Very amusing post. "Eat whole foods or the puppy gets it."
I also find the power of the human mind to be amazing and undervalued in the healing process, but at the same time it is very important to take alternative medicines with a grain of salt.
One company was selling a supplement as an "alternative" cure for erectile dysfunction. It had levels of Selenium that were toxic if taken daily, and despite the side effects (dizziness and hair-loss(!)) men kept taking the supplement. I'm not trying to get anyone to stop seeing their acupuncturist or naturopath or whatever, but it is important that if you are relying on the placebo effect that what you are putting in your body is as inert as a sugar pill... or at least isn't toxic.