Robyn Landis - Herbal Defense: Positioning Yourself to Triumph Over Illness and Aging

PUBLISHERS NOTE: The information in this book is not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If you need medical attention, please seek the advice of your own health practitioner. You should have a health professional check your condition before making any changes in an existing treatment program.

Copyright 1997 by Robyn Landis with Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa

Foreword copyright 1997 by Michael T. Murray, N.D.

All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-0-75952-085-1

Discover the Healthful and Healing Properties of Herbs

Use wisdom from around the world to help yourselfwith solutions to problems such as:

VIRUSES: The mild Chinese herb astragalus is a remarkable cold preventiveand the spicy, aromatic cubeb berry not only builds immunity but relieves coughs, strengthens lung tissue, and helps heal asthma.

HEADACHES: Ginger, feverfew, and rosemary are standout migraine relievers; peppermint oil dabbed on temples, scalp, and neck eases tension headaches.

INSOMNIA: Valerian, hops, and scullcap leaf are just a few of the botanicals that can help you sleepwithout the risk of dependency.

FATIGUE: Eleuthero; fo-ti, and yerba mate are only a handful of the herbs that can energize you without overstimulation or side effects.

EAR INFECTIONS: Discover why a few drops of mullein oil, garlic oil, or onion juice are usually more effective than antibioticsnot to mention healthier and cheaper.

Robyn Landis and Karat Porch Singh Koalas have written a masterful and comprehensive work that will teach readers the practical essentials of herbal medicine. Its scope is immense, yet its organization and friendly, personal style make the information extremely accessible and easy to apply. The book will undoubtedly increase ones confidence regarding herbal self-care.

Ralph T. Golan, M.D., author of Optimal Wellness

ROBYN LANDIS is the author of the bestselling BodyFueling and the creator of the BodyFueling Workshop. She has delivered health education seminars, lectures, and workshops to thousands of peoplechildren and adults, athletes and physicians, and executives from Americas top corporations worldwidesince 1990. She has studied traditional herbal medicine with herbalist Karta Porch Singh Koalas for seven years.

KARTA PURKH SINGH KHALSA, C.N., A.H.G., is an herbalist and educator with twenty-five years of clinical experience. He has studied under Ayurvedic master Yogi Bhajan for two decades and also has expertise with Western, Chinese, European, and Native American herbs. His knowledge spans both traditional and modern views and practices in herbal medicine. A sought-after consultant and teacher, he travels extensively to offer his knowledge and experience through classes, conferences, and the media. He also developed Kinesionics, a unique muscle-testing tool used widely by other practitioners. He is a licensed nutritionist, licensed massage therapist, yoga teacher, certified trainer for the International Association of Specialized Kinesiologists, and a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild and many other professional organizations.

ALSO BY ROBYN LANDIS

BodyFueling

Visit Robyn Landiss Web site at www.bodyfueling.com

For me, this book has been an ambitious project because I had much to say and there is so much information to be shared. To educate on this kind of scale requires enormous support and assistance from many people; thus I offer many thanks as follows:

To my family: my husband Robert, my kindred spirit of health since the early days, who has indestructible faith in me and offers a bottomless well of encouragement, constancy, and insight; my parents, Marty and Doris Weisen, for loving me no matter how downright eccentric I may seem; and my brother, Dr. Steven Weisen, M.D., for sharing my passion for health sciences, despite our different ways of expressing that passion. And of course, my special pal Bailey, herbal wonder-dog, a dear buddy who warms my feet and keeps me company during long nights of writing and editing.

To Karta Purkh, my coauthor, a gifted healer and good friend, whose articulate, graceful introduction to the wonderful world of herbal medicine started me on my own power journey to phenomenal health, which I am now privileged to share with others. His responsiveness to my insatiable curiosity evolved into a partnership that culminates in this book, which gives the world access to his twenty-five years of accumulated knowledge, experience, and insight.

I must acknowledge my love and gratitude for a cadre of special friends who bless my life with unique and unstintingly generous contributions. They listen to my ranting, send endless relevant news clippings, read my stuff tirelessly, challenge me, advocate for me, commiserate with me, believe in meand authentically strive to be living examples of the kind of health and self-care I write about. Each has, in one way or another, inspired me to keep on with this. First, kindred spirit Amanda Bergson-Shilcock is a sainthood candidate for the huge gifts of precious time and talent she gave to this book. Among them was spending two entire vacations in 1996 and 1997 working in my office as my research/editorial assistant and right-hand woman. Others are Christine Carlson, Karen Tuff, Romney Gibson, and Scott, Ann, Jack, and Curtis Allen.

Dr. Michael Kinnear, Dr. Kaaren Nichols, Dr. Ann McCombs, Janice Lehrer, L.M.P., and Stacey Stevens, L.M.P., are health-care practitioners with whom I have empowering professional alliances as well as valued friendships. All have taught me a great deal about the body, medicine, and healing over the years, and the education continues. Extra, extra thanks goes to Dr. Michael Murray, N.D., one of my favorite natural healing authors and a respected researcher and professor of naturopathic medicine, for his time and assistance; and also to Dr. Ralph Golan, M.D., for his input.

I deeply appreciate my Warner Books editor Diane Stockwells sincere interest in this project and her help in achieving the books goals with sensitivity, clarity, andbelieve it or notbrevity. I am thankful that Warner Books has again given me an opportunity to communicate with many people in this manner.

Karta Purkhs wife, Jagdish Kaur, offered tremendous assistance throughout the project, and many tasks could not have been completed without her. Melanie LeDoux is an angel for her out-of-the-blue offer of last-minute data entry. Dick Paulsen and Judy Jackson gamely took armloads of chapters home for test-driving and gave me honest criticism. And special thanks to Jeanmarie LeMense for being a friend and hand-holder long after the official role as editor had ended.

I could not have devoted as much attention to this project for as long as it took without Joan Lewiss understanding and flexibility regarding my commitments to other projects. And thanks to all the Bergson-Shilcocks, especially Emily, for graciously parting with Amanda (again).

Herbalist David Overton, PA-C, R.N., of the University of Washington, must be credited for his contributions providing clarity on the biochemistry of mood disorders.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the pioneering health and science professionalsfar too many to name herewho study, practice, write, and speak on behalf of a new era of medicine and an authentic health-care system. I am grateful for their dedication, inspiration, determination, courage, visionary spirit, and love for people. For my own sake and others, I am relieved that they are out there.