Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The Q-Ray and Copper Bracelets



In Chapter One, there is a brief discussion of the Q-Ray bracelet. This bracelet was marketed to relieve pain, restore energy, improve performance, and muscle flexibility. These claims, along with the claims on the bracelet’s website (that the Q-Ray was based on ancient Chinese acupuncture, as well as yin and yang ions) sound promising. Losing balance between yin and yang ions can lead to “anxiety, stress, fear, hatred, and physical exhaustion” (www.qray.com.) The website goes on to explain the body’s electromagnetic fields. Sounds legit, right?
Surely, all of us have worried about lost ions!
I was drawn to the Q-Ray because my mother (who isn’t the brightest crayon in the box) got me a similar sounding copper bracelet for this past Christmas. It came in a little box with a slip of paper that, now thinking about it, sounded suspiciously familiar to the Q-Ray description. The copper bracelet my mom got me was very similar to this one on the Pyramid Collection website: http://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.asp?ID=1,622&GEN1=Bracelets+%26+Cuffs&T1=P16023&dispRow=269&srccode= . The Pyramid Collection website claims that this copper bracelet can be worn to “alleviate symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism, even tendonitis” (www.pyramidcollection.com.) The bracelet I got also promised to prevent the common cold.
I’m sure you’re begging the question: So does this bracelet work?!
Well! I can tell you, as someone who doesn’t usually get sick that often in the wintery months, I didn’t notice a difference. I don’t have arthritis, rheumatism, or tendonitis, and I wore the bracelet on my right hand (I’m left-handed.) I did notice, however, that the copper (after about 2-3 months) started to turn my wrist green. That’s right people, like those craptastic rings you get in 25 cent vending machines, my entire right wrist was a forest green. I took the bracelet off and surprisingly, I had quite a few colds after. However, I don’t believe the events to be connected. I work with little kids so I’m susceptible to a lot of a germs (I blame them for any and all colds. Not that I don't like them, they're just.. Germy.)

2 comments:

  1. I have never heard of the Q-ray bracelet until this class. Now I hear it all the time. I saw someone at my work wearing one and I just laughed and shook my head. People are so gullable.

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  2. I remember when they were really big. My great grandmother when and got one, and I even remember seeing my teachers through the years having them. I was at work the other day and a older man and his wife came to the counter to pay and they both were wearing it, and I too couldn't help but smile.

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