The "Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine" details dozens of natural therapies that have worked safely in treating 20 common health conditions. You may be surprised that Mayo Clinic now urges you and your doctor to consider yoga, garlic, acupuncture, dietary supplements and other natural therapies. Yet the record is clear: Many of these alternative therapies can help you achieve reduced arthritis pain, healthier coronary arteries, improved diabetes management, better memory function and much more.

Book highlights

• Explore herbs and dietary supplements. See which herbs and dietary supplements get a green light for treating particular conditions, and which ones should give you pause.


• Energy therapies. Get an understanding about the evidence behind the benefits of acupuncture, magnetic therapy and healing touch.


• Side-by-side comparisons. Compare conventional treatments with alternative treatments for 20 common conditions, including arthritis, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, hay fever and the common cold.


• Arthritis pain relief. Explore alternative pain relievers — some effective, others more questionable — for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.


• Mental performance. Get an analysis of available evidence on the short-term use of ginseng in boosting your thinking and learning.


• Hot flash relief. See what the research says about black cohosh in improving menopausal symptoms.


• Mind-body medicine. Get Mayo Clinic's take on everything from biofeedback and hypnosis to music therapy and meditation.