Any healing practice, method, compound or procedure which falls outside the bounds of scientifically validated medicine either because it has not demonstrated significant, safe, repeatable results consistently under proper observing conditions, or has not yet had the opportunity to undergo such ...
2
votes
0answers
22 views
Is “Oil Pulling” an effective treatment for arthritis or other chronic diseases?
Oil Pulling is apparently an ancient practice, but is seeing a recent surge in popularity. It is claimed it can cure almost anything, from bad breath to AIDS.
The process apparently involves ...
5
votes
1answer
84 views
Is laetrile an efficient drug against cancer?
Recently, I encountered a person who asks for money donation. She suffers from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and claims that there is a very promising way to be cured - to use the drug named laetril (or ...
4
votes
0answers
117 views
NAET - is it a hoax or does it have any merit?
Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques seems to claim to be able to heal almost anything.
It primarily focuses on allergies as the core of all issues. It seems to talk of meridians in human ...
3
votes
0answers
104 views
Does covering one eye for an extended period of time increase the other eye's function?
One of my friends recently told me he previously had lazy eye. He said the way he cured it was to cover his good eye with an eyepatch for about a week; this caused his other eye's muscles to ...
13
votes
2answers
181 views
Does water therapy provide measurable benefits to childbirth?
I recently watched the trailer for The Business of Being Born, which included the following quote:
"The presence of Doulas; using water during labor; these things have been scientifically shown to ...
8
votes
2answers
297 views
Is there a herbal tea that cures malaria that the world health organization is discouraging
There is a sensational article in slate that says there's an herbal tea containing Artemisia that will prevent malaria that is being discouraged by the establishment because it could cause resistance ...
7
votes
1answer
343 views
Does Hijama (cupping) alleviate pain and other ailments?
Hijama is, as I understand it, an Islamic and traditional Chinese technique somewhat similar to bloodletting wherein the patient receives multiple minor perforations to his back after which suction ...
1
vote
0answers
159 views
Does the Japanese medicinal tonic, Yomeishu, help with fatigue, poor circulation and gastrointestinal illnesses?
Yomeishu is a medicinal tonic from Japan. According to this the Yomeishu web-site,
Yomeishu improves the following symptoms:
1. Physical fatigue
For people with the trouble of physical ...
4
votes
1answer
260 views
Do Acupressure Wristbands help with nausea?
I recently became aware of Travel Wristbands.
TRAVELBAND provides effective control of motion sickness, travel sickness, morning sickness and all forms of nausea.
I can't find any serious ...
1
vote
0answers
108 views
How can I make sure my medical workers are using evidence based medicine (EBM)? [closed]
My wife and I recently found out we're expecting.
While looking into a hospital for the delivery, I found that all the hospitals in my area use midwives for the births that are likely to be ...
5
votes
0answers
275 views
Does coconut oil work as an antibiotic and as a treatment for AIDS?
I've heard lots of extraordinary claims about coconut oil, but I've seen very littleresearch to back it up. Most of what I've heard is based on anecdotal evidence, so that's not really convincing.
...
4
votes
1answer
196 views
Does chelation therapy for artherosclerosis, clogging of our arteries, work?
I have seen (not read) the book Bypassing Bypass Surgery by Elmer Cranton, which claims that infusions of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can apparently clean out the arteries for cholesterol ...
13
votes
1answer
3k views
Do copper bracelets help arthritis?
Many people tell me to wear a magnetic or copper bracelet to improve my arthritis is there any science behind this? Many online shops sell copper bracelets containing magnets for their health effects. ...
5
votes
0answers
168 views
Can boneset cure dengue fever?
From livestrong:
Homeopathic Remedy
Boneset is also available as a homeopathic remedy under its Latin name, Eupatorium perfoliatum. In his book "Materia Medica and Repertory," homeopath, Dr. ...
5
votes
1answer
583 views
Does the QNET Amezcua Bio Disc work?
Is the Bio Disc medically effective?
The product description says
Bio Disc is able to redefine and harmonise the energy of water,
greatly maximising its positive affect on the human body
...
5
votes
0answers
271 views
Does chlorophyll have any health benefits for humans?
I was surprised to see in advertisements for "miracle" natural / alternative / herbal etc. medicine that they contain "liquid chlorophyll" and that is really useful for our health.
I wondered how it ...
6
votes
1answer
550 views
Is dry needling evidence based?
My physiotherapist suggested dry-needling. I waved him off saying that I don't believe in acupuncture, but he insists it is different.
He gave me a leaflet which tells about sticking needles into ...
14
votes
3answers
5k views
Can headaches be relieved by massaging pressure points in the hands and feet?
There are a number of sites that claim that massaging a point in the webbing between thumb and index finger can relieve headaches.
Livestrong.com:
One pressure point that may help relieve your ...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
Does garlic lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure?
Some naturopath websites claim that garlic is incredibly good for you:
If garlic had been created in the laboratory instead of by nature, it would probably be a high-priced prescription drug.
...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
Does drinking the urine of camels have medical benefits?
According to an Islam Q&A site, the prophet Mohammad prescribed camel's milk and urine to cure illness.
It goes on to claim there are benefits from drinking camel's urine including:
Camel’s ...
10
votes
1answer
457 views
Does sugar “feed” cancer?
I keep seeing this claim in alternative health circles that sugar feeds cancer and if you restrict carbohydrate from your diet, particularly refined sugar, you can prevent cancer or even "starve" ...
5
votes
1answer
613 views
Does eating clay have any beneficial effect?
I was presented with an "interesting" alternative form of medicine today: clay. As in, the consumption of it.
10 Good Reasons To Eat Clay!
To assist your body in the removal of toxic ...
4
votes
0answers
2k views
Does taking honey and apple cider vinegar lower blood pressure in humans?
Livestrong claim:
You can now lower your blood pressure by consuming apple cider vinegar. Other herbs, foods and dietary changes can assist in increasing the effectiveness of the vinegar. You can ...
7
votes
3answers
543 views
Do manufacturers of homeopathy products add any of the allegedly active ingredients?
Homoeopathy is the idea that a "a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people will cure that disease in sick people". Furthermore, the potency of the 'treatment' is alleged to ...
3
votes
0answers
136 views
Does Pavan Mukta Asana help releasing gastrointestinal gas?
Pavan Mukta Asana
As mentioned above, practicing the purvana-mukta-asana will help to release gastrointestinal gas. It is also improves other gastrointestinal problems like upset stomachs and ...
2
votes
1answer
256 views
Does Protandim “reduce age-related symptoms”?
I have a friend who sells some sort of supplement called "Protandim", and I'm wondering if it actually works or is any good. I'm skeptical of it, but I'm not aware of any evidence either way.
The ...
5
votes
1answer
624 views
Do chiropractors cure bed wetting?
As many parents know, bed-wetting in young children is a frustrating problem. In a nearby town, at least two of the three chiropractors claim they can resolve bed-wetting issues. Are there any merit ...
3
votes
1answer
316 views
Do cryotherapy chambers reduce healing time and relieve pain and fatigue?
There's a fad going around, especially in the NBA to use "Cryotherapy" to reduce healing time and relieve pain and fatigue. The patient is placed in a chamber, which is lowered to -166 degrees ...
3
votes
1answer
413 views
Does orthotics work?
My father has problems with his knees. His doctor said that he should get an operation. However, the operation does not usually work, is very expensive, and can make things worse.
A multi-level ...
5
votes
1answer
4k views
Can GAPS diet cure autism, schizophrenia and dyslexia?
I have read a lot of claims regarding GAP syndrome and GAPS diet with the most surprising of them being that the proposed diet can even cure disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
For example in ...
5
votes
1answer
780 views
Are Indian temples placed on sites where “positive energy is abundantly available”?
I originally found this claim in a Facebook post:
Now, these temples are located strategically at a place where the
positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic and electric
wave ...
5
votes
0answers
1k views
Can Monistat improve hair growth?
I was surprised to read in a Long Hair Care forum that people who spray diluted Monistat (the yeast-infection treatment!) onto their scalp significantly increases and accelerates hair growth. I can't ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
Can Alpha Brain dietary supplement improve mental acuity and focus?
Alpha Brain is a tablet offered as a dietary supplement by Onnit. They make many claims about its ability to help cognitive function:
The idea behind the Alpha Brain™ dietary supplement was to ...
6
votes
1answer
373 views
Is “orthomolecular medicine” a hoax similar to homeopathy? [closed]
Help, I need a sanity check here! My mother has just spent a small fortune on a "doctor" who practises "orthomolecular medicine". Is that just a complicated synonym for humbug?
A quick Google search ...
5
votes
3answers
876 views
Do essential oils safely and effectively treat constipation, stomach aches and fevers?
My wife was encouraged to try several doTERRA "essential oils". She's convinced (through anecdotal evidence and perhaps the placebo effect) that different oils have been effective in treating ...
2
votes
1answer
527 views
Is Chi an energy flowing through the body?
Prompted by various answers over an fitness.stackexchange.com where I put into doubt the existence of Chi, I was prompted to provide references for this assertion.
Issues with the burden of proof ...
14
votes
1answer
778 views
Are there secret pressure points in our body?
Do we have "secret" "bundles of nerves" — pressure points — which, when struck with a particular Karate move, kill us?
Wikipedia is skeptic but see this History Channel documentary (only ...
4
votes
0answers
320 views
Is chocolate bad for your voice?
I've had a variety of singing teachers, all of whom assured me that eating chocolate prior to singing was bad for my voice. This is assumed fact amongst almost all other singers I have known. I've ...
4
votes
0answers
810 views
Does push-ups on finger tips affect eyesight negatively?
Some time ago I've been told that push-ups on your fingers (instead on fists) can affect eye-sight. The explanation was not clear (something about a lot of nerves in fingertips and pressure on them).
...
6
votes
1answer
780 views
Does “Chi” exist?
An uncontested assertion in this answer to the question Is acupuncture an effective treatment? says,
The concepts of qi and meridians are unscientific, they date back to a time where there was no ...
8
votes
0answers
970 views
Is a cold shower good for you? (Less hair loss, better health, refreshing, etc.?)
I just read that a cold shower is good for you, and (specifically) that it helps decrease hair loss.
Cold showers provide a gentle form of stress that leads to thermogenesis (internal generation ...
3
votes
1answer
629 views
Does the “Belfast” study by Madeleine Ennis prove that water memory exists and homeopathy might work?
There has been a number of attempts to replicate Jacques Benveniste's results relating to the "water memory". Wikipedia lists many of them.
One of those attempts is the "Belfast study".
P. Belon, ...
8
votes
1answer
389 views
Do the effects of Chromotherapy have support in scientific literature?
The above mentioned picture made it to my Facebook feed. While it doesn't sound unreasonable that there can be a psychological effect of some colors, I got a bit skeptical regarding the claim that ...
20
votes
3answers
1k views
Are “pox parties” safer than vaccines for children?
So-called pox parties have been around in various forms in varying degrees of popularity since the 1980's, and are described on Wikipedia as:
A pox party, or flu party or flu fling, is a social ...
7
votes
1answer
400 views
If I stand on my head for a while will I get healthier?
I've read that standing on your head (called sirsasana by hatha yoga practicioners) does something to the blood flow to the brain and hence increase your health or something.
Partial claims were made ...
11
votes
1answer
10k views
Are there any benefits to drinking 1.5 liters of water first thing in the morning (water therapy)?
I'm not sure the origin of this "water therapy", but I've seen various websites that claim that drinking 1.5 liters of water right when you wake up is great for your body/mind, heals all diseases, ...
7
votes
1answer
301 views
Is there any scientific evidence to support the theory behind Gerson Therapy?
Gerson therapy is a hypothesis that diseases can be caused by various toxins and attempts to heal a subject by a strict all natural diet in addition to attempting to clean the body with things such as ...
9
votes
1answer
541 views
Is there such a thing as an aura?
Many psychics claim to be able to see auras. Many healing methods like reiki are based on them.
Psychics claim that if you look at someone with soft eyes, you can see a hazy field around them, white ...
3
votes
0answers
268 views
Is jergon sacha any use against viral infections such as HIV?
I've just been followed on twitter by @Jergon_Sacha who claims that the plant jergon sacha (which appears to be from the genus Dracontium) is
Traditionally used for viral infections HIV, AIDS, ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Can a Himalayan crystal salt cave reduce stress?
Can "Himalayan crystal salt" (a.k.a. rock salt from Pakistan) reduce stress?
"[Himalayan crystal salt] has a beneficial effect on the body of healthy people - significantly reduces stress, ...
