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Skeptical about Energy Work
Folks -
There previously was a discussion on this site in which a skeptical attitude toward energy work was being discussed, but that discussion eventually got deleted. The reason seems to be that it was judged not to belong in the location where it was taking place, which was inside one of the energy work groups.
I was the person who introduced the skepticism to the discussion. Some people did not appreciate that, but others did. Given how many participants there are on this site, and how many threads and groups are dedicated to discussing energy work with no skepticism, I thought maybe it was time to open a discussion where such skepticism is invited and welcomed.
I look forward to seeing how this discussion might develop. Is there interest?
-CM
There previously was a discussion on this site in which a skeptical attitude toward energy work was being discussed, but that discussion eventually got deleted. The reason seems to be that it was judged not to belong in the location where it was taking place, which was inside one of the energy work groups.
I was the person who introduced the skepticism to the discussion. Some people did not appreciate that, but others did. Given how many participants there are on this site, and how many threads and groups are dedicated to discussing energy work with no skepticism, I thought maybe it was time to open a discussion where such skepticism is invited and welcomed.
I look forward to seeing how this discussion might develop. Is there interest?
-CM
Views: 3110
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on
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How do you feel about the hospitals using medical reiki?
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffrey on
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Hi Laura or anyone
Please can you put me right on this?
In the US are you expected/forced as a student of massage to take classes and practice energy work as standard ?
I only ask as am having difficulty, mentally, in rolling back the years as to how I would have felt before energy work "came and found me" as I learned massage before, and separate to, energy work. I'm beginning to think how I would not have liked enduring a modiality heavy on woo woo when all I wanted to learn was massage.............a bit like having to adopt a foreign religion just to get the certification. Surely if it's compolsory it runs a high risk of rejection?
Laura Allen said:Greetings, folks,
There has been a lot of argument over on the EBP discussions about the NCBTMB perpetuating unscientific practice. I realize many people don't care about national certification; however, when it comes to continuing education, most states require that continuing education comes from NCBTMB Approved Providers; only FL and Nebraska do their own approvals, if I'm not mistaken. I'm just giving that as background, because here are some interesting tidbits:
The AP listings on the NCB website include 62 pages of classes that are classified as energy work, with 25 classes listed per page, meaning there are over 1600 CE classes available in energy work. The majority are reiki and chakra-related classes; reflexology has its own separate category, as does Asian studies, which many would refer to as energy work, but which the NCB has categorized separately.
The Asian category include the classes on Ayruveda, acupressure, Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Chinese medicine, etc. There are 52 pages in that category, or about 1250 classes.
There are 16 pages of reflexology, meaning over 400 classes. There are more than 250 craniosacral classes, and more than 375 classes in aromatherapy.
There are 18 pages that are classified as "science", for slightly less than 500 classes. There were 27 pages of deep tissue classes, about 750 classes, less than half what is offered as energy work.
The Body Psychology category also contains a lot of woo-woo mixed in with the non-woo-woo.
The point is that there is a huge demand for these classes, and to put that into the correct perspective, since energy workers are not regulated and not required to obtain continuing education, these classes are out there because massage therapists and bodyworkers are taking them.
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Different states set different cirriculum. If you are in a state that says "woo woo", you learn it. The states do not usually pick all of the cirriculum, and this is usually where school owners decide "extra" stuff and add what they want.
There are some states that have little input and allow owners to pretty much set their own standards. The problem is, at the moment, no Model Practice Act, BOK or Scope of Practice set for the profession.
Stephen Jeffrey said:Hi Laura or anyone
Please can you put me right on this?
In the US are you expected/forced as a student of massage to take classes and practice energy work as standard ?
I only ask as am having difficulty, mentally, in rolling back the years as to how I would have felt before energy work "came and found me" as I learned massage before, and separate to, energy work. I'm beginning to think how I would not have liked enduring a modiality heavy on woo woo when all I wanted to learn was massage.............a bit like having to adopt a foreign religion just to get the certification. Surely if it's compolsory it runs a high risk of rejection?
Laura Allen said:Greetings, folks,
There has been a lot of argument over on the EBP discussions about the NCBTMB perpetuating unscientific practice. I realize many people don't care about national certification; however, when it comes to continuing education, most states require that continuing education comes from NCBTMB Approved Providers; only FL and Nebraska do their own approvals, if I'm not mistaken. I'm just giving that as background, because here are some interesting tidbits:
The AP listings on the NCB website include 62 pages of classes that are classified as energy work, with 25 classes listed per page, meaning there are over 1600 CE classes available in energy work. The majority are reiki and chakra-related classes; reflexology has its own separate category, as does Asian studies, which many would refer to as energy work, but which the NCB has categorized separately.
The Asian category include the classes on Ayruveda, acupressure, Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Chinese medicine, etc. There are 52 pages in that category, or about 1250 classes.
There are 16 pages of reflexology, meaning over 400 classes. There are more than 250 craniosacral classes, and more than 375 classes in aromatherapy.
There are 18 pages that are classified as "science", for slightly less than 500 classes. There were 27 pages of deep tissue classes, about 750 classes, less than half what is offered as energy work.
The Body Psychology category also contains a lot of woo-woo mixed in with the non-woo-woo.
The point is that there is a huge demand for these classes, and to put that into the correct perspective, since energy workers are not regulated and not required to obtain continuing education, these classes are out there because massage therapists and bodyworkers are taking them.
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Permalink Reply by Lisa on
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Hi Stephen,
i haven't been really following this thread just because it's too much reading for my brain to wrap it's head around. i prefer to use my brain on things that will help my business these days...ANYHOO
i will tell you this, in response to your question (just sharing my own experience)...
In my schooling which was about 720 hours of study, we had an acupressure class and an energy class. it was required as part of our education. we had a few students that did not buy into it and were very upset that they were being forced to take it. however, i found the majority of students were open to the possibility. i likened it to the same as regular schooling, in that there are a lot of subjects we learn in school that we may never use and don't like/agree with. but schooling's intent is to give a wide variety so as to give everyone something.
Stephen Jeffrey said:Hi Laura or anyone
Please can you put me right on this?
In the US are you expected/forced as a student of massage to take classes and practice energy work as standard ?
I only ask as am having difficulty, mentally, in rolling back the years as to how I would have felt before energy work "came and found me" as I learned massage before, and separate to, energy work. I'm beginning to think how I would not have liked enduring a modiality heavy on woo woo when all I wanted to learn was massage.............a bit like having to adopt a foreign religion just to get the certification. Surely if it's compolsory it runs a high risk of rejection?
Laura Allen said:Greetings, folks,
There has been a lot of argument over on the EBP discussions about the NCBTMB perpetuating unscientific practice. I realize many people don't care about national certification; however, when it comes to continuing education, most states require that continuing education comes from NCBTMB Approved Providers; only FL and Nebraska do their own approvals, if I'm not mistaken. I'm just giving that as background, because here are some interesting tidbits:
The AP listings on the NCB website include 62 pages of classes that are classified as energy work, with 25 classes listed per page, meaning there are over 1600 CE classes available in energy work. The majority are reiki and chakra-related classes; reflexology has its own separate category, as does Asian studies, which many would refer to as energy work, but which the NCB has categorized separately.
The Asian category include the classes on Ayruveda, acupressure, Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Chinese medicine, etc. There are 52 pages in that category, or about 1250 classes.
There are 16 pages of reflexology, meaning over 400 classes. There are more than 250 craniosacral classes, and more than 375 classes in aromatherapy.
There are 18 pages that are classified as "science", for slightly less than 500 classes. There were 27 pages of deep tissue classes, about 750 classes, less than half what is offered as energy work.
The Body Psychology category also contains a lot of woo-woo mixed in with the non-woo-woo.
The point is that there is a huge demand for these classes, and to put that into the correct perspective, since energy workers are not regulated and not required to obtain continuing education, these classes are out there because massage therapists and bodyworkers are taking them.
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Mike and Lisa thankyou very much !
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Permalink Reply by Choice Kinchen on
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Robin and Julie, you expressed exactly the way I feel about this.
Stephen, in my school we had to take reflexology, acupressure, cranial. I got nothing out of the classes. Couldn't feel stuff I was supposed to feel as a therapist. Noticed nothing different as a client. I went thru chemo while in school and they had a field day with me. Had me wear magnets and the instructors all practiced on me.....to try and help the nausea and pain.....nothing worked. Having said that, I would not discredit any practice if it works on someone else.
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Permalink Reply by Kim Goral on
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Bodhi shared this on the science-site, just thought I'd post it here- comments? Agree? Disagree? General thoughts? Might provide more good discussion.
Alternative Therapies Debunked or Denounced in 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20091212/sc_livescience/alterna...
If there's a silver lining in the continued popularity of non-scientific healing techniques, it's the fact that the scientific community is at long last putting these so-called treatments and potions through vigorous testing. And one by one they fail to live up to their purported benefits.
Here are five alternative therapies that were debunked or denounced in 2009.
Reiki
Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in Japan in the early 20th century that, in the hands of Westerners, has evolved into a new-age healing practice. Popular in Hawaii and California by the 1970s, reiki has since become a staple at health spas and in granola-loving cities across the United States.
Reiki involves a practitioner (that is, someone who has taken a couple days of training) who places her hands on or just above a patient's body to transmit healing energy - the "ki" or reiki, better known as qi in Chinese traditional medicine. Reiki has all the trappings of new-age healing: restoring balance and instilling life energy through mysticism and/or vibrational energy. Akin to a hands-off massage, reiki is said to relieve stress, fatigue and depression and promote self-healing for just about any disease, including cancer.
The two largest scientific reviews of reiki, published last year in International Journal of Clinical Practice and in November 2009 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, reveal that reiki is not an effective treatment for any condition. Also in 2009, the U.S. Catholic Church weighed in, stating at a March meeting of bishops that, "since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for... Catholic health care facilities... to provide support for Reiki therapy."
Reiki is not an outright scam; the practitioners seem to believe in what they are doing. In the end the soft music and whispery speech of the practitioners during the reiki sessions merely helps one relax.
Reflexology or zone therapy
What's the connection between the center of the ball of the left foot and the heart? Apparently nothing, according to systematic reviews of reflexology, or zone therapy, the practice of massaging the feet and sometimes hands or ears to cure disease.
Maybe you've seen the charts. The toes are somehow connected to the head and sinuses. There's a spot in the middle of the foot that can help control diabetes, and next to that is the fresh-breath button. Foot massages sure do feel great. But "feel great" and "cure halitosis" are two different things.
As summed up in a study of over 250 adults, published in November-December 2009 issue of the journal Heart & Lung, reflexology and other massage techniques had no effect for heart surgery patients on postoperative mood, pain, anxiety, hospital stay and several other measures. (Actually, anxiety was lower in the group not getting the foot massage.)
This study follows systematic reviews published in September 2009 in the Medical Journal of Australia and in June 2008 by Taiwanese researchers in the Journal of Advanced Nursing finding no evidence that reflexology helps any condition.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is the use of physically impossible or implausible dilutions of medicines - or, poisons, actually, for homeopathy's main tenet is "like kills like" - to cure just about anything. Numerous studies in 2009 found homeopathy to be either useless or marginally better than a placebo. But results tilt towards the "useless" side when the studies are bigger and the diseases are more serious.
In April in the journal Intervention Review, British researchers reported that there's no evidence to support the use of homeopathy to treat the adverse effects of cancer treatment. In June in the journal Primary Care, a systematic review found homeopathy to be ineffective for weight loss. In October in the Annals of Oncology, more researchers reported no benefit from homeopathy in cancer treatment. And a medical perspective in JAMA in October detailed the lack of oversight for homeopathic products. (Maybe that's why they don't work.)
Also, in August 2009, the World Health Organization felt the need to make an official statement warning against the use of homeopathy for serious diseases, such as HIV, TB and malaria, after word spread that homeopathy was being promoted in some developing countries.
To be fair, the Faculty of Homeopathy, a UK-based professional society, lists numerous randomized, controlled trials on its website from previous years demonstrating the efficacy of homeopathy. If you want lots of positive results, you can always subscribe to the journal Homeopathy. And so the debate continues.
Magnetic therapy
Unlike many alternative therapies that come with ample amounts of good intentions, magnetic therapy seems like an outright scam. Most manufacturers know the magnets have no proven benefit for health, and yet magnets are added to everything from headbands to back braces to shoe inserts.
The basic premise, that magnets somehow improve blood flow, defies physics. The iron in your blood is bound to hemoglobin and is not attracted to magnets of any strength. This is a good thing. Otherwise you'd blow up in an MRI machine, with magnets thousands of times more powerful than your shoe insert.
Also, the magnets in most magnetic therapeutic devices are far too weak to penetrate the skin, particularly through clothing such as socks. Simply cover a magnetic shoe insert with a sock and try to attract something as light as a paper clip.
Nevertheless, some people swear by them, and some researchers still have the stamina to test these despite decades of negative results. And so, as published in August 2009 in Rheumatology International Clinical and Experimental Investigations, magnetic therapy did not improve the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia.
The deathblow to magnet therapy should have been the large, randomized, double-blinded study on pain published in 2007 in Anesthesia & Analgesia. Yet sales of therapeutic magnets remain legal.
Kava
Herbs hold great healing promise. Many common drugs, such as aspirin and digitalin, were either once or continue to be synthesized from botanical herbs. Yet herbs can be deadly, too. Kava is one such herb, taken for relaxation. When mixed with alcohol, it can kill you. This is likely not the level of relaxation you are after. Also, the leaves and stems (but not the roots) can be toxic to the liver. Kava is indeed banned in many countries through Europe, where herbal medicine is otherwise popular.
In systematic reviews of kava and other herbals published in September 2009 in the journal Drugs and in Integrative Cancer Therapies, researchers found kava to be more trouble than it is worth, because it interferes with real medicines for cancer and other diseases.
Kava is not without its merits. Kava root is mixed into a drink in many South Pacific countries with few adverse effects, other than those that mimic alcohol abuse. Some studies have shown kava's value in treating anxiety and depression from a specially prepared root extract. But despite the availability of kava on supermarket shelves, because of potential toxicity and drug interference, it is best to check with a doctor before self-prescribing this herb.
Big bad mainstream medicine
Mainstream medicine has its faults and its critics. But consider how HIV/AIDS has transitioned from a death sentence to a manageable chronic disease in about a decade, with a cure surely on the horizon.
Advances in the treatment of HIV did not involve understanding its qi or lack of qi or vibrational energy or the imbalance it causes in some holistic manner. The search for a cure has entailed isolating the cause (a retrovirus) and then building upon previous knowledge of DNA, RNA, enzymes, transcription and the inner workings of the cell (all Nobel-prize winning efforts) to create antiretroviral treatments that employ nucleoside analogue and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors.
Sound complicated? It is. People go to school for a long time to learn how this works. And the medicine does have nasty side effects. But it works better than a foot massage.
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Permalink Reply by Bert Davich on
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I have some thoughts about this. I will limit my answer to just the reflexology part of the article as it serves to illustrate my concerns over the rush to stamp out entirely certain modalities that have some lines of teaching that continue to make undocumented and sometimes ridiculous claims.
While I totally agree with the articles contention regarding "Zone Therapy", and don't think it has any place in Medical or evidenced based massage therapy I see the the rush to stamp out all reflexology to be similar to stamping out all chiropractic practice because they originally claimed that ALL human illness could be cured by spinal manipulation. Or allopathic medicine used blood letting, and still for example prescribes cholesterol lowering statin drugs to 'reduce risk of heart attack', which recent studies have shown statins do not reduce risk of heart attack even though they lower cholesterol counts, and in fact long term use can have some harmful effect. let me share an earlier post I made regarding my concerns about reflexology being entirely stamped out.
"Reflexology did not interest me after a 'treatment' and learning some of it's claims regarding diagnosing and treating illness. Then one day I was exposed to a reflexology distance learning DVD another therapist had on in the background when I visited her. First I noticed several manipulation techniques that I originally learned from Rolfers and had been using with success, particularly on the front arch. Next thing they are showing some techniques I was using but with a variation in application that adapted it to use for other issues. I also learned some new applications. It was a WOW moment in which I found new respect for reflexology, and a moment to reflect on why I dismissed Reflexology (overly skeptic) I realized that nothing should be dismissed so quickly without taking the time to learn what it really is about. Reflexology is a prime example of what some call a sham because of claims made by some practitioners that cannot be backed up, but in reality offers great benefit to a client if properly applied. I will never believe that all illness can be diagnosed by reflexology, however the manipulation techniques can be put to good practice, and it probably is possible to make an assessment regarding some illness by foot condition, just as physicians in England can diagnose bleeding ulcers by observing your fingernails.
With these thoughts in mind, the attack should be focused on eliminating unwarranted claims, not an entire modality or "Title".
Kim Goral said:Bodhi shared this on the science-site, just thought I'd post it here- comments? Agree? Disagree? General thoughts? Might provide more good discussion.
Alternative Therapies Debunked or Denounced in 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20091212/sc_livescience/alterna...
If there's a silver lining in the continued popularity of non-scientific healing techniques, it's the fact that the scientific community is at long last putting these so-called treatments and potions through vigorous testing. And one by one they fail to live up to their purported benefits.
Here are five alternative therapies that were debunked or denounced in 2009.
Reiki
Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in Japan in the early 20th century that, in the hands of Westerners, has evolved into a new-age healing practice. Popular in Hawaii and California by the 1970s, reiki has since become a staple at health spas and in granola-loving cities across the United States.
Reiki involves a practitioner (that is, someone who has taken a couple days of training) who places her hands on or just above a patient's body to transmit healing energy - the "ki" or reiki, better known as qi in Chinese traditional medicine. Reiki has all the trappings of new-age healing: restoring balance and instilling life energy through mysticism and/or vibrational energy. Akin to a hands-off massage, reiki is said to relieve stress, fatigue and depression and promote self-healing for just about any disease, including cancer.
The two largest scientific reviews of reiki, published last year in International Journal of Clinical Practice and in November 2009 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, reveal that reiki is not an effective treatment for any condition. Also in 2009, the U.S. Catholic Church weighed in, stating at a March meeting of bishops that, "since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for... Catholic health care facilities... to provide support for Reiki therapy."
Reiki is not an outright scam; the practitioners seem to believe in what they are doing. In the end the soft music and whispery speech of the practitioners during the reiki sessions merely helps one relax.
Reflexology or zone therapy
What's the connection between the center of the ball of the left foot and the heart? Apparently nothing, according to systematic reviews of reflexology, or zone therapy, the practice of massaging the feet and sometimes hands or ears to cure disease.
Maybe you've seen the charts. The toes are somehow connected to the head and sinuses. There's a spot in the middle of the foot that can help control diabetes, and next to that is the fresh-breath button. Foot massages sure do feel great. But "feel great" and "cure halitosis" are two different things.
As summed up in a study of over 250 adults, published in November-December 2009 issue of the journal Heart & Lung, reflexology and other massage techniques had no effect for heart surgery patients on postoperative mood, pain, anxiety, hospital stay and several other measures. (Actually, anxiety was lower in the group not getting the foot massage.)
This study follows systematic reviews published in September 2009 in the Medical Journal of Australia and in June 2008 by Taiwanese researchers in the Journal of Advanced Nursing finding no evidence that reflexology helps any condition.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is the use of physically impossible or implausible dilutions of medicines - or, poisons, actually, for homeopathy's main tenet is "like kills like" - to cure just about anything. Numerous studies in 2009 found homeopathy to be either useless or marginally better than a placebo. But results tilt towards the "useless" side when the studies are bigger and the diseases are more serious.
In April in the journal Intervention Review, British researchers reported that there's no evidence to support the use of homeopathy to treat the adverse effects of cancer treatment. In June in the journal Primary Care, a systematic review found homeopathy to be ineffective for weight loss. In October in the Annals of Oncology, more researchers reported no benefit from homeopathy in cancer treatment. And a medical perspective in JAMA in October detailed the lack of oversight for homeopathic products. (Maybe that's why they don't work.)
Also, in August 2009, the World Health Organization felt the need to make an official statement warning against the use of homeopathy for serious diseases, such as HIV, TB and malaria, after word spread that homeopathy was being promoted in some developing countries.
To be fair, the Faculty of Homeopathy, a UK-based professional society, lists numerous randomized, controlled trials on its website from previous years demonstrating the efficacy of homeopathy. If you want lots of positive results, you can always subscribe to the journal Homeopathy. And so the debate continues.
Magnetic therapy
Unlike many alternative therapies that come with ample amounts of good intentions, magnetic therapy seems like an outright scam. Most manufacturers know the magnets have no proven benefit for health, and yet magnets are added to everything from headbands to back braces to shoe inserts.
The basic premise, that magnets somehow improve blood flow, defies physics. The iron in your blood is bound to hemoglobin and is not attracted to magnets of any strength. This is a good thing. Otherwise you'd blow up in an MRI machine, with magnets thousands of times more powerful than your shoe insert.
Also, the magnets in most magnetic therapeutic devices are far too weak to penetrate the skin, particularly through clothing such as socks. Simply cover a magnetic shoe insert with a sock and try to attract something as light as a paper clip.
Nevertheless, some people swear by them, and some researchers still have the stamina to test these despite decades of negative results. And so, as published in August 2009 in Rheumatology International Clinical and Experimental Investigations, magnetic therapy did not improve the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia.
The deathblow to magnet therapy should have been the large, randomized, double-blinded study on pain published in 2007 in Anesthesia & Analgesia. Yet sales of therapeutic magnets remain legal.
Kava
Herbs hold great healing promise. Many common drugs, such as aspirin and digitalin, were either once or continue to be synthesized from botanical herbs. Yet herbs can be deadly, too. Kava is one such herb, taken for relaxation. When mixed with alcohol, it can kill you. This is likely not the level of relaxation you are after. Also, the leaves and stems (but not the roots) can be toxic to the liver. Kava is indeed banned in many countries through Europe, where herbal medicine is otherwise popular.
In systematic reviews of kava and other herbals published in September 2009 in the journal Drugs and in Integrative Cancer Therapies, researchers found kava to be more trouble than it is worth, because it interferes with real medicines for cancer and other diseases.
Kava is not without its merits. Kava root is mixed into a drink in many South Pacific countries with few adverse effects, other than those that mimic alcohol abuse. Some studies have shown kava's value in treating anxiety and depression from a specially prepared root extract. But despite the availability of kava on supermarket shelves, because of potential toxicity and drug interference, it is best to check with a doctor before self-prescribing this herb.
Big bad mainstream medicine
Mainstream medicine has its faults and its critics. But consider how HIV/AIDS has transitioned from a death sentence to a manageable chronic disease in about a decade, with a cure surely on the horizon.
Advances in the treatment of HIV did not involve understanding its qi or lack of qi or vibrational energy or the imbalance it causes in some holistic manner. The search for a cure has entailed isolating the cause (a retrovirus) and then building upon previous knowledge of DNA, RNA, enzymes, transcription and the inner workings of the cell (all Nobel-prize winning efforts) to create antiretroviral treatments that employ nucleoside analogue and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors.
Sound complicated? It is. People go to school for a long time to learn how this works. And the medicine does have nasty side effects. But it works better than a foot massage.
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Permalink Reply by Robin Byler Thomas on
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I agree with Bert; a skilled therapist with experience can use energy modalities well. Maybe the real issue is energy work might not be a good idea for student curriculum and should be provided as a CEU only.
Also, the article Bodhi posted has no citations so does one no good in checking the studies mentioned.
Here's an article that identifies the problems with applying RCT's to whole systems of CAM research study; with citations. It's a must read for energy workers who'd like a research voice and for skeptics as well.
I consider MT a whole system CAM approach to health care. The term massage is well defined as a manual manupulation of soft tisses for healing purposes, however, massage therapy addresses many levels. These levels may include psychological, social, environmental, physical, and spiritual/cultural. - Attachments:
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Inadequencies of RCT-Cheryl.mht, 667 KB
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Robin I agree with you about the article I pasted here, I wish it had listed sources to be able to go look at. I don't have time to look at the article you attached tonight but hopefully I will tomorrow, thanks for sharing.
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Robin, you just keep upping the level of your contribution.
I will have to read this again to digest it more comprehensively, but the Whole Systems Research framework proposal seems to address the synergistic issue I brought up regarding evaluating components separately from the whole. Random Controlled Trials may be the gold standard, but that does not mean RTC's should always be assumed to be an accurate method of testing everything. Everything should be questioned, especially our methods of study and evaluation.
To quote from the paper:
"The complexity of these interventions and their potential synergistic effect requires innovative evaluative approaches"
Chris, have you seen this paper? I would like to hear your take.
Robin Byler Thomas said:I agree with Bert; a skilled therapist with experience can use energy modalities well. Maybe the real issue is energy work might not be a good idea for student curriculum and should be provided as a CEU only.
Also, the article Bodhi posted has no citations so does one no good in checking the studies mentioned.
Here's an article that identifies the problems with applying RCT's to whole systems of CAM research study; with citations. It's a must read for energy workers who'd like a research voice and for skeptics as well.
I consider MT a whole system CAM approach to health care. The term massage is well defined as a manual manupulation of soft tisses for healing purposes, however, massage therapy addresses many levels. These levels may include psychological, social, environmental, physical, and spiritual/cultural.
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Again regarding Bodhi's news share posting. It is an article originally written in live science.
The original can be found here: http://www.livescience.com/health/091208-alternative-medicine.html
Written by Christopher Wanjek who is a health and science journalist and author. He does have a master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. NO REFERENCE CITATIONS ARE CITED IN THE ARTICLE that I could find.
Regarding his statements on Kava. I can attest that some of it is just not true. I used Kava root powder as far back as 1978 for symptomatic treatment of colds, Flu and throat infection and inflammation. For which it is particularly effective as it has analgesic (that numbs better than chloraceptic), as well as antiseptic properties that reduced the inflammation fairly rapidly when I used it. I can also say that during those illnesses I often drank small amounts of brandy which had no ill effect.
Kava is used (outside the US) for sleep, fatigue, asthma, urinary tract infections, anxiety, insomnia, menopausal symptoms.
I can attest to the sleep part also. It does not 'knock you out but allows you to sleep if you want to. My experience was often vivid dreams and waking up in 6 hours or less feeling like I had a good 8 or 10 hours sleep.
Here is one link that would appear to debunk the articles statements on Kava: http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/complement... There are many other sources, just google Kava
The Wanjek article also had 2 comments which I cannot substantiate, but I don't doubt simply because I have had the experience of mixing Kava and Alcohol, though not to the extent claimed and the other one at least cites the Cochrane Review as a reference.
COMMENT 1
"About kava: There is no credible evidence to suggest that kava and ethanol is a toxic mixture, and the reports of drug interactions have not been shown to be clinically relevant (unlike known drug-drug interactions and some drug-ethanol interactions such as barbiturates, which can kill). Kava abuse has it's own peculiarities, which do not mimic alcohol abuse."
While rare instances of possible liver damage have occurred from kava consumption there is no proof that such events are tied more to use of non-traditional plant parts (stems and leaves) than root, rhizome, and root stump. A more reliable meta-analysis (Cochrane Review) concludes that kava is an effective anti-anxiety agent. It has far fewer side effects (doesn't make you stupid) at therapeutic levels than drugs used for anxiety. Asking your doctor would be a good suggestion before taking kava, but most doctors will unable to provide an informed opinion. In spite of this you should tell your doctor if you are taking medicines prescribed by one.
Bottom line, kava appears to be a far safer and efficacious anxiolytic without the side effects of other known materials. Pretty cool from a plant, eh?
COMMENT 2
"In 1980, I was in Fiji, staying at a budget bure and I got to know a few of the islanders - to the point where we all dug up the roots and made kava kava. Then we partied, drinking kava kava from coconut shells and Canadian whiskey from Duty Free. I feel sure, if there were interactions, we would have experienced them."
Wanjak clearly was speaking off the top without really researching Kava. To me that makes anything in this article, or for that matter anything he writes period, suspect. It should be noted that no references were included in the original Wanjek article.
I have respect for Bodhi and he did not actually write the article, but did put it on news share. The problem is Bodhi is respected for his evidenced based position and I don't see any indication he did mindful research on the information he passed on. I do feel that If he is going to insist on evidence based work, he should hold himself to the same standard whether writing an article or passing on information.
(and no I don't believe magnetic therapy works there is reliable evidence it does not)
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