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For each ailment, (acne, depression etc), it provides a list of vitamins that can help solve that ailment. In the second half it lists each vitamin and the amount to take. It's a great way to figure out what supplements can help you, how much to take, and what to look for when shopping for the supplements. It's a wonderful reference book.

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THIS EASIEST-TO-USE REFERENCE IS ALSO AMONG THE BEST

THE BEST OF THE BEST:

To put it simply, this is the ideal reference book for the application of vitamins, minerals, and herbs for medicinal purposes. It is the perfect complimentary companion to James Duke's "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook".

ORGANIZED TO BE USER FRIENDLY:

After the introduction which goes through the user basics and preliminaries for the products to be discussed, the book is essentially divided into two main parts -- "AILMENTS" & "SUPPLEMENTS".

The first section ["AILMENTS"] is alphabetically organized by ailment so that you can simply look up some malady like "Heartburn" and you'll find a two-page section organized like this: "What It Is", "What Causes It", "How Supplements Can Help" + "Symptoms", "When To Call A Doctor", "Supplement Recommendations" and "What Else You Can Do". Each ailment's section ends with inserts titled "Facts & Tips" and "The Latest Findings". This is repeated for 90 ailments in precisely the same format, making it very easy retrieve information when you need it -- fast.

The second section ["SUPPLEMENTS"] is alphabetically organized by supplement with each supplement color coded in the table of contents to distinguish between vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Pick a supplement, say "Garlic", and you'll find its entry in the contents and in section two highlighted with green to indicate that it is an herb. Again, there is convention to the listing, it is 2 pages per supplement and is organized like this: "What It Is", "What It Does" ["PREVENTION" & "ADDITIONAL BENEFITS"], plus "Common Uses", "Forms", "Caution!", "How To Take It" ["DOSAGE" & "GUIDELINES FOR USE"], & "Possible Side Effects". Border inserts at the end of each supplement's section include "Shopping Hints" and "The Latest Findings".

Appendices at the end of the book include "Other Supplements", "Glossary" and "Drug Interactions", all of which relate directly to the supplements and ailments that are specifically discussed in the book in at least one of the two main sections. For instance, if a supplement is listed under "Supplement Recommendations" for an ailment in Section 1 and it is not also cross-referenced under "Supplements" in section 2, it will always be included in the "Other Supplements" appendix before the glossary. For example, Bromelain is mentioned several times for ailments, but is not included under supplements with its own heading, so there is an "Other Supplements" listing for it.

OVERALL:

This book is seamlessly-organized and smartly-illustrated making it ideal both as a good read and as a first-aid guide to using supplements prudently. When my 16-year-old daughter asked for a book about supplements this is what I gave her. She still has not returned it. From what I have read here, I am not the only one waiting for this book to return.

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Don't loan it to your friends!

You won't get it back! It is excellent and you'll find yourself referring to it constantly.

The section on supplements is terrific and the section on various health concerns is also very informative and helpful.

You'll love it!

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