This article was featured on ITV's This Morning programme's website as a back
up to a feature they showed promoting the stupid notion that drinking your own
urine can have health benefits. This is the article that was published on the
This Morning website:
Urine Therapy
The thought of drinking your own urine
is enough to make most people gag and Ron Moorhouse felt the same
until it was suggested that drinking his own urine may actually
rid him of the epilepsy he'd been suffering from since he was
seven years old. Sceptically he was convinced to try it and since
that day - he hasn't had one fit. That was over eight years ago.
Epilepsy
Ron was diagnosed with epilepsy at just seven years old. He says,
'I'd been suffering since birth but I was seven when I was officially
diagnosed. At worst, I could have between five to ten fits a day
and I was put on various drugs to try and get it under control
- the main two were called epilem and tegratol but I could be
taking up to 22 a day.'
Medication
Ron's fits were severe - on
some occasions he could be convulsing for ten or more minutes,
the tablets initially helped but as his body adjusted to them
they would get worse again. Doctors continually tried to vary
his medication, he says, 'I was on so many pills I can remember
actually falling asleep in class. I was so drowsy all the time.
I also had behavioural problems connected to my epilepsy so I
was prescribed even more tablets to control this.'
Ron had a temporary remission between eleven and seventeen whilst
he was still on medication and in foster care but it came back
again. Despite his illness, Ron managed to get a job at a supermarket
but the pressure triggered off his fits and he had to stop working.
Ron says,'I tried to vary my medication
and at times I'd try to come off it completely. I had stopped
working for two or three years but then I got a job at Butlins.
At 23, I stopped taking my pills completely and I seemed to be
doing ok - then I had a major fit.'
Ron returned to his native Birmingham after this and took a job
at a befriending organisation for people with learning difficulties.
He was still trying to manage his epilepsy and had heard of a
shop called Zen - a shop which focused on health for the mind,
body and spirit and got speaking to the owner who was a great
believer in urine therapy. She tried to encourage Ron to try it.
Urine Therapy
Ron says he was very reluctant initially,
'I was very sceptical and it took about
six months of her goading me before I would try it. I thought
it was dirty and I had a bad hang up about it. But then I began
to think well I can't knock it until I've tried it and since I
did - I haven't had a fit in the last 8-9 years.'
Three glasses a Day
Ron admits he found it hard to get down at first, 'I first began
mixing it with fruit juice to get it down but within about eight
weeks I was drinking it neat. Now I drink it about three times
a day. I feel really healthy now - I didn't change anything else,
not my diet or anything and I haven't took medication in over
8 years. I've heard that you can drink other people's urine but
I couldn't bring myself to do that!'
An irate viewer posted this reply on their (now defunct) forum:
The fact that the man could be in remission or his condition
could be psychosomatic (i.e. there are other reasons that his epilepsy appears
to have gone) does not seem to have occurred to the TM producers/researchers.
No, they have decided that drinking his own urine was the cure for his epilepsy.
What signal does this give out?
Well, I just wonder how many parents of children with epilepsy
saw the article and have decided to "give it a try" and are making
their children drink their own urine in the hope of a cure?
Urine therapy is pure and utter nonsense.
I think it is disgraceful that a national TV programme is
broadcasting this sort "alternative health" type of nonsense.
Don't the Credophiles who produce this show ever stop and
think what impact broadcasting this quackery could have on people?
With millions of viewers, it's a safe bet that some people
will actually be trying this ridiculous therapy out, and worse still, inflicting
it on their children.
Well done TM - I hope your pleased with yourselves
Your show is a disgrace.
We couldn't agree more. The account is also anecdotal so who knows how accurate
it is?
This is a classic example of the stupidity that this programme broadcasts.
Most people will have seen it for the nonsense that is was; however, it is when
people are desperate that nonsense affects them.
What a pathetic and downright disgusting article to broadcast. It shows a complete
lack of integrity and respect for their viewers from the This Morning production
team.
