TV: Alternative Medicine ~ The Evidence : Healing

[Levanna]

(copy/paste from RT )

Documentary

Alternative Medicine: The Evidence

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2

VIDEO Plus+: 7851
Subtitled, Widescreen, Audio-described

2/3 - Healing

Series that looks at different types of alternative medicine. Kathy Sykes investigates the power of healers and discovers that although there is no evidence that they have any special powers, their patients do appear to recover. She attends a rally given by spiritual healer Benny Hinn, witnessing dozens of people claiming to be cured of a range of conditions, and also tracks down a team in the US who are putting healers through a series of tests to find out if they really have special powers.

I found last weeks programme about acupuncture quite interesting.

I wonder if they'll be investigating Reiki tonight?

really good series so far , was v impressed by the findings on last weeks programme about acupuncture. Quite amazing.

Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by the 'investigators' surprise at the results.

Something happened which they hadn't even considered possible and I found it enjoybale to watch their acceptance in process

Bump to remind all those who might be interested!

Did anyone watch this? What did you think?

I found it interesting, I've always felt there's much to be said for the power of mind over matter. Why would a mothers touch be so healing otherwise?

As a Reiki degree 2 (and I don't charge, ever! Before anyone suggests otherwise), I am still left questioning what the outcome would have been had the experiments included animals and plants. Both of which have shown to react favourable to Reiki, both of which I've seen myself and to neither of whom could the placebo effect be applied.

Overall, I think the evidence that people have the 'power' to heal themselves and each other (as in every trial there was a placebo 'applier' as it were) is wonderful. Anything which negates the need to rely solely on conventional medicine and it's side effects appeals to me.

Im soo upset , I missed it ! I had work to do last night and so silly as I have sky+ but just darned forgot to set it up. Wonder if beebs or someone has it on video I can borrow.

Aw no! Sorry I don't have a copy.

Maybe there'll be a summarisation of the three programmes on the last one, next week?

Documentary

Alternative Medicine: The Evidence

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2

Herbs

Series that looks at different types of alternative medicine. Kathy Sykes investigates the ancient practice of herbalism and discovers that not only do herbs have healing powers, but that some may provide answers to medical conditions that continue to baffle modern science. In South Africa she learns about a herb which is being touted as a new weapon in the fight against HIV/Aids, while in Germany she meets scientists who are taking herbs apart and submitting them to rigorous clinical trials.

I was fascinated Levanna but like you also wondered about a placebo effect on children - too young to understand - and also on animals.
I think it is fairly well proven that positive thought can be hugely beneficial in disease treatment and even prevention.

Yes, I would be interested to see trials from that angle.

Another thought struck me when the 'actor healer' experiment was being carried out....whether he could have been healing but unaware?

Theoretically he needn't have been 'attuned' to healing for this to be feasible IMO. It was the first thought that struck me when the scenario was described and prior to the results.

The placebo effect can theoretically work on anything with a nervous system, especially complex ones like kids and animals who of course won't understand intellectually but will emotionally - that's the basis of it.

I just wanted to say that if it works for you, great, but alternative therapies are generally advised to be used alongside conventional medicine and that is is extremely dangerous if you are seriously ill to depend on alternative therapy alone.

There's a simple logic to this: if they were proven to work as much as conventional medicine it would be conventional medicine.