Making of a maverick
Galileo. Louis Pasteur. Albert Einstein. What do they all have in common? The distinction of being scientific mavericks.
Each of them — and many others like them — went out on a limb and brought forth a groundbreaking new theory. The earth moves. The germ theory of disease. The theory of relativity. Only to be laughed at, ostracized, and pushed out of their professional circle of colleagues during their careers.
It’s a shame, really, what we do to people who have new ideas — especially when those ideas challenge the status quo. Perhaps it’s human nature. Some of the best musicians, artists and authors have the same problem as scientists and researchers — they are outcasts until their ideas catch on. Then, they are revered. But sometimes not during their lifetimes.
Today, there is no short list of potential scientific mavericks. Some call them quacks — only time will tell what the general public will call them in the future. Scientist Arpad Pusztai’s views on genetically modified foods got him suspended from his workplace in 1998. And even after 14 years with the National Health Service in Great Britain, Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s ideas regarding vaccination have made him a pariah in the medical profession.
Our own Dr. Wright, for that matter, has been swimming against the stream of the medical establishment for years. Today, many of his colleagues are coming around after years of trying to disprove his theories. But we’re still far from having our ideas here welcomed into the traditional medicine fraternity.
There’s no need to hold our collective breath waiting for mainstream “approval” though. Not when we have access now to all Dr. Wright, his natural medicine colleagues, and Mother Nature have to offer.
What is noni?
This bush that grows up out of the volcanic ash of the Polynesian islands bears a fruit known as noni, and a juice commonly called noni juice and controversy swirls around every drop of it. Is it the magic elixir being hailed by bona fide scientific mavericks — or the wares of snake oil salesmen?
Some researchers and producers of noni juice claim it can be used to treat cancer, diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure, HIV, rheumatism, psoriasis, allergies, infection, and inflammation. Proponents also believe that the fruit can relieve a wide range of conditions, including sinus infections, menstrual cramps, arthritis, ulcers, sprains, injuries, depression, senility, poor digestion, atherosclerosis, addiction, colds, flu, and headaches.
Noni is generally recognized as safe by the USDA. The controversy involves the claims of health benefits that many feel are unfounded and unproven. But scientific research is currently underway to try to validate some of these claims.
Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing
Sources:
“Mavericks get cold shoulder from British scientists,” NewsWales (www.newswales.com), 8/16/04
“Ridiculed Discoverers, Vindicated Mavericks,” Science Hobbyist (www.amasci.com), accessed 10/02/04
McClatchey W. “From Polynesian healers to health food stores: changing perspectives of Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae).” Integr Cancer Ther 2002; 1(2): 110-120
