially when those soldiers are literally protecting us so we can live freely.

[@anastasiapavlovicz761]

Actually, the first story is not about Optavia. It’s through a company called ideal protein, which I don’t think is affiliated with Optavia. It’s definitely scammy and people can sign up to direct sell the products, but they don’t seem to have an MLM structure. You can get the powdered food online or directly from the coach who gets a commission. The diet itself is extremely restrictive, a version of the keto diet and completely cuts carbs. I only know because I have relatives who got on the ideal protein diet with a “coach” they met somewhere who had minimal accreditation.

[@HannahAlonzo]

Ooh interesting! I’ve never heard of Ideal Protein but yeah, that could be it! Sounds very similar to Optavia. Still sketchy that it’s being sold by the wife’s doctor in-office 😬

[@AnxiousManatee]

​@@HannahAlonzo The fact that this is happening in a doctor's office but the wife is not an educated nutritionist nor registered dietitian is extremely troubling.

[@skylarkkralyks4496]

Oh that’s very interesting! Some folks I know were on Ideal Protein for a while during a time they were struggling to manage diabetes. Thankfully things are a little easier for them now and they’re not doing IP anymore. I do wonder based on your comment if it actually helped at all or could have had counterproductive effects.

[@emilylerman9028]

why do you think it’s this brand?

[@anastasiapavlovicz761]

@@emilylerman9028 If you pause on that lady's page (8:39), she talks about the "Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method" which is what the Ideal Protein program is called.

[@jrosay26]

Regarding the 1st story - Ideal Protein is a company/diet that essentially puts you into Ketosis. Some people I used to work with did it years ago and it was a lot like what you describe with Optavia - packets of food, protein smoothies, and very prescriptive diets if you’re eating “real food” and not the food they are selling you. Based on the “weight loss coach” page, she specifically says “Ideal Protein” which leads me to believe that it is this company, not Optavia. They have “weight loss centers” that I think are more like a franchise operation, but they may also have an MLM type scheme as well. Just wanted to share because it is another concerning way that a healthcare provider could abuse their position of authority with their patients.

[@spunkycat6144]

OMG. That is the CUTEST cat!!!! I am having the best day now! Worked sucked today. That cat just made my day. So cuttttteee.

[@Yosatorn.Asavapatr.Naptvik]

timestamp pls?

[@KristenHoneycutt-d8y]

I appreciate the mention of receiving a Vector flyer after high school graduation. I received one of those in 2014 when I graduated from high school. I already had plans for that summer, but I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if I followed up on it

[@charmingresignation]

Losing weight as a red flag for cancer was taught to me literally the FIRST week of medical school. This doctor deserves to lose his license and be sued for malpractice. This probably isn't the first patient he's done this to either, it's sickening.

[@petyachakarova]

Yes, please do more influencer videos, i love them and that's how i have found your channel actually! 👌🏻

[@cathyanderson3494]

I’d been fighting an anxiety attack all morning. Finally gave up laid down and put this on. All better 😅

[@feministprincess]

Long ago, I saw one anti-mlm video with a hun who responded to accusations of being predatory by saying that she's not a predator because she doesn't walk around hunting down children or something. One thing that some people might do to justify their bad behavior is take the word that describes the bad behavior and narrow the definition so that their bad behavior doesn't fit into that definition, basically giving the work a new definition that is more convenient for them. There are all kinds of predators in the world. You don't have to be walking around hunting down children left and right to be a predator. I'm sure we all have stories about someone trying to narrow the definition of the word that describes their bad behavior in order to make the definition more convenient for them. Predator is not the only work that people do this with.

[@thelonleyUchiha1]

Which…is even funnier when you think “so…predators in the animal kingdom just don’t exist?” lol

[@mightyowl1800]

This is a really insightful comment about how people rationalize stuff in their minds, ty

[@Ciana2024]

I'm binge watching the hell out of these

[@carab1738]

Wow, I never thought of Cutco as an MLM….I love their knives…. 😬

[@gojiberry7201]

Yes, I came across your influencer insanity videos, which I am cheering, and now I am listening to your MLM videos at work. Thank you for doing such good work!

[@katicorn411]

Whoa! I was just thrown back to high school graduation and when I was picking up my diploma they handed me a Vector flyer!

[@maryeckel9682]

Good grief

[@yasaminwhy8212]

I also found your content through the influencer insanity videos, and now educating myself about the horrors of MLMs. I understand the lure of flexible work (heck, I'm self-employed), but this is... horrific. Well done to these ladies who got out. It sounds so unbelievably stressful to be part of an MLM.

[@BuchsdrN]

As someone who was born 37 years ago with a neural tube defect, I agree wholeheartedly that folic acid is extremely important in prenatal care.

[@mkrt3596]

story #3 sounds so familiar 😭 that's how a girl i went to college with became a herbalife rep: they were also like "oh wow, you're into sports & know about nutrition? how about working with us?" & then she would invite people from our college to these meetups (?) or presentations. idk if she's still a rep

[@ember13dp]

I was looking for job listings in the newspaper when I was fresh out of high school. I didn't know the buzz words for recruiting people for these MLMs, of course. No experience needed! Great opportunity for growth! High-driven motivation is the only requirement! Start immediately! ..... yea, it was selling knives door-to-door.

[@alleygoat]

The Cutco story reminded me of a recent time when I saw their booth set up inside of a Costco, and I internally screamed.

[@ennanitsua]

Oof- deployments are so difficult. I don't know how long they are now, but I remember that even when they went from 15 to 12 and then down to 9 months, people still had a hard time. Good luck to you, and I hope you can lean on your family and friends to get through it. ❤ to you and your daughter!

[@aechawk]

In the first story, isn't that malpractice?! He shouldn't be a doctor. He needs to be reported!

[@catz7679]

Cancer survivor myself. I had kidney cancer, but i am going on 6 years cancer free. My only symptoms were blood in my urine and lower back pain. I never had weight loss with it. Each cancer and place of that cancer has different symptoms. Please get your physicals.

[@briarchambliss]

please especially check on your elderly fam who are definitely more vulnerable to these scams ! it's so common and scary

[@spunkycat6144]

I practice guitar while watching your vids. I almost ghrew it when I heard about some of the stories 😂Thanks so much for the time to speak about this stuff.

[@alexisk8888]

Yay, she’s back! Hope you guys are getting more settled in ❤

[@JianaMarek]

In your next “Influencer Insanity” video can you talk about “ Sephora Kids”

[@NeuroGeek85]

Isn't that trend over yet? There's SO MANY videos about it already...

[@timriehl1500]

I haven't really heard of this; would love to see Hannah's take on it. 😊

[@maryeckel9682]

The most recent phase is the kids getting skin problems, as everyone saw coming.

[@erinlayne4511]

I did Ideal Protein. It’s horrible. I constantly felt like crap. Always tired & I couldn’t eat fruit or workout. It’s literally the same as Optavia.

[@RubyRedRainbow]

@hannahalonzo Can you make a video about what the process of "waking up" and coming out of an MLM is like? *do they send apologies or explanations to family, friends and people from highschool they cold messaged? *do people ever stay in and decide to do this to leak current info, videos, that kind of thing? *what is the emotional journey like?

[@vintagearisen]

Vector nearly got me through a group interview when I was a new college graduate who was desperate for a job. I'm lucky I got warned off of them before I committed.

[@MrsStepford]

The sad irony of the marketing of it as the "last diet". Sending condolences the family involved. Just awful.

[@spunkycat6144]

OMG. I got into Pampered Chef and they raved about this flat stoneware to bake on. I was walking thru Wal Mart one day and saw the exact same thing for 1/3 of yhe cost and just told people who wants to buy it that it was at Wal Mart snd to go there instead. I quit that whole dumb thing right after I realized it was overpriced stuff.

[@rubenruiz5809]

This doctor needs to have a formal complaint submitted to their medical board. This is must be a form of malpractice, right?

[@maryeckel9682]

I sure think so

[@raquelfantoni2812]

He needs to be sued.

[@CarinRenee]

I too found you through the influencer series and have been binging anti-mom content! Also wasn’t too hard to find the first Dr. I’m also in Maryland and will look into this. I think her MLM is literally called Ideal Protein

[@elizabethtangora4353]

Wow, Vector/Cutco still at it. When I first graduated college I applied to what looked like a pretty generic sales job and was thrilled I was offered an interview (tough job market back then and even tougher for new grads). When I showed up to that shabby office above a Dress Barn I knew I’d been had. I kept looking for an opportunity to escape, but got roped into a group presentation and then had the “luck” of being the first called for a “one-on-one interview”. I don’t even remember much of what happened, it all just passed in a blur of disappointment and rage. I guess I realize now it could have been much worse, but at the time all I could think of was my whole morning being wasted.

[@ssmccful]

"Ideal Protein" is a brand in itself, not Optavia. idk if it's an MLM but I've always found it a little sketchy. If I recall correctly its a way to do the keto diet before the keto diet was popular. often sold at independent pharmacies and they usually require an "okay" from your doctor before starting, which makes it slightly better (except when your doctor has a vested interest)

[@katiemoore3423]

I would like her to dig more into Ideal Protein. I don't even know if it exists anymore though. I must be OLD because i heard Ideal Protein and new exactly that was a brand name and not Optavia.

[@lacey_heather]

@@katiemoore3423 Ideal Protein definitely still exists and "Diet Coach" Mindy is still shilling their products.

[@NickyBePetty]

I relate with the 2nd story so much, Kyani MLM is my cringe story

[@lindtothesayyy]

I’ve worked out with Beachbody since I started my weight loss journey in 2013. I lost 100 lbs with their workouts (and counting calories) and have kept majority of it off (minus 10-15 lbs). That said, when the girl mentioned her knees and shoulders are messed up that was an alarm bell!!! My knees are not in good shape and neither are my shoulders. I assumed it was just being 38 and having worked out for the last 11 years consistently with workouts that have jumping. Now I feel like it’s just because the moves are dangerous and not well explained in terms of form. Ugh.

[@AsterInDis]

As usual a bunch of stories that make me so mad at the people who take advantage of others, made into an enjoyable video. And also your eyebrows are immaculate.

[@sweetstacks3631]

Hannah, did you see Robert Welsh shouted you out?! I just remembered a memory from when I worked at Ross. One of my coworkers used to give me some free stuff (good stuff, like books she'd read, these zipper pouches to protect books while traveling, etc). One time she gave me one of those pouches, and when I got home, she'd stuck a bunch of doTERRA promotional materials. Truly wild. Glad I got out of there shortly afterward when I moved to Seattle.

[@oreoluwasimire]

Where did he shout her out? I need to go watch

[@sweetstacks3631]

​@@oreoluwasimire The Most Wasteful Makeup Trend, from yesterday!

[@maryeckel9682]

I was cheering "Hannah!" The good ones find each other.

[@maryeckel9682]

​@@oreoluwasimireI think it was a Robert Reacts video

[@MossTunic]

love all the welsh boys & ashton 🧡

[@Joni.Johnson]

The story about the baby made me cry. 😢 How selfish and narcissistic do you have to be to put oils (or anything else) on a baby without the mother’s permission! And causing that baby to have hives makes it so much more worse. Props to that young mother for speaking up and leaving.

[@maryeckel9682]

And peppermint oil! That stuff burns! I would not put that anywhere on my own body, never mind a delicate baby's most delicate area. Even the diluted stuff I used to put on my temples for migraines was too much.

[@thelonleyUchiha1]

And like Hannah said what was the point of doing that?? Like from what the mom said it’s not like her baby was sick or suffering from a chronic illness…she just seem to do it for kicks. The only excuse I can think of is either “the oils will make sure he never gets sick” or “it’s not doing anything specific but oils are so perfect that it can’t hurt”

[@Lyslea]

The mom friend who put oil in the baby's diaper is soooo shocking to me. Doing anything to someone else's baby without their permission is absolutely crazy. I'm glad the mom stormed off and never "apologized". Wishing her and her family good health!

[@spunkycat6144]

Minute 31 makes me livid. I would have sued her. Yep. Her homeowners liability or umbrella policy. I am an adult and wouldnt put oils directly on my skin. When that lady turns 85, pit it on her bully and in her diaper. Yeah no, oof.

[@CreateYourWild]

Watching this video reminded me of going to a chiropractor in 2019 that tried to get me to use ASEA during my first visit. He claimed it would help me heal quicker and stay healthier. It seems sketchy and when I looked online I saw it is an MLM. I was astounded a credentialed healthcare professional would heavily promote an MLM product. I just checked and he is still promoting it on his website!!

[@jennifersandahl4603]

Omg that oil on the baby story 😔😔😔

[@brittanystarns2926]

As a former Advocare representative the “you can take this while your pregnant and it’s also safe for your kids” BS is exactly one of the major reasons I left, not that I lasted long there were too many red flags and I was also told I was wasting my time focusing on school instead of Advocare because I could make more money with it than a college degree. One of the recruits from my downline suffered with cerebral palsy and he was told that their products would be beneficial to his condition. It just makes me want to throw up. And I was kind of ostracized in my team because I would voice that none of us should be giving advice like that, you know being unqualified to do so. No one cried when I left that’s for sure

[@djkeithy1]

I think that it is possible that the weight loss program from the first story is Ideal Protein. I have been on it before and it also involves small packets of food that is high in protein. It is not an MLM but it is a program that you can typically only become a part of through a pharmacy and it is supposed to be monitored by a nurse, at least that’s how it is in Canada.

[@AliceNsWonderland]

29:00 I'm sorry but HELL NO... Mom's friend was NOT "so confused"! *THAT'S UTTER BS!* If she didn't think there was anything wrong w it, she would NOT have waited for mom to leave the room before pulling out her potions and experimenting on this poor baby!

[@raquelfantoni2812]

Person who sent first story, please consult with an attorney immediately.

[@michelmcgregor1684]

Just popping into your comments to say Holy Crap! Just a short time ago, it seems, you hit 100K subs and today I noticed you’re at 305K!!!!!!! That. Is. Fantastic!!!!!!!! Just wanted to congratulate you…..it’s so well deserved! 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

[@NurseEthel]

One of your viewers asked how are so many people still getting drawn into MLM's when there is so much information out there. There are probably many factors. Desparation, mental manipulation and lack of training or education can lead someone to this. They see a double diamond or high ranking member and are led to believe that someday they will be there. Then if they aren't advancing it is their fault even when the structure is stacked against them. Even when there are at least 5 other huns selling the same products from the same company within a 2 mile radius of your house!

[@SCCelticGoddes]

The MD in the first story should be reported. They are absolute jerks.

[@melaniemonroe5755]

Hi Hannah you're from Washington State I've lived in Washington for 31 years and I love it here what do you think of Florida? Completely different than Washington huh? Do you ever get homesick? Anyway I like your content

[@rakolls77]

Ideal protein is a company that promotes weight loss. It is supposed to be a keto diet. I haven’t been able to figure out if it is an MLM. It’s very similar to Optavia and our doctor also pushed this on my husband about 5 years ago. The same was true for a lot of our friends and several tanked their metabolism and a few ended up being diagnosed with hashimotos thyroid disease within a year.

[@osullivanmelvideos]

Congratulations on hitting over 300k subscribers! Since I've been watching your viewership has been going up and up! Thank you for sharing your message, the world needs it ❤

[@Rose_Castle]

Just fyi, it took me less than 10 seconds to find the website of the doctor and wife. Maybe in the future blocking out first and last names if someone is concerned about privacy. I'm not being critical, just letting you know.

[@ear1421]

Omg that baby story makes me so mad!! What if she hadn’t caught her? What is wrong with that lady?!? I used peppermint Dr. bronners on my WHOLE body once and it BURNED when it hit certain areas 😳 that poor baby.