Beard, an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University
School of Medicine and the medical contributor on ABC-TV's "Good
Morning Washington," compiled hundreds of family recipes for wellness
from her patients and colleagues during a 30-year period of practicing
medicine. According to Beard, as long as there have been grandmothers,
tight budgets and sniffles, there have been home remedies. Beyond chicken
soup, the kitchen can be a gold mine for products that alleviate many
common ailments. Home remedies that have survived the test of time may
have a biological basis for their effectiveness.
In the book, there is a description for each ailment and the conventional
treatment for it, followed by a section called "Parent's Report"
for what works, with a physician's take on why they work. Beard, however,
carefully points out that "Salt in Your Sock" is not intended
to replace a doctor's care. There are warnings throughout the book, advising
when not to use certain therapies and when to seek immediate medical help.
