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The People's Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies

Q&As for Your Common Ailments
by Terry Gradeon
Graedon, Joe & Terry Gradeon. The People's Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies: Q&As for Your Common Ailments. National Geographic, dist. by Random. 2011. c.256p. index. ISBN 9781426207112. pap. $16.95. HEALTH
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The Graedons (Joe is a pharmacologist and Terry has a Ph.D. in medical anthropology), well-known radio speakers and authors of more than 14 books (e.g., Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy), offer down-to-earth, inexpensive, practical ways to deal with 62 common ailments, from acne and rosacea to wound care. Ailments are presented with a short description of the problem then a Q&A format list of remedies. These remedies include suggestions or queries from readers and listeners, e.g., raw onion for bug bites and stings or pickle juice for hiccups. As the Graedons note, many of the remedies have no scientific support, but where available they list the publication. The favorite-food section focuses on 24 foods found to be especially beneficial in illness prevention and health maintenance. Sidebars list health-promoting foods.
VERDICT Very readable as well as entertaining, this is a great resource for those interested in home remedies for everyday woes. This book, however, is not as comprehensive as The Complete German Commission E Monographs or the PDR for Nonprescription Drugs, Dietary Supplements, and Herbs.
Reviewed by Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn. , May 15, 2011
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