ALTERNATIVE therapies and remedies are growing in popularity as people move away from a culture of using powerful drugs.

One man who knows the benefits of alternative remedies very well is Mr John Darrell, aged 47, from Pickering. He has published the book Recharging your Health and Vitality, and offers nutritional counselling at Kirbymoorside natural health centre and the natural therapy centre at Guisborough.

He suffered with osteomyelitis in his right leg, which is an inflamatory bone disease causing painful abscesses on the surface of the skin. After being diagnosed at age 14, he soon got to know the signs of a flare-up, which usually meant surgery to drain the abscess, followed by traction and the long process of regaining mobility.

The turning point came when doctors decided the best way to deal with the disease was to drill out the middle of his bone and replace it with a steel rod.

Understandably worried about this treatment, Mr Darrell started to wonder if there was something he could do to help himself. In 1983 he came across a book on Oriental folk medicine.

It suggested the inflammation connected with osteomyelitis was caused by excessive consumption of sugar and dairy foods, and that dietary changes could help in conjunction with two simple external treatments using ginger and green leaves.

After 25 days of this treatment. the osetomyelitis had healed. Over the following weeks he started to see an improvement in the amount of weight he could put on the leg and the increased distances he could walk.

Inspired by this success, he went on to study Oriental folk medicine, macrobiotics and feng shui.

"Since 1995 I have been a full-time consultant and teacher of these traditional Oriental life sciences," he said. "I felt it was important that the basic principles and guidelines of Oriental folk medicine were put into a clear and simple-to-use book.

"Recharging Your Health and Vitality is a practical manual designed to allow anyone to get started on an effective dietary and health support programme."

He added: "I think more and more people want to take a bit more responsibility for their own health by using something not so harmful as powerful drugs or surgery. It gives you back some power and works best as a preventative measure. Some quite distressing, but common conditions can be addressed by this approach."

The book, priced £5.95, is available from health centres and independent bookshops, or by mail-order from Mr Darrell on 01751 472327.

Details of his nutritional counselling sessions are available from Kirbymoorside natural health centre on 01751 430335 or from the natural therapy centre at Guisborough on 01287 633591