Topic: Placebo Effect

A discussion on the "placebo effect" of food suggests that the energy and intent of the person preparing a meal can affect the consumer. Conversely, disgruntled fast-food workers may transfer negative energy into the food they serve. The increasing prevalence of motorized "Hoveround" chairs in grocery stores is cited as a "canary in the coal mine" for the declining state of the American diet and physical health.

The segment defines the "nocebo effect"— the dark counterpart to the placebo effect—where negative expectations cause real physical symptoms. Examples include patients in clinical trials dropping out due to side effects they were merely warned about, and men developing erectile dysfunction after being told a drug might cause it. Ted Kapchuk of Harvard University suggests that the ritual of medical care and the trust in a caregiver are more influential than the medicine itself.