The Alternative: Your Family's Guide to Wellness

"The Alternative: Your Family's Guide to Wellness" by Elena Upton
Fifth Element Press (2019) 2nd Edition
3.5 / 5

"The Alternative: Your Family's Guide to Wellness" is a book by Elena Upton, Ph.D., a classically trained Homeopath. It contains the usual disclaimers for health-related books. The type-face that's been used seems particularly small and at times was difficult to read, but there is plenty of white-space, so that does help.

The first few chapters of the book focus on the history and implementation of natural medicine and some of its different disciplines. Of particular interest is "How Did We Get Here?" which deals with the 1908 report by Abraham Flexner, commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation to study medical schools in the show more United States. It's alleged that, within a few years of its publication, the recommendations of the report were responsible for the demise of not only most of the medical schools in the U.S. (those that weren't affiliated with a University), but also most of the alternative medicine options. Also mentioned is the "Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973" which made health care in this country a for-profit enterprise.

While the book centers on homeopathy, there is some introductory information about Chinese medicine and acupuncture, naturopathy, and chiropractic and osteopathic processes. Most of the book is dedicated to setting forth the causes and symptoms of common maladies and injuries and the homeopathic remedies for them, but some of the entries include other types of treatment possibilities.

This is a great book for Inquiring Minds that Want to Know more about natural medicine, why it isn't currently at the forefront of medical care in the U.S. like it is in the rest of the world, and some examples of how to implement it. But this book will also work for someone who already has an interest in homeopathy or other healing arts. There are actual remedy dosages listed in this book. I've read a lot of herbals and other books of natural and alternative medicine, and it's refreshing to find this information actually put forth. It has to do with the nature of homeopathic remedies themselves -- there's pretty much no way you can hurt yourself with them and that's the crux of the controversy.

I don't know that homeopathy will every be my go-to medical route, but there's a lot of information in this book that's still useful and relatable. I'm very happy to have this book in my library. show less

The Alternative is a wonderful book to have on your library shelf for those times when you are in need of non emergency medical help. While there are some items mentioned in the book that I can't readily get, where I live, the wide birth of knowledge found within the pages of this book is invaluable. This will definitely be one of my go to books that is within easy reach. Since receiving this book I have on more than one occasion referenced it and found help. I was given this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the purpose of my honest review.

This encyclopedic volume covers a variety of natural, physical, and homeopathic ways to treat both first-aid situations and common conditions. It's written in plain language and covers conditions from bruising to diarrhea to tonsillitis. Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Chiropractic, and Osteopathy are all discussed as well as a few newer treatment areas: Cell Salt Therapy, Gemmotherapy (aka Plant Stem Cell Therapy), and Phenolic Therapy.

A great addition to folks' libraries if they are interested in Chinese Medicine, Herbs, Homeopathy, etc.