Physicians can use this fact-filled second edition to advise patients in their quest to learn about proper use of supplements and functional foods. Now updated and including new information on functional foods.

"Physicians Desk Reference(" presents this essential guide to the exciting new world of designer foods and nutraceuticals that offers information on supplements for everything from baldness to kidney disease. This guide presents information on the biochemical makeup and healing properties of each supplement, side effects, other dangers, and much more.

Integration of complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM) with conventional medicine is occurring in hospitals and physicians offices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are covering CAM therapies, insurance coverage for CAM is increasing, and integrative medicine centers and clinics are being established, many with close ties to medical schools and teaching hospitals. In determining what care to provide, the goal should be comprehensive care that uses the best scientific evidence available regarding benefits and harm, encourages a focus on healing, recognizes the importance of compassion and caring, emphasizes the centrality of relationship-based care, encourages patients to share in decision making about therapeutic options, and promotes choices in care that can include complementary therapies where appropriate. Numerous approaches to delivering integrative medicine have evolved. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States identifies an urgent need for health systems research that focuses on identifying the elements of these models, the outcomes of care delivered in these models, and whether these models are cost-effective when compared to conventional practice settings. It outlines areas of research in convention and CAM therapies, ways of integrating these therapies, development of curriculum that provides further education to health professionals, and an amendment of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act to improve quality, accurate labeling, research into use of supplements, incentives for privately funded research into their efficacy, and consumer protection against all potential hazards.

Mainstream medicine's first guide to safe and effective modes of alternative healing The world of natural and alternative medicine offers an amazing array of effective, inexpensive, but still controversial health-care choices. Now in this milestone book, America's most trusted provider of medical information, the Physicians' Desk Reference®, cuts through the controversy and tells you what you need to know about your healing options. - Which widely available herbs, vitamins, and minerals act like potent prescription medication - Fifty alternative therapy options--how they work, what they strive for, and potential side effects - Self-help techniques to stave off--and even reverse--chronic problems and disease - The latest findings on acupuncture, aromatherapy, chiropractic adjustment, homeopathy, and much more - How certain natural remedies interact with conventional drugs - Easy-to-use indexes that will enable you to find treatment options for hundreds of ailments, identify the most effective herbal remedies, and research natural medicines by both common and Latin names - A sixteen-page herb identification portfolio featuring more than one hundred medicinal herbs, photographed in full color

This greatly expanded and revised edition contains more than 1,000 entries, covering everything from common everyday foods to the latest in genetic research--and beyond. Each substance's properties are objectively described based on the latest scientific evidence. Included are substances that not only claim to improve thinking and other brain functions, but those that are thought to help prevent brain damage and degeneration, prevent aging and extend the human lifespan, enhance social skills and moral behavior, induce altered states of consciousness, and improve mood, stamina, and energy.

"Recent scientific research has shown that nutraceuticals - which include everything from supplements and herbs to vitamins and healing foods - offer an effective, safe alternative to traditional prescription drugs and are a great way to maintain or improve your health. In this comprehensive, authoritative guide, Dr. Arthur J. Roberts, Dr. Mary E. O'Brien, and Genell Subak-Sharpe combine the wisdom of conventional and alternative medicine to help you choose the nutraceuticals best suited to your individual needs. Based on solid scientific evidence, the wealth of information contained in this book is organized by nutraceutical as well as by medical condition."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This comprehensive reference contains the information families need to use vitamins, minerals and herbs wisely, whether they are interested in maintaining good health, coping with everyday complaints, or dealing with serious diseases. 300 color photos, illustrations & charts.

The rapidly expanding world of nutrition, functional foods and nutraceuticals, is increasingly complex. This Guide to Nutritional Supplements provides a concise and complete reference to the most common nutritionally significant elements. Including dietary guidelines, intake measurements and other contextual information, this Guide is the ideal reference for nutritionsts and dieticians facing an increasing public awareness of supplements and who many be augmenting their diets with OTC supplements. - Focused on the nutritional values, impacts and interactions of supplements - Provides a science-based approach to determining the appropriate selection and application of supplements for improved diet and nutrition

New, Expanded, Improved, Comprehensive Building on its best–selling predecessors, the PDR for Herbal Medicines, Third Edition has left no resource unturned to bring together the latest scientific data in the most comprehensive herbal reference compiled. The third edition goes far beyond the original source, adding a new section on Nutritional Supplements and new information aimed at greatly enhancing patient management by medical practitioners. All monographs have been updated to include recent scientific findings on efficacy, safety and potential interactions; clinical trials (including abstracts); case reports; and meta–analysis results. This new information has resulted in greatly expanded Effects, Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions, and Dosage sections of each monograph.