April 16, 2002
3:38 AM Subscribe
To save more digging: nonpharmaceutical.com, where the "research" is published. This particular crackpot is of the conviction that longevity will result if you minimize the acid and carbon dioxide in your body, so his water is supposedly formulated to remove both.
The basic idea isn't wholly without merit, but there's little to indicate that the solution here is appropriate or worthwhile. People have long drunk large quantities of water (or less of 'special' waters) for the supposed cleansing effects.
posted by dhartung at 7:40 AM on April 16, 2002
The basic idea isn't wholly without merit, but there's little to indicate that the solution here is appropriate or worthwhile. People have long drunk large quantities of water (or less of 'special' waters) for the supposed cleansing effects.
posted by dhartung at 7:40 AM on April 16, 2002
For the love of God, please don't spread this meme. It's embarassing enough as it is.
posted by riddley at 8:23 AM on April 16, 2002
posted by riddley at 8:23 AM on April 16, 2002
My body already gets rid of carbon dioxide. I use a method I came up with by myself very shortly after birth. Exhaling.
posted by srboisvert at 8:54 AM on April 16, 2002 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 8:54 AM on April 16, 2002 [1 favorite]
"The Original Story" is like a textbook on how to market a pseudo-scientific idea. The first five pages or so swarm all over you with anecdotes, replete with pointless but veracity-implying details. Then, way, way down there, we find out that the idea is really very simple: carbon dioxide. Why, it's so simple, that's why the big boys in the research institutes and hospitals never thought of it. It took a simple man, with simple common sense -- why, someone a lot like you -- to figure this out. Now, he's making a fool out of all those high-and-mighty doctors. And it's about time too! Some people say that those mysterious auto-immune diseases are all in your mind, that they're psychological, like Gulf War and Chronic Fatigue syndromes. They're saying your pain isn't real. We'll show 'em by golly.
posted by Faze at 10:44 AM on April 16, 2002
posted by Faze at 10:44 AM on April 16, 2002
There's a lot of ad-hominem-ing going on in this thread. Faze suggests the journalist is some sort of trickster, Riddley admonishes EMF for posting it at all (and anyone planning to forward the link), Dhartung talks about a "crackpot" and Billybob criticises anyone who's bought the stuff.
While I'm inclined to believe that probably the "placebo effect" described in the article is responsible, I still think there's enough in there to warrant some serious discussion. Instead, those who had made up their minds before reading decided to show how clever and witty they were.
posted by skylar at 11:04 AM on April 16, 2002
While I'm inclined to believe that probably the "placebo effect" described in the article is responsible, I still think there's enough in there to warrant some serious discussion. Instead, those who had made up their minds before reading decided to show how clever and witty they were.
posted by skylar at 11:04 AM on April 16, 2002
There's a lot of ad-hominem-ing going on in this thread. Faze suggests the journalist is some sort of trickster, Riddley admonishes EMF for posting it at all (and anyone planning to forward the link), Dhartung talks about a "crackpot" and Billybob criticises anyone who's bought the stuff.
While I'm inclined to believe that probably the "placebo effect" described in the article is responsible, I still think there's enough in there to warrant some serious discussion. Instead, those who had made up their minds before reading decided to show how clever and witty they were.
posted by skylar at 11:05 AM on April 16, 2002
While I'm inclined to believe that probably the "placebo effect" described in the article is responsible, I still think there's enough in there to warrant some serious discussion. Instead, those who had made up their minds before reading decided to show how clever and witty they were.
posted by skylar at 11:05 AM on April 16, 2002
(and I showed how stupid I am by hitting 'post' twice - many many apologies)
posted by skylar at 11:05 AM on April 16, 2002
posted by skylar at 11:05 AM on April 16, 2002
Come to think of it, srboisvert, I guess you do have to hold your breathe in the womb..
posted by Settle at 11:47 AM on April 16, 2002
posted by Settle at 11:47 AM on April 16, 2002
Skylar, you must have been so furious at us, that you just pounded that "send" button over and over again with your fist, wishing you were pounding our smug, self-satisfied faces. Sorry we ticked you off.
posted by Faze at 11:57 AM on April 16, 2002
posted by Faze at 11:57 AM on April 16, 2002
Actually, babies in the womb practice breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid.
Doing this is an important sign of fetal health. (They check for it when doing ultrasounds, for example).
It's kind of cool to watch your belly slowly moving out and in, even when you're not breathing. Freaked me out the first time, til I realized what my passenger was doing.
posted by beth at 12:36 PM on April 16, 2002
Doing this is an important sign of fetal health. (They check for it when doing ultrasounds, for example).
It's kind of cool to watch your belly slowly moving out and in, even when you're not breathing. Freaked me out the first time, til I realized what my passenger was doing.
posted by beth at 12:36 PM on April 16, 2002
Everyone in the story seems to be on the level, and I think Mediawatch was unfair in its criticism. Sheean is a touch cranky, but he is a professional journalist brought into contact with this water through his illness, of which he is now cured.
And as someone who loves his water, I think it'd be just so great if this checks out. I'll keep an eye on future developments.
posted by emf at 12:08 AM on April 17, 2002
And as someone who loves his water, I think it'd be just so great if this checks out. I'll keep an eye on future developments.
posted by emf at 12:08 AM on April 17, 2002
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posted by alumshubby at 4:13 AM on April 16, 2002