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 ready to buy 100 of these babies and then feel super wonderful as heavy metals such as aluminum, mercury, and copper exit your feet 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. What do you know, a little Google search generates dozens of web sites, forums, and online reviews for the detox food pad you'd love to try.

Guess what? Some detox foot pad users love the product and swear it alleviates symptoms of asthma, depression, and pms. Others maintain that the detox food pads do little more than 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 two minutes ago, you felt all revved up about trying detox foot pads, not you're not sure if 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 immediately forget about detox health pads after reading about them, or did you find yourself doing Google searches about "detoxing" weeks 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 regime or product can ever by proven to work for everyone in precisely 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!