The placebo effect is a bizare effect, where the mind "heals" the body - usually only temperiarily. This effect has been classified by medical science as a negative effect (an issue to be tested against). However, this is not the case for the "new" medicine that has recently become popular (since 1990) which calls itself, Homaeopathy.

The irony here, lies in the fact, that modern medical science evolved from homaeopathy - moving from "natural" medicines to manufactured synthetics. Anti-biotics and vaccines are the two developments that moved modern science from homaeopathy to modern medical science. Prior to this medicine relied on medicines from plants, flowers, and other such herbs. Hence, the origin of herbology. It was the failure of these herbal remedies to stop major plagues that medical science moved from herbs to anti-biotics and vaccines.

As anti-biotics, vaccines and manufactured synthetics became the "new" medical science, the old science was discarded. However, beginning in Europe and entering North America in 1990, an alternative to "modern" medicine developed. This alternative called itself - herbology and homaeopathy - the Granny Clampett of the modern age. The view projected was that of the evil corporate medical system that poisons people, and the helpful, wholesome Herbalist.

The problem, is that most herbal medicines are classified as placebos. There is no clinical testing like anti-biotics and vaccines. As such, no real clinical data showing the effectiveness of herbal medicine - just "personal testimonials". Most of which (when examined) meet the conitions of the Placebo Effect. The is yet another problem - the placebo effect is a real effect. While not typical, the placebo effect has been medically shown to work.

Modern medical science disregards the real placebo effects and equates the effect to a psychosomatic effect. Typically, known as "psychosomatic illness" - (a disease that does not physically exist but is a disfunction of the mind). There is a mirror effect, inwhich, a "psychosomatic cure" exists. This effect, however, is only temperary - lastng for a few weeks or about 6 months. The result is often that the person continually switches herbal medicine (within this time frame), so as not to notice the psychosomatic effect. However, it should be noted that this effect is not restricted to herbal medicines alone. This effect can be seen in medication designed for mental illness, which are treated as neurochemical imbalances. The evidence for which can be seen in research on the homeless.

There is a curious effect of the psychosomatic effect. With psychosomatic illness, real illness due to stress can occur. Further, consequences include a type of blindness called hysterical blindness. A type of blindness which does occur, although there is nothing physically wrong with the eyes. The state of mental health - particularly with depression - can effect the immune system. Conversely, this effect can be reversed to produce a healing effect, giving the psychosomatic effect both a positive (healing) effect and a negative (illness causing) effect.

The positive psychosomatic effect has been recently seen in Asian monks, who can regulate their body's thermal regulation in temperatures that would normally cause death from hypothermia. Other such effects can be seen in endurance atheletes and in other ancient skills, like pearl diving. In pearl diving, the diver has the ability to regulate oxygen consumtion, beyond the endurance of the average person. This also allows the diver to reach greater depth in addition to increasing the length of time spent under water.

It is clear, from such psychosomatic effects, that the body is not isolated to simply biochemical functions, or neurochemical influences. An observation that places any influence on biology (along with biochemistry and neurochemistry) beyond genetics. An influence that produces the paradox - does genetics cause the (a) condonition, or does the condition cause genetic change. A paradox that modern science has taken few or no steps to understand - although it is an area worth investigation. Particularly since the increase in drug-resistant diseases.