THE DOCTOR WITHIN

An overview of some of the new ""alternative therapies"" currently in vogue, with overly-brief instructions on how to carry them out. Bennett is a proponent of letting the body be guided by, and healed by, itself--via relaxation techniques, meditation, acupressure, zen pain relief, and biofeedback; he also has suggestions for correcting sleep, exercise, and nutrition problems. As long as Bennett is explaining the body's natural defenses, and how and where medical remedies fit in with them, he is helpfully informative; the trouble begins when he discusses the different therapies and how to do them. Most of this coverage is too brief to serve as self-instruction, and some is far too simplified: the directions for acupressure, for instance, seem rather to be for a method of face-muscle massage. Bennett also endorses vitamin therapy, especially in times of stress, and sets out his recommended daily dosages; as a safeguard against overdose, he suggests finding a single, all-providing pill. The emphasis is on the right place: taking responsibility for one's own health, avoiding prescription remedies for problems that may be better helped by exercise, etc. But in light of the abundance of sound guides to each of the indicated techniques, this is far too limited.