The Betrayal of Health

Despite the miraculous achievements of modern medicine, says Beasley, our best hope for a healthy life is not medical care but self-care. He claims that far too many people have abdicated responsibility for good health, looking to the medical establishment for help only after they become ill. Here are well-documented chapters on the unsafe environment and resulting illnesses. More affirmatively, Beasley also includes a list of tactics we can employ to preserve our health--consume whole foods, eat moderate amounts of natural fats and avoid the overuse of caffeine and unsafe sexual practices. He makes practical suggestions on how to avoid environmental toxins. Although the message--how to preserve and maintain one's health--bears repeating, it dulls in repetition, especially for a reader who's heard the message before. Beasley ( Diagnosing and Managing Chemical Dependency ) runs Comprehensive Medical Care, a clinic in Amityville, N.Y. Advertising; author tour. (Sept.)