A guide to healing foods and home remedies reported to and verified by Joe and Terry Graedon, including their carefully researched responses on how and why such treatments work. The core of this title is organized as Q&As between the general public and the Graedons. It contains as much information as a voluminous encyclopedia of home remedies, yet it's quick, easy, inviting, and fun to read, with the same friendly and authoritative personality conveyed in their popular call-in radio show. The Graedons also offer a dozen new recipes for food so good for you, it serves as preventive medicine. Organized alphabetically by ailment and then, within each of those, by food or remedy. Offers the basics of three standard diets for health, weight control, and fitness, along with a dozen new recipes for preparing food to match the diets. Includes a helpful index and cross-referencing system, making the book both a good shelf reference and an entertaining browse. This book builds on the reputation of The People's Pharmacy and adds the extra value that comes from a partnership with National Geographic.

What Ails You? is a question health experts Joe and Terry Graedon have been asking the public for more than 30 years through their award-winning national radio show, syndicated newspaper column, and popular website. And they've got answers. From acne to allergies, headaches to heartburn, back pain to bursitis: Offering relief from common ailments and chronic conditions through natural treatments grounded in science has been their life mission.

Heartburn
 
Doctors have been writing about treating heartburn for most of recorded history. In 400 B.C. the Greek physician Hippocrates noted that eating cheese after a meal could cause indigestion and discomfort, especially if accompanied by wine. Apparently Europeans were already enjoying that habit if they didn’t suffer reflux. Heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can have serious consequences and should not be ignored. Drugs that doctors prescribe for the condition can be very difficult to discontinue, however, and have potential side effects. We’re not convinced that they are always better than home remedies.
 
Baking Soda
Q: I used to have very bad heartburn until I remembered a home remedy my mother used to make. I mix a couple ounces of water, an ounce of apple cider vinegar, and a teaspoon of sugar. After the sugar dissolves, I add half a teaspoon of baking soda, stir it briefly, and drink the mixture immediately. This offers fast relief.
A: Baking soda is a time-honored approach to neutralizing stomach acid that has splashed into the esophagus and is causing heartburn.
 
Yellow Mustard
Q: My wife and I both use plain old yellow mustard to combat indigestion or acid reflux. It works very well for us. If we swallow a spoonful of mustard before an Italian meal, we are okay.
A: Although mustard may seem like the last thing anyone would want to take for heartburn, we have heard from others that it can be helpful. The turmeric that makes mustard yellow was traditionally used for digestive upset in Chinese medicine. Mustard also contains vinegar, which some people find helpful against heartburn.
 
Papaya
Q: I frequently have heartburn and finally found a wonderful remedy: papaya pills. Every time I have heartburn, I eat one of the pills and the heartburn disappears. My doctor says it’s fine to use them. Others might like to know about this great way to treat heartburn.
A: Papaya is a tropical fruit that contains an enzyme (papain) that may be very helpful for digestion. Although papain does nothing to suppress acid, some people report that papaya relieves heartburn. Anyone who is allergic to latex should avoid papaya since there is cross-reactivity between latex and papaya, which could be very dangerous. Papain may also increase the blood-thinning effects of warfarin (coumadin).