DEAR DR. GOTT:
For a full year I have been afflicted with a restless leg type syndrome that developed into frequent violent shakes and jerks in my whole upper body. This became very bothersome and disturbed my sleep when it occurred at night, as it often did.

A consultation with a neurologist, that resulted in prescriptions for clonazepam and carbidopa/levadopa used for Parkinson’s (which I don’t have), did not help. Several other doctors had nothing to suggest.

My own research led me to try calcium and magnesium, both at 200 mg per day. This did not completely stop the shakes, but greatly reduced them.

Finally a friend suggested taking three hawthorn berry capsules a day — the product is known as a heart tonic. Within two days the severe symptoms were gone and except for three or four minor episodes, there have been no problems now for six weeks. The relief is absolutely wonderful, and the solution is so simple!

I hope mainstream medicine will do more to learn about and promote nutritional approaches to our health problems and let “food be our medicine and our medicine be our food”

DEAR READER:
During my medical training, both in medical school and later in my residency, I was not exposed to alternative therapy because it was considered to be nonsense, dangerous and a money maker for phony medical practices.

In my 40 years of medical practice, I have had to change my orientation about alternative therapy because 1.) it sometimes works and 2.) many patients prefer it to the expensive, prescription alternatives so popular among physicians.

This is the reason I publish such therapies; in a sense, my readers are the subjects of a larger study, and this gives me some perspective on the success of various alternative therapies.

Such is the case with your experience with hawthorn berry curing restless legs syndrome. Do I believe this viewpoint? Let’s just say I’m skeptical. Nonetheless, I am willing to give it merit because if it works, it would be a tremendous help for hundreds of tired and discouraged RLS patients. There is no harm here (to the best of my knowledge), and the products are reasonably priced.

So with this lengthy explanation, I will now keep quiet until I receive some feedback from other readers. Thanks for writing.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Compelling Home Remedies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.