Oriental diagnosis, an ancient holistic system of knowledge, can detect physical problems before they arise. Beginning with an explanaton of the principles of Oriental diagnosis - touching, "seeing," and pressure - author Michio Kushi helps you understand this natural, non-invasive approach.

Optimize your health by learning the inherent strengths and weaknesses of your body type
- Explains the 4 major body types of Korean Sasang medicine; the best foods, exercises, and herbs for each; and what to avoid
- Reveals how the Yin Yang energy balance of the bodily organs relates to the emotional balance and health of each body type
- Provides 2 different self-tests to determine your type
Deeply rooted in the classics of Oriental medicine, the ancient Korean art of Sasang medicine explains how we each are born with a specific body "type" that establishes our physical and emotional strengths and weaknesses. These traits have a direct influence on how we interact with others and react to stress, trauma, and illness. Discovering your type can empower you to make the best choices regarding your health and well-being.
In this book, Dr. Gary Wagman explores the 4 major body types of Sasang medicine and 2 different self-tests to determine your type. He explains the balance of Yin and Yang energy within the organs for each type and how this underlies your emotional tendencies and health patterns. With a strong spleen and weaker kidneys, for example, the Yang type A person will be inclined to anger and susceptible to urinary complaints. Offering stories from his Sasang medical practice, as well as his own healing, the author shows how organ excesses and deficiencies are often the culprit in emotional and psychological issues and how addressing these energetic imbalances can bring about lasting change.
Dr. Wagman provides an extensive look at the most beneficial foods for each type and those that could be harmful, as well as which forms of exercise are most effective. He shows which herbs are most compatible for you and which could exacerbate your inborn energetic imbalances. He offers Sasang approaches for a range of common conditions, from high blood pressure, aching joints, and allergies to common colds, inadequate sleep, and weight gain. He also introduces ways to enhance spiritual well-being by balancing your innate emotional strengths and weaknesses. Addressing the body, mind, and spirit, discovering your Yin Yang body type provides the key to optimizing physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

The tough, know-it-all boys who have been kicked out of school, engaged in theft, and generally been incorrigible, aren't quite so macho when a leech attaches itself to their leg. They also don't really know how to paddle a canoe, but want everyone to think they do. "Wilderness therapy" works.
Joel lookslike he's very retarded. His ear is on his chin, his eyes are placed in the wrong area of his face, he has a severe cleft lip and palate. Not assuming the degree of his mental deficiencies, Playlady>/b> teaches him to throw soft balls and bean bags across the room, and laugh. Much to the dismay of the nurses.
Don, known to the nurses as the femur in 360, will have his leg in traction for 6 weeks, but it doesn't squelch his need to play. It does challenge the Playladyto find ways of providing activities that he loves.
When Little Mary came to pediatrics, Playlady had to decide whether to stay aloof, or throw herself into the team caring for a terminally ill child. It would be acceptable to "hide from the tragedies of life to avoid the pain, but then you miss the joy," You miss the dance.
When Ryan's arm was chopped off in a farm combine, his mother packed it in ice and he was helicoptered to our facility where it was reattached. Finding play for a boy with one arm totally immobilized, was just a day in the life of the Playlady.
Marcus also lost an appendage while holding his shotgun and trying to climb a fence. With his thumb gone, it was impossible to have a grip. So, they took his second toe off and sewed it where his thumb had been. It was a job for Playlady to help him use the hand naturally again. As in holding and moving game pieces.
Anorexia has vicious tentacles that take a strong hold of bright, ambitious young people who come to the point of life or death. Body perceptions are hard to dispel, and it takes an entire medical team to help them get strong enough to play, and then leave.
A deadly car wreck claims the father, sister and leaves three other family members in hospitals. Five year old Claire spends months on Peds, relearning to crawl, walk, and talk with the Playlady.
It is a total shock when the hospital eliminates the recreational therapy programs, due to budget cuts. Anger, and sadness finally give way to hope, when Playlady finds herself walking down the hall of the State Psychiatric hospital with a huge ring of keys clipped to her belt. Sometimes that's the only way to tell who stays and who goes home at night.
With a minor in Psychology going along with the BS in Recreational Therapy, it was a great opportunity to actually live, work and play with folk who exhibited all the symptoms written of in the texts. The paranoid schizophrenic, the depressed, the murderers judged insane by a jury, become daily companions. Sandy used to be a bird, and has a picture on the wall to prove it. Joe speaks in word salad, totally unintelligible. Outings can be scary, embarrassing, but are an essential part of judging a patients ability to live on the outside. Many never do.
Again, Playladyis out of a job, and again she finds a new one. Back to the same hospital where she worked on Peds, but now in the inpatient, acute, psych ward. Different keys on the belt, some of the same diagnoses.
Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) is back in use. Better known as shock treatment, it totally changes the life of an elderly woman who failed at suicide with a shotgun blow. By the end of her stay she was singing with Playlady at the piano.
Whatever the diagnosis, there is a need that can be fulfilled by Playlady. Finding that need, and determining how to meet it, is the most exciting part of being a recreational therapist.

Food is our most powerful medicine. This outstanding book introduces and teaches us how to apply the ancient wisdom and traditions of the healing that comes through food according to Chinese medicine. You'll be introduced to a new way of not only thinking about yourself but what you need to eat to achieve balance and ultimately improve your health. Ellen provides a keen and comprehensive understanding behind the basic principles of Chinese medicine so they can be easily applied to our day-to-day lives. She then takes these same concepts, expands on them and applies to the food we should be eating in order to maximize the tenets of Chinese dietary therapy. Eating well is essential to good health and Chinese medicine believes that food truly is medicine. In an easy-to-understand and straightforward manner, Ellen explains how and which combination of foods and flavours act upon the body to move qi (which is energy) and how they act on the body to warm or cool. Many of the modern day chronic health problems caused by lifestyle, genetics and stress can be helped by distinctive and long lasting changes in the way we eat. 150 enticing recipes organized by season help you easily put the theory of Chinese medicine into practice. You'll be able to put together meals that are appropriate for each season from breakfast to dinner and including beverages and desserts. All the recipes are super straightforward, easy to assemble and easily adapted to met your needs, desires and tastes. You'll soon be on your way to utilizing the principles you've learned and applying where they count most - in your kitchen.

This book presents a fun and practical way of learning the functions of acupuncture points on the twelve primary and eight extra channels.. Students are invited to colour and doodle their way through the sequence of images on each channel in turn embellishing anything they find difficult to remember or recall. Through the drawings the author offers her own imaginative visual representation of each point based on translations of the Chinese point names. The text page opposite each set of drawings provides a quick cross reference for the student, with a simple list of the point names and the main functions relating to each. The flexible style of this book accommodates the needs of students from a wide range of schools and traditions. This is an essential learning resource for students of acupuncture, acupressure, shiatsu and massage, and is ideal for revision and self or paired testing.

The 12-movement qigong form presented is taken from over 50 forms developed by Professor Zhang Guangde, one of the world's leading qigong teachers, and can be practised in both seated and standing positions. The movements are graceful and easy to learn, and are based on the tenets of Chinese Medicine, working with the Zang Fu organs, the meridians, yin-yang, the Five Elements, and qi and blood. The book provides step-by-step, fully-illustrated instruction for both standing and seated practice, learning tips and health benefits for each movement, and also a brief account on the origins and characteristics of the exercises. An accompanying DVD features a video demonstrating the form and additional information on its history and origins, and a CD provides options for verbal instructions to lead the practitioner through the exercises, or music to accompany them. Through integrating breathing exercises into Yangsheng, the 12 steps are effective for promoting good health, preserving life and cultivating the spirit, and they are suitable for all ages. The book will be invaluable for people who wish to learn a simple yet powerful form, and for teachers looking for effective forms to teach groups, especially children, people with disabilities and older people.

The second volume in the Aromatica series builds on the fundamentals found in Volume 1: Principles and Profiles. This comprehensive clinical text delves further into the different profiles of essential oils and the proper applications for physiological and psychological functions as well as energetic and Chinese Medicines. Packed with charts depicting different functions and methods of administration, and an extensive catalogue of 40 new essential oil profiles, this is an indispensable guide for all complementary medicine practitioners.

From New York Times best-selling author and natural-health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola, an illustrated guide and cookbook with smart strategies, cutting-edge research, and 50 delicious recipes to support immunity. For many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a wakeup call, forcing us to take a frank look at how well our immune systems could serve us during challenging times. Is your immune health up to par? Could it save you from a monumental threat? In this new book packed with up-to-the-minute information and illustrated with gorgeous photography, natural-wellness expert Dr. Joseph Mercola offers a powerful toolkit for strengthening immunity and supporting health. Eating a wide array of herbs and spices on a regular basis, he explains, can go a long way toward strengthening your immune system and preventing illness. And herbs can be much more than mere culinary seasonings. Upgrade Your Immunity with Herbs showcases 19 different medicinal herbs and spices-from Ashwagandha to Echinacea to Rhodiola-and offers ways to use them in delicious and creative preparations for everything from teas and tonics to full meals. And while there's little question that diet is the most important contributor to immune health, Dr. Mercola also shares insight into other factors that play key roles. You'll discover: How to know much water you need each day (you may be surprised) 11 ways to improve your sleep - and your immunity What vitamins and minerals your diet should include The common (but easy-to-quit) habit that's linked to cancer, excess inflammation and poor immune health And more Here is all you need to know to build an immune system you can trust-and eat well in the process.

Aloe isn't medicine, and yet...it Cures" is just another text along the lines of the first book written by Father Romano zago, "Cancer Can Be Cured" that includes "The Scientific Monographic History of Aloe Vera and Aloe Arborescens" which in the last few years has recieved much acclaim in the field of alternative medicine in Europe. This time the author presents the curative properties of Aloe and indicates, in simple practice, how to use this plant in curing over 100 types of illnesses including obesity and depression.

A comprehensive look at the many therapeutic and ecological uses of neem.
* Used in India for over 4,000 years, neem is one of the most popular therapeutic plants in the Indian pharmacopoeia.
* Effective in the treatment of fever, malaria, skin diseases, dental problems, diabetes, arthritis, and jaundice.
* A natural pesticide hailed by many for its diverse ecological benefits.

In India-- where it has been used for more than 4,000 years-- the neem tree has such a variety of medical applications that it is sometimes referred to as the village pharmacy. Now modern research is proving what has been long known by Ayurvedic medicine practitioners: neem is one of the most effective plant medicines in the world. An extremely powerful blood purifying agent and detoxicant, neem is also effective in the treatment of fever, malaria, skin diseases, dental problems, diabetes, tumors, arthritis, and jaundice. It has gained particular attention from scientists seeking a cure for AIDS, not only for its antiviral properties, but also because it boosts the immune system on all levels without destroying beneficial bacteria, unlike synthetic antibiotics.

In addition to its numerous uses as a healing agent, neem has been receiving much attention for the ecological benefits it provides. For centuries Indians have been mixing neem leaves with stored grains to prevent insect infestation. But neem is not simply a natural alternative to pesticides; increasingly it is being used to reverse desertification and to reduce erosion and deforestation, making it an important weapon in the fight against global warming. Neem's many practical applications make it of enormous interest to anyone concerned about health and ecology. Included are recipes and practical tips that let you enjoy the many benefits of this miraculous plant.

Called the Mvskoke in their language, the Creek Indians of Oklahoma continue to practice traditional medicine. In "Creek Indian Medicine Ways," David Lewis, a full-blood Mvskoke and practicing medicine man, tells about the medicine tradition that has shaped his life. Born into a family of medicine people, he was chosen at birth to carry on the tradition. He shares his memories here about his childhood training and initiation as a medicine man as well as his remembrances about his father and grandmother, who trained him. Lewis reveals part of the sacred story of the origin of plants and he identifies some of the plants he uses in his cures. He also describes several of the ceremonies his teachers taught him, stressing throughout the sacredness and importance of Mvskoke medicine.

Ann T. Jordan, a Euroamerican anthropologist, documents the place of Lewis's medicine family in the written record. Lewis is the great grandson of Jackson Lewis, who was interviewed in 1910 by anthropologist John Swanton. Jackson Lewis is mentioned numerous times in Swanton's classic works on Mvskoke medicine and culture, published by the Bureau of American Ethnology in the 1920s. David Lewis is the direct inheritor of his great grandfather's medicine knowledge.

"The Earthwise Herbal" is one of very few books derived from direct experience in the actual use of medicinal herbs, in tens of thousands of cases, over a twenty-five year career. The description of herbs and their uses therefore grows organically out of experience, extensive study of literature and plants in the wild, and conversations with knowledge peers and teachers. The book is holistic, unlike an approach restricted to scientific research alone. Focusing on Old World medicinal plants of Western herbalism, author and registered herbalist Matthew Wood seeks to explain the use of the whole plant-not just 'active ingredients' - in the treatment of the whole person.Organized as a material medica (names and descriptions of herbs/plants are listed alphabetically), the book describes characteristic symptoms and conditions in which the plant has proved useful in the clinic, often illustrated with interesting case histories. In addition, it is historical, Wood being one of very few writers who has systematically and extensively studied ancient and traditional herbal literature, rather than the occasional text. The context and writing style of this book is intended to appeal to the imagination and intuition, and to help both the student and practitioner gain insight into the 'logic' of a plant: how it works, in what areas of the body it works, how it has been used in the past, what its pharmacological constituents indicate about its use, and how all these different factors hang together to produce a portrait of the plant as a whole entity.

Herbalists, naturopaths, plantspeople, witches, and natural healers will love the empowering information, engaging stories, and heartfelt meditations and rituals of natural herbal medicines. Written by well-respected urban herbalist Robin Rose Bennett with over 180 easy-to-follow recipes, this book offers readers who want to take charge of their health an immersion into a myriad ways to use plant-based remedies to care for themselves and others on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.

Offering a systematic comparative approach to Western and Eastern medicine, this unique textbook enables students and practitioners of Chinese medicine to develop a core understanding of conventional medical language and treatments. Acupuncture practitioners increasingly find themselves working alongside Western healthcare professionals. Now in its second edition, this book is a guide to conventional medical diagnoses, symptoms and treatments, and using examples drawn from the author's experience and knowledge of TCM it encourages reflection on how these diagnoses may be interpreted from a more holistic medical perspective. It includes introductory sections on physiology, pathology and pharmacology, chapters devoted to the physiological systems of the body and the conventional approach to the treatment of diseases that can affect them, and information on dealing with patients in practice. Accompanying online material, including self-testing questions and answers and checklists for revision, is available for those wishing to use the text for systematic study.

Due to overwhelming demand since its debut ten years ago, this beloved guide to the herbal wisdom of Mother Nature is back! With ancient folklore, simple instructions for growing an herb garden, and recipes from around the world, "Mother Nature's Herbal" is hands-down the most unique, thoughtful, and comprehensive guide to growing and preparing herbs.Divided into sections and graced with charming illustrations, this book is the perfect addition to any budding herbalist's kitchen counter. Part one presents a rich tapestry of centuries-old customs, recipes, and mythology from various cultures, including Native American, South American, Asian, Mediterranean, medieval, colonial, and more. Part two explains how to grow and use your own organic herbs. Make them thrive with tips on tending the soil, guarding against pests, and keeping your plants healthy. Once you've harvested your herbs, experiment with an assortment of recipes for foods, teas, tonics, ointments, and medicines. Explore the magical benefits of herbs, and enjoy invigorated health and a rejuvenated spirit!

We all need a personal sanctuary - a place where we can be in harmony with the natural world and can nurture our bodies, minds, and souls. And this sanctuary doesn't have to be an exotic destination, it can be in your own backyard. In her new book, Creating Sanctuary, bestselling author Jessi Bloom taps into multiple sources of traditional plant wisdom to help readers find a deeper connection to the outdoor space they already have - no matter the size. Equal parts inspirational and practical, this engaging guide includes tips on designing a healing space, plant profiles for 50 sacred plants, recipes that harness the medicinal properties of plants, and simple instructions for daily rituals and practices for self-care. Projects include herbal-based salves and creams, an herbal dream pillow, a smudge stick, a more. Hands-on, inspiring, and beautiful, Creating Sanctuary is a must-have for nature lovers and gardeners seeking new ways to revitalise their lives.

In Heal Yourself with Sunlight, Andreas Moritz has provided scientific evidence that sunlight is essential for good health, and that a lack of sun exposure can be held responsible for many of today s ailments. Sunlight is a nutrient, a medicine, a remedy, all at once. It is not some bottled compound you can find at a drug store alone. It is naturally available to everyone. The dosage is under your control and your body easily tells you when you have had just about the right amount of it. Unfortunately, even though sunlight is readily available all through the day, many people fail to profit from it. Read this book to learn how you can harness sunlight, nature s most potent and curative powers, for maintaining good health. It is a misconception that the sun is the main culprit for causing skin cancer, certain cataracts leading to blindness, and aging. Research has actually shown that most skin cancers occur among those who rarely ever spend time in the sun or who use sunscreens filled with carcinogenic chemicals. It has been known for several decades that those living mostly in the outdoors, at high altitudes, or near the equator, have the lowest incidence of skin cancers and are among the healthiest people on the planet. Patients suffering from gout, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, tuberculosis, anemia, cystitis, eczema, acne, psoriasis, herpes, lupus, sciatica, kidney problems, asthma, as well as burns, have all shown to receive great benefit from the healing rays of the sun. Heal Yourself With Sunlight tells you, among other things, how Vitamin D, which the skin produces in response to sun exposure, keeps the body s immune system strong, prevents the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, and reverses numerous types of cancer, among many other illnesses. Sunlight is the ultimate source of life on earth and the ideal panacea to increase the effectiveness of every other healing modality. Unlike drugs, surgery or radiation, sunlight costs nothing, has no harmful side-effects, and foremost of all, it makes you feel good.

Therapeutic Tai Chi is a gentle form of daily physical activity, developed with medical experts and physical therapists, that is based on the ancient forms of Tai Chi Ch'uan. Therapeutic Tai Chi is the tool used by the author to rise above crippling Multiple Sclerosis. The book includes ove fifty gourmet recipes from the "Chef Garibaldi" cookbook. Each chapter is fully illustrated with photography that details the movements.

A decade ago, Deepak Chopra, M.D., wrote the international bestseller, Perfect Health, the first practical guide to harnessing the healing power of the mind. Describing how breakthroughs in physics and medicine were underscoring the validity of a 5,000-year-old medical system from India known as Ayurveda, it went on to reveal how this ancient wisdom could be applied to everyday life. Now, in celebration of this classic work, this new edition has been revised and updated to include the very latest medical research.

Although we experience our bodies as solid, they are in fact more like fires that are constantly being consumed and renewed. We grow new stomach linings every five days, for instance; our skin is new every five weeks; each year, ninety-eight per cent of the total number of atoms in our bodies is replaced. Ayurveda gives us the tools to intervene at this quantum level, where we are being created anew each day. It also reveals how freedom from sickness depends on contacting our own awareness, bringing it into balance and then extending that balance to the body.

Perfect Health provides a complete step-by-step programme of mind-body medicine tailored to individual needs. A quiz identifies the reader’s mind-body type: thin, restless Vata; enterprising, efficient Pitta; tranquil, steady Kapha: or any combination of these three. It is this body type that forms the basis of a specific Ayurvedic programme of diet, stress reduction, neuromuscular integration, exercise, and daily routines. The result is a total health plan that will re-establish the body’s essential balance with nature, strengthen the mind-body connection, and use the power of quantum healing to transcend the ordinary limitations of disease and aging. In short, this is the ultimate guide to achieving Perfect Health.

DEEPAK CHOPRA has written twenty-six books, including the international bestseller The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. In 1999, Time magazine selected Dr. Chopra as one of the Top 100 Icons and Heroes of the Century, describing him as ‘the poet-prophet of alternative medicine’. He currently serves as CEO and founder of The Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla, California.

Based on the revolutionary Drink/Link Moderate Drinking Program, this book teaches drinkers to modify their drinking habits, reduce alcohol consumption and prevent alcoholism on their own at home - no meetings, belief in a higher power or profess- ional help are required!First, you learn five safe-drinking guidelines, then each week you learn clinically- proven behavioral, cognitive, motivational and lifestyle strategies and technqiues to stay within those guidelines. Beating alcohol craving, pacing your drinking, mastering the art of social drinking and learning from drinking "mistakes" are all covered.7 Weeks to Safe Social Drinking is a breakthrough for drinkers, alcohol abuse and healthcare professionals and an attractive early treatment program to prevent alcohol abuse.

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.

Ayurveda is the most ancient healing art of India.

The health for which the author is grateful came by struggle. What he was he owed to his original methods of health building, methods which were a precious outcome of years of careful study of nearly every theory of health and preventative medicine to be found in the world, of endless experimentation, and lastly, of a very critical examination, from the standpoint of modern medical science, of the knowledge so acquired. This book demonstrates Nishi's methods and work.