New study concludes that “colonic irrigation” does not work and could be damaging.

By , on 2 August, 2011
Pic of Charlie Brown.

I'm right there with you on that one, Chuck.

It seems shoving a hose up your ass and flooding your bowels with water doesn’t have any practical health benefits at all.  Not only that, but according to the study done at Georgetown University, it could have a number of adverse health effects ranging from minor . . . → Read More: New study concludes that “colonic irrigation” does not work and could be damaging.

One comment   Science   , , , ,  

Daniel Hauser’s father now has leukemia.

By , on 21 May, 2010

Remember Daniel Hauser, the (at the time) 13-year-old illiterate kid out of Minnesota who was ordered by the court to get chemotherapy to treat his cancer over the protests of his alt-med preferring parents? His mother took off with him rather than follow through on the court order, but after a few days they eventually showed up . . . → Read More: Daniel Hauser’s father now has leukemia.

12 comments   Healthcare, Stupidity in Action   , , ,  

New study warns that herbal supplements and medicines don’t always mix well.

By , on 8 February, 2010

What’s the harm, the question goes, if herbal supplements don’t actually help cure anything? Well, they could kill you if you’re on certain types of real medications:

Researchers are warning that popular herbs and supplements, including St. John’s wort and even garlic and ginger, do not mix well with common heart drugs and can also . . . → Read More: New study warns that herbal supplements and medicines don’t always mix well.

6 comments   Science   , , ,  

All the world’s woo-woo couldn’t cure man of his hiccups.

By , on 12 January, 2010

As if we needed yet more proof that homeopathy, acupuncture, and all the rest of the woo-woo “alternative” medicines don’t really help, here’s a story about a man who suffered from the hiccups for years until he was finally cured after doctors removed a tumor from his brain stem:

He tried yoga, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, pickled . . . → Read More: All the world’s woo-woo couldn’t cure man of his hiccups.

2 comments   Science, Skepticism   , , ,  

Ten years and $2.5 billion shows “alternative” medicines don’t cure jack shit.

By , on 11 June, 2009

In news that will likely fail to dissuade folks who buy into the whole alternative medicine nonsense, the report from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that just about every alternative treatment they tried failed to produce results:

Echinacea for colds. Ginkgo biloba for memory. Glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis. Black cohosh . . . → Read More: Ten years and $2.5 billion shows “alternative” medicines don’t cure jack shit.

8 comments   Healthcare   , , , ,  

Penn & Teller illustrate the Placebo Effect.

By , on 23 March, 2009

You can sell people just about anything by dressing someone up in a lab coat. The folks who put out all the “alternative medicine” and herbal supplement nonsense take full advantage of the fact that most people aren’t great at critical thinking. Make up a bunch of claims, get someone in a lab coat to . . . → Read More: Penn & Teller illustrate the Placebo Effect.

4 comments   Skepticism   , , ,  

The Contempt of Court judgment Kevin Trudeau Doesn’t Want You to Know About!

By , on 26 January, 2009

Who is Kevin Trudeau? He’s the “alternative medicine” slimeball who sells books full of miracle cures that the Powers That Be supposedly hope you’ll never find out about. With titles like Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About and The Weight Loss Cure “They” Don’t Want You to Know About this asshole has . . . → Read More: The Contempt of Court judgment Kevin Trudeau Doesn’t Want You to Know About!

8 comments   Rants, Scams and Hoaxes   , , , ,