please empty your brain below
My parents swore by ionisers for a few years. Their main effect so far as I could tell: collecting all the dust in a room into one small area. They *might* work, then, if you have a dust allergy and large enough rooms that you can give up one corner to the ioniser.

Lots of these seem to read in groups. "Aromatherapy biofeedback crystals!", or "New age organic Pilates".

Forest Pines | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 7:33 a.m. | #

Actually, to be pedantic, you are wrong on UFOs. In that Unidentified Flying Objects are Objects which are Flying and haven't been Identified. Whether there are bug-eyed little green men in them is another matter.

Alan | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 8:04 a.m. | #

You're obviously in a very confused "space" at the moment, surrounded by "negative energy", giving out bad vibes, and with sluggish chakras. I prescribe a detox; maybe a fruit fast, and definitely no carbs after 6PM.

Is your house on a ley line?

Steven | 20.03.06 - 8:18 a.m. | #

I wouldn't include yoga in that list - it has demonstrable benefits in flexibility and overall health. And probably not Pilates either, and possibly not Reiki.

gwplf | 20.03.06 - 8:22 a.m. | #

Not so sure about St John's Wort being on the list. It is definetly not the miracle depression cure it is claimed to be, but the documented and annecdotal side effects point towards some potency in the plant (increased photo sensitivity and hormonal side effects -hint don't use it if your method of birth control is the pill). There is a molecule in the plant which does *something* to the human body, just not automatically what it is advertised to do.

stroppycow | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 8:26 a.m. | #

If you want this lot to be really rubbish, imagine a mad, middle-aged women saying "I'm doing [insert fad here] for my dogs."

They got an entire TV series out of this.

Scaryduck | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 8:57 a.m. | #

Just because *you* don't believe in them *now*, don't write them off.

You may need them one day.

If the choice is toxic pharmaceuticals or something that is less researched (and so the evidence is less published and therefore less rigorous) because its proponents don't have huge reserarch budgets, greedy shareholders and 'culture' (the Establishment) in general to satisy, then I know which way I prefer to go.

The 'feel good' factor is unquantifiable. It doesn't *matter* whether the effects are pshychological or physical (although I'd contend that the former is inextricably linked to the latter anyway), if it works, it's good.

Western medicine still has an awful lot to learn. Drugs don't cure everything. IMHO, they don't actually 'cure' much.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:12 a.m. | #

Nice Freudian slip in there

Blue Witch | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:13 a.m. | #

You just want to work a few people up, dontcha?

Chz | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:14 a.m. | #

No, I'd say you were spot on. Pity there aren't more letters in the alphabet to list more quackery.

Rick | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:15 a.m. | #

I also think St. John's Wort must do something. Doctors are concerned as it doesn't need a prescription and it may react badly with prescriptive drugs or vice versa. I think the danger is the weird presumption that because it is naturally occurring it not potentially harmful and somehow better than manufactured drugs. Conversely because it is "natural" some people think it must be quack remedy.

Pedantic of Purley | 20.03.06 - 9:19 a.m. | #

Not wrong!
The English tolerance for new age bullshit is depressing.
But you shouldn't have given up at w in your equally amusing pull-down menu.

Xecrablenesses
Yahooisms
Zeniths of stupidity

hmmm | 20.03.06 - 9:24 a.m. | #

I go to a Pilates class, and it has really helped me recoup after a sports shoulder injury.

Pilates is low-impact exercises to strengthen the stomach and back muscles, not mumbo-jumbo.

verity74 | 20.03.06 - 9:41 a.m. | #

I'm surprised your 'G' wasn't 'God' actually

Blue Witch | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:48 a.m. | #

I'll echo BW and say that, regardless of proven (scientifically) effects (affects?) if any of these help psychologically then I'd say they 'work'.

Well, some of them. Not quite sure what 'new age' is... a descriptive term yes but... of what?

Gordon | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:54 a.m. | #

There are these stomach friendly drinks that are really trendy at the moment - e.g. Actimel, yakult etc. I would have added these to your list somehow.

Jag | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 10:21 a.m. | #

I have to agree with BW and Gordon. Some of them can help psychologically, even if there aren't any effects that can be scientifically proven.

My mother manages to cure anything by homeopathy (and I believe that's mostly because she believes it works), but I've given it a try a few times and it never did anything (but then, I didn't think it would in the first place).

stefan | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 11:12 a.m. | #

I would disagree with Yoga for some of the reasons above. Also, vitamin supplements are essential for some people with chronic illnesses. For example people with Chron's disease find it difficult to get all their essential vitamins through food so need to take supplements to keep healthy. Just because all of you "normal" healthy people may not need to take supplements please don't write them off for the rest of society. Some people are not so fortunate.

AD | 20.03.06 - 11:50 a.m. | #

I would categorise most of the stuff you listed under the science of "pamperology". Generally harmless, and makes one feel better without any more rationale basis than "it's nice".

31Fahrenheit | 20.03.06 - 12:10 p.m. | #

(place items on activity scales: continue with response to corporate audit vs. write comment on blog post.... ding!)

Where DG is correct is in the modern response to all of these: to invest [place fad here] with the ability to cure all/work miracles. I've had more than passing experience with some alternative therapies and I can confirm that their potential harm is up there with those poor human drugs guinea pigs. True.

But I agree with BW, that to equate and reject them all is to throw out the babe with the mud bath.

For example, I've a lot of respect for homeopathic doctors, all of whom have to qualify as alleopathic doctors before moving to homeopathy and consequently understand how to blend the two disciplines. And I've seen it work too many times (including in vetinary homeopathy) to worry that our present understanding of science can't explain how it works.

Let's face it, faddism is the new religion, isn't it?

Ham | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 12:34 p.m. | #

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/speci...ion/
stjwort.htm

SJW does work for cases of mild to moderate depression, but it can have effects on other drugs, causing them to be metabolised too quickly. So, e.g. if one of the side effects you are experiencing through using the contraceptive pill is depression, stop taking the pill, don't self-medicate with St John's Wort...

Deborah | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 1:05 p.m. | #

I wish I'd put 'Yakult' instead of 'Yoga' now.
In fact, I think I will, ta...

diamond geezer | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 5:30 p.m. | #

I'd swap 'pilates' for 'probiotics' (or placebo effect?). There's no mumbo-jumbo in the actual exercises (less than in yoga) and it's pretty effective. Just because some right idiots swear by it, doesn't make it wrong.

Disgruntled | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 7:01 p.m. | #

Chz is undoubtedly correct.

But, I find it quite worrying how little understanding of anything but the Medical Model of Health and Balance has been demonstrated here today. I wonder why that is?

Blue Witch | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 8:32 p.m. | #

Too right for words mate!

andy

andy | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 9:16 p.m. | #

Ionisers do reduce particulates in the air - there is both physical mechanism and verifiable evidence (But whether or not an ioniser will actually make you feel any better depends on your medical state - If you're already healthy it won't really help).

Aside from that, spot on. Perhaps I is for Iridology?

overnighteditor | Homepage | 20.03.06 - 11:26 p.m. | #

I suspect that the world splits into three:
• the gullible
• the healthily skeptic
• the skeptically healthy

diamond geezer | Homepage | 21.03.06 - 12:17 a.m. | #

I agree with Blue Witch. Ginseng's alright. God, on the other hand, is as credible as the Zodiac and a lot more harmful.

Electric eskimo | 21.03.06 - 5:05 p.m. | #

St. John's Wort is enabling me to live with my depression. I don't think it's rubbish. In fact, it's probably saved my life. Just because it's a plant not a manufactured chemical doesn't make it nonsense.

Somewhat | Homepage | 22.03.06 - 11:48 a.m. | #

Pilates is a 50/50 - proper "body control" pilates that's specifically tailored to address your needs is fantastic and sorted out my recurrent back problems to the point where I could play rugby again.

But the group pilates that they teach in sports centres is an absolute joke.

Tom | Homepage | 24.03.06 - 3:31 p.m. | #











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