Book Review: The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Alternative Medicine. The Official Guide to Alternative Medicine is Dr. Z, Peter Zeischegg. nAlternative Medicine consists of the therapeutic and preventative health care practices that do not involve drugs, but rather herbal and mental variations of medical treatment. Dr. Z has identified The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine by William Collinge as a valuable resource for people interested in Alternative Medicine and it is avaialble through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.nnPublishers WeeklynA 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. nnLibrary JournalnCombining well-referenced scientific evidence with case reports, Collinge, a clinical supervisor at a cancer support center that uses mind-body therapy, explores the efficacy of eight types of healing systems: Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, mind/body, osteopathy, chiropractic, and massage/body work. Arguing that "no single tradition has all the answers," he emphasizes the growing importance of integrative medicine. nnFrom BooklistnCollinge describes the key principles, strengths and limitations, and costs of, and advises on choosing a practitioner for, eight types of alternative medicine: Chinese, Ayurveda, naturopathy, homeopathy, mind-body, osteopathy, chiropractic, and massage therapy and bodywork. The role of nutrition figures extensively in several of the eight, and Collinge is also informative on the varieties and the major groupings within each type (he does, however, overlook the National Association of Chiropractic Medicine). The text includes many brief case histories and reports pertinent studies funded by the new Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. Pointing out that "clearly no single tradition has all the answers," Collinge stresses the growing importance of integrative medicine. Many libraries will want to add his overview to reference as well as circulating collections. nn