Gustavo Ferrer, clinical assistant professor at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, introduces western medicine to the world in his new book, “Cough Cures,” a guide to medications and natural remedies for respiratory wellness.
NSU will host a launch party for the book on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Carl DeSantis Building Atrium. The book addresses the origin of the cough, clarifies myths about remedies, discusses breathing exercises and meditations to promote respiratory wellness, and recommends specific medications and natural remedies.
U.S. Army Major General Bernard Loeffke, NSU alumnus from the College of Health Care, will also speak at the launch party.
Ferrer has trained in pulmonary medicine and critical care and co-authored the book with Burke Lennihan, a nurse certified in homeopathic medicine. Ferrer attended medical school in Cuba, spending two years researching respiratory problems in the jungle.
“Back in Cuba, most people will treat respiratory problems, like coughs, colds and the flu, with homemade and natural remedies like teas and balms,” he said. “If you go anywhere outside America, people are using those remedies.”
Last year, the Obama administration released a plan to fight antibiotic resistance.
According to Ferrer, the U.S. is facing an antibiotic crisis because of the use of unnecessary drugs. His goal is for readers to use fewer antibiotics.
Ferrer said that he wrote the book with his wife and kids in mind. The book is written at a sixth-grade reading level and targets mothers and families.
“My wife took care of the kids, and I saw her confusion with over-the-counter medicine,” he said. “Coughs are one of the three most common reasons that people visit the doctor or visit the hospital, and it’s also the number-one reason for the abuse or overuse of antibiotics.”
NSU alumna Alezka Furey, event coordinator for the launch party, said that the book is necessary not only for the medical field but also for families.
“We’ve all struggled with getting sick and not knowing what to do, and then we go to the pharmacy and buy two or three things that don’t work well,” she said.
According to Furey, the book focuses not only on physical sickness but also on emotional state.
“A lot of doctors these days treat patients as numbers,” she said. “The book is very human. It’s relatable and warm.”
Ferrer said that three of the nine most common Google searches are related to coughs. He hopes his book will help readers understand diagnoses and remedies and implement long-lasting solutions to their respiratory problems.
“There is a drastic division between one side and the other in the medical field,” he said. “It’s either Eastern or Western medicine. I believe there is a role for both of them.”
“Cough Cures” will be part of the curriculum in NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The launch party is open to everyone and will feature music, raffles and free food. For more information about the book, visit coughcuresbook.com, or call 954-482-4747.
Photo Credit: J. Escalona
