Skeptical Doctor Demands Scientific Evidence

Q. My doctor is extremely skeptical about health information that does not have credible support. If I mention a home remedy from your column he either laughs if off or scowls.
I have found your suggestion to try tart cherries for joint and muscle pain really helps. Also, last year my fasting blood sugar was in the pre-diabetic range. I cut back on carbohydrates and started making sure I got either vinegar or cinnamon with every meal and my test just came back normal.
Is there any scientific evidence I could show him? I would love for him to be able to recommend these remedies to other patients.
A. Many physicians find the idea of home remedies unscientific, but there is evidence for many of the nondrug approaches we write about. There are studies in the medical literature to support remedies like coffee for asthma, oolong tea for eczema, vinegar to help lower blood sugar or cherries to ease inflammation.
Our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies contains both the remedies and references so you can show them to your doctor. Your doctor may be surprised to discover that there is scientific support for so many food remedies.