Auto-Immunization

Recently, the term “isopropyl alcohol” has been liken to poisonous snakes and ferocious beasts, what exactly is isopropyl alcohol? Where is it used? What are its characteristics? Is it dangerous? Perhaps too many reports have caused public panic, and therefore, direct associations with isopropyl alcohol have been made, such as with the aromatherapy bottle, and controversies arises; such reports have led to over-generalized and inadequate knowledge of isopropyl alcohol, knowing some aspects but not the others.

Dr.Billy Wang , who holds a Dotorate in Biochemistry from American New York University, and Senior researcher of German Nuremberg Biochemistry Research institute, he gave a specialized explanation from a professional angle on the above questions. Isopropyl alcohol is used more commonly as an artificial chemical additive, as a solvent for the production of Latex, shellac, volatile plant oil and resin. Actually, isopropyl alcohol can be commonly found in our daily life, like in non-alcoholic beverage, candy, dried provision food; and in everyday products including emulsion, shaving cream, ethyl alcohol cotton pad, and so on, have in them, traces of isopropyl alcohol.

Dr. Wang emphasized, that although the temperature of an ignited aromatherapy bottle is very high, even if accidentally toppled, and spilling the essential oil within, it would not of itself start a fire. Moreover, statistical data shows that, using Bel’Air’s plant essential oil as example, after ignition, the average density over 6 hours, of isopropyl alcohol content in the air is 5.4ppm, compared to 25ppm found in non-alcoholic beverage, 10~75ppm in candy, and 77ppm in dried provision food; the isopropyl alcohol density found in plant essential oils is much lower, and far below the standard by Gong Yan Institute, harmful limits of the air at tolerance standard 400ppm!

It cannot cause harm to the human body, moreover, for such a low volatile density to reach the (2% is 20000ppm) density, which is needed for an explosion to take place, is even more difficult. Furthermore, all plant essential oil, regardless of origin, contain isopropyl alcohol content; the isopropyl alcohol solvent contained in essential oils prepares the burner head to reach its functional temperature, and enables a smooth flow of essential oil through the ceramic burner head, maintains its temperature, and enables essential oil to vaporize at a moderate temperature, and enables essential oil to vaporize at a moderate temperature to spread through the air, achieving the effect of aromatherapy. Therefore, taking the spatial volume of an average home as example, under normal environmental circumstances (such as normal temperature, and open spaces), it is impossible for the rate of natural vaporization within a short time frame, to reach the level for detonation and create an explosion.

Using an average home of 30 square metres as example, to achieve the lower limits of detonation requires 36 litres of isopropyl alcohol to completely vaporize, which is almost impossible in the real life. Moreover, an average person uses essential oil in aromatherapy for only a few hours, which is enough to maintain a room full of fragrance for 24 hours. Isopropyl alcohol is common in our everyday life. Emphasis should not be to completely annihilate or simply reject its usage, but rather to understand its effects and methods of application. Public and government agencies need not regard isopropyl alcohol, which has been part of our everyday life, with undue suspicions.

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions.

Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other ordinary activities. While many people with social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation.

Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation- such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating, drinking, or writing in front of others-or, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. Social phobia can be very debilitating-it may even keep people from going to work or school on some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time making and keeping friends.

Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. If you suffer from social phobia, you may be painfully embarrassed by these symptoms and feel as though all eyes are focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people other than your family.

People with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational. Even if they manage to confront what they fear, they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about how they may have been judged or what others may have thought or observed about them.

Social phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans.1 Women and men are equally likely to develop social phobia. The disorder usually begins in childhood or early adolescence, and there is some evidence that genetic factors are involved.11 Social phobia often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders or depression. Substance abuse or dependence may develop in individuals who attempt to “self-medicate” their social phobia by drinking or using drugs. Social phobia can be treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy or medications.

Shingles, commonly known as the herpes zoster virus is a late manifestation of the chicken pox virus known as varicella zoster.

Although Shingles affects millions of adults by the time they reach 80, it is not uncommon for younger people to develop the virus.

When the virus activates it travels along nerve fibers, usually breaking out on one side of the body into small blisters called vesicles.

Within a few days the blisters rupture forming scabs. shingles is associated with severe pain, itching, redness, numbness, and the development of a rash.

Shingles can affect the eyes. This is due to the fact that the eyes are connected to nerves that may be infected with the virus. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to minimize the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications that may compromise vision.

Then there is Neuralgia.
(POST HERPETIC NEURALGIA or PHN )

This occurs after the outbreak and in most cases is more painful
than the outbreak itself. the nerve endings become sensitive to touch and this can be extremely painful.

It is therefore important to treat shingles as soon as
the initial outbreak is identified.
If correct treatment is used, the outbreak can clear without
becoming a painful neuralgia condition.

always use natural formulations, prefereably, a pure blend of essential oils extracted from plants. This ensures there is no damage to the body and with the correct formula, the outbreak can be cleared immediately.

An excellent company who have been in business many years,
and come highly recommended are Healing Natural Oils or amoils.com.

Preventing shingles is important too, and this can be done by
choosing a formula which is used as a daily maintanance and
will combat the virus internally.

Nobody should ever have to suffer shingles, but with the correct knowledge, an outbreak can be a very short affair.

John Black

Smokers love excuses. Nothing makes them happier than, ‘I can’t quit because…’. They really believe their own excuses.

But all these excuses are cop-outs. There’s no reason to smoke. Smoking doesn’t have any redeeming benefits. It’s 100% harmful, poison.

But many smokers don’t want to hear that. In fact, they already know it’s poison. They just haven’t yet discovered how to quit. Reading the truth, in a non-aggressive, non- threatening way, helps to get started on the quit smoking path.

So the excuse, ‘I enjoy them’, ‘they give me pleasure’, needs to be looked at carefully. Do they really enjoy them, or are they making a ‘Can’t quit’ excuse.

In reality, the pleasure comes from the experiences associated with smoking. It doesn’t come from smoking itself.

In fact, smoking becomes the ‘avoidance of displeasure’, rather than the ‘gaining of pleasure’. Smoking brings temporary relief to the withdrawal symptoms that smoking caused in the first place.

Have you always smoked ? Or do you remember back to a time you felt peace and confidence, before this addiction took hold of you ? Any pleasure comes from temporary relief of withdrawal symptoms. That’s the sad truth.

Where’s the pleasure in loss of taste ? A build up of tar and other chemicals causes a gradual loss of taste. Smokers sometimes don’t notice since it happens over years.

Then they can’t taste expensive restaurant meals, and think multiple cigarettes before, during and after the meal provides the answer. Sound familiar ?

In fact, good company and conversation provide the pleasure, which a smoker mistakenly associates with his cigarette.

What else causes us to associate pleasure with cigarettes ?

Unfortunately, over many years, cigarettes have featured prominently in movies. Famous, beautiful people seem to love their cigarettes.

Have you noticed how most romantic movie moments used to involve two people lighting up cigarettes together ? Luckily that’s less common in modern times, but who can forget Bogie and others in the classic old films.

Cigarettes still get advertised around the world, associated with something pleasurable. Once again, romance, freedom, open countryside, tranquillity.

This psychological conditioning prevents thousands of people quitting. The myth of ‘pleasure’ is stronger than the reality of physical nicotine dependency.

Ever heard a smoker say they can’t wait for their children or grandchildren to get started smoking ? Of course not ! They know it’s harmful, and usually openly admit they’d like to quit. They even agree with policies that restrict smoking in public places !

They admit they found the taste awful at first. But persevered so they could seek the pleasure they hoped to emulate. Nature makes poisons foul-tasting for good reason – a warning not to use that substance.

Smoking actually removes pleasures previously taken for granted.

We’ve already covered taste. How about fitness ? How about the ability to run more than a few yards without gasping for breath ? How about your non-smoking friends and family, who must breathe passive smoke, and find their clothes foul smelling in the morning ?

So the biggest pleasure in quitting smoking actually comes from regaining past pleasures ! Unless you’re a lifelong smoker, you’ve forgotten the simple pleasures lost.

But here’s some good news. Those pleasures can come back. When you quit, your senses eventually return to normal.

Once again, you can taste and enjoy food. Taste starts to return after only a few days. Over time, your fitness will improve. Your habits will change as your non-smoking personality starts to emerge e.g. no cigarette between meal courses.

The pleasure of non-smoking far outweighs any imaginary pleasure from smoking. Regaining life’s simple pleasures is a worthwhile goal, and good reason to quit smoking right now.

Why can some people quit smoking permanently, while others just keep starting again ? Discover the NLP approach to quit smoking once and for all. Click ==> http://www.QuitSmokingWithNLP.com/

About The Author

Neil Stelling B.Sc, MBA

© DigiLectual Inc. 2004

neil@quitsmokingwithnlp.com

Many people today will tell you that they suffer from migraine. Many people however don’t really understand what a migraine is and they really just have a headache.

I was surprised to learn that the headache part of a migraine is a symptom of a disease and that to take traditional headache cures eg paracetamol or aspirin will actually make the migraine worse. It also surprised me to realise that migraine can be life threatening.

Although the benefits of feverfew are still being investigated in regard to migraine prevention and alleviation the findings are looking favourable so far. There is a lot of technical jargon involved but basically it can help with relieving spasms of the blood vessels in the brain and therefore if not prevent then lessen the pain of the attack.

Feverfew also is beneficial in combating nausea and vomiting which are often associated with a migraine attack and can make you feel downright miserable in their own right.

Dizziness can also be helped and feverfew can help you get a more restful sleep. It has few side effects and they appear to be very mild. All in all I think feverfew is worth investigating if you are a migraine sufferer, it might just do the trick.

Lorna Mclaren has a website http://www.123-nutrition.com which has useful articles and information on where to buy alternative treatments.

Osteoarthritis, the commonest form of arthritis affects the knee joint most often in India. Elderly afflicted by this chronic painful disease need joint replacements as a permanent solution to improve their quality of life and put an end to disabling pain. However it is increasingly common to see many young people also suffer from the earlier manifestations of the disease. In this group alternate solutions have to be recommended considering the age, increased demands like participation in sports and work. Joint replacements cannot obviously be a solution to young men and women.

Osteoarthritis is a age related wear of Articular cartilage which covers the end of the long bones in a joint. It is smooth, elastic, shining tissue. It is responsible for lubrication, shock absorption, and pain-free movements. Unlike other tissues of the body, it has limited capability of regeneration and repair as it has no blood supply and nerve supply. This limited repair capacity decreases with aging and leads to depletion in the arthritis knee. Pain and stiffness ensue, necessitating medication or surgery.

Osteoarthritis does not involve the whole of the joint to begin with. A localized area of cartilage damage called a lesion is the precursor and harbinger of the disease. If left untreated, lesions greater than 1. 5 cm will lead to arthritis after 15 years.

Some generalized and local conditions predispose to early cartilage damage. These are mechanical, chemical, and bilogoical. Occupations, Obesity, mal-alignment or structural damage can predispose to cartilage damage.
Ligaments and menisci stabilize the knee. Menisci dissipate stresses, help in lubrication, increase joint conformity and confer additional stability. The ligaments inside the joint are called the cruciate ligaments. These are torn in many sports, or two wheeler accidents. An ACL injury is the commonest ligamentous injury. Un-repaired ACL’s lead to further tearing of the menisci and both in association can lead to osteo-arthritis.

Meniscal tears can occur in isolation in sports or domestic accidents. After the importance of the menisci was realized and arthroscopic surgery came into vogue, attempts are made to resect and remove only the damaged portion of the menisci and preserve the rest. However, it is not always possible to do so as the damage is beyond repair and a total or subtotal Menisectomy is necessary. Such knees are also predisposed to develop secondary osteoarthritis (occurring in younger persons at an earlier age) cf Primary osteoarthritis which occurs in the elderly.

Some people have deformities around the knee. These may be situated in the thigh bone or leg bone. Normally in the standing position, there should be no gap between the inner side of the knee and ankle joint. If a gap exists between the knees, then the person has bow legs( Genu varum) and if a gap exists between the ankles, then the legs diverge at the ankle, causing knock knees( Genu valgum). Both these deformities can lead to one sided wear of the knee joint and arthritis in one half of the knee.

Surgical solutions are to prevent or treat early arthritis. These alternatives avoid knee pain from arthritis.
These knee reconstructive procedures attempt to restore the anatomy of the joint and are mainly of a biological nature. They do not involve joint replacement. Examples are

1) Knee ligament reconstruction- ACL reconstruction is possible through tiny ke-hole incisions (arthroscopic surgery). Graft is taken from the patient’s own body (autograft) or from a brain dead person, (allograft). This tendon graft is threaded through bony tunnels in the leg and thigh bones and is fixed with screws, buttons or other devices.

2) Meniscal suture- This is a procedure in which attempt is made to suture a torn meniscus if situated in a suitable position. Concomitant ACL reconstruction is required if there is an injury to this ligament also.

3) Meniscal transplant- This procedure is to be introduced shortly. In this menisci are harvested from the knee joints of brain dead living donors or non heart beating donors. These are preserved and then grafted into the damaged knee.

4) Reparative cartilage procedure are availble to salvage localised cartilage defects and prevent their progression to extensive involvement. Cartilage plugs are harvested from non weight bearing portion of the knee and re-implanted into the lesions.

5) Corrective osteotomy- Mal-aligned joints can be corrected by an osteotomy( division of bone). After this surgery, stresses across a joint are distributed more evenly excess wear from one half of the joint is minmized. This again prevent rapid progression of osteoarthitis and can pospone the need for a replacement.

These surgical alternatives are available in Chennai to treat painful knees in young people. By availing these, one can preserve and continue with nature’s gift and postpone or avoid joint replacement by a decade or more.

Dr. A.K. Venkatachalam
Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon
Knee & Shoulder clinic, Chennai
Venkataeswara hospital
Malar hospital
http://www.kneeindia.com
http://www.shoulderindia.com
http://www.orthopedicsurgeryindia.com
Tel 00 91 9282165002

The vast majority of people these days have a small ache or pain somewhere in their body which diminishes the quality of their life and of those there is a large portion of people who suffer debilitating pain on a daily basis that severely cuts down on their quality of life. There are numerous causes of this pain, both severe and mild, but there is a group of devices that can help both types of pain. These devices are magnetic jewelry.

Magnetic jewelry can be used for a multitude of purposes due to the fact that there are many different types, for instance bracelets and necklaces among others, and comes in a variety of strengths. Which piece of jewelry you choose and what strength that piece is, is a matter of personal choice. The stronger the magnet the more effective it is likely to be, but this is not guaranteed since different people have different reactions to the magnetic therapy received while wearing this jewelry.

The aim of magnetic jewelry is to provide pain relief through magnetic therapy. The way that magnetic jewelry works is to derestrict the blood vessels, thereby increasing blood circulation and this has a bunch of follow on effects. Some of the consequences of increasing blood flow are the increased level of oxygenation of the blood and the increased flushing out of toxins in the body.

Those are some of the reasons why the pain relief happens; pain is caused by an accumulation of toxins in specific area of your body and this accumulated mass of toxins will be flushed out by the increased level of blood circulation. The other way that magnetic jewelry can help to relieve pain is by derestricting the blood vessels since the restriction of blood vessels can be the cause of certain types of pain, for instance headaches.

The different types of magnetic jewelry can be more effective for different types of pain. Necklaces can help to alleviate pain caused by migraines and headaches, neck, back and shoulder pain as well as potentially alleviating the pain caused by muscle spasms and lock jaw. In addition to this magnetic necklaces can help to increase the mobility and blood circulation with in the area it affects.

Bracelets can help to alleviate pain associated with, tennis elbow and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, tendonitis and bursitis, as well as helping to alleviate the pains caused by arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The magnetic bracelets can also help to increase circulation, thereby alleviating numbness of the fingers and hands.

Anklets can be of help when it comes to decreasing the levels of pain associated with lower back and knee pain, spurs and inflammation in the legs and feet in addition to helping to alleviate numbness of the legs. There are also the added potential benefits that the magnetic anklet can help by preventing the joints from retaining water, as well as possibly increasing blood flow to the legs and feet and possibly helping to support the lower back.

All of the items of magnetic jewelry will aid you by providing you with magnetic therapy while you wear these pieces of jewelry even while you are going about your daily life. There is also the added bonus that they are stylish and creative pieces of jewelry that will make you look good as well at the same time as being highly beneficial to your health.

All magnetic jewelry information has been researched and written by Juliette Pickup
Magnetic Jewelry

Five natural cures

Before continuing with this article, it must be stressed that the following is for general information only and is not intended in any way to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professionals if you have any concerns about your healthparticularly during the flue season. These natural cures may not be applicable to everyone and could be detrimental to your overall health if not discussed with your physician as to possible interaction with any prescribed medication you may be taking.

Some of the time-honored natural cures that have been used for centuries to prevent colds and flu, reduce symptoms, or shorten the duration of colds and flu are showing promising results in research studies. There are a variety of herbs, supplements, and food remedies. Listed below are five that have received favorable results.

1. Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Kefir, and Yogurt

Kimchi (pronounced kim’-chee) is a Korean spicy fermented side dish that has been getting a lot of press since the BBC published a report by scientists in Seoul, Korea who found that 11 of 13 chickens infected with the avian flu started to recover after they were fed an extract of kimchi. It is important to note that there have been no published reports of its effect on people affected with the new strain of avian flu. The key ingredient is thought to be a natural organic acid called lactic acid, that’s also found in sauerkraut, milk, yogurt, kefir (a yogurt-like effervescent beverage), meat, and beer. In
fact recent reports also show sauerkraut being used to treat chickens.

2. Elderberry

Another one of the natural cures that has attracted a lot of attention is the berry extract from elderberry (Sambucus nigra) which contains more than one compound that’s active against flu viruses. One of the many ways it works is by preventing the virus from attacking cells. A study found a 50% reduction in the severity and duration of symptoms in adults and children
after taking an elderberry extract.

Health food stores carry elderberry juice, syrup, and capsules suitable for adults and kids. Only commercially prepared elderberry products made from the berry extract should be used, because the fresh leaves, flowers, bark, young buds, unripe berries, and roots contain cyanide and can result in cyanide poisoning. This is definitely not a do it yourself natural cure that you can prepare!

3. Ginseng

The herb ginseng, used in Asia for over 2000 years, made headlines recently after a double-blind placebo-controlled study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that a ginseng extract reduced the number of upper respiratory infections by 25% during a four month period. The treatment group took two 200 mg capsules of a ginseng extract every day for
four months and reported reduced symptoms, duration of infections, and infection recurrence.

Ginseng can have hormonal effects. Some studies suggest that ginseng can boost estrogen levels, so it should not be on the list of natural cures for women with breast cancer. Ginseng should also be avoided by people taking blood sugar medication or antidepressants known as MAO inhibitors, by children, people with high blood pressure, or by pregnant or nursing women.

4. Astragalus

Astragalus doesn’t come with nearly as many warnings as ginseng. The dried root of astragalus is a popular ingredient in traditional Chinese herbal formulas. It’s now used in the United States to strengthen the immune system and prevent colds and flu. Herbalists recommend it as an immune tonic for people who tend to catch colds frequently.

Preliminary research has shown astragalus can stimulate immune function in humans. It can be found in capsule form at health food stores or as a dried root in Chinese herbal shops and some health food stores. Because of its mild taste, the dried root can be added to soups. The dried root is light yellow and the size and shape of a tongue depressor. A typical daily dose is 9 to 15 g of the dried root, which equals about 3 to 4 slices. Traditionally in Asia, people took astragalus soup once a week throughout the winter. The dose is individual, and people with increased exposure or compromised immune systems may require more. Note: Herbalists do not recommend taking astragalus if you’re already sick.

5. Ginger

Another on the list of popular natural cures: A cup of hot ginger tea is not only invigorating , it is also a great cold fighter. Ginger contains compounds that have been found to be active against rhinoviruses, the most common group of cold viruses. Ginger is a diaphoretic, meaning it fights colds by gently raising body temperature and promoting perspiration.

Note: Ginger is also a blood thinner. Talk to your doctor before taking it if you are taking blood thinners.

Rita Hutner is a copywriter for Catalogs.com. Catalogs.com is the Internet’s leading source for print and online catalog shopping – and a growing hub of original content and “how to” information at www.catalogs.com

At the end of 2004 results from a study on arthritis patients in the UK was published in the British Medical Journal.

It stated that it had found positive pain reliving results using a magnetic bracelet. This was an independent study, which has been widely reported in publications and on the Internet.

The study did not name the product but it was the Bioflow Magnetic Bracelet that was used and until now it has only been available from sources in Europe. Now it is in the USA for the first time, which gives American consumers a higher level of protection if the product does not live up to expectations.

In the study 194 men and women aged 45 to 80 suffering pain caused by osteoarthritis of the hip and knee were split into three groups.

Two groups were given non-magnetic or low magnetic bracelets. They felt little change in their condition.

But those given a Bioflow magnetic bracelet felt a significant reduction in pain. Changes in pain were recorded using a recognized pain-scoring scale.

No one in the study knew which type of bracelet they were wearing.

The Arthritis Research Campaign of Great Britain funded the study

“Pain from osteoarthritis of the hip and knee does decrease when wearing magnetic bracelets” researchers said. They added “the magnetic bracelet appears to be free of side affects, unlike pain relievers, which are associated with gastrointestinal problems and, for certain drugs, heart attacks and strokes”.

“Magnets are appealing because osteoarthritis is a chronic condition for which our treatments are unsatisfactory” Dr Tim Harlow, head of the research team said. “On the strength of the evidence I am prepared to recommend these static magnets to people with osteoarthritis”.

The study took place over a 12-week period at Peninsular Hospital, Plymouth, England

The BMJ insists on a high level of integrity in any trial they publish. For full details of the report go to www.bmj.com

While the FDA in the United States has not approved the use of static magnets for the relief of magnetic pain they do not warn against it. In a 1999 study of patients it was found 18% had used magnetic or copper devices to relieve pain. It was estimated then that Americans spent $500 million per year on such products making this the second most popular alternative therapy for pain relief after chiropractic.

The FDA goes on to say that in the studies that did find benefits from magnetic therapy, many have shown those benefits very quickly. This suggests that if a magnet does work, it should not take very long for the user to start noticing the effect. Therefore, people may wish to purchase magnets with a 30-day return policy and return the product if they do not get satisfactory results within 1 to 2 weeks.

Given this advice it is understandable Americans would be a little wary about buying the Bioflow magnetic bracelet from a source in Europe. Now there is a company that has a stock in California and is offering a full 90-day money back guarantee.

The company can be contacted through their website at bettermagneticway.com

What It Is

Iridology is the art of discovering weaknesses in the body through examination of the iris of the eye. Apparently based on an ancient Egyptian diagnostic method, modern iridology as we know it dates only to the mid-19th century. Today, practitioners photograph a client’s eye then compare the photo to one of any number of iridology “charts”, looking for signs of weakness in the body. They believe that the fibers and the pigmentation of the eye give clues to inherent weaknesses elsewhere. Practitioners often refer to iris photographs as “roadmaps to the body”. But iridology is only a diagnostic tool–it’s never a form of treatment.

What It Can Do for You

Iridology practitioners believe that careful, exhaustive examination of the eyeball can give valuable insight into a person’s genetic makeup and his chances of developing diseases like cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. Practitioners admit that they can’t actually see the diseasethey only see the inherent weakness that allows the disease to manifest. Practitioners will often follow up an iris examination by making corresponding recommendations about lifestyle changes. A few practitioners also go so far as to claim that iridology gives valuable clues to a person’s emotional and mental well-being but most iridologists limit their practice to the identification of physical characteristics and natural weaknesses.

Finding a Qualified Practitioner

There is currently no federal agency overseeing the licensing or certification of iridologists and “diploma mill” credentials are common. If you’re interested in receiving an iridology assessment, look for a practitioner who belongs to the International Iridology Practitioners Association, the largest iridology organization in the U.S. and the one with the most stringent educational requirements. Be extremely suspicious of a practitioner who follows an examination with a sales pitch for vitamins, herbal supplements or similar therapies.

What The Critics Say

Critics of iridology are quick to point to a lack of scientific evidence and well-publicized schisms within the iridology profession as proof that iridology amounts to little more than folklore. At best, they claim it’s a worthless diagnostic tool–at worst, false “diagnoses” cause patients anxious moments while they wait for a physician to disprove the existence of a disease the patient never had in the first place.

My Opinion

My results with iridology have been mixed and I remain respectfully skeptical about its effectiveness. I would never recommend that a client rely solely on iridology to predict disease or diagnose an injury.

Lisa Barger is a traditionally trained naturopath specializing in illness prevention counseling. Ms. Barger holds certification in Ayurveda, Iridology, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and American Herbology. For more information about Ms. Barger’s private practice or to take a free online natural health class please see our web site at http://www.LisaBarger.com