WIBU to say something to my woo friend?

[trice]

I have a lovely friend. She is older than me and cleverer than me (phd) and enjoys a bit of woo. She became a Buddhist, sees a shaman, puts crystals in her rice to give it energy etc. I am an atheist and a scientist and have always treated all her wackiness as charming eccentricities.

Lately she has been unwell with CFS type symptoms and has been treating this with an extreme exclusion diet. This has been "proscribed" to her by a charlatan who did "hair analysis". She is not allowed meat or dairy, only sea caught fish (certain types only) and non "alkaline" vegetables. She has become extremely underweight and is so lacking in energy she goes to bed frequently during the day. She revisited her health adviser (£500 charge for more hair analysis) who asked her to cut out yet more foods.

I am really worried about her, she won't do traditional medicine as it is not "natural" or I would take her to the doctor, but I think her main problem is that she is starving.

I would like to have her health adviser arrested, I think she is a dangerous quack who is actively harming people.

Would I be unreasonable to just tell my friend that she is being conned? She would probably never speak to me again.

I'm sorry if I come over as patronising. I think what I am feeling is concerned, angry and helpless. I really don't believe in crystals and reiki and distance healing, but I don't argue about it with her. If it makes her happy and makes her feel better I am all for it.

My major problem is that she took up this way of eatingin the hope that it would make her feel better, but she is getting worse. Instead if trying something else she is trying the same thing more extremely.

She proudly told me that her health adviser had been able to tell from her hair that she had been drinking herbal tea against advice. This is such giant bollocks, totally impossible unless she was using magic.

But you are right, she would think I was being patronising and interfering. I shall just try to get her to eat a bit more of what she is "allowed".

Good idea to have a word with her bhuddist leader Birdsgottafly, he is a very sensible chap and she will listen to him.