Ayurveda Pura - Pura Rubbish

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Simon Perry has written an excellent beginner's guide to writing ASA complaints. But where can novice sceptical letter writers find the adverts?

A great place to start is just about any "Ayurvedic Beauty Salon" - such as this one.

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Ayurveda Pura - a beauty salon a stone's throw from the O2 Arena in London - produce a handy 8-page booklet (available here, here, here and here) listing the treatments they offer.

It's full of dubious claims for "detox" therapies, weight-loss massages and the like. ASA complaint follows!

"I write to complain about a booklet I picked up at the CamExpo exhibition in London on 24th October this year.

The booklet promotes the "Ayurveda Pura London Health Spa & Beauty Centre".

I suspect that the booklet may be in breach of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP Code). I can provide the original booklet by post, if necessary.

1. The UK's leading authority on complementary medicine, Professor Edzard Ernst, has recently written about "detox" therapies [1]:

"Detox, as used in alternative medicine, is based on ill-conceived ideas about human physiology, metabolism, toxicology etc. There is no evidence that it does any good and some treatments...can be harmful. The only substance that is being removed from a patient is usually money."

2. Under Section 12.1, I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate any of the following claims:

(i) The "Aromatherapy Facial" (p3) can "eliminate toxins" from the skin

(ii) The "Detoxifying Back Cleanse" (p3) is capable of detoxifying any part of the body

(iii) The "Ayurvedic Detoxifying Face Massage" (p4) can "assist is detoxifying the facial skin..."

(iv) The "Nasya - Nasal Cleansing Treatment" (p4) is "highly effective in relieving...migraines"

(v) The "Abhyanga - Ayurvedic Whole Body Massage..." (p4) "...stimulates the immune system, detoxifies...the entire body"

(vi) The "Marma Abhyanga - Ayurvedic Energy Point Massage..." (p4) "...stimulates the...imune...systems"

(vii) The "Vishesh - Ayurvedic Deep Tissure Massage" (p5) is capable of "removing toxins and impurities from the body"

(viii) The "Hridaya Basti" treatment (p5), in which "the heart area is continuously bathed with warm Ayurvedic oils" can help with "ailments like high blood pressure and heart conditions"

(ix) The "facial treatment" included in the "Rejuvenation Package" (p6) is capable of "detoxifying" any part of the body

(x) The "Panchakarma - Ayurvedic Detoxification Packages" (p6) are capable of detoxifying any part of the body, and are capable of "internal cleansing", "restor[ing] and maintain[ing] good health", "strengthen[ing] the immune system", "protect[ing] the body against diseases by removing toxins and rejuvenating your body's internal systems"

3. Regarding Shiatsu, Ernst has written [2]:

"Shiatsu is based on the biologically implausible theory of yin and yang. There is no evidence that it is effective for any specific conditions. Shiatsu massage therefore seems to be a waste of effort and expense, which offers nothing above conventional massage."

4. Under Section 12.1, I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate the following claim:

(i) "Shiatsu" (p7) can "help in a wide range of conditions" including "specific injuries"

5. Under Section 13.1, I challenge whether the following claim can be substantiated, under 13.4, I challenge whether the advertisers have established that weight-reduction is caused by loss of body fat, and under Section 13.9, I challenge whether the advertisers are claiming that weight or fat can be lost from specific parts of the body:

(i) The "Nabhi Abhyanga - Abdominal Massage..." (p5) "...assists in weight loss around the stomach area"

6. Under Sections 12.1 and 12.7, I challenge whether the following claim can be substantiated:

(i) The "Mukhabhyanga - Traditional Ayurvedic Face-Lift Massage" (p4) is capable of "keeping away wrinkles" and "promoting the regeneration of healthy, younger looking [sic] skin"

7. I confirm I have no connections with the advertiser. I confirm I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser.

Footnotes:

[1] Simon Singh, Edzard Ernst, "Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial", American edition 2008, p308
[2] Ibid., p326"