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The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine
Natural solutions for living a clean and healthy lifeHealth consciousness is an area of transformational and unprecedented growth in the North American public today. More and more people are seeking alternative solutions to conventional medical practices. For many, a natural approach to healing everything from common ailments to serious diseases is preferable when compared to the invasive medical procedures and prescription drugs that abound.Sherry Torkos, one of Canada€™s leading pharmacists is widely regarded for her knowledge of complementary medicine. Her latest book, The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Cures, is the definitive source for alternative health care for Canadians; it is totally comprehensive and easy-tofollow, providing natural cures for everyday problems such as insect bites and muscle aches, as well as for serious chronic disorders such as osteoporosis, Parkinson€™s disease, and diabetes. Torkos emphasizes the role of lifestyle, nutrition
- GenresHealthNonfiction
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 11, 2012
Run don't walk away from the advice in this terrible book!
The title of this book is misleading. This is not a book about genuine natural cures and treating the causes of disease. It is actually a book written by a (probably very nice) pharmacist and aimed at people that are still big believers in taking multiple drugs to treat medical conditions or even high cholesterol but who would also like to maybe dip one of their toes...in a tiny way...into the world of basic nutritional supplements at very low doses.
The information in this book is very similar to what is repeated in the 'mind and body' sections of newspapers and online in so many superficial and ill-informed health websites. It is all stuff you have heard before and not in the least a challenging of the status quo. It's pointless and also harmful because of all the good information and research it omits.
Much of the information in the book is also not just outdated but incorrect. Anyone that has read even a few good quality books on orthomolecular medicine and nutrition by real experts in these fields will find an eyebrow raising 'fact' every page or two of this book.
A few examples:
It is recommended in this book that tofu and margarine be eaten to help reduce cholesterol levels and to improve health.
The saturated fat = heart disease myths are repeated in this book, egg white omelettes and throwing away egg yolks is recommended (always a sign of a lack of the most basic nutritional knowledge), and it recommends statin drug to lower (evil, evil) cholesterol with no warning given at all to take CoQ10 or other nutrients with them at least, to lower the risk of serious side effects.
As books like 'The Whole Soy Story' have explained, soy should be eaten only in the traditionally fermented forms (tempeh, natto, miso) and only in very small amounts, if at all. The facts on soy are shocking. Not only are the many health claims made about soy extremely dubious, there are many serious concerns about its safety as a food. Soy is hardly the health food it is promoted to be by the soy industry and in the highly processed form it is almost always eaten in, it is not very 'natural' either, and should not be considered a 'whole food.'
For fact-based information on saturated fat and cholesterol and why they are both good for you check out books like 'The Great Cholesterol Con' and ''The Cholesterol Myths' and 'Know Your Fats' by lipid expert Mary Enig PhD, and so on.
This book recommends only 1000 IU of vitamin D daily even for people with MS. This is not even close to an amount useful for an average person let alone an MS patient who may need 5 to 10 times this amount or more. This book also nowhere recommends getting vitamin D levels tested, which is so essential in MS and also for anyone battling serious disease. Just taking a tiny 1000 IU of vitamin D a day is unlikely to benefit anyone at all. This is bad advice.
B vitamins are recommended in tiny amounts such as just 20 mg a day. This is just nowhere near enough for many people.
This book recommends fluoride tablets for dental health. It also lists foods such as brown rice/pasta and multigrain bread as good choices for weight loss because they are low GI. The fact that once these foods are eaten they have the exact same effect on blood sugar etc. as eating pure sugar is ignored. People with hypoglycemia are recommended to eat lots of grains and to avoid healthy fats such as in meats and eggs. A diet with fat as a percentage of daily calories as low as 20% is recommended as ideal, despite the fact this is nowhere near high enough and would give far too much carbohydrate for many people to cope with, let alone someone that is overweight or hypoglycemic!
People with PCOS are reccommended to eat a low meat and fat diet and lots of 'healthy' whole grains. But eating a high carb diet makes the hyperinsulinism of PCOS so much worse and it can be controlled with diet so easily. This book repeats many of the same old harmful diet myths that have led to so many of us gaining weight or even becoming ill.
This book recommends taking 1 - 1.5 grams of calcium a day, an amount that several genuine nutrition experts have referred to as 'madness.' At most only a paltry 320 mg of magnesium is recommended to be taken with all this calcium, despite the fact that these two minerals must always be taken in balance with each other. To omit such a basic fact says a lot about the credibility of this book. In several parts of the book these stupidly high recommendations for calcium are given and magnesium isn't mentioned at all. This is dangerous! Many of us are low in magnesium and taking high calcium lowers magnesium further. Taking high levels of calcium can increase risk for cardiac problems and calcification of the body including the heart. See books on magnesium by Dr Carolyn Dean and others for more information on this.
Vitamin E is recommended in a dose of 1000 - 2000 IU but nowhere is it even mentioned that it is vital to take all 8 forms of vitamin E and not just alpha tocopherol. Taking this high a dose of one type of E is not a good idea.
Drugs are recommended for IBS patients in order to stop diarrhea. But very often the reason there are loose stools is because the body is trying to get something harmful out of its system quickly - as happens in celiac disease when wheat is eaten. So this is terrible advice and could cause real harm.
The elimination diet foods list in this book is also one of the worst I have ever seen, it is just full of foods likely to be poorly tolerated. The section on detoxification is also dismal.
Mostly this book just recommends and talks about lots of drugs and then recommends small amounts of nutrients to be taken with them. The same amount you might get in any multivitamin, or less than that, very often. There is no insight or depth of research whatsoever.
There are so many wonderful books out there on the topic of nutrition and vitamins and minerals. They deserve to be widely read.
If you want real information on nutrition or supplements get a book by a real expert in this field. Someone that has done more than a few hours of reading on the topic and has years of experience. Look for potentially-life-changing books by Nora Gedgaudes, Dr Sherry Rogers, Dr Abram Hoffer, Dr Thomas Levy and others and ignore this poor quality if well-meaning book.
Jodi Bassett, The Humnmingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME)
The title of this book is misleading. This is not a book about genuine natural cures and treating the causes of disease. It is actually a book written by a (probably very nice) pharmacist and aimed at people that are still big believers in taking multiple drugs to treat medical conditions or even high cholesterol but who would also like to maybe dip one of their toes...in a tiny way...into the world of basic nutritional supplements at very low doses.
The information in this book is very similar to what is repeated in the 'mind and body' sections of newspapers and online in so many superficial and ill-informed health websites. It is all stuff you have heard before and not in the least a challenging of the status quo. It's pointless and also harmful because of all the good information and research it omits.
Much of the information in the book is also not just outdated but incorrect. Anyone that has read even a few good quality books on orthomolecular medicine and nutrition by real experts in these fields will find an eyebrow raising 'fact' every page or two of this book.
A few examples:
It is recommended in this book that tofu and margarine be eaten to help reduce cholesterol levels and to improve health.
The saturated fat = heart disease myths are repeated in this book, egg white omelettes and throwing away egg yolks is recommended (always a sign of a lack of the most basic nutritional knowledge), and it recommends statin drug to lower (evil, evil) cholesterol with no warning given at all to take CoQ10 or other nutrients with them at least, to lower the risk of serious side effects.
As books like 'The Whole Soy Story' have explained, soy should be eaten only in the traditionally fermented forms (tempeh, natto, miso) and only in very small amounts, if at all. The facts on soy are shocking. Not only are the many health claims made about soy extremely dubious, there are many serious concerns about its safety as a food. Soy is hardly the health food it is promoted to be by the soy industry and in the highly processed form it is almost always eaten in, it is not very 'natural' either, and should not be considered a 'whole food.'
For fact-based information on saturated fat and cholesterol and why they are both good for you check out books like 'The Great Cholesterol Con' and ''The Cholesterol Myths' and 'Know Your Fats' by lipid expert Mary Enig PhD, and so on.
This book recommends only 1000 IU of vitamin D daily even for people with MS. This is not even close to an amount useful for an average person let alone an MS patient who may need 5 to 10 times this amount or more. This book also nowhere recommends getting vitamin D levels tested, which is so essential in MS and also for anyone battling serious disease. Just taking a tiny 1000 IU of vitamin D a day is unlikely to benefit anyone at all. This is bad advice.
B vitamins are recommended in tiny amounts such as just 20 mg a day. This is just nowhere near enough for many people.
This book recommends fluoride tablets for dental health. It also lists foods such as brown rice/pasta and multigrain bread as good choices for weight loss because they are low GI. The fact that once these foods are eaten they have the exact same effect on blood sugar etc. as eating pure sugar is ignored. People with hypoglycemia are recommended to eat lots of grains and to avoid healthy fats such as in meats and eggs. A diet with fat as a percentage of daily calories as low as 20% is recommended as ideal, despite the fact this is nowhere near high enough and would give far too much carbohydrate for many people to cope with, let alone someone that is overweight or hypoglycemic!
People with PCOS are reccommended to eat a low meat and fat diet and lots of 'healthy' whole grains. But eating a high carb diet makes the hyperinsulinism of PCOS so much worse and it can be controlled with diet so easily. This book repeats many of the same old harmful diet myths that have led to so many of us gaining weight or even becoming ill.
This book recommends taking 1 - 1.5 grams of calcium a day, an amount that several genuine nutrition experts have referred to as 'madness.' At most only a paltry 320 mg of magnesium is recommended to be taken with all this calcium, despite the fact that these two minerals must always be taken in balance with each other. To omit such a basic fact says a lot about the credibility of this book. In several parts of the book these stupidly high recommendations for calcium are given and magnesium isn't mentioned at all. This is dangerous! Many of us are low in magnesium and taking high calcium lowers magnesium further. Taking high levels of calcium can increase risk for cardiac problems and calcification of the body including the heart. See books on magnesium by Dr Carolyn Dean and others for more information on this.
Vitamin E is recommended in a dose of 1000 - 2000 IU but nowhere is it even mentioned that it is vital to take all 8 forms of vitamin E and not just alpha tocopherol. Taking this high a dose of one type of E is not a good idea.
Drugs are recommended for IBS patients in order to stop diarrhea. But very often the reason there are loose stools is because the body is trying to get something harmful out of its system quickly - as happens in celiac disease when wheat is eaten. So this is terrible advice and could cause real harm.
The elimination diet foods list in this book is also one of the worst I have ever seen, it is just full of foods likely to be poorly tolerated. The section on detoxification is also dismal.
Mostly this book just recommends and talks about lots of drugs and then recommends small amounts of nutrients to be taken with them. The same amount you might get in any multivitamin, or less than that, very often. There is no insight or depth of research whatsoever.
There are so many wonderful books out there on the topic of nutrition and vitamins and minerals. They deserve to be widely read.
If you want real information on nutrition or supplements get a book by a real expert in this field. Someone that has done more than a few hours of reading on the topic and has years of experience. Look for potentially-life-changing books by Nora Gedgaudes, Dr Sherry Rogers, Dr Abram Hoffer, Dr Thomas Levy and others and ignore this poor quality if well-meaning book.
Jodi Bassett, The Humnmingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME)
November 13, 2014
This book is useful if you are looking for a reference guide about a large range of supplements, nutrients, minerals, vitamins, or biological (i.e. not synthesized in a lab) medicines, however, for a more complete source on a specific illness or ailment I would suggest something else. This book offers a general overview for a rather large range of ailments and conditions which is a great starting point for anyone not familiar with herbs and supplements.
A sizable portion of the book is an alphabetical list of ailments and illnesses under which possible homeopathic uses and/or supplements are suggested that may be useful. A brief overview of each disease or ailment is given, followed by an organized list of Signs and Symptoms. There is also a relevant and concise section depicting Risk Factors involved. The book offers various lifestyle recommendations, dietary suggestions and treatments or medicines typically prescribed by doctors.
There is a relatively small section devoted to stress management, making healthy food choices, and the importance of sleep and exercise.
As with any medical changes, it is important to first consult your doctor or pharmacist so as to avoid any contraindications between supplements or any medications you are currently taking.
A sizable portion of the book is an alphabetical list of ailments and illnesses under which possible homeopathic uses and/or supplements are suggested that may be useful. A brief overview of each disease or ailment is given, followed by an organized list of Signs and Symptoms. There is also a relevant and concise section depicting Risk Factors involved. The book offers various lifestyle recommendations, dietary suggestions and treatments or medicines typically prescribed by doctors.
There is a relatively small section devoted to stress management, making healthy food choices, and the importance of sleep and exercise.
As with any medical changes, it is important to first consult your doctor or pharmacist so as to avoid any contraindications between supplements or any medications you are currently taking.
January 22, 2012
This book was clear and easy to follow. I liked how there was an A to Z listing of common problems so I could easily find what I was looking for. There was a lot of useful information in the 1st section on how to live a healthier lifestyle.
I liked how each health condition was presented. There's a overview, signs and symptoms, and risk factors. The author then lists the 'doctor's orders' and then a natural prescription. Very handy and helpful!
I liked how each health condition was presented. There's a overview, signs and symptoms, and risk factors. The author then lists the 'doctor's orders' and then a natural prescription. Very handy and helpful!
July 5, 2012
I saw Sherry on TV and nd she talked about this book so I thought I would check it out.
It's an excellent resource to have if you want to know how to treat ailments naturally.
It's an excellent resource to have if you want to know how to treat ailments naturally.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews