The Medical Advisor: The Complete Guide to Alternative & Conventional Treatments - Hardcover

Time-Life's entry into the health care field is carefully planned, handsomely executed and basically quite conservative in approach. Its board of consultants includes such luminaries as Harvard's Herbert Benson, pioneer of mind/body medicine, as well as board-certified specialists in conventional fields and hands-on practitioners of such alternative therapies as chiropractic, yoga, acupressure, aromatherapy, homeopathy and herbal medicine. In the alphabetically arranged section, "Ailments and Options," which lists some 300 symptoms and ailments, readers can quickly find treatments for problems as vague as Aches and Pains, as minor as Swimmer's Ear, or as serious as Stomach Cancer. Causes and prevention are discussed, and appropriate therapies are described, with conventional medical treatment presented first and in greatest detail. Care is taken to differentiate between cures and palliative measures, and highlighted warnings signal when to call a doctor and when to beware of quacks, a helpful feature regarding such chronic conditions as arthritis, often a magnet for quacks. A first-aid manual, a catalogue of conventional and natural medicines, a visual diagnostic guide and an atlas of the body round out the text. With scope so broad, the book's inevitable drawback is its lack of depth. Nevertheless, this is an effective introduction to the world of alternative therapies, affording a safe first step for readers who want to move cautiously into areas of nontraditional healing. 250,000 first printing.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is a unique, complete, all-purpose guide to the new age of healthcare, from ancient healing practices to modern medical alternatives. The alternative therapies covered are acupressure, acupuncture, aromatherapy, ayurvedic medicine, body work (massage), chiropractic, herbal therapies (including Chinese herbs), homeopathy, lifestyle (exercise), mind/body therapy such as mediation, nutrition/diet, and osteopathy. The main body is an 800-page alphabetical section devoted to describing over 200 ailments and conditions, with symptoms, causes, prevention, and the various conventional and alternative forms of treatment. In addition, there are descriptions of how conventional medicine and alternative therapies work, general guidelines to health, emergency first aid information, an index of conventional and natural medicines (including hundreds of herbs and homeopathic remedies), a nutrition guide, a directory of health organizations, and a glossary, bibliography, and detailed general index. Illustrated sections cover a visual diagnostic guide, an anatomical atlas, a map of acupressure points, a foot reflexology chart, and a gallery of acupressure techniques and yoga positions. Highly recommended, particularly for small libraries with limited funds seeking to update their health reference section with one purchase.?Valerie Vaughan, Hatfield P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.