Do you buy into this "new age" medicine?

hsmith · 08-21-2006, 01:06 PM

I watched that abortion of a show "30 days" last night, they did a segment on "new age medicine"

To me, it seemed like all of their "methods" weren't unlocking "energy" but it was more of a psychological release. Such that you convince your body that it is good, thus you feel better.

And that is all I think there is to it, people convincing their bodies (well mind) that they feel better...

Publius · 08-21-2006, 01:11 PM

i think the majority of it is just what you're saying, mind of matter; there simply isn't enough electrical energy in the human body to do anything particularly astounding. But hey, if it helps people feel better (if only psychologically) I see nothing wrong with it unless you're masking a serious illness that can kill you without real treatment.

Even then though, it's their choice.

hsmith · 08-21-2006, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

i think the majority of it is just what you're saying, mind of matter; there simply isn't enough electrical energy in the human body to do anything particularly astounding. But hey, if it helps people feel better (if only psychologically) I see nothing wrong with it unless you're masking a serious illness that can kill you without real treatment.

Even then though, it's their choice.

Well I think it is exactly what it is. Not that there is anything wrong with it and I do think taking less medication is a good thing for people as well.

But then again, people can fool their bodies into doing interesting things. I mean, people can will themselves to live or die.

Ardentfrost · 08-21-2006, 01:37 PM

It's certainly not good when they claim they can do shit like cure cancer. People denying themselves actual medicine because they believe some alternative medication will work for them is an uninformed decision. People need to know the actual number of people cured of cancer through alternative means and those that just ended up needing real medicine or dying. People need to know that there is no scientific backing for the alternative forms of medicine.

It all boils down to gullible people being taken advantage of by people interested in nothing more than scamming them out of their money. It's quite disgusting.

If someone believes that alternative medicine is helping, then fine, but continue going to a real doctor so they can at least monitor their condition. It is ultimately their choice, but bad choices made by stupid people that end in a liar making money irritates me.

curlyque221 · 08-21-2006, 05:34 PM

I am undecided about New Age medicine. I'm a pretty sick kid. I have a thyroid disease, Crohn's disease and I am allergic to all antibiotics and a variety of other medication.

About a two years ago, I got a extreme case of mono and had to have some sort of treatment, or else I would have never gotten better.

While I probably would have been better going with some good ole antibiotics...I was extremely skeptic about the New Age stuff...it worked. I can't deny it.

Don't doubt it, till you've tried it.

Can't forget..my insurance covered it all so it didn't cost me a cent.

kinggovernor · 08-21-2006, 06:16 PM

I believe it is about changing mindsets and that definetly works. Every few years they do a study to say that prayer helps people in hosipitals, well it gives them hope and improves their morale and gives them the will to live

motivez · 08-22-2006, 03:59 PM

Depends on what you classify as new age I suppose. If it's some guy running a wand over you because he has control of some energy or something, no, probably not.

There's some stuff that includes herbs and just an all natural diet that I think can have a fairly large impact on how your body functions though.

Ardentfrost · 08-22-2006, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

Depends on what you classify as new age I suppose. If it's some guy running a wand over you because he has control of some energy or something, no, probably not.

There's some stuff that includes herbs and just an all natural diet that I think can have a fairly large impact on how your body functions though.

Diet isn't new

motivez · 08-22-2006, 06:05 PM

No, but relying on it and other 'older' remedies is considered a part of 'new age medicine' that rejects pills and other things.

Ardentfrost · 08-22-2006, 06:10 PM

If it's based on science, it's not "alternative" though it might be popular at the moment. Doctors tell you to change your diet

Don't see how this can be considered "new age"

Publius · 08-22-2006, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

If it's based on science, it's not "alternative" though it might be popular at the moment. Doctors tell you to change your diet Don't see how this can be considered "new age"

nutrition based health plans were the norm up until the 20th century anyway, pharmaceutical medicine only became common from the 1920s and on.

Nonphixion · 08-22-2006, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

i think the majority of it is just what you're saying, mind of matter; there simply isn't enough electrical energy in the human body to do anything particularly astounding. But hey, if it helps people feel better (if only psychologically) I see nothing wrong with it unless you're masking a serious illness that can kill you without real treatment.

Even then though, it's their choice.

You're talking about apparent energy, do you not realize the energy stored within every atom and electron in your body? Tens of trillions of trillions atoms that make up your macroscopic molecular structure.

Given a fair example; matter anti-matter annihilation (total potential released). Just 1kg of coalesced anti-matter (technically a statistical impossibility) when paired with it's "anti-mass" of conventional matter we would have a reaction releasing the energy of 75 hydrogen bombs.

And that's just 1kg! You know when we first detonated an atomic bomb, Trinity, only 22% of the given Uranium-235 underwent fission -- with an efficiency rating (I believe) of less than .013%. Yet this device was still the most powerful and awe-inspiring weapon to have ever graced the face of this planet.

Ardentfrost · 08-22-2006, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

You're talking about apparent energy, do you not realize the energy stored within every atom and electron in your body? Tens of trillions of trillions atoms that make up your macroscopic molecular structure.

Given a fair example; matter anti-matter annihilation (total potential released). Just 1kg of coalesced anti-matter (technically a statistical impossibility) when paired with it's "anti-mass" of conventional matter we would have a reaction releasing the energy of 75 hydrogen bombs.

Yeah, but that's when atoms are exploded... you cannot harness the power of the atom without destroying said atom. Until I can pull an Uncle Fester and light a light bulb by putting it in my mouth, then I simply cannot buy anything having to do with bodily energy

lew · 08-24-2006, 07:03 PM

I always try to do natural "cures" (or new age, alternative, or whatever else you want to call it) to ease whatever sickness I'm dealing with before using any medical drugs.

BUt if it comes down to it, I'll take medical "standard" drugs over dying.

Ardentfrost · 08-24-2006, 07:05 PM

The most "natural" I'll go is if I believe I have a deficiency, then I might change my eating to make it up.

But that's just diet, which we've already covered

SpicyMcVoodoo · 08-26-2006, 05:48 PM

No, it's probably just placebo effect.

7960 · 08-26-2006, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

I believe it is about changing mindsets and that definetly works. Every few years they do a study to say that prayer helps people in hosipitals, well it gives them hope and improves their morale and gives them the will to live

while this is true it's impossible to divide it into "prayer *and* meds" v "prayer alone" and see which is better.

I'd expect prayer with meds is better than either prayer or meds alone.

archangel003 · 08-26-2006, 11:23 PM

My mom has diabetes, and was recently slammed with lupus, so she's been really ill lately. She goes to a chinese doctor and gets acupuncture, her doctor also has these glass cups she puts on my mom's back that are attached to a vaccuum pump that draws the toxins out of her blood (her kidneys don't work well, it's almost like bargain dialysis), and takes a lot of herbal medicines.

It's worked for her. I rip on her all the time for going to see "that hippie doctor" and she just laughs and offers me some snake bile and I'm like

.

It's done for her what 30 years of western medicine didn't.

lew · 08-27-2006, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

No, it's probably just placebo effect.

Even if it is, it works.

I read a study that was done a while back about placebos. They took a group of people with some illness, and tested them three different ways, in three different groups. The first group, they gave them a small white sugar tablet and told them it was some medication. In the second group, they gave them a big red sugar tablet and told them it was medication. The last group, they hooked up an IV with some sort of sugar solution and told them it was medication. In all three groups, a certain percentage of people cured themselves of the illness because of the placebo affect. However, as the "dosage" was "increased" and made more belieavable, a higher percentage of people was cured in each following group. Our bodies are pretty amazing, and if they honestly believe some pill is curing them, alot of times, the body will get better.

motivez · 08-28-2006, 08:09 PM

It'd be cool if they could understand why the placebo effect works to cure people and somehow make something to trigger whatever takes place.