If you like alternative health products, you've probably
experienced the scenario I'm about to describe. You read an
exciting article online about detox foot pads, a product
claiming to reduce fatigue and other poor health symptoms
by removing heavy metals from the body. In fact, there's
even a color picture showing a "before" and "after" shot of
a lily white unused foot patch next to a dark brown yucky
used foot patch.
On Amazon.com you find a great detox foot patch containing
the following ingredients:Tourmaline, a semi precious stone
that reputedly alleviates stress; wood vinegar, a substance
that decreases swelling in the body; and Eucalyptus, a
plant with antiseptic properties that is native to
Australia.
The detox foot pad sales page gives a compelling detailed
professional description about how the pads eliminate
toxins from the body. You're all set to buy 10 of these
babies and then feel super energized as heavy metals such
as mercury, arsenic, and copper rapidly leave your body
while you sleep. But before you hit the "pay now" button
you remember that you are a savvy alternative health
product buyer. Before forking over $29.95 for an
avant-garde health product you research it by typing "detox
food pad" into Google. Lo and behold, a simple Google
search reveals thousand of sites, forums, and reviews for
the detox foot pad product you'd so dearly like to try.
Guess what? Some detox foot pad users love the product and
swear it alleviates symptoms of asthma, depression, and
pms. Others say the detox food pads do nothing but remove
sweat from the body. Some reviewers have no intention of
using detox health pads, but they feel compelled to point
out why detox foot pads can't possibly work anyway. Some
alternative health product advocates decry the need for
evidence that detox foot pads work, because they believe
the apparent corruption of the pharmaceutical-driven health
industry negates any need to question the efficacy of
"alternative" health products.
So whereas five minutes ago, you felt all gung-ho about
trying detox foot pads, now you're not so sure they're a
good buy. What if you're just getting scammed out of your
$29.95 by another too good to be true idea? Can removing
heavy metals and other toxins from the body really be as
easy as putting a patch on your foot at night? Where is the
real proof this product works?
While there's no fail proof method of determining if a
product will work for you until you try it, following are a
few ways of making health product investments calculated
risks rather than mere gambles.
Listen to Yourself
1) "Trust your intuition over other people's reason," as
one of my late professors used to say. Do you believe the
body can sense what good health feels like? If so, consider
why and for how long you've been attracted to a particular
health product. Did you quickly forget about detox health
pads after you read that neat little online article about
them, or did you find yourself doing Google searches about
"detoxing" months later? If a health product consistently
appeals to you, perhaps that's reason enough to try it.
Accept that no Health Product is ever Guaranteed to Work
for Everyone
2) Remember that people have different lifestyles and brain
chemistries. Therefore no health strategy will ever be
proven to work for everyone in exactly the same way. Even
antidepressants, which have been prescribed for millions of
people who regularly report that they alleviate symptoms of
mental illness, remain a controversial method of treating
anxiety, depression, and other ailments.
Research All Forms of the Product You'd Like to Buy
3) Often a hot new health product is quickly copied by
companies wanting to get in on the latest alternative
health fad. For example, there are dozens of wholesalers
marketing detox foot pads at prices ranging from $1.50/pad
to $3.50/pad. Research which manufacturer has the best
overall reputation and e-mail any questions to the support
staff at different sites before making a purchase.
To Sum Up
While improving one's health is often scary and exciting
simultaneously, the following simple ideas can make
purchasing an alternative health product less stressful:
1) Listen to your own intuition rather than getting caught
up in too many, "does this product really work or not"
debates;
2) Accept that there's no way to know if a health product
will work for you until you try it;
3) Research all the variations of a product before you buy
it.
Happy health product hunting!
----------------------------------------------------
Janna Chan writes about holistic approaches to alleviating
stress at http://i-feel-calm.com
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