Publisher's Synopsis
The "Health Robbers", featuring over twenty highly respected authorities, explains the dangers of quack medicine, "alternative" cancer remedies, health fads, and "miracle diets." It argues for stronger laws and more vigorous policing of the marketplace. The essays answer such questions as: Are "organic" foods worth their extra cost? Can acupuncture cure anything? Can diet cure arthritis? Will spinal adjustments help my health? Will amino acids "pump up" my muscles? The answers to some of these questions should seem obvious, but the details in this volume, written in an informative, highly readable and easy-to-understand style, will astound you. Quackery is often harmful because it turns ill people away from legitimate and trusted therapeutic procedures. However, its heaviest toll is the financial loss, not only of those who pay directly, but to everyone who pays for bogus treatments through taxes, insurance premiums, and other ways that are less obvious.