The American Holistic Health Association Complete Guide to Alternative Medicine

Starred review from January 1, 1996
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.

November 1, 1995
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.

December 15, 1995
Collinge 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. ((Reviewed December 15, 1995))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1995, American Library Association.)