A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions

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reader comments: detoxification therapies

15 September 2012
In reference to your detox article on saunas and sweating, there is numerous academic evidence on the benefits of sweating in heavy metal detox. http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/Lheavymetaldetox.htm and this study too.

Best wishes
Jack

reply: I suggest you also look at http://www.nydetox.org/detoxification.htm The program you're touting is the same one that is still being promoted by Scientologists as developed by L. Ron Hubbard, who, as far as we know, had no specific knowledge of biology or physiology. If he did, one must wonder why he comes across as pig-ignorant about something as simple as sweating. You may not know it but sweating evolved as a way to cool down the body, not to void "toxins." The trace amounts of toxins in sweat are insignificant. We have other organs that have evolved, in part, to do "detox" work, e.g., the liver, the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract, and the immune system. Sweating is not a good way to rid the body of "poisons" and heavy metals. Jack may have found two articles supporting Hubbard's idea, but you should look at all the evidence. The preponderance of evidence shows that sweating is not going to remove a significant amount of junk from your body.

If you like sweating and want to avoid dehydration, you might try exercising rather than one of these sauna boxes. Of course many people feel good after exercising and working up a sweat, but they are deceving themselves if they think they are detoxing their bodies.

Before investing in any detox products to sweat away your poisons, read Brian Dunning's "The Detoxification Myth."

The desire to detox can have tragic consequences.

The word "detox" has no meaning outside of the clinical treatment of drug addiction and poisoning.

If you want to cleanse your mind of poisonous thoughts, try reading Detox: flushing out poison or absorbing dangerous claptrap? by Edzard Ernst.

__________

28 Sept 2009
It's sad that your website makes such bold statements on detoxification. I hope one day you or someone in your family is diagnosed with a terrible disease, and you can go ahead and put all your eggs in the doctor's basket.

reply: Thank you for your kind words and for elevating the conversation about detox therapies. Unfortunately, my doctor doesn't use baskets, eggs, or incense to produce cures. So, even if terrible diseases befall my family, I won't be putting any eggs in anyone's basket. My doctor did tell me, though, that some people need to detoxify their venomous thoughts or they might poison themselves and become truly repulsive.

You are truly an idiot if you believe the statements you're making on the issue of detoxification.

reply: How did you know? That was supposed to be a family secret. Did you consult your Ouija board or your Tarot reader?

You don't experiment yourself. You listen to what other people say; just like the people you are trying to make fun of. Don't you see that? Get your head out of your ass and experiment for yourself. Test the truth. Question and resolve issues.

reply: Imagine that. I listen to what other people say. How stupid of me. But it's worse than you think. Not only do I listen to what other people say, I evaluate and think about what they say. I then make judgments based on the evidence others have presented, including experimental evidence. How dumb can I be? I could have cut up a bird and read the entrails. That would have been a nice experiment.

Stop your lame pseudo-intellectual attitudes. You should be getting paid by the government; if you are not already. Wow. I'm shocked at your arrogant ignorance.

"Morgan Electrick"

reply: I think I should be paid by the government, too. After all, if the government can give away money to banks and researchers in bioelectric distant prayer healing, it ought to provide pseudo-intellectuals with some comfort money.

You must be easily shocked. Maybe that's why you call yourself Morgan Electrick. Or perhaps you've been through some electric detox yourself and are providing us with evidence of how well it worked.

Morgan replies:

Dear Snake Oil Salesman,

Look, I know there are many scoundrels and charlatans out there, but you can't just throw the baby out with the bath water.

reply: When did I throw the bath water out? What bath water are you talking about?

Do you really not understand why it's important to experience things for yourself?

reply: Do you understand why personal experience, though important, isn't infallible. As Daniel Schacter has noted: "...the self is hardly a neutral observer of the world." I would ask you to read my essay on "Evaluating Personal Experience," but I know you won't, so I won't.

Your "logic" on how to arrive at a "judgement" is not impressive. You make money off of this attitude you have; it's a source of attention and income for you.

reply: You've lost me with another of your non sequiturs. If I had an accountant, I'd ask her where all the money went.

Your sarcasm is really just not that clever either.

reply: I've been told the same thing by some really clever people.

You're just not that impressive in general.

reply: Maybe not in general, but you should see me in private.

Face the fact: You are selling snake-oil just like the people you claim to de-bunk.

reply: Eggs, baskets, babies, bathwater, snake oil...could you be a little more specific, please. I'm getting your emotive content, but your cognitive content seems empty.

You are no different. You are the same. You are boring.

-Morgan

reply: That really hurts. Did you think that up all by yourself or did your babysitter write that for you?

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