This ND recommends peat therapy, including peat baths, peat tampons, and peat bras, for a variety of conditions including infertility and HPV infections. The evidence is lacking. Last week I reviewed the major naturopathy textbook. It mentioned a therapy I was not familiar with: peat therapy. I wanted to know more about the rationale for
The Textbook of Natural Medicine reveals what students of naturopathy are taught. It claims to be a scientific presentation, but it reveals just how unscientific naturopathy is. It mixes good science with bad science, pseudoscience, outright errors of fact, vitalism, philosophy, ancient history, superstition, gullibility, misrepresentations, metaphysics, religion, hearsay, opinion, and anecdotes. Note: This is
Various websites repeat the myth that trans fats are slowly metabolized, with a 51-day half-life. There is no evidence for that claim. There is good reason to limit trans fats in the diet, good enough reason that many countries have passed legislation to restrict trans fats in products and restaurants. The good reason is
A hospital in India offers to cure cancer in 11 days with Ayurveda and cow therapy, giving patients a drink of desi cow milk, yogurt, ghee, urine, and dung. It’s very unlikely that cow therapy can cure cancer; but in another sense, the author of the book Holy Cancer says it “healed” him. You have
NES Health claims to scan the human biofield, detect imbalances, and correct them with infoceuticals. It’s not science, it’s clever marketing based on fantasy. NES Health offers scans of the body’s “bioenergy field” and sells products to fix the problems detected by the scans. Tooth Fairy science is when researchers attempt to do scientific studies on
I had heard of aloe vera. I’ve seen it grown in flowerpots in the home and broken open to apply its juices to irritated or injured skin. I’ve encountered it many times in crossword puzzles. I know a woman who has taken it orally. But recently it seems to have developed miraculous new properties. I’ve
Naturopaths claim to excel at preventing and treating cardiovascular disease. Their claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They co-opt from mainstream medicine, add non-evidence-based treatments, and fail to use effective drugs. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians website explains what naturopathy is and has a webpage with FAQs. Number 15 addresses How do naturopathic doctors
H.O.P.E. stands for Healing Of Planet Earth. The movie H.O.P.E. – What You Eat Matters is a slick propaganda film produced by Nina Messenger. It argues that all humans should stop eating meat, dairy, and eggs, because animal-based foods contribute to starvation, global warming, environmental degradation, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. But its biggest objection
The diagnostic characteristics of melanoma A reader asked me to look into the claims that sunscreens cause cancer, especially the claims made by Elizabeth Plourde. When our own Scott Gavura evaluated sunscreens, he concluded: The data on sunscreen use and cancer risk are complex, but on balance suggest that the short-term and long-terms benefits of
Krill. The main ingredient in a questionable dietary supplement. My local newspaper, The News Tribune of Tacoma, is a prolific source of fake news. On most days there are between one and three half-page ads for dietary supplements. They are thinly disguised as news stories, with “paid advertisement” in small print. One recent ad is
