Off-The-Shelf Natural Health

This ``is not a guide to healing medical problems with natural substances,'' Mayell (52 Steps to Simple Natural Health) avers in his well-researched, cogently written compendium. Rather, he emphasizes how one's overall health can be maintained or improved with the use of commonly available vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbs and (given shorter shrift) homeopathic remedies. In the first section, he describes in clinical detail the ``Top 20 Natural Substances'' for the ``stay-well remedy chest.'' The bulk of the volume is taken up in ``Using Herbs and Nutrients in Your Everyday Life,'' which features such chapters as ``Boost Your Immunity,'' ``Stimulate Your Sexuality'' and ``Lower Your Cancer Risk.'' Here Mayell describes which substances to take (and avoid) and-just as important-the recommended quantities to derive desired health benefits. To help readers choose among a broad array of products, each chapter includes a ``Where to Start'' guide. An extensive resource section caps off this densely packed yet eminently readable reference. (Sept.)