The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine [Hardcover]

William Collinge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1996

A Harvard-educated doctor offers insight into, and critical assessment of, the nine predominant traditions in alternative medicine: allopathy, naturopathy, Ayurveda, homeopathy, Oriental medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, ""body therapies"" and behavioral medicine.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A balanced view and comprehensive scope distinguish this guide to eight leading alternative health care approaches: traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda (Hindu healing), homeopathy, naturopathy, mind/body medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic and massage therapy, or body work. For each, Collinge, the clinical supervisor of a California cancer support center that utilizes mind/body therapy, adeptly explains the underlying principles, describes the techniques employed and highlights the available scientific studies. He also poses and answers a series of questions on each method's strengths and weaknesses, its cost, how it relates to other forms of medicine, what to expect from the practitioner-patient relationship and how to go about choosing a practitioner, e.g., what training and credentials to look for. Concise case studies of patients who have had success with the methods are interspersed throughout. While demonstrating a distinctly positive attitude toward each of these alternative approaches, Collinge does not denigrate the practice of Western medicine, a stance that lends even more authority to this solidly informative compendium, which includes an extensive bibliography. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

As traditional healthcare costs increase, more people are turning to alternative medical therapies. Until recently, however, patients were pretty much left to themselves to research the variety of alternatives available to them. Here, a clinical supervisor at the Cancer Support and Education Center in Menlo Park, California, broadly defines major (perhaps even mainstream) practices such as Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, chiropractic, and massage therapies, among others. Each chapter outlines major principles, procedures, scientific support and test data, and contact information for practitioners and support groups. As a low-cost, circulating overview, this guide is an adequate choice; however, libraries looking for a more comprehensive reference guide might consider the Burton Goldberg Group's Alternative Medicine (LJ 5/1/94).?Jeffery Ingram, Newport P.L., Ore.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Mysterious Pr; 1ST edition (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446518174
• ISBN-13: 978-0446518178
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,114,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MyShelf.com Book Reviewer, October 15, 2002

By 

Suzie Housley (Oak Ridge, Tn United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine (Paperback)

Each year, millions of consumers visit their family physician. Often this experience leaves them with frustration, fear, and unanswered questions. Their dissatisfaction has led many to seek out other forms of health care.

Alternative medicine has been practiced for centuries - and today its acceptance is skyrocketing. The use of alternative medicine allows the consumer the freedom to choose what type of health care they feel would help benefit their illness. They can become experts by reading a book, surfing the Internet, or attending a local seminar.

In THE AMERICAN HOLISTIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, readers will discover a more in-depth look at the various alternative therapies of Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, mind/body medicine, osteopathic medicine, chiropractor, massage therapy, and bodywork.

One of the key elements of this book that I found so fascinating was the use of true-to-life success stories of people who had tried one of these time old methods and found it cured or helped with what ailed them. It even gave me the opportunity to learn the benefits and the cost of each one of the treatments. This book has been a wonderful resource in helping me write my college thesis paper. I feel anyone who is looking for a better understanding of any or all of these alternative therapies will not find a more informative book.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough yet very accessible guide to alternative medicines., April 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine (Hardcover)

Collinge takes the "hoodoo" out of alternative medicines and provides a very clear and practical guide to the various treatments. His inclusion of case studies is particularly effective in demonstrating what one could expect from a form of treatment. A very worthwhile reference for anyone concerned about health

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Holistic Health, but Allopathic in nature, October 2, 2006

By 

R. Gangi "1america" (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine (Paperback)

A good book to use as a basic reference for those who believe holistic health is voo-doo or scary, but still a book that calls on the medical profession to define courses they don't understand. A better book on holistic health, and the combined approach of body, mind, and spirit, is "Forget The Cures, Find The Cause," which takes the reader through modalities in the alternative health field, but also incorporates the mind and spirit.