I thought it should have been relatively safe, as it was distributed through that particular workshop. Will I never learn? The cream was thick, white and pasty. It left me looking like a ghost and suffocated my skin. It was difficult to clean off thoroughly too. Uggh! What did they put in that stuff? My poor skin!

My True Touch Protect AM (or PM) SPF15 moisturiser is velvety and absorbs super-fast, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. It has no questionable ingredients and is safety-tested and dermatologist-approved. The fragrance is fresh, natural and EU allergen-friendly. Zinc oxide acts as a sunscreen while liposomes assist with photo protection. Vitamins and antioxidants nourish and protect the skin. Key ingredients include:

Zinc Oxide, a natural mineral which provides SPF15 with complete UVA and UVB protection. This is an ideal sunscreen for sensitive skin.

Photosomes, light-activated enzymes from plankton which support sun-damaged skin’s natural repair and renewal processes.

Jojoba Oil, a natural, non-irritating oil which moisturises and conditions.

Meadoowfoam Seed Oil, an oil from a grassland wildflower which also helps to hydrate and nurture the skin.

Vitamins C & E, powerful antioxidants which defend and protect the skin against the harsh effects of the environment. Vitamin E also helps moisturise the skin.

Pea Extract, a skin conditioner with antioxidant properties that also supports the skin’s firmness and elasticity.

Walnut Seed Extract, an ingredient with antioxidant properties which helps support the skin against environmental stress.

“True Touch” by Neways International is a range of skin care products which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, including known carcinogens. What was I thinking of using some other inferior and potentially harmful brand of skin care?

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics flexible. The specific phthalates found in the toy were dibutyl phthalates (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalates (DEHP). The US has classified DEHP as a “probable human carcinogen” while the European Chemical Agency calls it a “Substance of Very High Concern”.

Phthalates are widely used. They are in soft PVC products like packaging, flooring, mats, milk bottles, toys, food containers and so on. Soft PVC products contain over 40% of phthalates by weight. The “new car” smell that motorists love comes from phthalates emitting from the dashboards of vehicles that have been in the sun. As the motor vehicle cools downs, the phthalates re-condense as an oily film on the inside of the windscreen. Yet another reason not to buy new cars.

I always avoid heating food up in plastic containers. Plastics with recycling codes 3 and 7, in particular, tend to contain phthalates. I also stay away from personal care products which contain phthalates. Yes, many cosmetics, fragrances, soaps, shampoos, lotions, deodorants and even baby powder contain phthalates. Phthalates are popularly used to enhance fragrances in skin care, hair care and beauty products like perfumes, hair spray, and nail polish. These chemicals are also found in environmental products like wood finishers and lubricants.

Manufacturers are sneaky. Phthalates are rarely listed on the ingredients label. Be smart; look out for proxy ingredients like “fragrance”.

A 2009 survey on phthalate levels in the environment by the US Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that exposure to these chemicals was extremely widespread. Concerned, US authorities warned that DEHP was particularly likely to cause serious development problems in the sexual reproductive systems of young male children. Phthalates act as hormone disrupters. DBP and DEHP, especially, disrupt aromotase, an enzyme crucial to the metabolism of sex hormones. These chemicals cats as anti-androgens, or anti-male hormones.

In 2003, a Boston study discovered that men exposed to phthalates had fewer sperm, which also tended to be weaker and deformed. Statistics shows that male infertility is increasing at an alarming rate in industrialized nations, where exposure to phthalates is high. Two common male birth defects are undescended testes and hypospadias (a penile deformity).

Even more alarmingly, it is women of child-bearing age who have the most exposure to phthalates, very likely because of their heavy usage of personal care products containing harmful ingredients like phthalates. Not only are they in danger of producing male babies with sexual development problems, but they are also at risk of developing cancer. Are you using phthalate-free skin care products?

Safety-conscious company Neways International avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients – including phthalates – in its personal care products, such as skin care, hair care, oral hygiene and beauty products. Instead, it uses safe and gentle ingredients as well as technological processes. What’s in the personal care products you use?

Beauty at any price – is it worth dying for?

My family was well-to-do, so we indulged in anything we liked. The dining table groaned with meat dishes, the larder was well-stocked with snacks, chocolates and other confectionery – you get the picture. As for personal care and household care products, we had all the well-known brands. Nothing but the “best” for us. What ingredients went into those products? Who knew and who cared? We were washed and powdered, and we smelled nice. That’s all that mattered.

From my teens, I bought lots of beauty products. They were a mix of unknown brands as well as famous brands. Skin care, hair products, cosmetics, I had the works. All I cared about was whether they made me look and smell good. In those days, what did anybody know about harmful and even carcinogenic ingredients in personal care products? We believed that well-known brands would only be made of the best ingredients, certainly nothing questionable or damaging to health. We never realised that the personal care and beauty products which we used daily could potentially harm us and make us sick.

We’ve come a long way, baby. Consumers today are better-informed about the dangers of common beauty and personal care ingredients such as:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Propylene Glycol
Ethanol / alcohol
Fluoride
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)
Retinoic Acid
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Benzophenone
Formaldehyde
PEGs
Parabens
Ceteareth-20
Diethanolamine (DEA)

There are many more toxic chemicals and harmful ingredients we are exposed to at home which can cause illnesses like cancer, respiratory problems, eye problems like cataracts, liver and kidney ailments, Alzheimer’s Disease, and allergic reactions. Many of these harmful ingredients are in products we love to slather on our skin, apply on our eyes, put in our hair and clean our mouths with.

Had I known years ago what I know today, I probably would have avoided using most kinds of commercial skin care, hair and other beauty products, and gone natural as far as possible (safe personal care products were virtually unheard of until recent years). Had my parents known what many people know today, I’m sure they would have made better dietary choices.

Today, half my siblings – including myself – have been afflicted with cancer. One lost the battle. My other siblings grapple with a variety of health problems. My father spent the last 30 years of his life fighting a host of medical conditions. My mother has been in poor health for many years and her memory comes and goes. Sheer coincidence?

Prevention is obviously better than cure. We cannot undo the damage that has already been done, but we can do our best from now on to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This is particularly essential for those who are already dealing with health conditions like cancer. Boycott personal care and household products which use inferior and potentially harmful ingredients. Choose brands which avoid using questionable ingredients. Safety-conscious Neways International avoids using more than 3,000 questionable ingredients, and counting. What about the brands you use? What poison are you putting on your skin today?

Propylene glycol, parabens, PEGs, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, alcohol, petrolatum and talc are some widely-used ingredients which are potentially harmful and even carcinogenic. These are just a few of thousands of questionable ingredients which are used in bath products, skincare, make-up and other personal care products. You may not know it, but what you apply daily on your face and body may be making you sick and aging you prematurely.

Before I buy any personal care or beauty products, I read the ingredients on the label thoroughly. Nine out of 10 times, I end up putting the item back on the shelf. Even so-called “natural” or “organic” personal care products often contain questionable ingredients. When your family has a history of cancer as bad as mine does, you learn to get picky about what you expose yourself to, whether in food, the environment or personal care and household products. Any guest who stays in my home for a while will probably leave in better health than if they had stayed at a six-star hotel, because my family is so fussy about the safety and quality of the products we use.

This weekend brought happy news to me and many other safety-conscious consumers. My favorite safety-conscious health and wellness company, Neways International, launched a new skincare and beauty line which is comprehensive and effective while avoiding the use of at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, like toxins, dioxins, irritants, carcinogens, and contaminants. Can you think of any brand which has achieved this? Three cheers for Neways!

Ingredients and technologies used by Neways are typically safer and superior in quality than those typically used by many commercial brands. What’s got me even more excited is that Neways’ new True Touch skincare and cosmetics range uses a dizzying array of newly-discovered or little-known botanical ingredients. I pride myself in being well-informed, but Neways is now using healthy ingredients and technologies which are totally new even to me. Neways is also using more environmentally-friendly ingredients, such as bamboo, an environmentally-sustainable agricultural product (it’s the world’s fastest-growing plant) in the True Touch skin exfoliator called Clarifier.

After one beauty workshop yesterday, where I got to try many of the skincare products from Neways’ new True Touch line, my body was left tingling. Not just because the products had refreshed and invigorated my skin, but because I was excited to get the whole range home for my family to use. The products are so good they’re like vitamins and antioxidants for the skin, almost good enough to eat. No wonder they leave the skin looking and feeling great.

If you know of any other beauty brand which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, while providing a range of skincare and make-up products as wide, comprehensive, effective and luxurious as Neways’ True Touch line, please write about it here. The more beauty options we have which are safe and healthy– and, preferably, even nourishing and healing – the better. Why put up with inferior and harmful personal care products anymore? Hallelujah!

Recent research on chocolate and stroke risk includes two large studies which suggest that dark chocolate helps lower the risk of stroke. In the first study, 44,489 people ate one serving of dark chocolate per week. Tough work, but somebody had to do it. Anyway, the researchers found that these people were 22% less likely to have a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate.

The second study covered 1,169 people who ate 50g of chocolate once a week. The chocolate-eaters were found to be 46% less likely to die after a stroke compared to people who did not consume chocolate.

Other studies have shown that consuming a small portion of dark chocolate every day can reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. Chocolate is also said to reduce LDL cholesterol. This dark confection contains serotonin too, which acts as an anti-depressant.

Before you celebrate this good news by wolfing down a whole box of chocolates, here’s a cautionary word from researcher Sarah Sahib of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario: “More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others.”

If dark chocolate isn’t your thing or if you’re concerned about putting on weight, an antioxidant supplement containing cocoa bean extract, like Neways Revenol, might suit you better.

Germanium is a mineral with a diamond-like crystal structure and a unique response to infrared light. It acts as a semiconductor as it accepts and transmits electrons. Unlike most semiconductors, germanium has a small band gap, allowing it to efficiently respond to infrared light. It is therefore used in infrared spectroscopes and other optical equipment which require extremely sensitive infrared detectors. Germanium ceramic inserts in Neways NewTeq4 magnetic bracelets have the same crystalline structure as a diamond and are used for their unique response to infrared light, thereby enhancing the effects of Far Infrared Rays.

Germanium releases conversion electrons emitting shortwave radiation. As they come into contact with the skin, the electrons enable cells to attract more oxygen and enhance protective functions of the body. In its organic form, each atom of germanium is bonded to three atoms of oxygen, making it an efficient carrier of oxygen. In the body, germanium attaches itself to oxygen molecules. This has the unexpected effect of making our bodies more effective at getting oxygen to the tissues in our body. The increased supply of oxygen in our bodies helps to improve our immune system. It also helps the body excrete harmful toxins.

Dr. Otto Warburg, a Nobel Prize winning biochemist, stated that germanium helped to increase the delivery of oxygen to cells. He believed that boosting the oxygen supply to healthy cells slowed the growth of tumors.

The ‘holy waters’ at Lourdes, acclaimed for their healing properties, is said to contain large amounts of germanium. In its organic form as a trace mineral, germanium is present in many important herbs and medicinal plants traditionally used in healing, including ginseng, garlic, comfrey, and aloe. Germanium is known to enhance the immune system by stimulating production of natural killer cells and T-suppressor cells. Certain compounds of germanium have low toxicity to mammals, but have toxic effects against certain bacteria. This property makes these compounds useful as chemotherapeutic or cancer-fighting agents.

Germanium does not directly attack cancer cells. Instead, it stimulates the body’s immune system, supporting the treatment of cancer as well as other degenerative diseases.

Germanium is used in many ways. In Neways NewTeq4 magnetic bracelets, Germanium ceramic inserts work together with three other advanced technologies – Unipolar Neodymium Magnets, Far Infrared Ray (FIR) Therapy ceramic inserts, and Negative Ions ceramic inserts – to produce powerful therapeutic and healing effects.

I’ve never heard of magnetic jewelry which incorporates FOUR kinds of healing and wellness technologies into one item. Have you? Most magnetic jewelry just have magnets in them, and the magnets may not even be Unipolar Neodymium Magnets. Neways NewTeq4 magnetic bracelets are like the Rolls-Royce of magnetic jewelry.

If a non-invasive approach to healing and wellness is what you’re looking for and if, like me, you demand the very best, Neways four-in-one magnetic bracelets may be the smartest jewelry buy you’ll ever make. If I had a hundred bucks to spend on pain-killers OR ordinary costume jewelry OR beautiful jewelry with health-giving properties, I know what I would choose. With the NewTeq4 magnetic bracelet, the worse thing that could happen is that I’ll have a great-looking piece of jewelry to wear for years to come.

So I recently bought a Neways NewTeq4 magnetic bracelet for my sister who’s been suffering from pain in her knees for years. I’m hoping this bracelet will turn out to be as good as I’ve heard, because I don’t want my dear sister to be dependant on drugs any longer. It might take a while to see any results, as natural therapy usually needs time to work, but if it means long-lasting relief from pain, it will be well worth the wait.

Negative ions are negatively charged particles which form when enough energy acts on a molecule such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, or water to eject an electron. This displaced electron then attaches itself to a nearby molecule, which then becomes a negatively-charged Ion. High levels of negative ions are desirable and good for your health.

Today’s air-conditioned buildings, trains and planes frequently become supercharged with harmful positive ions because the metal blowers, filters and ducts of air-conditioning systems strip the air of negative ions before it reaches its destination. Air conditioner manufacturers have been designing new systems that increase negative ionization. Computers and fluorescent lighting also supercharge environments with harmful positive ions.

My sister’s NewTeq4 magnetic bracelets have ceramic inserts which emit negatively charged oxygen ions in the region of 1000 ions per cubic cm. By comparison the levels of negative ions present in different environments are approximately: Base of waterfall – 3000; Office – 150; Mountain air – 2000; Home – 100; Countryside – 1500; Car – 50. Nothing beats getting away to a pure, natural environment, but when you can’t do that, the negative ions emitted by Neways NewTeq4 magnetic bracelets will at least increase your exposure to beneficial negatively-charged ions.

Benefits of Negative Ions
Negative Ions have a refreshing and invigorating effect on the body; similar to the experience you would have if you were standing next to a waterfall. They produce a calming effect on the mind and support immune function.

Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy,” says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of “The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research”, and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.

Negative Ions are also therapeutic partly because they kill germs. As early as the 1930s. a Russian team headed by A L. Tchijevski found that large ion doses of either positive or negative polarity retarded bacteria colony formation on plates. Ionization also sterilized enclosed air. Latter experiments duplicating Tchijevski’s work noted an exponential bacteria decay rate of 23 per cent per minute for untreated air, 34 per cent per minute for air with pos-ions, and 78 percent per minute for negatively charged air. They concluded that the pos-ion decay rate was due to simple bonding of the ions with the bacteria, whereas the neg-ions actually killed the bacteria.

Animals larger than microbes find negative ions beneficial. Rats learn better and are less anxious. Mice live longer (mice with flu die more quickly If deprived of neg-ions). Silkworm eggs hatch earlier, larvae grow faster, spinning begins sooner, cocoons are heavier. chickens lay more eggs and grow more plump. Sheep grow faster and supply more wool. In the vegetable kingdom. plant seedlings grow up to 50 percent more when charged. Fruit stays fresh longer: after 10 days, ionized tomatoes were still fresh while untreated controls rotted. No wonder negative ions are sometimes referred to as the “vitamins of the air”.

The U.S. has equipped nuclear submarines with ion machines since the late 1950s. There are even combat uniforms which have negative ion emitters embedded into the collars “for performance enhancement without the side effects often associated with drugs”. The manufacturer of these uniforms says that “the material emits negative ions into the surrounding air and if close enough to the face, those emitted negative ions are inhaled. Numerous studies on air ions conclude that a higher proportions of negative ions in the air have shown improved alertness and brainwave activity.” Now you know a military secret for getting fighting fit.

Ionizers are being used industrially in auto spray paint booths, food processing plants, grain storage bins and chemical spray factories. Architects, designers and city planners are increasingly incorporating water features like fountains and rooftop solariums into urban environments. Negative ion technology is used extensively in air filtration and refrigeration products in Asia, particularly in Japan. Next time you change your air-conditioner or refrigerator, look out for models which incorporate this technology.

My final post on the subject of magnetic therapy for healing and wellness will be about Germanium, a trace mineral used in my sister’s NewTeq4 magnetic bracelet.

Far Infrared Rays (FIR) are waves of energy, invisible to the naked eye, capable of penetrating deep into the human body, where they gently elevate the body’s surface temperature and stimulate major bodily functions. Far Infrared Rays are specific wavelengths of light from the sun, invisible rays of natural sunlight which are safe and beneficial to health. These rays of light are particularly abundant in the morning and evening sun.

Far Infrared Rays are radiant heat, also called infrared energy (IR). This is completely different from ultraviolet radiation (the type which burns your skin) and atomic radiation (the kind from a nuclear bomb).

FIR is also the ‘chi’ (or “Qi”) life force energy in humans and animals. We are constantly emitting far infrared rays without realising it. When FIR intensity in our bodies is high, the immune system functions properly, healing is more efficient and we feel healthy. When FIR declines, we become prone to disease and illness and tend to age more quickly.

Our bodies radiate far infrared energy through the skin at 3 to 50 microns, with most output at 9.4 microns. Our palms also emit FIR energy, between 8 and 14 microns. Palm Healing, an ancient Chinese practice, has used the healing properties of far infrared rays for 3,000 years. Palm Healing practitioners harness energy and heat radiating from their hands to heal, similar to Reiki healers. Recent research in Taiwan measured significant far infrared energy emitted from the hands of Chi Gong masters. Yogis in India also practise Palm Healing and recommend it especially for relieving eye strain. Thermal therapy has existed for thousands of years, and can be traced to ancient civilizations such as the Finns, the Romans, American Indians, as well as the Chinese.

Since ancient times, people have believed that exposure to sunshine can maintain and even enhance health. Sun therapy is a form of natural FIR thermal therapy. FIR is the band of energy which has the greatest output from the sun and this is split into three different wavelengths. Wavelengths in the region of four to 14 microns are the safest and most beneficial to life. My sister’s NewTeq4 magnetic bracelet has ceramic inserts specifically designed to produce Far Infrared Rays with a frequency identical to the sun spectrum’s greatest output.

The human body is composed of 90% water. Far infrared rays cause resonance in water molecules, activating them and ionizing them. Because of this effect, FIR heat therapy offers a variety of health and beauty benefits.

When Far Infrared Rays penetrate the skin, they come into contact with proteins, collagen, fats and water molecules. By stimulating micro-vibrations, FIR cause a thermal reaction which elevates tissue temperatures. Tissues are revitalised because of improved (micro & macro) circulation. This dilates the capillaries, supports blood flow and helps to improve oxygen levels. Stored toxins are flushed out more easily, as is achieving a higher level of cell health.

FIR Benefits:
1) Far Infrared dilates (expands) capillaries, which facilitates increased blood flow, regeneration, circulation and oxygenation.

2) Far Infrared aids detoxification. Scientists in Japan report that when FIR is used to treat clogged capillary vessels, heat expands the capillaries and then initiates the start of a process to dissolve hidden toxins. The elimination of fats, chemicals and toxins from the blood is promoted. Poisons, carcinogenic heavy metals, toxic substances from food processing, lactic acid, free fatty acids, and subcutaneous fat associated with aging and fatigue, excess sodium associated with hypertension, uric acid which causes pain – these are more easily flushed out of the body. Sebaceous glands are activated which helps purge cosmetics clogging the pores, via sweat and oil glands, rather than by the kidneys.

3) Far Infrared stimulates enzyme activity and metabolism. It has been claimed that FIR heat can even break down cellulite as it eliminates trapped water, fat and waste.

4) Far Infrared promotes the killing of many pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

5) FIR promotes rebuilding of injured tissue by having a positive effect on fibroblasts, connective tissue cells necessary for the repair of injury. It promotes cell growth, DNA syntheses, and protein synthesis – all necessary during tissue repair and regeneration. This aids in the healing of burns, scar tissue and skin problems.

6) Far Infrared relieves nervous tension and relax autoneuro muscles, thereby helping the body make the most of its intended healing abilities. FIR eases soreness on nerve endings and muscle spasms, as muscle fibers are warmed up.

7) Far Infrared strengthens the immune system by stimulating increased production of white blood cells (leukocytes) by the bone marrow and killer T-cells by the thymus.

8) Far Infrared strengthens the cardiovascular system by causing heart rate and cardiac output increase, and diastolic blood pressure decrease. Extensive research by NASA in the early 1980’s led to the conclusion that far infrared stimulation of cardiovascular function would be the ideal way to maintain cardiovascular conditioning in American astronauts during long space flight.

FIR is gaining popularity as a safe method of natural health care and physiotherapy. For instance, far infrared thermometric therapy garments use thermal technology to provide compressive support and healing warmth to assist symptom control for arthritis, injury & pain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared. Far infrared heat is safe so it is used in hospital incubators to keep babies warm. With regard to domestic applications, the Japanese have integrated FIR technology into everything from hand warmers and blankets to water processors.

My next post will touch on Negative Ion technology and its use in magnetic bracelets for healing and wellness.

Call me a cynic, but I’ve been suspicious of alternative therapies like magnetic therapy – or magnotherapy – for ages. Come on, give me a break, how can something like a magnetic bracelet improve your health and alleviate pain? Then recently, when I couldn’t bear to see my sister continue suffering knee pain despite years of taking analgesics, I decided to take a fresh look at –gasp! – magnetic therapy. What I discovered was certainly intriguing.

NASA picture of solar wind streams hitting Earth’s magnetic field

Magnetism is a natural part of life, like water and air. All life, human, animal and plant, comes under the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field. Electromagnetic fields produced by the movement of electro-chemicals (ions) within the body control all physical and mental functions. We are actually bio-electrical beings, comprised of energy.

When an injury occurs and tissue is damaged, positively charged ions converge on the affected area, causing pain and swelling. For healing to take place, the injured site must be restored to its natural negative electromagnetic charge.

Electro-chemicals related to pain and inflammation have to be removed while oxygen and nutrients must be transported to the area. The application of a magnetic field to an injured area – popularly known as magnetic therapy or magnotherapy – helps restore the normal electromagnetic balance. The magnetic field relaxes capillary walls, as well as surrounding muscle and connective tissues, allowing for increased blood flow. More oxygen and nutrients are transferred to the injury site, while pain and inflammatory related electro-chemicals are more efficiently removed.

So why have magnetic bracelets been around for so many years? The wrists have many biologically-active points linked to the internal organs. Think about how acupuncture works. However, not all bracelets are created equal. Cheap ones are invariably made of cheap materials and have no therapeutic value whatsoever. My sister bought a cheap magnetic bracelet some years back and it was completely useless.

After studying various types of magnetic jewelry on the market, one caught my attention. This one incorporated four advanced technologies in one bracelet, Unipolar Neodymium Magnets, Far Infrared Ray Therapy (FIR), Negative Ions and Germanium. These four kinds of technology are designed to work together in a non-invasive approach to produce powerful therapeutic and healing effects. There were several styles for men and women, crafted from stainless steel, with additional gold plating for the ladies’ bracelet, for a durable finish.

If I shared just some of what I learned about the properties and benefits of Unipolar Neodymium Magnets, Far Infrared Rays (FIR), Negative Ions and Germanium here, this post would never end. So I’ll just touch on one technology – Unipolar Neodymium Magnets – for now. The other three technologies will be examined in other posts.

Apparently, NASA uses Neodymium magnets to help prevent bone muscle and muscle loss in astronauts during space flights. Neodymium magnets are also used in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanning machines and other medical devices such as pacemakers. These magnets are often used in machines made for the health industry. Doctors use pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) for bone growth stimulation to treat broken bones that have not healed correctly. This method, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in the 1970s, can mend bones that have not responded to other treatment. PEMF technology has also been used successfully to treat chronic wounds.

Here’s one to tickle your funny bone: one unusual use for Neodymium magnets is by people who believe that they were abducted by aliens who implanted devices into their ears. Plagued by incessant ringing in their ears, they use Neodymium magnets to disable these alien implants!

Neodymium Magnets exert extremely powerful magnetic fields, stronger than standard magnets. The main two types of material used in magnetic therapy or magnotherapy are Ferrite – sometimes called ceramic magnets – and Neodymium magnets. Ferrite or ceramic magnets: are made of a mixture of iron and barium. They are commonly used for crafts.

Neodymium magnets are a more recent discovery, and are made of iron, boron and the rare earth neodymium, which is why they are also called rare earth magnets. These magnets are very strong in comparison to their mass and, with proper care, hold their strength for many years. Neodymium magnets have 10 times the power of Ferrite magnets.

Unipolar magnets have the north pole on one side and the south pole on the other. Unipolar magnets tend to have greater penetration than bipolar magnets because the polarity is uniform on each side. The magnetic bracelet which aroused my interest uses Unipolar Neodymium Magnets.

Most magnetic therapy products use permanent magnets. Permanent magnets are materials that generate magnetic fields on their own and, with proper usage and care, never lose their strength. Over a period of 10 to 15 years of normal use, a magnet will lose only a tiny fraction of its magnetisation. Magnets can remain magnetised for 100,000 years.

So there you go. Magnetic therapy is basically the application of a magnetic field to an injured area to restore the normal electromagnetic balance in the body. This is supposed to aid healing and promote good health. Obviously, the efficacy of this kind of alternative therapy depends on the quality and intensity of the magnets used. According to medical researchers writing in the British Medical Journal in 2004, “Pain from osteoarthritis of the hip and knee decreases when wearing magnetic bracelets.” Their findings suggested that the benefit of magnetic bracelets was clinically useful, but higher strength magnets (such as Neodymium magnets) seemed to be needed. The magnetic bracelet I eventually chose to give to my sister uses 1,500 Gauss magnets.

In my next post, I’ll cover another technology – Far Infrared Rays – utilised in this particular magnetic bracelet.

Magnetic therapy has been around for thousands of years and many cultures have used magnets for their alleged healing and therapeutic properties, including the Chinese, Indians, Hebrews, Arabs, besides the Egyptians and Greeks.

I’ve been a sceptic of magnetic therapy for years. To be honest, I’ve pooh-pahed many alternative remedies. Then cancer hit, and my mind opened to natural, non-invasive therapies. After all, acupuncture was practised by the Chinese since ancient times, yet it is only in recent years that mainstream Western medicine accepted it as a legitimate form of treatment for various ailments.

So recently, after doing considerable research into the subject of magnetic therapy, I bought a magnetic bracelet for my sister who lives overseas. She’s been suffering from pain in her knees for a long time and I hope the bracelet will help alleviate her pain. She bought a cheap magnetic bracelet for herself some years back and it did absolutely nothing for her.

The one I just gave my dear sister cost considerably more as it incorporates four kinds of technologies into one bracelet – Unipolar Neodymium Magnets, Far Infrared Therapy (FIR), Negative Ions and Germanium. Unipolar Neodymium Magnets – a recent discovery – are rare earth magnets which are 10 times more powerful than magnets commonly used in most magnetic jewelry. My sister’s new NewTeq4 magnetic bracelet uses 1,500 Gauss neodymium magnets. As for the other three technologies, well I’ll write about them another time. It’s late and I have to walk my dog :)

Magnetic therapy has its sceptics as well as its supporters. According to medical researchers reporting in the British Medical Journal in 2004, magnetic bracelets, worn by many for their supposed health benefits, do reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.

The researchers, from the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth in the United Kingdom, had conducted a study on 194 patients, aged 45 to 80, who had osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. In the randomised controlled trial of magnetic bracelets for relieving pain in osteoarthritis of the hip and knee, patients were either given a standard strength magnetic bracelet, a weak magnetic bracelet or a non-magnetic, dummy bracelet.

The researchers found pain was significantly reduced in the patients wearing the standard magnetic bracelet compared to the dummy one. There was little difference between the weak magnet group and those wearing the dummy magnets after 12 weeks of the study.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers said: “Pain from osteoarthritis of the hip and knee decreases when wearing magnetic bracelets.” Their magnetic therapy research suggested that the benefit of magnetic bracelets was clinically useful, but higher strength magnets seemed to be needed.

They said: “We cannot be certain whether our data show a specific effect of magnets, a placebo effect, or both. Whatever the mechanism, the benefit from magnetic bracelets seems clinically useful.”

They pointed out that the benefits were in addition to existing treatments and these should not be stopped without the patient speaking to a doctor.

Will the magnetic bracelet I chose for my sister work for her? We’re giving it three months to find out. Fortunately, it was really elegant and expensive-looking, crafted in stainless steel with gold plating. My sister gasped at its beauty when she opened the sleek and stylish gift box. It looked lovely on her wrist, so I don’t think she’ll have any problem wearing it to work everyday. An ordinary piece of costume jewelry would have cost around the same price, so even if this magnetic bracelet turns out not to have any significant therapeutic or healing properties, at least it looks beautiful and will give my sister pleasure for a long time to come. Pat on the back for me!