Do you really need that high colonic?
Purgatives and detoxifiers are multi-million dollar business. But is there any evidence that they actually do anything that eating well, sleeping enough and exercising will do better? The Philadelphia Inquirer cites figures on how detox spending is going up, but independent validation of methods is not. You may recall Prince Charles touting the benefits of coffee enemas in fighting cancer without drugs a couple of years ago. Such treatments have continued to skyrocket as patients look for hope anywhere they can find it. However, they needn't be for such dramatic purposes. For example, I take high doses of calcium magnesium supplements on the advice of my pharmacist, who said they would improve the efficacy of some of my prescriptions, improve my sleep, and help my body cope with the effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as car exhaust and cleaning product fumes. However, I take generic high street varieties, agreeing with medical evidence that more expensive varieties, such as coral calcium, is no better. I also take bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple, because I incidentally noticed that eating pineapple seemed to reduce my joint pain, researched it, and found bromelain was being studied for its abilities to help minor knee complaints in golfers. (Your mileage may vary with either.)
Do you take any herbal or mineral supplements? Does brand matter? How do you know if they help? Post in comments! [GT]
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