SelectSmart.com
Before you decide
Post your comments on the message board. Send your comments directly to the author.
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR -- ASHLAND DAILY TIDINGS, ASHLAND, OR
November 24, 2003
TIDINGS SHOULD INVESTIGATE HEALTH CLAIMS
by Lorie Anderson Ashland
I take issue with the Nov. 14 Tidings article "Home for the Healing," announcing a healing touch practice located in Ashland that can diagnose and cure even serious illness, like diabetes and kidney failure - conveying extensive scientific validation for the practice!
Applied Kinesiology (AK) uses dubious "muscle testing" to diagnose "energy imbalance," which purportedly causes allergies, illness, etc. The typical AK arm muscle test entails the patient tasting a substance while the therapist attempts to push the patient's outstretched arm down, against the patient's attempt to resist. AK asserts that if the arm drops, the muscles had weakened from negative energy created by the mere presence of the substance.
Demonstrate the unreliable nature of AK muscle testing for yourself: Ask someone to extend their arm and to fully resist your effort to push it down. Then, suddenly but subtly allow the person's arm to rise slightly before continuing the downward pressure. The arm easily succumbs.
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," Carl Sagan advised. Yet, an analysis of twenty favorable AK studies conducted from 1981-1987 found all were faulty - not one valid conclusion!
Although scientific-sounding, AK and its off-shoots, Specialized Kinesiology and Applied Neurogenics, are not associated with the scientific fields of kinesiology or neurogenics; rather, AK and its numerous off-shoots have more in concert with New Age or Eastern philosophies.
We speak of alternative medicine, but there is no alternative science. Tidings reporters should employ skepticism and investigate claims rather than report unsubstantiated curative powers. Or label such articles as advertisements.
Further information at: www.quackwatch.com.
Other commentaries by Lorie Anderson:
Psychic/Indigo/Mystic Children Bert Hellinger's "Movements of the Soul" Therapy
© 2003 Lorie Anderson SelectSmart.com All Rights Reserved
SelectSmart.com