A Skeptical Look at Labyrinth Walking
Veriditas, a leading promoter of labyrinth walking, describes the process this way: The labyrinth is a walking meditation, a path of prayer, and an archetypal blueprint where psyche meets Spirit. It has only one path that leads from the outer edge in a circuitous way to the center. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. Unlike a maze where you lose your way, the labyrinth is a spiritual tool that can help you find your way [1] . . . . There are many ways to describe a labyrinth. It is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit, and a mirror of the soul [2]. On November 9, 2023, the World-Wide Labyrinth …
Continue Reading >The Shady Activities of Kurt Donsbach
Kurt Donsbach (1935–2021) was one of the most prolific promoters of quackery in modern times. I began monitoring his activities in 1971 and continued for more than 40 years. From 1987 through 2007, his principal activity was the operation of Hospital Santa Monica, a Mexican facility that he described as “the most advanced wholistic hospital in North America.” The hospital’s Web site stated that he had “long been recognized as a world leader in charting effective wholistic treatment programs for chronic degenerative diseases; particularly, cancer, cardiovascular disease, candidiasis and arthritis, as well as for detoxification and rejuvenation.” Brochures from the facility state that it “offered the most comprehensive facility found anywhere for the treatment of cancer” and was “the right alternative for those who have …
Continue Reading >Index of Questionable Treatments
Activator Methods Acupuncture ADAM Autistic Automated Internet Interface Adrenal Cortical Extract (ACE) (GAO report) Advanced BioStructural Correction Allergies: Dubious Treatment “Alternative” Cancer Treatment Index Anne Penman Laser Therapy Anthroposophic medicine (link to Skeptic’s Dictonary) Antibiotic Overuse Applied kinesiology Aqua Detox and other ionic foot baths Aromatherapy Auditory Integration Training Aura therapy (link to Skeptic’s Dictionary) Anti-Scoliosis Vibration-Decompression (ASCO-Vibro) Method Auratherapy, aurasomatic therapy (Aura-Soma) (link to Skeptic’s Dictionary) Auriculotherapy Autogenic training for high blood pressure (link to Bandolier) Autohemotherapy Avacor Hair Care Treatment System (link to another site) Ayurvedic Mumbo-Jumbo Bach Remedies Bates System of Eye Exercises Bee Venom Therapy (link to another site) Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.) Bio-Electric Field Enhancement (BEFE) Bio-Magnetic Touch Healing BioAcoustic Sound Therapy Bioenergetic Medicine (link to another site) Bioenergetic sensitivity and enzyme therapy (BioSET) Biogeometry (Ibrahim …
Continue Reading >Be Wary of Acupuncture, Qigong, and “Chinese Medicine”
“Chinese medicine,” often called “Oriental medicine” or “traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),” encompasses a vast array of folk medical practices based on mysticism. It holds that the body’s vital energy (chi or qi) circulates through channels, called meridians, that have branches connected to bodily organs and functions. Illness is attributed to imbalance or interruption of chi.. Ancient practices such as acupuncture, Qigong, and the use of various herbs are claimed to restore “balance.” Although many research reports describe positive results, there is good reason to be skeptical of such reports. Traditional acupuncture, as now practiced, involves the insertion of stainless steel needles into various body areas. A low-frequency current may be applied to the needles to produce greater stimulation. Other procedures used separately or together with …
Continue Reading >Chiropractic’s Dirty Secret: Neck Manipulation and Strokes
Stroke from chiropractic neck manipulation occurs when an artery to the brain ruptures or becomes blocked by a clot as a result of being stretched. The injury often results from extreme rotation in which the practitioner’s hands are placed on the patient’s head in order to rotate the cervical spine by rotating the head [1]. The vertebral artery, which is shown in the picture to the right, is vulnerable because it winds around the topmost cervical vertebra (atlas) to enter the skull, so that any abrupt rotation may stretch the artery and tear its delicate lining. The anatomical problem is illustrated on page 7 of The Chiropractic Report, July 1999. A blood clot formed over the injured area may subsequently be dislodged and block a …
Continue Reading >My Concerns about “Holistic” and “Biological” Dentistry
A Wikipedia article suggests that the terms holistic dentistry, biological dentistry, unconventional dentistry, and alternative dentistry are “the equivalent of complementary and alternative medicine for dentistry.” [1] Searching with Google indicates that “holistic” and “biological” are by far the most commonly used of these terms. Although the holistic/biological dental community is diverse in its practices and approaches, I have found that the most common thread is opposition to the use of amalgam fillings. This article responds to this concern and evaluates pseudoscientific practices that many of these dentists use. Historical Perpsective Much of “holistic dentistry” is rooted in the activities of Weston A. Price, D.D.S. (1870-1948), a dentist who maintained that sugar causes not only tooth decay but physical, mental, moral, and social decay as …
Continue Reading >Dubious Diagnostic Tests
Four things should be considered when evaluating whether a test is useful: Analytic validity: Does the test accurately measure the component of interest? Clinical validity: Does the test detect or predict the presence or absence of a recognized clinical disease or predisposition to such a disease? Relevant parameters include sensitivity and specificity. Clinical utility: What is the likelihood that using the test will lead to an improved health outcome? Ethical, legal and social implications: These include how the test is promoted, how the reasons for testing are explained to the patient, the incidence of false-positive results and incorrect diagnoses, the potential for unnecessary treatment, and the cost-effectiveness of testing. Most of the tests listed below have little or no diagnostic value. A few are legitimate …
Continue Reading >Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Spurious Diagnosis
The expression “multiple chemical sensitivity” (“MCS”) is used to describe people with numerous troubling symptoms attributed to environmental factors. Many such people are seeking special accommodations, applying for disability benefits, and filing lawsuits claiming that exposure to common foods and chemicals has made them ill. Their efforts are supported by a small cadre of physicians who use questionable diagnostic and treatment methods. Critics charge that these approaches are bogus and that MCS is not a valid diagnosis. What Is MCS? The concepts underlying MCS were developed by allergist Theron G. Randolph, M.D. (1906-1995), who asserted that patients had become ill from exposures to substances at doses far below the levels normally considered safe. In the 1940s, he declared that allergies cause fatigue, irritability, behavior problems, …
Continue Reading >Be Wary of “Alternative,” “Complementary,” and “Integrative” Health Methods
During the 1990s, “alternative medicine,” became established as a politically correct term for questionable practices formerly labeled quack and fraudulent. The terms “complementary medicine.” and “integrative medicine,” are also used in the same way. Most media reports on these topics contain no critical evaluation and feature the views of proponents and their satisfied clients. Loose Definitions Cause Confusion To avoid confusion, “alternative” methods should be classified as genuine, experimental, or questionable. Genuine alternatives are comparable methods that have met science-based criteria for safety and effectiveness. Experimental alternatives are unproven but have a plausible rationale and are undergoing responsible investigation. The most noteworthy is use of a 10%-fat diet for treating coronary heart disease. Questionable alternatives are groundless and lack a scientifically plausible rationale. The archetype …
Continue Reading >Reiki Is Nonsense
Reiki is one of several nonsensical methods commonly referred to as “energy healing.” These methods are based on the idea that the body is surrounded or permeated by an energy field that is not measurable by ordinary scientific instrumentation. The alleged force, said to support life, is known as ki in Japan, as chi or qi in China, and as prana in India. Reiki practitioners claim to facilitate healing by strengthening or “balancing” it [1]. In a traditional reiki session, the client lies down or sits fully clothed. The practitioner’s hands are placed lightly on or just above the client’s body, palms down, using a series of 12-15 positions. Each position is held for about 2 to 5 minutes, or until the practitioner feels that …
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