Prescription for Nutritional Healing by nutritionist Phyllis A. Balch and James F. Balch, M.D., has long been considered one of the most trusted, comprehensive sources on the mind-boggling array of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other dietary supplements now available. Working from the premise that a good diet promotes good health, this third edition of PNH still starts with the basics: consume fresh produce, grains, and lean meats; avoid foods that are processed or high in saturated fat; cook using glass, stainless steel, or iron--never aluminum; and drink filtered water. The authors also stand by their claim that the government-prescribed recommended daily allowances are ridiculously low, and that the book's optimal daily intake for nutrients should be followed instead.

So what's new in the third edition? Along with now-accepted remedies, like zinc and echinacea for the common cold, the Balches also explore many of the newer supplements to hit the market: SAMe (recommended for depression and joint pain), phosphatidyl serine (mental acuity), red yeast rice (cholesterol), and 5-HTP (weight loss, insomnia, depression). You'll also find an expanded chapter on alternative therapies that encompasses Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, along with a hefty section on pain control that offers a grab bag of options such as acupuncture, biofeedback, guided imagery, chiropractic care, and massage.

Still, the bulk of the book remains the more than 250 health conditions--from everyday problems such as insect bites and bad breath to serious diseases including bulimia, cancer, and AIDS--and the nutritional protocols the Balches recommend for treatment. Since any number of supplements can be taken for the same condition, the Balches make sifting through the glut of information a little easier by separating their nutrient recommendations into four categories: essential, very important, important, and helpful. And they take a lot of the guesswork out of buying supplements by listing the brands they know and trust. Once again, the authors have squeezed in an impressive amount of information, including valuable sidebars on topics such as the dangers of aspartame; how to choose a calcium supplement; common heart problems and procedures; cancer risk factors, diagnosis, and treatments; and sports nutrition. This is not relaxing reading, but it's enormously useful. While the material can be dense, the authors still manage to present it in a straightforward manner that's understandable even for readers without a medical degree. --Norine Dworkin


From Library Journal
Written by a medical doctor and a certified nutritional consultant, this comprehensive guide to nutritional, herbal, and complementary therapies discusses natural healing programs for some 300 health conditions. Arranged in alphabetical order, it's a useful ready-reference tool, although it could have benefited from a good bibliography. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Midwest Book Review
This second edition has been expanded to reflect the latest research on drug-free remedies in the field of nutrition: as such it provides an excellent assessment and review of herbal tinctures and diets. From high blood pressure remedies to handling infections, this is packed with practical advice.


Book Description
For more than ten years, people interested in alternative healing and preventive therapies have relied upon this invaluable reference as a guide to improve health through nutrition and supplementation. Now, completely updated and over one-third revised, this third edition of Prescription for Nutritional Healing incorporates the latest information on nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, and their health-promoting effects on hundreds of disorders and diseases.

This book's unique format and accessible style are instantly recognizable. Part One lists and explains the various types of nutrients, natural food supplements, and herbs found in health-food and drugstores; Part Two describes more than 250 common disorders, from acne to yeast infection, arranged conveniently in alphabetical order, and names the supplements that can be used to combat the conditions; Part Three is a guide to alternative remedies and therapies that can be used in conjunction with a nutritional program. In addition, self-diagnostic tests throughout the book offer in-depth coverage of a wide variety of topics.

Updates to this third edition include:
Discussions of newer supplements, including SAMe, MSM, pregnenolone, red yeast rice, inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), colostrum, and emu oil.
Latest research on lesser-known herbal remedies such as cat's claw, saw palmetto, black cohosh, hyssop, boneset, eyebright, squawvine, and Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs.
New information and theories on cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, irritable bowel syndrome, and a host of other chronic diseases currently receiving increased attention from doctors and researchers.

Whether readers are looking for relief from a particular ailment or simply wish to maintain optimum health, this book quickly and easily provides an abundance of information to design a complete nutritional program. The one book that instantly creates a complete health section, Prescription for Nutritional Healing is the standard to which all other books in the category are held.


From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Polla Paras
One has to take this compendium with a grain of salt (which is not ingested). It lists aging as a disorder; menopause as a degenerative disease; and while it wisely advises the elimination of processed foodstuff, it rather recklessly prescribes a mountain of processed, albeit natural, pills, potions and powders. However, used as a guide (and not a prescription as its title boasts), this is a superb repair and maintenance manual for most of what ails humanity internally. From AIDS to yeast infections, from observable chicken pox to the spectral symptoms of depression, it offers valid treatments and cures for bodies gone amok from imbalances and invaders.


About the Author
Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., has been a leading nutritional consultant for more than twenty years. She continues to study nutrition-based therapies, procedures, and treatments in the United States and abroad.
James F. Balch, M.D., is a member of the American Medical Association and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is the author of numerous books, including Ten Natural Remedies That Can Save Your Life.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Prescription for Nutritional Healing has long been the most trusted guide to holistic health. The new and improved third edition includes expanded listings of drug-free cures for everything from allergies to arteriosclerosis, heartburn to hemophilia. But this classic reference for alternative medicine offers more than just a quick fix -- it also provides an in-depth look at the basic elements of health and covers new supplements like SAMe and little-known herbal remedies such as cat's claw.

FROM THE PUBLISHER