And the final word is...

[MikePollard]

On the back of my last post you may be a little puzzled as to why I get so exercised over alternative ‘medicine’ (an oxymoron if ever there was one!).

After all, if I am right then other than the placebo effect, there is no effect on the body whatsoever that can be verified by scientific methodology, and thus is harmless anyway.

But hold on a moment!

There may be folk here who understand the concept of LCHF and its miracle in controlling or curing T2, and feel that ‘topping up’ the concept with Ayurvedic or homeopathy is a belt and braces approach.

What’s the matter with that?

Well If this is your standpoint then I’d suggest you are experiencing a classic case of cognitive dissonance where your scientific understanding clashes with wishful thinking.

Below is why this sort of thinking upsets me so much:

Imagine your ideal weight is 154 lb and you have recently been diagnosed with T2 and weigh 252 lb. You don’t want to be on medication for the rest of your life, so do your homework and conclude that embracing LCHF is the answer. With full compliance you have a long road ahead of you, as losing weight at the safe top end of 2 lb per week it will take you 49 weeks. A more realistic 1lb loss will take you the thick end of 2 years.

This will easily dismay the average Joe or Jane (if you’ll pardon the cultural divide!) especially when they realise that they have to give up rice, pasta potatoes, wheat and SUGAR.

But hold on - what’s this? People swearing that their diabetes is under control by the simple expedient of buying a Homeopathic or Ayurvedic remedy.

“That’s more like it - I’ll try that before giving up the rice, pasta potatoes, wheat and SUGAR I’ve enjoyed so much for the past 40 years and don’t want to give up”.

When confronted with a challenge and with more than one option, it’s human nature to go for the line of least resistance, and the mixed message being sent that there is a simple alternative to good honest toil will undermine any determination to change a lifestyle.

So there you have it folks, disagree with me if that is your wish, but I will not be entering into debate or argument with those espousing alternative treatments as as a primary or supplemental resource to treating T2 diabetes unless, and I stress, unless, you have peer reviewed studies or data to back up your claims. This especially extends to those who think an ad hominem response is sufficient to demolish a premise:

Ad Hominem - Choose your own definition:

google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid...

I will now get back to the task in hand.

[MikePollard]

I thought I'd make it plain, perhaps you'd like to read my post again.

However, I will respond.

Because there is zero scientific evidence that backs up any claims of efficacy. Prove the premise by giving me the studies or numbers!

Offering placebo as a harmless adjunct opens the door to all snake oil salesmen who want to separate money from the frightened and ignorant. OK let's leave out Homeopathy and Ayurvedic and go for another few wacky alternatives - reflexology, magnetic healing or crystal therapy for examples. They just as valid as Homeopathy. Why? because they have zero scientific evidence to reinforce their claims, and that's all they have in common. I thought I'd make it plain.

Like I've said, I'm no fan of big pharma, but am utterly hostile to the utterences of gurus who have no science whatsoever to back up their claims.

Placebo arguably has it's place, but has no place in scientific discourse.