Chronic Lyme disease almost certainly does not exist, but a growing number of doctors are diagnosing and treating it with long-term antibiotics and other remedies. They are known as LLMDs (“Lyme Literate” medical doctors). This subject has been covered repeatedly on Science-Based Medicine, here, here, here, here, and elsewhere. I have a correspondent… read more "What Does ND Mean?"
What Would It Take?
I recently wrote a SkepDoc column on fantasy physics in Skeptic magazine in which I mentioned a study that had allegedly measured 2 milligauss emanations from a healer’s hands. A reader inquired about it and went on to ask “what criteria is [sic] necessary for gaining acceptance in the scientific community in… read more "What Would It Take?"
Bach Flower Remedies
May is the month associated with flowers, so I thought it would be timely to look at flower remedies. You may have heard of “rescue remedy” or other Bach flower remedies. (The preferred pronunciation is “Batch,” but it’s also acceptable to pronounce it like the composer.) They contain a very… read more "Bach Flower Remedies"
Killer Tomatoes and Poisonous Potatoes?
February 14, 2012 Remember the movie “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”? That was fiction, but some alarmists would have us believe that the tomatoes and potatoes on our plates are really out to get us. I recently got an e-mail inquiry from an MD who said he had read that… read more "Killer Tomatoes and Poisonous Potatoes?"
Applied Kinesiology by Any Other Name…
Applied kinesiology (AK) was briefly mentioned in Scott Gavura’s article on Food Intolerance Tests last week. Since AK is arguably the second silliest thing in CAM after homeopathy, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to say a little more about it. A press release on the Wall Street Journal website recently announced… read more "Applied Kinesiology by Any Other Name…"
Visceral Manipulation Embraced by the APTA
Many years ago, when I was a naïve and gullible teenager, I read about a home treatment for constipation that involved rolling a bowling ball around on the abdomen. I was intrigued, thought it sounded reasonable, and might even have tried it myself if I had been constipated or had… read more "Visceral Manipulation Embraced by the APTA"
Electrodermal Testing Part II: Legal and Regulatory Aspects
Last week I described electrodermal testing. I’m sure many readers thought, “There oughta be a law against that.” Well, there are laws. Unfortunately, having laws and enforcing them are two different things. Some of these devices are not approved at all. Most have received 501(k) approval from the FDA as… read more "Electrodermal Testing Part II: Legal and Regulatory Aspects"
Electrodermal Testing Part I: Fooling Patients with a Computerized Magic Eight Ball
Remember the Magic Eight Ball toy? You could ask it a question and shake it and a random answer would float up into a window: yes, no, maybe, definitely, etc. There is even a website where you can ask an Eight Ball questions online. I have been meaning to write… read more "Electrodermal Testing Part I: Fooling Patients with a Computerized Magic Eight Ball"
Frequencies and Their Kindred Delusions
The word “frequency” ranks right up there with “quantum” and “energy” as a pseudoscientific buzzword. It is increasingly prevalent in product advertisements and in CAM claims about human biofields and energy medicine. It doesn’t mean what they think it means. I have written about Power Balance products, the wristbands and… read more "Frequencies and Their Kindred Delusions"
Energy Medicine and Fantasy Physics: How Real Physics Has Been Kidnapped by Alternative Medicine Practitioners
Words from physics, such as “energy,” “frequency,” “fields,” and “quantum,” used to be respectable, well-defined concepts used in the clear light of science by real physicists to study how the world works. In recent years they have been kidnapped, disguised, and forced into prostitution in the dim back alleys of… read more "Energy Medicine and Fantasy Physics: How Real Physics Has Been Kidnapped by Alternative Medicine Practitioners"