Talking natural health

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Jessica Werb—the writer of this month's cover piece, "Bill of health"—is one of many Canadians who, disappointed with Western medicine, have sought satisfaction in traditional Chinese remedies and other alternative therapies. Nationwide, the natural-health-remedies industry is worth billions of dollars, yet it's a business most people don't know much about.

Digital editor John Bucher and editorial intern Alex Barrow set out to address that information deficit: On Friday, August 1, they swooped down on a cluster of natural health shops in the 2600 block of West Broadway, in Vancouver, to chat with vendors about why the customers come in, what they're buying, and how much they're spending.