In February 1980, Mark Hughes began selling the original Herbalife weight management product from the trunk of his car. Hughes often stated that the genesis of his product and program stemmed from the weight loss concerns of his mother Joanne, whose premature death he attributed to an eating disorder and an unhealthy approach to weight loss. According to one Herbalife website, the company's goal was to change the nutritional habits of the world. His first product was a protein shake designed to help people manage their weight. He structured his company using a direct-selling, multi-level marketing model. In 1982, Herbalife received complaints from the Food and Drug Administration for claims made about certain products and the inclusion of mandrake, poke root, and 'food grade' linseed oil in another. As a result of the complaints, the company modified its product claims and reformulated the product.