A Doctor’s Guide to Alternative Medicine: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why

In the United States alone, more than 38 percent of people use Alternative Medicine to treat and prevent medical issues and more than 50 percent of people have tried Alternative Medicine at some point in their life. But because some people don’t feel their doctors see those methods as legitimate, patients often turn to unreliable sources such as the internet, celebrities, etc. for guidance. With so much misinformation out there, how does anyone know which advice to follow and what actually works? In this book, Dr. Mel Borins answers these questions using the latest scientific research and double-blind studies to educate patients and physicians alike on which alternative treatments work, which don’t, and why. And more importantly, it teaches them how to safely use these alternative treatments, as a reputable source of information to supplement their conventional medicine treatments. Written in clear, accessible language for the layperson while providing citations to full studies for the medical professional, the book covers traditional healing and herbal remedies, physical therapies, psychological therapies, and natural health products--making it perfect for alternative medicine skeptics looking for hard evidence, doctors of conventional medicine seeking to understand why alternative therapies work, and for those open to alternative medicine but who want to understand the benefits and dangers; these include America’s 78 million Baby Boomers who purchase 77 percent of all prescriptions drugs and are seeking ways to treat their health issues without causing more of them.

Mel Borins, MD, a family physician, has been active for more than two decades in training Physicians in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Counseling and Psychotherapy, Stress Management, and Communication. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Borins is a regular contributor to medical journals and a sought-after speaker who has appeared on television and radio across North America. He lives in Toronto, Canada. Visit him at melborins.com