You can cure the blues with an herb, and stop back pain by changing your diet. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, a look at alternative health care -- St. John's Wort, foods that fight pain, and other prescriptions for good health. Also, the case of a midwife on trial.
The Codex Alimentarius is an organization that sets guidelines for the international regulation of nutritional supplements like herbs and vitamins. Family physician and homeopath Mitch Fleisher tells Judith Strasser that the pharmaceutical industry wants to influence Codex rulings to control the market and increase their profits, and cites several examples from Europe. Also, Fleisher explains under what circumstances he chooses traditional Western medical practices, and when he's open to using alternatives.SEGMENT 2:
Norman Rosenthal wrote the definitive book on season affective disorder — "Winter Blues." Now he's back with "St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feel Good." He tells Jim Fleming that there are now dozens of scientific studies that document the plant's efficacy; shares some examples from his own practice; and talks about the appropriate role of self-treatment in cases of mild depression. Rosenthal is a senior researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health and a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University. Also, Neal Barnard is president of the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine and editor-in-chief of "Good Medicine." His book is called "Food That Fight Pain." Barnard tells Steve Paulson why your back pain might be related to your diet!SEGMENT 3:
Novelist Chris Bohjalian talks with Judith Strasser about his book "Midwives." He says the book concerns the dilemma faced by an experienced midwife when she takes drastic action to save a baby, and that he was tremendously impressed with the skill and shrewdness of the midwives he met while researching the book.Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 98-10-11-B.
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