What do you know about Mark Twain? That he was a famous humorist? That he wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? Maybe you know he questioned many conventions like organized religion. What you may not know is that he was an enthusiastic proponent of “alternative medicine” long before the term… read more "Mark Twain and Alternative Medicine"
InstaHard: Hard to Believe, Easy to Laugh At
InstaHard is advertised in a stupid video as a cure for erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems. The claims are unbelievable, but they are good entertainment; they made me laugh. Oh, no, not again! Yet another video promoting an untested mixture of dietary supplements. I’m not looking for these stupid… read more "InstaHard: Hard to Believe, Easy to Laugh At"
The Natural Medicine Handbook
Dr. Walt Larimore has written a very mixed bag of a book, combining useful general advice about supplements and “natural medicine” with some questionable specifics about individual products. Walt Larimore, MD, is a family physician, a medical journalist, a best-selling author, and a Christian evangelist whose organization Focus on the Family has… read more "The Natural Medicine Handbook"
Quienes niegan las vacunas no son estúpidos
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] Ahora tenemos varias vacunas para el COVID-19. Han sido probadas adecuadamente. Son seguras y eficaces; y a medida que más personas se han vacunado, las tasas de infección, de hospitalización y de mortalidad han disminuido. La… read more "Quienes niegan las vacunas no son estúpidos"
Vaccine Refusers Are Not Stupid
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] We now have several vaccines for COVID-19. They have been adequately tested. They are safe and effective; and as more people have gotten vaccinated, infection rates, hospitalization rates, and death rates have… read more "Vaccine Refusers Are Not Stupid"
Okinawan Flat Belly Tonic
Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic is yet another scam weight loss product made up of a random grab-bag of vitamins, minerals, and powders. A message appeared in my email in-box with the subject line “bulging belly”. It turned out to be an advertisement for another way to supposedly lose weight without… read more "Okinawan Flat Belly Tonic"
Craniosacral Therapy Is Bogus but DOs Are Required to Learn It
The standard textbook used in many schools of osteopathic medicine includes a lamentable chapter on cranial manipulation. It is clearly biased and fails to meet the minimal standards of science-based medicine. Craniosacral manipulation therapy is bogus, and it should no longer be taught to DOs or feature on their exams.… read more "Craniosacral Therapy Is Bogus but DOs Are Required to Learn It"
A Blood Test for Fibromyalgia?
The FM/a test is advertised as a definitive test to diagnose fibromyalgia. It isn’t definitive. It is expensive. It has not been shown to change patient outcomes. I was surprised to learn that there is a blood test to diagnose fibromyalgia, the FM/a test. Is it accurate? Is it useful?… read more "A Blood Test for Fibromyalgia?"
Eye Drops for Dry Eyes
I could have chosen a prescription eye drop for my dry eyes. I decided not to. Here’s why. Dry eyes can have many causes: disease, medications, environmental irritants, or just age. Tear production tends to decrease as we get older. My husband (age 80) and I (age 75) were both… read more "Eye Drops for Dry Eyes"
Covid-19 Tests: Can You Trust the Results?
If your Covid-19 test was negative, can you breathe a sigh of relief? What if it’s a false negative? If it was positive, is that reliable evidence of infection or might it be a false positive result? How trustworthy are these tests? As with so much in science, the answer… read more "Covid-19 Tests: Can You Trust the Results?"