Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Tuesday, December 28. 2010

Placebos

You Can Have the Placebo Effect, Even If You Know It's a Placebo.


Placebos are strangely effective medicines. Thus it's no wonder that people feel better when they eat organic, or buy into nutritional schemes and health food store products. It's called "hope" and "self-deception" and all of that "mind-body" stuff.

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Our Essays, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 14:10 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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oooooh. I love placebo! It comes in various flavors and colors. I even have one called "Damiana" I bought because it came in an interesting bottle shape. I used to like those long brown placebo's that I got from the humidor, but marriage put a kibosh on that. So, yeah. give me that old time placebo, I'll raise a glass to you and your health. Salut!

(and yes, I really do know what placebo and placebo effect is. Call it the wafting scents derangement effect of the peach pie in oven.....)
#1 JoeC on 2010-12-28 16:12 (Reply)
I feel better just reading this post. Strange medicine indeed....
#2 Jephnol (Link) on 2010-12-28 16:29 (Reply)
The power of the human mind and soul is amazing. Loving happiness is the greatest healer of all.
#3 Kyrathyel on 2010-12-28 16:37 (Reply)
"Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief" by Herbert Benson, of Harvard Med School is an interesting read on this topic.

He calls the placebo effect "remembered wellness" to explain what goes on when the body is prompted back to wellness this way.

http://www.relaxationresponse.org/
#4 LP on 2010-12-28 21:23 (Reply)

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