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Arts & Entertainment

Doctor Comes Back Home to Promote New Book

Dr. Larry Malerba discusses his new book, "Green Medicine" at Book Revue.

It was a full house at Book Revue on Friday when Dr. Larry Malerba returned to his childhood hometown of Huntington for a book signing and lecture to discuss his new book "Green Medicine." Malerba, who is a doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.), which is a type of healthcare that treats the patient as a whole rather than focusing on one system or body part, addresses holistic medicine and the challenges of conventional healthcare in his book.

"A holistic approach connects the dots, which includes the spirit, mind and the environment," said Malerba who explained that western, conventional medicine only treats symptoms and addresses the physical body. "Western medicine is materialistic and reductionalistic and does not link all the pieces together of a person's symptoms.

Malerba added that western medicine does have its place in the form of emergency medicine and diagnostic tests, but alternative medicine, such as homeopathy and herbs offer a gentle approach without the harmful side effects of many prescription drugs.

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Huntington resident Russell Salerno said he came to Book Revue because he is interested in learning about the holistic approach.

"I give a lot of merit to holistic medicine," Salerno said. "It is a new take on the medical regime."

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Another Huntington resident Beverly Hanson, who knew Malerba when he was a child came out in support of him and his book.

"Several years ago, I was dying from colon cancer and B-cell lymphoma and I was told I only had six months to live, but I did not opt for chemotherapy," Hanson said. "I am still alive due to many alternative treatments mixed with some radiotherapy."

Malerba's sister-in-law, Bettina Barbier, who also lives in Huntington, added, "I think many will find relief from Malerba's work and learn what healing as a whole really means."

Malerba concluded by saying that a lot of surgery and prescription drugs only offer temporary solutions, which then results in taking more pharmaceuticals to mask additional symptoms.

"Cookie-cutter medicine doesn't cut it and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment," Malerba said. "Sickness and symptoms are very individualized. Healthcare would become less expensive if we turn to alternative therapies and diagnostics instead of the same old prescription drugs and treatments."

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