Book Review of Cure

In Cure: A Journey Into The Science of Mind Over Body, Dr. Jo Marchant explores the world of complementary and alternative medicine. The context for her exploration is the limitations of standard, Western medicine. In some cases, traditional Western medicine has been unable to provide reliably effective treatment for medical conditions. In other cases, the treatment may result in intolerable side effects. Marchant addresses approaches such as hypnotherapy, virtual reality, and even the power of belief (as reflected in the placebo effect) in the treatment of such disparate conditions as Parkinson’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia. She combines an interesting mix of personal narrative from patients and researchers with outcomes from clinical trials. The result is an objective portrayal of the possibilities to be found in maintaining an open mind in the on-going search for effective interventions for a range of ailments