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Turner Publishing Company - Brigitte Mars

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539 pages

English

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Description

Detailed description of more than 180 herbs with a broad range of information on each, including historical and current medical uses, edible properties, natural range and more.

Sujets

Herbal Medications

Informations

Publié par	Turner Publishing Company
Date de parution	01 novembre 2014
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781591207214
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,1500€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

The Desktop Guide to
Herbal Medicine
The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants, in a Quick-Study, One-Stop Guide
B RIGITTE M ARS , A.H.G.
The information contained in this book is intended to educate, delight, and expand your understanding of the healthful and beautiful herbs that grace this planet and to empower you to take responsibility for your own health. In cases of serious health concerns, please see a qualified health-care professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the author and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
Basic Health Publications, Inc.
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: 949-715-7327 www.basichealthpub.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mars, Brigitte.
The desktop guide to herbal medicine : the ultimate multidisciplinary reference to the amazing realm of healing plants, in a quick-study, one-stop guide / Brigitte Mars.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59120-721-4
1. Herbs-Therapeutic use-Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
RM666.H33M3666 2007
615 .321-dc22
2007005889
Copyright 2007 by Brigitte Mars.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
Editor: Nancy Ringer
Typesetter/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg
Cover design: Mike Stromberg
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
P ART O NE
Principles of Herbalism
C HAPTER 1
Gathering and Storing Herbs
C HAPTER 2
Making Herbal Medicines
P ART T WO
The Herbs of Herbalism
C HAPTER 3
Profiles
Glossary of Physiological Effects
Resources
Bibliography
Index of Alternative Common Names
Index of Botanical Names
Other Works by Brigitte Mars
Dedicated to the herbalists of the past, present, and future.
Acknowledgments

My heartfelt thanks go out to my publisher, Norman Goldfind, who has always supported my work in bringing the message of good health to the people of our planet.
Nancy Ringer, editor extraordinaire, you have so many amazing skills for which I am always grateful. Many thanks to Carol and Gary Rosenberg for their editing, typesetting, and artistic skills.
Thanks always to Rosita Arvigo, Beth Baugh, Matthew Becker, Mark Blumenthal, Jane Bothwell, Mary Bove, Chanchal Cabrerra, Diana Diluca, Ann Drucker, Cascade Anderson Geller, Rosemary Gladstar, Mindy Green, Christopher Hobbs, David Hoffman, Juliano, Sara Katz, Kathi Keville, Henriette Kress, Laura Lamun, Alicia Bay Laurel, Rob McCaleb, Pamela Montgomery, Cynthia Pileggi, Jermey Safron, Debra St. Claire, Rick Scalzo, Farida Sharan, Herbal Ed Smith, Jill Stansbury, Lesley Tierra, Michael Tierra, Roy Upton, Susun Weed, Dr. Roger Wicke, David Winston, David Wolfe, and my herbally oriented sons-in-law, Mitch Stegall and Dr. Christopher Daugherty (daymaker); you are all beautiful and beloved! Thanks to Sam Fuqua, Ned McCrumb, Kaylene Proctor, and the gang at Pharmaca for their special help. Much honor to the late greats Terrence Mckenna, William Lesassier, Dr. John Christopher, Dr. Alfred Vogel, and Jeanine Parvati Baker.
Tom Pfeiffer, you have helped me in a thousand and one ways for more than thirty years. Rainbeau Harmony Mars and Sunflower Sparkle Mars, you make my life amazing! Much love.
Introduction

G reetings and radiant blessings,
Herbal medicine has been with us since the beginning, one of the many aspects of humankind s symbiotic relationship with the natural world. It is the most time-tested healing tradition in the world, having evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in disparate regions and diverse cultures. Research into the amazing health benefits of the plant world will certainly continue, but herbal medicine has already benefited millions of people over the centuries. That s a lot more than prescription drugs can claim!
As a practitioner of herbal healing for more than thirty-five years, having witnessed how herbs improve the health of our planet s population every day, I feel a deep enthusiasm and appreciation for the plant world. When we begin to work with plants as healing allies, we improve our health, and we also empower ourselves to take charge of our health. In a time when treatment is still valued over prevention, when the technology of medicine can outstrip our ethical understanding of it, and when treatment options can be decided by insurance administrators, taking control of our own health is vital.
Herbal medicine is not a diagnose and treat program. It is a holistic approach to maintaining a vibrant, energetic, balanced state of being that is best practiced every day. When illness or injury occur, the goal is to treat the source of the problem, rather than the symptoms, by helping the body call up its own healing mechanisms. Most plant medicines work gently in this manner, but some are strong and sometimes harsh. Ailment is matched to therapy: when gentle measures will do, gentle measures can be taken, but when aggressive therapy is needed, the plant world stands at the ready. And when herbal medicine is woven together with the scientific wonders of Western medicine, treatment possibilities are unparalleled.
Practicing herbal medicine on a daily basis encourages us to focus on not only the maintenance of our own health but also that of our planet. When we bring herbs into our lives, we tend to become glad custodians of the earth, eager to protect and nurture the vast potential of the natural world around us. We learn that existence in all forms is about balance: In order to benefit from the natural world, we must also benefit it. When we nurture the plants, they are able to nurture us.
This book is intended to be a companion in the pursuit of a natural balance: the study, prescription, and use of herbs to achieve vibrant health, mitigate illness, and correct physiological imbalances, in ourselves and in the world at large. May it fill you with knowledge that is practical, helpful, and healthful. And may your countenance blossom with radiance and health.

1. Gathering and Storing Herbs

G athering herbs is a great adventure, whether you purchase herbs from a retail outlet or head out into the wilds to collect them your-self. The following guidelines will help guide you along the way. With good humor at the ready and good study under your belt, finding the herbs you need, and storing them so that they last, can be an aromatic, textural, and visual treat!
SHOPPING FOR HERBS
Herb shops are fun places. If you don t have one near you, many offer their wares online (see the resources at the end of this book). The staff are usually quite friendly, enjoying the company of both people and plants. When asked for assistance they can instruct you on how to bag up the herbs you want, whether the price code needs to be marked on the bag, and any other procedures that are not clearly posted in the area. Sometimes the shops offer workshops on using herbs, which can be tremendously helpful in the study of herbal medicine. The more experience you can get, the better!
Do your best to seek out organically cultivated herbs. Not only do they have the most healing properties (pesticides are designed to destroy, not heal), but organic cultivation is healthier for the planet and creatures that live upon it. Sometimes you may find supplies of wildcrafted herbs; these are herbs that have been collected from the wild. If you use wildcrafted plants, be sure they were harvested in a sustainable method that respects the environment and ensures the continuation of that species. Avoid using plants that are endangered or at risk.
Dried herbs should look and smell almost like the fresh product. Look for good color. An herb that was originally green when fresh should not look like yellow straw when dried. Bright golden calendula flowers should still show their hue. Nettles should still be bright green.
WILDCRAFTING
Learning to wildcraft, or collect wild plants, in your own neck of the woods will greatly enhance your pleasure in practicing herbal medicine, as well as your sense of connection to the earth.
The most important rule of wildcrafting is to make sure you collect the proper species. Some plants have poisonous lookalikes. Be especially careful with mushrooms, as a mistake can easily be fatal. Also be sure to collect the correct plant part-for example, blue elderberries are wonderful, but the leaves are toxic. And know that animals have different physiologies; just because an animal eats a plant doesn t mean it is safe for humans to ingest.
Avoid collecting plants within 50 feet of a busy road, in areas that are sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, or in areas known to be polluted or contaminated. Ask permission before gathering on private land.
Any known endangered species must be left alone; do not harvest it from the wild. With any species, identify the grandfather/mother plant in a stand of plants-it s usually the largest or the first to flower- and leave it to ensure the continuation of the strongest of the species. Never take more than 10 percent of what s there. Vary the places you collect from.
Collect plants in a way to ensure the continued survival of the species. If all you need are the leaves and flowers, take only some tops from the plants; cutting back