Detoxing: yet another New Age load of nonsense

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Detoxing: yet another New Age load of nonsense

by SeasideMan ^Pro @ 05/01/09 – 10:13:00

Throw it on the pyre along with homeopathy and start prosecuting the charlatans who are ripping off desperate people!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7808348.stm

"There is no evidence that products widely promoted to help the body "detox" work, scientists warn. The charitable trust Sense About Science reviewed 15 products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found many detox claims were "meaningless". Anyone worried about the after-effects of Christmas overindulgence would get the same benefits from eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep, they said ... In the majority of cases, producers and retailers were forced to admit that they had simply renamed processes like cleaning or brushing, as detox. "

I find myself completely unsurprised by this revelation. Manufacturers, it seems, will say almost anything to be able to increase their profit margins. Have a new form of soap: call it a detox soap and quadruple the price!

Cheers, Tom.
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- photography
- detox
- homeopathy
- bastards
- capitalist
- new age
- charlatans

21 Comments to Detoxing: yet another New Age load of nonsense

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- Middleagedbloke ^Pro
- 05/01/09 @ 10:33:35
Do I spot a bit of cynicism here dear Tom? Whatever next, the eating your greens will give me curly hair myth debunked?
- - la_spice
  - 05/01/09 @ 10:41:08
  And burnt toast doesn't work either!
  - - Middleagedbloke ^Pro
    - 05/01/09 @ 10:47:01
    Carrots?
    - - la_spice
      - 05/01/09 @ 11:01:43
      No thanks - I have a torch!
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  - - SeasideMan ^Pro
    - 05/01/09 @ 13:26:56
    I wish it did, as lots of burnt toast gets eaten in this house!
    
    Tom.
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- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 05/01/09 @ 13:13:33
  No cynicism, pure pleasure at the rip-off merchants being exposed.
  
  Tom.
  - - juliepenkova ^Pro
    - http://juliepenkova.blog.co.uk
    - 05/01/09 @ 13:24:32
    You are right Tom,
    It is all in the packaging and the "Name"
    I personally drink plenty of water and that is the best
    detox!!
    - - SeasideMan ^Pro
      - 05/01/09 @ 13:28:56
      Exactly, Julie. As with all these things, the rules are very simple: eat healthily, drink lots of water, exercise, rest. There are no quick fixes to health.
      
      Tom.
      - juliepenkova ^Pro
        
        http://juliepenkova.blog.co.uk
        
        05/01/09 @ 14:06:33
        
        Very True!!
        Thanks Tom!!
        
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- dennypoos
- 05/01/09 @ 19:25:29
Hell hath no fury like a ....reformed drinker. As such I feel able to say that if you don't fill your body with shit you will have no need to flush it out. I don't do caffeine either but I'm no goody two shoes as I lurve a crispy bacon sarnie.

I'm of the 'Caveat emptor', buyer beware kind of approach.

My own current bugbear is stuff that says, "Scientifically proven" and then lists ingredients I have never ever heard of.
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 05/01/09 @ 22:36:50
  There are times when Caveat Emptor is something I agree with, and times when I think it's just an excuse to rip people off. Fools do not deserve to be parted from their money.
  
  Tom.
  - - dennypoos
    - 06/01/09 @ 07:55:02
    If they are fools, how come they've got money to spend on this nonsense?
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- - dennypoos
  - 06/01/09 @ 07:56:41
  I forgot to mention 'Wellness', which as a word is another bugbear.
  - - SeasideMan ^Pro
    - 06/01/09 @ 09:10:20
    I share your view on such words. The one that grates on me the most is "winningest".
    
    Tom.
    - - dennypoos
      - 06/01/09 @ 12:59:58
      Ha-ha. I'm not a great fan of "early-doors" either.
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- justgrrl
- 05/01/09 @ 22:38:32
There is also a new trend in the hotel business, whereby they offer 10 days 'detox cures' combined with 'wellness packages'.

It basically means you drink water and eat dry bread for ten days - that's the 'detox'-part, toghetr with a daíly (cold-ish) bath in salt(ed)water - as the 'wellness'-part.

The price is double of the normal full board.

I was surprised to hear those 'cure hotels' are well booked all year around... so obviously people believe in the 'detox' properties of water, provided it is sold/serves by someone and will not be simply 'drawn from the own tap' at home.

Interesting post!
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 05/01/09 @ 23:37:32
  There we are, more of the same! The gullibility of people is endlessly fascinating.
  
  This raises an interesting Milgram's 37 point:
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Do_What_We're_Told_(Milgram's_37)
  
  People could clearly eat and drink bread and water and take cold salty baths for themselves at home, but instead choose to pay someone else a lot of money to do it to them. Why? Because people like being told what to do. That's why religions are so successful.
  
  Tom.
  - - justgrrl
    - 05/01/09 @ 23:47:29
    *ahem... understands why social psychologists aren't very much loved persons beacuse they show us how we really are*
    - - SeasideMan ^Pro
      - 05/01/09 @ 23:51:34
      Quite so.
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- Miza-T
- 05/01/09 @ 22:40:40
The best detox ever to me is the pic above!
So relaxing, I can spend hours just watching the sun setting from a beach

xx
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 05/01/09 @ 23:32:47
  Your comment made me as pleased as punch Miza, thank you very much :-)
  
  Tom.
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