Whether these are actually 'miracle cures' is, of course, debatable. However, anything that has few side effects and that benefits a person's health is worth looking into from a medicinal and a scientific standpoint. Many of the natural remedies do carry some potential risk for side effects, but most are not as serious as the side effects that are seen with many prescription medications today.
From work like Carper's there is a lot that can be learned. The most important thing to take away from Carper's book is that there is much more to medicine than what traditional, western doctors commonly work with. Another important point to take from reading this work is that the medicine that was used in the past should not just be tossed aside because there are new advances. The older, natural medicines often worked well for a lot of different conditions, and with that being the case it is important to find ways to incorporate them into what is being done medically now instead of simply forgetting...
The money that the drug companies make has much to do with the fact that natural remedies are not as encouraged as they once were, but there are undoubtedly other factors that are influencing the push to avoid the more natural remedies.
For my specific practice, the most significant idea to take from Carper's book is that not only are natural remedies beginning to make a very important comeback, but they are also being scientifically shown to work in many cases. Hearsay is one thing, but scientific proof and strong evidence is another thing entirely. By having scientific evidence that the alternative therapies like vitamins, minerals, and herbs can actually have a beneficial effect on people with specific health conditions, it becomes much more likely that more people will become more interested in them in the future. People who know about them and can discuss them intelligently in ways that can help other people will be in more demand, and my practice will only grow.
