The Sunday Times

I first tried Electro-Crystal therapy - where the body is rebalanced by pulsing it with electromagnetic waves fed through coloured crystals - two years ago on a friend's recommendation. At the time I did not fully understand how the treatment worked. But after three 30-minute sessions, not only did my husband proclaim that I looked a picture of calm instead of my usual frantic self, I also enjoyed a blissful 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Having spent the past 18 months glued to my computer writing a book and working long hours on my new television show, my brain seems to have slipped into overdrive recently, and a good night's sleep has become a distant memory.

Recalling how electro-crystal therapy had helped my insomnia, I booked myself in for an appointment with Mark Lester, who runs a practice in Finchley, north London.

Lester originally trained in osteopathy before his one-year course at the School of Electro Crystal Therapy, in Middlesex, where he studied the alternative treatment. It was invented in 1983 by Harry Oldfield, a biologist and physicist, and is now used by practitioners in Israel, Canada, Australia, India and Greece.

Lester has introduced a high-tech approach to healing with frequencies, and diagnoses problems through sophisticated colour readings. Before deciding which frequencies would be most beneficial for my body and mind, he photographed my energy field. While I held my tummy in for all I was worth, he used a special digital video camera linked to a computer to take pictures of the energy emitted by my head, torso, back and legs. Within seconds, I was able to see my energy field in glorious colour on his computer screen.

Lester explained that the average human energy field extends about 6ft from the body - and from the colours in a person's field he can clearly see areas of stress, congestion and pain, and even detect the negative energy around tumours. He said: "Every cell or groups of cells, such as the liver, thyroid, intestines or injury sites, emit frequencies that show up on the photographs. Problem areas are clearly denoted by large, bright-red blotches, whereas long, thin red, green, blue or yellow lines denote that energy is running smoothly through the body. Problems usually arise when energy becomes trapped - then disease and pain can result." But what does the medical profession think of such claims? Professor John Garrow of HealthWatch, a charity providing health information, is sceptical, and suggests medical trials would be beneficial. "I do not believe the claims made for electro-crystal therapy - for example, that it can detect tumours by the negative energy around them," he said.

Lester, however, is convinced the therapy works. He explained: "Once I can see problem areas from my images, I am able to pulse the appropriate healthy electrical frequencies back into my patients. It's a bit like tuning a piano: I am encouraging the electrical components within the cells to play the right tunes, which encourages the body to heal itself."

In my case, Lester pointed out areas of red around my neck and face, especially the right side of my mouth, saying these clearly showed trapped, overexcited areas of energy and stress, which he said must be painful. As I recently underwent surgery on my neck to remove painful scar tissue from an old operation site, and have also had a considerable amount of dental work on the right side of my mouth, this was correct. Apparently, a healthy throat area should be blue.

My chest area was bright green, which denotes that my heart and lung areas are strong and vibrant. Unfortunately, my digestive system came in for some criticism when he pointed out large peachy-red patches over the area of my liver and descending colon, which denoted a sluggish liver. It has caused problems ever since I contracted hepatitis in India more than 20 years ago, which is why I no longer drink alcohol and need to watch my fat intake. However, I do enjoy the occasional treat, and the congestion in my colon was undoubtedly caused by the double helping of apple pie I had eaten two days earlier. How could Lester help?

"First, I am going to place a blue crystal-filled electrode [see picture, left] around your neck area, which is emitting the most negative energies, and pulse balancing frequencies into the area to reduce the discomfort."

For my sluggish liver, he placed a second electrode over the liver area and pulsed stimulating frequencies to strengthen its function. Into my colon area he pulsed calming frequencies to reduce any inflammation. Last but not least, calming alpha waves were pulsed into my brow area to deal with my overexcited brain. I couldn't feel a thing, but I became aware that my brain was slowing down and after 15 minutes I was fast asleep.

As I was leaving, I met Lester's next patient, Debbie Green, from Edgware in Middlesex. At 38, Green began suffering chronic back pain, which she linked to a job that had entailed heavy lifting for almost 20 years. As time passed, her condition deteriorated until she was in constant pain 24 hours a day and was forced to stop work. X-rays showed severe deterioration in her spine, which was riddled with arthritis. Six years ago, her specialist told her there was no hope, no treatment and that she would need to spend the rest of her life on painkillers.

Last year, Green heard Lester presenting a lecture and decided to try electro-crystal therapy. He pulsed Debbie's spine with stimulating frequencies to encourage her tissues, cartilage and bone to regenerate. After eight treatments she was sufficiently free from pain to enable her to take a job as a taxi driver. Today, she sees Lester for the "odd top-up" and says she is completely free from pain.

Lester says this therapy has proved beneficial for conditions ranging from chronic fatigue to back and neck pain. It's crystal clear to those who've experienced improved health that the therapy has the power to heal.

Copyright 2000 Times Newspapers Ltd

Therapies are available under the supervision of Mark G. Lester from: