Nature's Medicines

Book excerpt: What is the mysterious healing power behind the scores of supplements that have been called miracle medicines? Why are many of these supplements so potent? In Nature's Medicines, you'll find information on the most controversial and powerful health supplements on the market, including • Vitamins and minerals: Find out which can prevent arthritis, cancer, and heart disease--and add years to your life. • Nature's herbs: Discover the herbal supplements that boost immunity, relieve stress, remove toxins, and pump up your energy. • Emerging supplements: Find out what you're really getting when you buy highly publicized supplements like bee pollen, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, shark cartilage, and more. How effective are they? What have researchers discovered about how they work? You'll also find exact recommendations from M.D.'s, alternative practitioners, and herbalists, such as: • The new memory aid: a Chinese herb that "can help protect your brain from damage due to aging, heart disease, or toxins." • The new cure for high cholesterol: an herb that can "lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, raise HDL levels, and promote weight loss." • The new pain medicine: a natural anti-inflammatory that "acts like a home-style ibuprofen." • The new arthritis cure: a supplement that can "slow the loss of cartilage by pumping more cartilage-generating nutrients into the body." And much more--in all, more than 95 supplements to prevent or cure common diseases and health conditions.