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Herbs Demystified: A Scientist Explains How the Most Common Herbal Remedies Really Work...
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Music Books > Herb Albert > Item 17
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Herbs Demystified: A Scientist Explains How the Most Common Herbal Remedies Really Work...
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by Holly Phaneuf
Sales Rank: 255200
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List Price: $21.95
$16.46
At Amazon
on 12-29-2007.
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Features
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Marlowe & Company; 1 edition November 22, 2005
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1569244081
ISBN-13: 978-1569244081
Product Dimensions:
9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Book Description
The scores of books on herbs already available generally restate old, often outdated lore about herbs. Now, Herbs Demystified does something entirely different: It is the first book to explain exactly what herbs actually do inside our bodies and how they achieve their effects. Biochemist Holly Phaneuf covers 100 of the most popular herbs-astragalus, black cohosh, chamomile, echinacea, garlic, gingko, ginseng, milk thistle, pine bark extract, saw palmetto, valerian, and many others. Phaneuf's introductory overview lays out the basic chemical principles that underlie the journey herbal molecules make in our bodies. Then, for each of the herbs, she covers its history and folklore; explains what the herb really does-its evidence of action; its good uses and not so good uses, including the forms in which it is typically available and commonly reported dosages; interesting facts and the bottom line. Like no other herb book before, Herbs Demystified allows readers to custom-fit an herb to one's own particular concern, therefore minimizing trial and error.
Publisher Description
As researchers and consumers alike become more aware of the power of herbs, more information is readily available--and much of it is conflicting or even potentially dangerous. Yet most resources simply prescribe herbs, without explaining how the herb works. Finally, Herbs Demystified provides scientifically up-to-date explanations for what herbs really do--in a clear, concise, user-friendly way.
A lifelong fascination with herbs led biochemist Dr. Holly Phaneuf to research their properties and the cause-and-effect mechanisms of herbal molecules in the human body. Answering basic as well as complicated questions about herbal remedies, Herbs Demystified is practical, easy-to-read, and extraordinarily comprehensive, covering every relevant topic, including:
* Echinacea's long-debated healing properties
* Lemon balm and sage as treatments for Alzheimer's disease
* Tea tree oil's effectiveness in getting rid of bacteria--and its cost to your cells
* Soy versus black cohosh for the prevention of hot flashes
* Licorice's ability to heal ulcers--and cause overdoses
* Garlic's effectiveness in preventing blood clots
* Wintergreen as nature's aspirin
* Aloe veras two forms--and the drastically different effects of each
Exploring more than fifty of the most popular herbs, from aloe to yohimbe, the oft-used ginseng to the less well-known turmeric, Herbs Demystified also contains:
* How scientists think herbs work
* Lists of common ailments and recommended herbs
* Little-known dangers and warning labels
* History and folklore
* Good effectsand not so good
* Commonly reported use and dosage
Herbs included: aloe, arnica, artichoke, astragalus, bilberry, black cohosh, borage, cascara, cat's claw, catnip, chamomile, chaste tree, cinnamon, cranberry, dandelion, echinacea, eleuthero, evening primrose, feverfew, flax, garlic, ginger, gingko, ginseng, gotu kola, grape, guarana, hawthorn, hoodia, horse chestnut, kava, lavender, lemon balm, licorice, marsh mallow, milk thistle, nettle, parsley, peppermint, red clover, red pepper, sage, saw palmetto, senna, soy, St. John's wort, tea, tea tree oil, turmeric, uva ursi, valerian, wild yam, wintergreen, witch hazel, yerba mate, yohimbe
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
4 stars is an average: 3 stars for implying that only Western Science's double-blind, placebo controlled studies are of any worth. 5 stars for: readablity, layout & format, for including some of the fun and interesting history and folklore, for value, and for the personal anecdotes as well as for explaining, in layman's terms, the science behind the studies. I especially applaud that last point, the author's ability to explain the concepts behind the science in layman's terms. Since I seem so impressed (I am. btw), it might seem churlish of me to subtract those two stars for the implication that Western "science" is the only way to look at things in general and herbs in particular. I don't think so. I have long training-nearly life long, in fact-training in alternative medicine and other alternative ideas. Therefore I am qualified to benefit from the Western science information and also to ignore or modify for myself the author's bias against traditional information. I am guessing that's not so of the many readers of this book, not the least because this book is targeted at a general audience, and therefore this bias is quite a large deficiency in my opinion. Further, Dr Phaneuf, in ignoring some of the traditional information available on particular herbs, fails to give some of the traditional cautions and contraindication for certain herbs. That too I find a deficiency. Although I fully agree with the author that some traditional references like "this herb is good for the liver" are useless and possibly dangerous if relied upon, but that's certainly not all there is available in the way of traditional information. If this book were not aimed at a general audience I would not feel compelled to make such an issue of this. Otherwise, I expect this book will be a valued addition to my library and I congratulate Dr. Phaneuf on an entertaining book in a very accessible format.
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Herbs Demystified: A Scientist Explains How the Most Common Herbal Remedies Really Work...
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