The Ecology of Herbal Medicine introduces botanical medicine through an in-depth exploration of the land, presenting a unique guide to plants found across the American Southwest. An accomplished herbalist and geographer, Dara Saville offers readers an ecological manual for developing relationships with the land and plants in a new theoretical approach to using herbal medicines. Designed to increase our understanding of plants' rapport with their environment, this trailblazing herbal speaks to our innate connection to place and provides a pathway to understanding the medicinal properties of plants through their ecological relationships. With thirty-nine plant profiles and detailed color photographs, Saville provides an extensive materia medica in which she offers practical tools and information alongside inspiration for working with plants in a way that restores our connection to the natural world.

The modern techniques of holistic and alternative healing and natural remedies have been alive in the "old ways" of Native American medicine for centuries. This comprehensive guide introduces the Native American concept of healing, which incorporates body, mind, and spirit and stresses the importance of keeping all three in balance.

Dr. Anthony Cichoke explains the philosophy behind American Indian healing practices as well as other therapies, such as sweat lodges, used in conjunction with herbs. He examines each herb in an accessible A-to-Z format, explaining its healing properties and varying uses in individual tribes. Finally, he details Native American healing formulas and recipes for treating particular ailments, from hemorrhoids to stress.

INDIGENOUS CULTURES / HERBAL HEALING "Plant Spirit Shamanism takes readers into realms that defy rational logic and scientific theory, showing graphically that we humans are not the only intelligent life on this planet. From their extensive travels to indigenous cultures that understand life very differently from those in the 'developed' world, the authors reveal a wealth of plant knowledge that has been lost to Western civilization. This book is both a fascinating read and a considerable challenge to the orthodox mind." --Leo Rutherford, author of The Way of Shamanism and Your Shamanic Path In Plant Spirit Shamanism, Ross Heaven and Howard G. Charing explore the use of one of the major allies of shamans for healing, seeing, dreaming, and empowerment--plant spirits. After observing great similarities in the use of plants among shamans throughout the world, they discovered the reason behind these similarities: Rather than dealing with the "medical properties" of the plants or specific healing techniques, shamans are communing with the spirits of the plants themselves. From their years of in-depth shamanic work in the Amazon, Haiti, and Europe, including extensive field interviews with master shamans, Heaven and Charing present the core methods of plant shamanism used in healing rituals the world over: soul retrieval, spirit extraction, sin eating, and the Amazonian tradition of pusanga (love medicine). They explain the techniques shamans use to establish connections to plant spirits and provide practical exercises as well as a directory of traditional Amazonian and Caribbean healing plants and their common North American equivalents so readers can explore the world of plant spirits andmake them allies of their own. ROSS HEAVEN is a therapist and workshop leader specializing in personal development, healing, and shamanism. He offers indigenous medicine retreats and workshops worldwide. His books include The Spiritual Practices of the Ninja, Darkness Visible, and Vodou Shaman. Howard G. Charing is a director of the Eagle Wing's Centre for Contemporary Shamanism, has taught at Dr. Michael Harner's Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and leads workshops and medicine retreats in the United Kingdom, the Peruvian Amazon basin, and the Andes. Both authors live in England.

Cannabis for Seniors is written for independent seniors looking for ways to manage their everyday health concerns without resorting to powerful, habit-forming, potentially dangerous medications. It is also written for younger family members who care for seniors or simply "keep an eye on" a mother or father who is aging and needs a little help managing physical ailments and mental challenges. Cannabis for Seniors reviews the latest scientific research regarding the health effects of marijuana and the effectiveness of various cannabis strains for managing specific health conditions. It also presents anecdotal reports on cannabis use by seniors -- so readers can learn about people "just like them" who have tried medical marijuana and had good results. The book addresses the myths and worries that many seniors have about marijuana use showing which concerns are founded in fact and which are simply based on inadequate or partial information. It discusses various methods of administering medical marijuana, explaining which conditions are best handled by smoking, eating, or using skin patches containing active medicinal cannabis components. It deals in detail with the major conditions that cannabis can help: * Sleep issues * Depression * Alzheimer's disease * Chronic pain * Anxiety * Digestive disorders * Cancer * Glaucoma * Multiple sclerosis * Parkinson's disease * Concussions * Stroke * and many more For each condition, Cannabis for Seniors explains the scientific research and personal anecdotes supporting use of medical marijuana -- helping seniors decide for themselves, or with the help of a caregiver, how best to cope with their personal health situations. Cannabis for Seniors also discusses social elements of life that are facilitated by marijuana. Research shows that seniors who remain connected to friends, family members and community live longer, happier and healthier lives. The book shows how medical marijuana can help with these important social connections.

"It has been an honor to be associated with David Dalton's work for many years, witnessing his skills as a healer and teacher.... David combines an extraordinary passion for both plants and people." -Patricia Kaminski, director of The Flower Essence Society, Nevada City, California "This is an outstanding resource.... David writes from his rich experience as a therapist and flower essence practitioner in presenting each flower portrait with clarity and fullness. I am especially grateful for the way David has moved beyond descriptions and indications to more fully develop the true character of each essence and the personality traits of those who could benefit from each of these 'stars.'" -Kate Gilday, herbalist, Woodland Essence, Cold Brook, New York "David Dalton has made an inestimable contribution to the study and use of flower essences. His work deepens the understanding of the particular energetics of flowers, as well as providing a system of diagnosis and use. Attention especially to herbalists and lovers of the plant world: in Stars of the Meadow, you will re-meet many medicine plants you are familiar with in a new and profound way." -Claudia Keel, Earthflower Herbals Flower essences are liquid, energetic remedies derived from living flowers. They bring the natural dynamic energy of the plant directly into the human electro-system, where they work to bring about movement toward health and balance. Because of their energetic and living quality, they work directly and deeply in the emotional system, assisting in the release of early wounds and trauma. These suppressed imprints are considered to be a main causes of many types of diseases or imbalances today. Flower essences are a perfect complement to many of today's health practices. They enhance the effects of energy work, physical therapy, acupuncture, psychotherapy, cranial-sacral work, massage, aroma therapy and many other forms of healing and treatment. Flower essences are safe, natural, and non-toxic. Continuing the work of Edward Bach, Stars of the Meadow looks deeply into the relationship between health and the human personality. David Dalton takes us on a thorough and soulful exploration of how to use more than forty medicinal herbs as flower essences, portraying each flower in a way that is both substantive and inspired. Each description is organized to present a picture of how the flower essence affects the adult personality as it has been formed through life, and describes its direct clinical effects on children and animals. Dalton also connects different types of flowers-based on the number and arrangement of petals as well as associated colors and qualities-to the system of human chakras, or energy centers. This innovative approach allows the reader to discover new ways to employ flower essences to focus on specific areas of one's being, from the most physical to the highest levels, allowing a kind of flexibility rarely found in any single system of healing. Stars of the Meadow is a valuable guide not only for those who are new to flower essences, but also for seasoned herbalists who wish to deepen their knowledge of this effective method of healing body, mind, and soul.

Drawing on the writings of Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th-century herbalist, apothecary and astrologer, this updated, accessible introduction celebrates the holistic medical traditions of the West, and places Culpeper in his appropriate context as one of the forebears of modern holistic medicine and a prophet of the NHS. An extensive new introduction to the work comments on the latest research and developments in the area. The book traces the development of the Western holistic medical tradition from its origins in the natural philosophy of Ancient Greece to the work of Culpeper himself. It describes and explains the relationship between the four elements, the four humours and the four constitutional types: sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic, as well as explaining the functional relationships of organs and body systems. The book explores the interconnectedness of psyche (mind) and soma (body) and includes a section on herbal medicine and therapeutics with a study of 20 common herbs, dietary suggestions and uses for culinary herbs. It also provides accessible information on astrology and the importance of the horoscope for holistic patient assessment. The book looks at the holistic approach to the preservation of health and prevention of disease, with explanations of the various disease states, their humoral medical diagnosis and treatment. An authoritative insight into the expanding world of holistic medicine, this book is an indispensable resource for medical herbalists, students of herbal medicine and all those interested in Western holistic medicine and its origins.

Herbal supplements are available without prescription in many countries throughout the world and accounting for over $30 billion U.S dollar in sale. A majority of U.S population (25-40%) use herbal supplements while alternative medicines are major forms of therapy in third world countries used by as much as 80% population. Contrary to the popular belief that herbal remedies are safe and effective, many herbal supplements have known toxicity and unexpected laboratory test results may be the early indications of such toxicity. In addition, some herbal products such as St. John's wort can interact with many Western drugs causing increased clearance of such drugs and hence treatment failure. This monograph would provide information on how herbal supplements affect laboratory test results thus patient's safety. This monograph would provide a comprehensive and concise practical guide for laboratory professionals, physicians and other health care professionals. The emphasis of this monograph is to provide clinically relevant information rather than discussing in detail mechanisms of such effect, although brief explanations would be provided for such unexpected test results.

A handy pocket-size guide to natural remedies from your garden and store-cupboard for complaints ranging from coughs and colds to aches and pains that allows you to save money and avoid taking mass-produced chemicals on a regular basis. Fiann gives simple step-by-step instructions to make straightforward salves and ointments, teas, rinses and syrups that will fill the first-aid cupboard, as well as identifying plants that can be used straight away with no preparation required. Fiann's singular knowledge of the properties and uses of herbs, fruit and flowers from the garden makes fascinating reading, as well as having extensive practical applications.

In this second "Earthwise Herbal" ('herbal', as defined by Merriam-Webster, is 'a book about plants especially with reference to their medicinal properties') Matthew Wood, an expert herbalist who has used medicinal herbs in tens of thousands of cases over a twenty-five-year career, provides detailed descriptions of New World (North American) herbs and their uses. The first volume of this two-volume set, "The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants", was published by North Atlantic Books in May 2008. Organized as a material medica (names and descriptions of herbs/plants are listed alphabetically), the book explains the use of the whole plant - not just 'active ingredients' - in the treatment of the whole person and describes symptoms and conditions that the plants have been successful in treating (digestive ailments, headaches, high blood pressure, asthma, skin rashes, and allergies, to name a few). Wood, one of very few writers who has systematically studied ancient and traditional herbal literature, rather than the occasional text, takes a historical view and presents information in a thoughtful, engaging, non-technical style. In addition, he provides remarkable case studies as well as insight into the 'logic' of each plant - its current usage, past usage, pharmacological constituents, and other elements that together produce a comprehensive portrait of the plant.