Mushrooms have been used as medicine for thousands of years and their value in boosting immunity, improving memory, and even fighting cancer is being recognised and documented in scientific research. Christopher Hobbs, a mycologist and herbalist at the forefront of contemporary research, profiles the most powerful medicinal mushrooms and explains the nutritional and medicinal compounds in each one. Detailed instructions cover how to select, store, and prepare each variety for use. Whether readers are growing or foraging their own mushrooms, or sourcing them from a local provider, this essential handbook will guide them in making health-boosting medicine.

Asian medicinal plants show great promise in pharmaceutical and cosmetological development. Researchers engaged in the discovery of new leads in these areas need robust conceptual tools and understanding of interrelated basics of botany, ethnobotany, biomolecular pharmacology, phytochemistry, and medicinal chemistry to guide their investigations. Medicinal Plants of China, Korea, and Japan: Bioresources for Tomorrow s Drugs and Cosmetics explores the fundamental science and demonstrates the compelling potential of these versatile plants, providing an essential resource to stimulate and guide focused inquiry.

It is essential that researchers appreciate the chemotaxonomical statuses of these plants, so chapters are arranged according to the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system of plant taxonomy. The book discusses the history, synonymy, habitat, description, traditional uses, and pharmacochemistry of each plant. Detailed photographs and hand-made botanical plates enable quick and reliable identification of each plant species. Critical analyses of peer-reviewed articles provide the basis for Bioresource sections in each chapter wherein readers are advised, engaged, and guided towards exciting pharmaceutical and cosmetological research proposals. Also included are indexes of botanical terms, pharmacological terms, natural products, and local names.

Detailing 200 medicinal plant species carefully selected for their novelty and pharmacological and cosmetological importance, this volume provides a firm starting point for anyone looking forward to unlocking the potential of Asian medicinal plants. In addition, this invaluable book identifies numerous patentable leads.

This is a comprehensive resource for learning, practising and teaching meditation. Meditation is becoming a useful tool in the arsenal of the established healing professions. In particular Mindfulness meditation is recommended in the NICE guidelines as a treatment for depression and has proved helpful for a range of problems, including anxiety disorders and OCD. It can also be used with physical, psychosomatic and stress-related problems, and as a self-development programme. This handbook guides the reader into meditation practices in a systematic, gradual and practical way. It includes Cognitive Therapy exercises, reflections, relaxation, guided imagery, breathing exercises and a wide range of meditation practices from different traditions. It contains clear instructions on how to use the exercises and practices, as well as suggestions on how they can be used with individuals and in groups. It addresses the differing needs of readers, whether it is to 'dip into' meditation a little, to follow a programme, to learn about the spiritual aspects of meditation, or simply to create more peacefulness, calmness, groundedness and centredness in their own and in the lives of others. It includes downloadable resources for the reader to develop their own varied daily relaxation and meditation practices, as well as photocopiable worksheets, record-forms and audio exercises, so practitioners can read them out in groups or to individual clients, if they prefer to use their own voice. Meditation is a complex subject. This handbook provides a clear and practical guide that introduces the reader to the wider context of meditation, provides an optional deeper understanding of some of the concepts and models, and includes comprehensive resources for those who want to explore meditation further.

Alternative medicine therapies have evolved from the province of the hippy counterculture movement in the 1960s to be firmly established in mainstream healthcare in the 21st century. This book critcally examines the alternative medicine phenomenon by asking Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners what makes these therapies so appealing, drawing on comprehensive interviews and the author's longstanding participation in this field. Providing a wealth of information from both within the CAM community and around the CAM culture, this text explains the medical and economic sensation of alternative medicine, at once spiritual, medical, recreational and physical. It also examines different viewpoints on the subject from denouncements of alternative medicine as "the triumph of superstition over reason" to a "popular cultural phenomenon that fits the pleasure-seeking drive of consumerism with spiritual and neo-liberal undertones." "Complementary and Alternative Medicine" is essential reading for students and scholars of cultural studies, anthropology, sensory studies and sociology.

This volume looks at the importance of medicinal plants and their potential benefits for human health, providing insight with scientific evidence on the use of functional foods in the treatment and management of certain diseases. Divided into four sections, the volume covers the assessment and identification of medicinal plants, the role of medicinal plants in disease management, the ethnobotany and phytochemistry of medicinal plants, and novel applications of plants. Assessment of Medicinal Plants for Human Health: Phytochemistry, Disease Management, and Novel Applications sheds light on the potential of certain plants and will be of value to faculty and advanced-level students of natural products, food science, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and biochemistry. It will also be of interest to researchers in the area of drug discovery and development.

Hailed as a seminal work and considered the most complete compendium of Chinese herbs available, the first edition of Chinese and Related North American Herbs: Phytopharmacology and Therapeutic Values brought new and hard to find information into a single, well-referenced resource. With the addition of 130 herbs and 100 new references, the second edition provides a basic understanding of the science behind Chinese herbal preparations.

Using the same format that made the first edition so popular, author Thomas Li provides a seamless integration of topics drawn from a diverse array of sources. The first table presents major constituents and therapeutic values of more than 1800 species. The data are arranged alphabetically by the Latin name followed by common Chinese and English names. Tables 2 and 3 present data on a total of 700 North American herbs belonging to the same species or genus as Chinese herbs, and a comparison of active ingredients and claimed therapeutic values. Appendices 1, 2, and 3 cross-reference Chinese and scientific names, and major active ingredients and their sources in the Chinese and North American herbs cited in the tables.

Research in Chinese medicinal herbs has been conducted for decades in China, Japan, and Korea and recently in the West. Unfortunately, language barriers and the unreliability of sources and herbal material have hampered progress. Carefully crafted and designed to provide easy access to key data, this book supplies information compiled from authentic and highly regarded sources scattered throughout the Chinese and Western literature. This information can then be used to develop proper procedures for eliminating adulteration, contamination, and toxic side effects in Chinese herbs, and also to determine appropriate regulations for their use.

The desire to prolong life and improve its quality is as old as life itself, and many non-western cultures -- paricularly native Americans and the peoples of Asia and India -- have never lost their knowledge of and belief in the efficacy of herbs in achieving this aim. Many herbs are believed to rejuvenate the body and repair tissue waste; others are thought to provide essential nutritive supplements, to have aphrodesiac properties or to have a tonic effect which aids digestion. In this definitive volume, long out of print, Hilda Leyel explores the global history and use of 171 revitalizing herbs and vegetables -- from Agar-Agar to Yellow Wort -- grouped into three categories: nutritious herbs, bitter herbs, and tonic herbs. The book provides such information as botanical name, common name, names given to the plant in different cultures and times, natural habitat, part used, method of use, symbolism, specific action of the plant, and lore and history. The unique feature of the work is the inclusion of oriental herb lore and herbal wisdom from ancient sources, including Rome and Egypt. Food and medicine being identical in herbal wisdom, the recommendations for making herbal infusions are given, along with some simple recipes. Full of scholarly detail yet written for the layman, this work is both practical and inspirational, the best of its kind ever written, and includes thirteen specialist indexes. It should be read as a companion volume to "The Craft of the Herbalist" by E. A. Wallis Budge, to whom it is dedicated.

Since publication almost ten years ago, The Concise Book of Trigger Points has been translated into over 20 languages and become a best seller worldwide. The content of this new edition has been completely updated and revamped, sharing current research, evidence, and advanced techniques for manual therapy practitioners, as well as simple self-help protocols that the layperson can do at home. Containing full-colour illustrations, it is a compact reference guide, and explains how to treat chronic pain through trigger points - tender, painful nodules that form in muscle fibres and connective tissues. So much pain can be relieved quickly and efficiently with simple trigger point therapy.The book is designed in an easy reference format to offer useful information about the trigger points relating to the main skeletal muscles, which are central to massage, bodywork, and physical therapy. The first four chapters provide a sound background to the physiology of trigger points, and the general methods of treatment. The following six chapters are organized by muscle group, with the information about each muscle presented in a uniform style throughout. Each two-page spread gives detailed anatomical information, referred pain patterns, plus key trigger point information, practitioner protocols, and self-help information and drawings.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have become big business both in Australia and other western countries. Alongside the growing consumption and provision of CAM has emerged a small but significant body of research literature exploring these medicines.
Nevertheless, CAM research is in its infancy and there is a real and urgent need for further capacity building in this area of study. CAM remains heavily under-researched and the growing number of private and University CAM courses and qualifications acknowledge and address this need for further research capacity building. With this context in mind, this book constitutes a valuable and timely resource for those looking to understand, initiate and expand CAM research.
The collection brings together leading international CAM researchers (UK, Germany, Canada, New Zealand and Australia) with backgrounds and expertise in health social science, statistics, qualitative methodology, general practice, clinical trials methodology, clinical pharmacology, health services research and public health. Contributors draw upon their own CAM research work and experience to explain and review core methods and research issues pertinent to the contemporary field of CAM and its future development. The book addresses such questions as: what is the use and limitation of evidence in CAM research? What are the issues facing practitioners (GPs, therapists, nurses, etc) who wish to conduct research? How and why should qualitative methods be combined alongside quantitative methods to help explore CAM? How does the randomized control trial (RCT) method relate to CAM? What types of research questions relating to CAM can be addressed by variousmethods? What should be the future direction of CAM research in terms of public health and policy-related agendas?

From a leading neurologist, neuroscientist and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine, comes a rigorous scientific investigation of the healing power of sound, showing readers how they can use it to improve their mental and physical wellbeing. Why does a baby's cry instantaneously flood a mother's body with a myriad of stress hormones? How can a song on the radio stir up powerful emotions, from joy to anger, regret to desire? Why does sound itself evoke such primal and deeply felt emotions? A vibration that travels through air, water and solids, sound is produced by all matter, and is a fundamental part of every species' survival. But there is a hidden power within sound that has only just begun to be investigated. Sound Medicine takes readers on a journey through the structure of the mouth, ears, and brain to understand how sound is translated from acoustic vibrations into meaningful neurological impulses. Renowned neurologist and Ayurvedic expert Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary explains how different types of sound impact the human body and brain uniquely, and explores the physiological effects of sound vibration, from altering mood to healing disease. Blending ancient wisdom with modern science, Dr. Chaudhary traces the history of sound therapy and the use of specific mantras from previously unknown texts-traced back to the Siddhas, a group of enlightened yogis who created a healing tradition that served as the precursor to Ayurvedic medicine-to explain the therapeutic application of sounds for a wide range of conditions. Sound Medicine offers practical, step-by-step lessons for using music and mantras, whether you're a beginner or searching for a more advanced practice, to improve your health in body, mind, and spirit.

Drawing on the authora (TM)s extensive personal experience, Medicinal Plants of Asia and the Pacific provides comprehensive coverage of the medicinal plants of the region. Describing more than 300 compounds, the book discusses every important class of natural products while highlighting cutting-edge research and recent developments. With its broad scope and extensive compound listings, the presentation and approach of the book is completely original.

Poets and artists since time immemorial have expressed themselves by finding their metaphor in the brilliance of colours. Colours are not just the tools of artist, they are all around us. Colours make the life an experience which is more energetic and alive. This book on colour therapy gives you practical and interesting tips, by which you can, not only improve your love-life but make it vibrant. It tells the relevance of each colour at every step of relation. Right from what you need to wear when you are single, what colour should surround you when you want to mingle, what colour should embrace you when its your first date and which colour is required so that you are desired. Go through the book, embrace the colour tips in your day-to-day life and feel the wonders of the colours around you.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a fascinating and fast-changing area of medicine. This book explores the challenging issues associated with CAM in the context of the social, political and cultural influences that shape people's health. It: provides an overview of social change, consumption and debates arising from the increased public interest in CAM, arguing for and against different classifications discusses how CAM developed in a political and historical context, critically assessing the importance of ethics and values to CAM practice and how these inform what practitioners do analyzes the question of what people want, the changing contested nature of health, and the nature of personal and social factors associated with the use of CAM examines the diversity of settings in which CAM takes place explores the social, political and economic milieu in which CAM is provided and used. The book is one of three core texts for the forthcoming Open University course K221 Perspectives on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (first presented in February 2005).

Modern hypnosis can be traced back to the 18th century and during this period mesmerism, as it was then known, was a healing practice which spread throughout Europe and North America. Since then hypnosis has been treated primarily as a psychological phenomenon and theories about hypnosis are grounded in mainstream psychology and its related disciplines. Most recently it has been subject to extensive clinical trials to investigate its therapeutic effectiveness. In their comprehensive introduction to this invaluable collection the editors trace the historical development of hypnosis, providing an excellent review of the theories that have tried to explain how hypnosis works and reflecting on the cultural and scientific attitudes and practices that prevailed at various times. They have selected the most important previously published papers that reveal how a scientific approach to understanding hypnosis as a psychological phenomenon has emerged over the last 70 years. They have also included a selection of reports on clinical applications and on legal and forensic issues. As such this volume will prove an invaluable reference resource for researchers and students already in the field and new scholars interested in learning more about hypnosis.

Compresses and poultices are extremely versatile and can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. This practical handbook was written for nurses and practitioners at the Ita Wegman Clinic in Arlesheim, Switzerland, a centre of expertise for anthroposophical nursing. The book covers all aspects of compresses and poultices, including descriptions of the substances used and their healing properties, and is based on many years' professional experience.

Find out how plant-derived drugs react with your brain to produce either healing or harmful results!The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs will give you a better understanding of herbal products that have psychological effects. The book explores how they work, how effective they are, and what is known about their safety. Geared towards non-specialist professionals and curious individuals, this guide shows how herbal preparations can affect the brain, mental state, and behavior of a user and includes treatment methods, tables, illustrations, a glossary, and a bibliography.The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs contains chapters on several types of psychoactive herbs, including: stimulants cognition-enhancers sedatives painkillers hallucinogensWith the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs, you'll examine the effects of psychoactive drugs on the nervous system--both positive and negative. Each chapter discusses a type of herbal medicine, its action on the brain and other systems of the body, side effects, and the potential for addiction. The book closely examines possible drug interactions with prescription medications and emphasizes the caution you need to take when using herbal health products.In the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs you will learn about the psychoactive actions of such medicinal plants as: coffee tobacco cannabis ginseng chamomile cocoa opium poppy peyote gingko biloba

Find out how plant-derived drugs react with your brain to produce either healing or harmful results The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs will give you a better understanding of herbal products that have psychological effects. The book explores how they work, how effective they are, and what is known about their safety. Geared towards non-specialist professionals and curious individuals, this guide shows how herbal preparations can affect the brain, mental state, and behavior of a user and includes treatment methods, tables, illustrations, a glossary, and a bibliography.The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs contains chapters on several types of psychoactive herbs, including: stimulants cognition-enhancers sedatives painkillers hallucinogensWith the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs, you'll examine the effects of psychoactive drugs on the nervous system--both positive and negative. Each chapter discusses a type of herbal medicine, its action on the brain and other systems of the body, side effects, and the potential for addiction. The book closely examines possible drug interactions with prescription medications and emphasizes the caution you need to take when using herbal health products.In the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs you will learn about the psychoactive actions of such medicinal plants as: coffee tobacco cannabis ginseng chamomile cocoa opium poppy peyote gingko biloba

Starting from the premise that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a fascinating and fast-changing area of social life, this book explores the challenging issues associated with CAM in the context of the social, political and cultural influences that shape people's health.
Divided into three parts, the introductory chapter sets out the general context of social change, consumption and debate around the rise of public interest in CAM. The first part goes on to argue for and against different classifications of CAM, leading into a discussion of how CAM developed in a political and historical context. The Reader is invited to critically assess the importance of ethics and values to CAM practice and how these inform what practitioners do. The second part focuses on the question of what people want, the changing and contested nature of health, and the nature of personal and social factors associated with the use of CAM. This leads to a focus on 'therapeutic relationships'. The final part of the book examines the diversity of settings in which CAM takes place and the social, political and economic milieu in which CAM is provided and used.
This book will appeal to everyone who is concerned with or has an interest in CAM. It will be of particular interest to people working in the areas of CAM, health and social care and the voluntary sector. Together with its accompanying text, Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Structures and Safeguards, it forms the core text for the Open University course K221 Perspectives on Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Emotional, as well as physical distress, is a heritage from our hominid ancestors; it has been experienced by every group of human beings since our emergence as a species. And every known culture has developed systems of conceptualization and intervention for addressing it.
The editors have brought together leading psychologists, psychiatrists, anthropologists, and others to consider the interaction of psychosocial, biological, and cultural variables as they influence the assessment of health and illness and the course of therapy. The volume includes broadly conceived theoretical and survey chapters; detailed descriptions of specific healing traditions in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Arab world.
The "Handbook of Culture, Therapy, and Healing" is a unique resource, containing information about Western therapies practiced in non-Western cultures, non-Western therapies practiced both in their own context and in the West.

Learn to identify Internet-based complementary/alternative medicine resources you can trust! This well-organized book takes a commonsense approach to getting the most out of the Internet when it comes to finding reliable information on complementary and alternative medicine. Author Lillian Brazin teaches classes on finding and evaluating health information on the Internet. In this book, she shares her years of experience in using and evaluating medical Internet sites to teach you to spot authoritative resources and avoid misinformation, sales pitches, and out-and-out quackery. In addition to showing you where to find the information you need, this book stresses the importance (the how and why) of working closely with your physician to get the best results from your complementary/alternative medical experience. More than 20 screen shot illustrations give you a preview of what to look for on various sites! The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet will show you how to separate the wheat from the chaff when confronted with hundreds of Web sites purporting to provide reliable information. This jargon-free book addresses vital questions, such as: How can I be certain that the information I find is correct? How can I locate a Web site that was recommended to me? How do I start out to research a particular health problem? What do Internet terms like .com, .edu, .gov, listservs, :), BTW, LOL, flames, netiquette, etc. mean? This book will also help you understand controversial hot topics that include: the Pilates exercise method that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis helped popularize in the 1960s is trendy again, with Pilates studios in most major cities supermarket supplements, such as St. John's wort, gingko biloba, and vitamins A-Z: how can I find out which, if any of them, are for me? the validity of celebrity endorsements for supplements and alternative therapies While providing you with the skills to find the information you seek, this book reflects the author's cautious perspective. The Internet can be frightening and overwhelming because there is so much information to sift through, digest, and evaluate. The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet (first in the new Internet Guides to Consumer Health Care series from The Haworth Information Press) will help you identify Internet resources for complementary and alternative medicine that you can trust.

Learn to identify Internet-based complementary/alternative medicine resources you can trust! This well-organized book takes a commonsense approach to getting the most out of the Internet when it comes to finding reliable information on complementary and alternative medicine. Author Lillian Brazin teaches classes on finding and evaluating health information on the Internet. In this book, she shares her years of experience in using and evaluating medical Internet sites to teach you to spot authoritative resources and avoid misinformation, sales pitches, and out-and-out quackery. In addition to showing you where to find the information you need, this book stresses the importance (the how and why) of working closely with your physician to get the best results from your complementary/alternative medical experience. More than 20 "screen shot" illustrations give you a preview of what to look for on various sites! The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet will show you how to separate the wheat from the chaff when confronted with hundreds of Web sites purporting to provide reliable information. This jargon-free book addresses vital questions, such as: How can I be certain that the information I find is correct? How can I locate a Web site that was recommended to me? How do I start out to research a particular health problem? What do Internet terms like .com, .edu, .gov, listservs, :), BTW, LOL, flames, "netiquette," etc. mean? This book will also help you understand controversial "hot topics" that include: the Pilates exercise method that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis helped popularize in the 1960s is trendy again, with Pilates studios in most major cities supermarket supplements, such as St. John's wort, gingko biloba, and vitamins A-Z: how can I find out which, if any of them, are for me? the validity of celebrity endorsements for supplements and alternative therapies While providing you with the skills to find the information you seek, this book reflects the author's cautious perspective. The Internet can be frightening and overwhelming because there is so much information to sift through, digest, and evaluate. The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet (first in the new Internet Guides to Consumer Health Care series from The Haworth Information Press) will help you identify Internet resources for complementary and alternative medicine that you can trust.