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Complementary therapies

Any topic related to science can be discussed here.
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Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#141 Post by Nick » September 9th, 2008, 8:34 pm

Latest post of the previous page:

Alan C. wrote:I was directed to this website by a link in one of the NSS articles.
What's the harm?
A site called What’s the Harm? has collected together thousands of stories of what happens when people suspend critical thinking. It makes fascinating reading.
Fascinating ( and horrifying) site.

One such story cites HIV denial:
ACT UP San Francisco encourages a healthy lifestyle through vegetarianism, medical marijuana, and questioning the medical orthodoxy.
It would be funny, in a Californian sort of way, if it weren't so tragic.

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Alan C.
Posts: 10356
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#142 Post by Alan C. » September 9th, 2008, 8:42 pm

Nick
I always thought "rolfing" was another word for a technicolor yawn!
Nah, that's spewing.
I thought it might be something to do with didgeridoo's or two little boys :smile:
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

kbell
Posts: 1146
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 11:27 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#143 Post by kbell » September 29th, 2008, 7:07 pm

I'm surprised to see the open university offering a course on CAM which, judging from the description, doesn't sound like it takes an objective scientific approach.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C02K221
Kathryn

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#144 Post by Alan H » September 29th, 2008, 7:45 pm

Alan C. wrote:I thought it might be something to do with didgeridoo's or two little boys :smile:
That's illegal, isn't it?
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
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Re: Complementary therapies

#145 Post by Alan H » October 8th, 2008, 10:26 am

Interesting article on acupuncture on eSkeptic: Puncturing the Acupuncture Myth.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

MedMae
Posts: 167
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 9:46 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#146 Post by MedMae » October 20th, 2008, 10:19 am

Alan H wrote:Interesting article on acupuncture on eSkeptic: Puncturing the Acupuncture Myth.
Interesting article.

I have done a little bit of research into Reiki recently, and there is a fair amount of scientific research indicating that it has an effect. One article reported that reiki had a effect of the autonomic nervous system (the part of your nervous system over which you have no consious control, linked in to the adrenal system). I will see if I can find some more time to look into it. However the effects reported by this paper seem to indicate a definite benefit to reiki, it reduces your stress levels. Stress is a major factor in overall health. (I wish that doctors would emphasise this a bot more.) Stress is a important factor in vasular disease (Causes about half of all deaths in the US), it also depresses the immune system. So reducing stress will make you more healthy, therfore Reiki can make you more healthy. However I will look into it some more when I have time and try and dig up some links to some of these papers or at least their abstracts.
Complexity is just simplicity multiplied to a point which exceeds a particular level of comprehension. - Theowarner

Maria Mac
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Posts: 9306
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:34 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#147 Post by Maria Mac » October 20th, 2008, 1:28 pm

I've only known a handful of people who've had a reiki massage. They all said they felt fantastic after it. I assume this is because they were able to totally relax. I've been watching videos of reiki on youtube to see how its done. I don't see any 'massaging' going on. Just a laying of hands on the body. It was notable that the practitioner in each case barely stopped talking mumbo jumbo throughout the sessions. I concluded that what the practitioner says in a soporific voice is as important as what she does.

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Alan C.
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Re: Complementary therapies

#148 Post by Alan C. » October 24th, 2008, 11:50 pm

I kicked a hornets nest here yesterday, when I asked on the shetlink forum "why are so many Shetlanders so credulous?
These are the adds that appeared in the Shetland Times today.
Dr Les Hall, BSc (Hons) MSc DC
Chiropractor, AK &
NET practitioner.
McTimoney
Chiropractic
NOW AT
CRYSTAL CLEAR
HOLISTIC.
Stuart Brock is here 3rd & 4th November, blah de blah de blah.
And this is a pearler :laughter:
Kathleen Haden
Psychotheripist/hypnotherapist
and clinical director for reverse therapy

Providing successful treatments for depression, anxiety, panic attacks, trauma, (P T S D) eating disorders, O.C.D
Next Shetland clinic.......Blah de blah de blah,
There are lots more, but it's past my bedtime, so I'll leave the rest for now: G'dnight all.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#149 Post by Alan H » October 25th, 2008, 12:10 am

Alan C. wrote:
and clinical director for reverse therapy
Is that anything to do with colonic irrigation? :shrug:
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

MedMae
Posts: 167
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 9:46 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#150 Post by MedMae » October 25th, 2008, 11:15 am

Maria wrote:I've only known a handful of people who've had a reiki massage. They all said they felt fantastic after it. I assume this is because they were able to totally relax. I've been watching videos of reiki on youtube to see how its done. I don't see any 'massaging' going on. Just a laying of hands on the body. It was notable that the practitioner in each case barely stopped talking mumbo jumbo throughout the sessions. I concluded that what the practitioner says in a soporific voice is as important as what she does.
My experiences with Reiki involved silence. It was very relaxing though, I think more relaxing than massage. I suspect that the benefit from reiki is purely relaxation and reduction of stress, but until I get time to do some more research I will keep an open mind to the possibilities. (Possible psycological effects of human contact in that form maybe? Similar to the communal grooming of other primates? But that is pure speculation.)
Complexity is just simplicity multiplied to a point which exceeds a particular level of comprehension. - Theowarner

Maria Mac
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:34 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#151 Post by Maria Mac » November 17th, 2008, 11:48 am

I'm furious to learn that quackery like Ayurveda is taken seriously even by UK medical schools these days:
When I found out my friend had been attached to a "doctor" in Ayurvedic “medicine” for the year I was horrified, as was she, and the school would not allow her to change claiming that the point is not to learn the medicine but its role in the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
From an interesting blog by a medical student.

http://uptext.blogspot.com/2008/11/make ... y-and.html

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Alan C.
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Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#152 Post by Alan C. » November 17th, 2008, 2:57 pm

^ Good blog Maria ^
1. Air and space, or vata dosha, which allows movement
2. Fire and water, or pitta dosha - which allows change or ‘transformation’ and is responsible for digestion and metabolism
3. Water and earth or kapha dosha, which gives structure or ‘cohesion’”
I'm sure these are all on the menu at the Indian resturant in town :laughter:
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#153 Post by Alan H » November 17th, 2008, 3:00 pm

Alan C. wrote:^ Good blog Maria ^
1. Air and space, or vata dosha, which allows movement
2. Fire and water, or pitta dosha - which allows change or ‘transformation’ and is responsible for digestion and metabolism
3. Water and earth or kapha dosha, which gives structure or ‘cohesion’”
I'm sure these are all on the menu at the Indian resturant in town :laughter:
:hilarity: If not, they should be, especially the second one: "responsible for digestion and metabolism".
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan C.
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Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#154 Post by Alan C. » December 9th, 2008, 1:08 pm

This is an excellent 40 minute video, debunking all things pseudo scientific.
Here Be Dragons - The Movie.
Here Be Dragons is a free 40 minute video introduction to critical thinking. It is suitable for general audiences and is licensed for free distribution and public display.

Most people fully accept paranormal and pseudoscientific claims without critique as they are promoted by the mass media. Here Be Dragons offers a toolbox for recognizing and understanding the dangers of pseudoscience, and appreciation for the reality-based benefits offered by real science.
Enjoy.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

unprotectedtext
Posts: 1
Joined: December 10th, 2008, 1:52 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#155 Post by unprotectedtext » December 10th, 2008, 1:54 am

http://uptext.blogspot.com/2008/12/herp ... -hand.html

Got a reply to my previous post on homeopathy in medical school.

Felt I had to retaliate! Hope it amuses.

HM

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#156 Post by Alan H » December 10th, 2008, 9:57 am

unprotectedtext: Good to see you here. We've been following what's been happening. I'll read through your latest blog entries later today.

Fantastic name BTW!
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Alan C.
Posts: 10356
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#157 Post by Alan C. » December 17th, 2008, 10:53 am

This is from today's Scotsman.
THE Prince of Wales's Duchy Originals firm is to launch a range of herbal remedies.
Prince Charles watched the new products rolling off the assembly line as he toured the factory and laboratories of Nelsons, a natural healthcare company in Wimbledon, south-west London. The Duchess of Cornwall cancelled her visit because she is has a virus.
Bloody clown! I take it his "herbal remedies" don't work on viruses then?
How many people will be duped into buying this stuff merely because of his endorsement of it?
Makes me puke!
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

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Alan H
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Re: Complementary therapies

#158 Post by Alan H » December 17th, 2008, 12:12 pm

Thanks for pointing that out [---][/---] I don't think the irony is lost on anyone here!
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

Maria Mac
Site Admin
Posts: 9306
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:34 pm

Re: Complementary therapies

#159 Post by Maria Mac » December 27th, 2008, 10:54 am

Parking this nice piece on CAM by a physician here so I don't lose it.

http://skepticblog.org/2008/12/15/skept ... -medicine/

Also http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=150

Dr. Nancy Malik
Banned
Posts: 212
Joined: September 15th, 2008, 11:38 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#160 Post by Dr. Nancy Malik » December 28th, 2008, 6:36 pm

Real (Homeopathic) medicine cures even when Conventional conventional Medicine (CAM) fails

Dr. Nancy Malik
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Posts: 212
Joined: September 15th, 2008, 11:38 am

Re: Complementary therapies

#161 Post by Dr. Nancy Malik » December 28th, 2008, 6:37 pm

Real (Homeopathic) medicine cures even when Conventional conventional Medicine (CAM) fails

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