Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 368 pages
- Published by: Ballantine Books
- Edition: 1st Edition December 8, 1997
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0449000745
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0449000748
-
Book Dimensions:
8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
- Weighs: 12.2 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
For those curious, confused or downright leery about alternative medicine, the open-minded, plainspoken Rosenfeld, (Doctor, What Should I Eat?) offers some sound information. After a brief explanation of placebos and some principles of quack detection, he considers over thirty alternative therapies, arranged alphabetically from acupuncture to
Reflexology. Rosenfeld treats each therapy seriously, yet with a touch of humor, providing a short history, an explanation of how the method is supposed to work, relevant scientific research on its effectiveness for various conditions and, in some cases, an address or phone number for further information. Each chapter ends with an evaluation of the therapy. Occasionally, these are less than helpful. On homeopathy, for instance, Rosenfeld simply advises: "decide for yourself." Nevertheless, when sufficient evidence for a definitive yes or no concerning a technique's efficacy does not exist, Rosenfeld generally offers a carefully considered opinion, and, mindful of the Hippocratic oath's dictum to "first do no harm," he consistently emphasizes safety. 13-city author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
A best-selling author (Doctor, What Should I Eat?, LJ 1/95) and distinguished professor of clinical medicine, Rosenfeld offers a mainstream medical perspective on thirty major alternative therapies (Chinese, Ayurveda, bee venom, oxygen, mind-body, etc.), describing circumstances where choosing the therapy is and isn't warranted. His conclusions and recommendations are based on personal clinical experiences, scientific research, and literature review. While supportive of bridging the gap between traditional and "holistic" healthcare, Rosenfeld warns against reckless claims in chapters on "The Lure of the Cure" and "How To Spot a Quack." He takes on topics like chelation,
Reflexology, and hypnosis, telling readers what is safe, what is useless, and what requirements further investigation. Writing in a tongue-in-cheek style that is entertaining yet informative, Rosenfeld has produced an great resource backed by professional expertise. For all consumer health collections.
-?Rebecca Cress-Ingebo, Fordham Health Sciences Lib., Wright State Univ., Dayton, OhioCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader ReviewsDr. Rosenfeld, despite his grandfatherly appearance on the cover of this book, has a sharp wit which often degenerates to outright sarcasm in the course of this work. I did find Dr. Rosenfeld's review of "traditional" scientific studies that have been conducted around alternative medical theories informative. His emphasis on the double-blind, placebo study does have its limitations, however, and like many traditional Western doctors, Dr. Rosenfeld considers "anecdotal evidence" to be of significantly less scientific relevance because of its inability to take into account the numerous additional variables encountered. Even those therapies without Western science to back them up get reviewed by the author and he makes a point of saying, even if he completely discounts any theory behind the methodology, what possible dangers a therapy might hold for people with various conditions or whether the therapy really isn't capable of hurting anyone if they really want to try it. The most disturbing and off-putting element of this book is Dr. Rosenfeld's "humor" laced throughout the book. While bad puns like the chapter title "High Colonics and Coffee Enemas: Public Enema Number One" could possibly be ignored, episodes like the section on Ayurvedic medicine in which the author makes fun of the "tongue-twisting" Hindi words for the various doshas by comparing them to "something from a Danny Kaye movie" cannot. I found that while Dr. Rosenfeld was obviously trying to include in his information on each therapy anything that could possibly be construed as dangerous for a patient seeking help, he ended up including very outdated information that I doubt is seriously practiced any longer (like smearing individuals with goat dung to treat alcoholism Ayurvedically which the author admits probably isn't done at all currently but he still makes a point of mentioning it). If Dr. Rosenfeld had left out his "humor" the book would be much easier to read and the book would reflect the balance that is inherent within it. This balance is often obscured by his "wit" unfortunately.
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