human body actually requires a high level of physical activity in order to function
normally. Until fairly recently this activity requirement was met by leading a normal
lifestyle and producing life’s necessities. From prehistoric times up until the last
century, people spent the vast majority of their physical energy—hard, daily labor—
just trying to produce food, shelter and clothing. Today we are the most sedentary
people in history. To achieve health, we must change our perspective that we can be
both sedentary and healthy. Fortunately, for all you couch potatoes out there, a
simple way is available to address this problem: rebounding. See appendix C for
more information.
The Future Is NowAfter bringing myself back from the brink of death and restoring my health, and
after more than sixteen years of study and experimentation, I have concluded that
the only way our society will stop its slide into declining health is to change our
beliefs about health and disease. The next major advance in health care will be
driven by those people who accept personal responsibility for their health, educate
themselves and make choices that move their personal health equations away from
disease and toward health.
When a large number of people look at something in the same way, we call that
system of belief a paradigm. Paradigms become accepted wisdom, and we interpret
our lives and make our decisions according to that conventional thinking. I ask you
to reconsider accepted wisdom and conventional thinking about health, disease and
medicine. Reconsider whether the beliefs that guide your life are effective in solving
your problems. Reconsider whether the decisions you make about your health—from
foods to drugs to doctors—bring you health and happiness. Reconsider whether you
are missing out on tremendous opportunities to be well and to live a longer, more
vigorous life than you ever imagined.
Today, most of us, and almost all of our physicians, are living in a cave of
confusion and misunderstanding. The medical establishment wins honors, praise and
prizes for its descriptions of diseases and how to manage symptoms. Yet this health
paradigm—this distorted way of viewing health— is not solving our problems.
If we are taught that thousands of diseases exist, then of course we must go to
doctors for all our health problems; only the doctor has the education to deal with all
the different diseases and their treatments. The new perspective I offer you is that
there is only one disease; health is then easier to understand, and the power to get
healthy and to stay healthy lies within yourself. Aside from medical emergencies,
which are indeed matters for trained professionals, maintaining your health is a
matter of preventing deficiency and toxicity and requires little or no outside
assistance.
We like to think of ourselves as so technologically advanced, so smart, so
sophisticated... able to invent computers, land on the moon and build space
stations. Yet people we consider primitive lived much longer and healthier lives than
we do. By optimizing their six pathways and minimizing the two causes of disease,
these populations showed us that the potential for human health is extraordinary.
These people did not suffer from the chronic and degenerative diseases that are the
norm in our society; in fact they rarely, if ever, suffered from the common cold.
A massive misconception in America is that most of us are healthy. In reality,
most of us are sick. You don’t have to look sick to be sick. We are living proof that
it is entirely possible to achieve normal growth rates and have a healthy appearance
while being undernourished and in a state of compromised health. Our
unprecedented epidemic of chronic and degenerative disease is clearly the result ofeating a diet consisting of adulterated and devitalized foods; exposure to the lethal
effects of polluted air, water and food; and exposure to manmade electromagnetic
radiation. Yet, as a society, we have failed to come to grips with this reality,
partially because we are still stuck in the obsolete medical paradigm of the “germs
and genes theory” of disease, and partially because powerful economic incentives
exist to maintain the status quo.
Do we think we can continue to eat nutritionally deficient diets, diets rich in
make-believe foods made from sugar, white flour and processed oils, diets that will
not even sustain healthy life in rats, and still be healthy? Can we continue to live
sedentary lifestyles when we know that physical activity is absolutely essential to
health? Can we continue to use products that poison us with toxins that
bioaccumulate in our tissues and cause cellular malfunction? Can we support
wellness without learning stress-management techniques? Can we continue to live
and work in ways that deprive us of healthy, full-spectrum light and adequate sleep?
Chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis,
asthma, allergies and osteoporosis are entirely preventable. By learning and
universally applying the concepts of one disease, two causes and six pathways, our
society could eliminate today’s epidemic of chronic disease. We must teach
everyone, including our schoolchildren, how to understand and take personal
responsibility for the two causes of disease and how to form the positive habits that
will result in lifelong good health. Health is a choice. Disease is the result of poor
choices, and almost all diseases are preventable.
Throughout this book, you have learned the keys to a long and healthy life:
perspective, power and perseverance. Understanding my theory of disease brings you
a new perspective on health and modern medicine. Using that knowledge creates the
power to choose your destiny. Persevere with the right choices along all six
pathways toward health, and you will never be sick again!R
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Future Medicine Publishing), 1993.
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from the body.  The
lady‐ in question  was 45, over stout, and  had a growth  of some size in
her left breast, the right  one having been removed two years previously
for a similar growth. She fasted  and  was treated according  to my
method for nineteen days, and  then reported that the growth  had
entirely vanished.  As she was still too fleshy, I advised  her to continue
the fast. On the 28th  day,  I examined  her, to find no trace of the lump,
and  to see a woman  looking much younger and  far less  matronly in
figure.
The following  case  shows  that one and the same methods  may  result in
curing complaints  which  have no apparent connection  with each other.
A young lady came  to me with a swollen  right breast, near the centre
of which  There  were also was a nasty, suspicious ‐looking lump. two
large  ulcers under  the arm‐pit. She had  been invited by the family
doctor to enter the hospital for observation,  but declined, seeing that
her mother had accepted a similar invitation,  had been operated upon‐
and  subseMoreover  she herself, having suffered  quently buried from
chronic peritonitis,  had  had  her appendix excised, but without curing
the peritonitis.  She started by fasting four days on my system, but had
to break the fast to satisfy her insistent relatives.  Nevertheless,  after
three  days she resumed the fast, and  the second time fasted  for
nineteen days. Already  after the tenth  day there  was a marked
improvement,  and  at the end of the nineteen days no trace was left of
the lump on her breast  or the ulcers in her arm‐ pit. There was not even
a scar. But  the peritonitis  had  not cleared up (perhaps  because of
scarred tissue resulting from  the operation  on appendix)  and  so a little
later  she fasted  for thirty‐five days. This had the desired effect. 41
 These case‐sheets should serve to show  that Nature  is a far more
efficient Healer than are so‐termed scientific methods which  involve
mutilation.  If people who observe suspicious  lumps on their bodies
would only resort to these  natural  methods  I have outlined, and  resort
to them at once, Nature  would not fail them. But those who wait  till the
eleventh  hour may  have to pay the penalty for their procrastination.
All the same, I think the dogma  anent the fatality of cancer will die hard,
because as soon  as a case  is cured by whatever  methods,  the tendency
is to assert: " Then it couldn't have been cancer." Doctors who resort to
this phrase forget that it is a poor  reflection  on the diagnostic  powers of
the orthodox  physician  or surgeon.  Moreoyer„  what are we to make of
the following  admission  by the authors of The Breast in which book Drs.
Dearer and Macfarland  wrote: " I have operated on some thousand
cases of cancer, and they  all returned but six, and they And again : "The
acknowledged  were not cancer"? poor  results  obtained  by surgery in
any sort of cancer (Dr. G. E. Ward, are well known  to the profession."
Howard  Kelley Hospital. Baltimore.  Italics mine.) Yet if these  poor
results are so well  known, then why does the profession  continue to
advocate the knife, and  ignore those who obtain good results without
surgery, as did Dr. Forbes‐Ross and  others since his death? Mention
may  be made here  of Dr. W. F. Koch, of Detroit, who, over a period of
20 years, has cured  hundreds  of cases of cancer, both external and
internal, by a subtle chemical formula.  Yet far from being recognised  by
the Orthodox  Cancer Ring in U.S.A., he has been scoffed  at and  even
persecuted.  Why  should this be so?
I leave the  intelligent  reader to draw  his own conclusions,  and  will
proceed to cite one or two cases where  the doctors, although 42
 advocating  the knife, held out very poor prospects  of recovery,  if
indeed any at all. These cases include growths in other sites of the body,
as hitherto I have only mentioned  breast  cases.  The reader now being
familiar with the treatment,  I will merely  give the barest  details.
Young man, 28, in 1920. Given three days to live. Condition  variously
diagnosed  as either cancer of the gullet or venereal disease. Complete
cure. Patient still alive.
Lady of 62; diagnosed  cancer of the bowel.  Colotomy  advised  by the
profession,  but refused.  Was under  6 stone and  rapidly wasting away.
Cured in three  weeks, At the date of writing is 84.
Lady of 42; diagnosed  cancer of breast.  Excision  dvised, to be followed
by strict regime; but only faint  hope of a cure  offered by the profession.
Patient refused operation.  Complete  cure  by the fasting‐urine method.
Is still alive  and well  after 21 years.
Lady of 40. In 1935 developed  the type of growth  sometimes  called  "
rope cancer." Surgeons  pressed  for i mmediate  excision  but offered no
hope of a permanent  cure,  saying that return and  spread of growth
practically  inevitable.  Cured by the urine‐fast, etc., in twenty‐three  days.
Is not only still well, but looks  young and beautiful.
It may  be of interest to


ains at the  sacru m and  the left hand  moves to  the heart  point,
located  opposite  the heart  center  and betw een the fourth  and fifth
ribs. (Fig. 8.29)
Fig. 8.30  Move the Energy  to the C-7 Point.
E. G-7 Point
   Build the  sexual  energ y to its highest  point  again  and embrace.
Maint ain the position  of the  right  hand  and move the left  hand  to the
C-7 point  at the  base  of the  neck.  (Fig.  8.30)  Feel  the sexual energy
being  drawn up, activated  toy your partn er’s palm s, the anus  Chi
Muscle,  and the eyes-mind concentrati on.
Fig. 8.31 Move the Energy to  the Jade Pillo w Point.
F. Jade Pillow  Point
  Build up  the sexual  energy  and embrace.  The right  hand  remains
on the sacrum. The left  hand  is mo ved to the  base  of the  skull.
- 246  -Chapter  VIII
(Fig. 8.31)  When you join this point  with the sacrum point,  you will
activate  the Sacral Pump and Cranial  Pump, and  so w ill greatly
feel the flo w of sexual  energ y. The consistent  increas e in the  activit y
of these  pumps is very  important  to your health,  and mental and
spiritual  practice.
Fig. 8.32  Move the Energy  to the Crown Point.
G. Crown  Point
    Build up  to highest  point  of sexual energy  arousal  and embrace,
with the right  hand  remaining  on the  sacrum. Move  the left hand  to
the top of  the crow n. (Fig.  8.32)  If the channels  are well open,  you
will grad ually feel energ y flow like a  fountain  of youth up to the head,
and then  a sprinkling  of the  energ y in the  brain.  Once it fills the
brain,  the energ y will shower dow n the front  channel  to the tongue,
the heart,  and then  down to the navel.
H. Exchange  the energy using  the eyes, nose and t ongue.
   No w look  into your partner’s  eyes. At this point  there  is a lot of
energy  in the  eyes that can be exchange d. You can feel  that you
are looking  into your partne r’s soul.  His and  your eyes, like m agnets,
draw and pull from each  other:  At this  moment the ener gy exchang e
through  the eyes and tongue  is ver y deep.
   Rub  your nose  against  your partn er’s nose.  Feel  a spark  of
energy  jump from one  to the  other.
   Move  your tongue  into your partner’s  mouth. Touch  his tongu e
and massage  it with your tongue.  Feel  the sparkling  energy  pass
from your tongue  to your partner’s  tongue.  The fragranc e of the
energy  flowing from m outh to  mouth, from palate  to palate,  is be yond
words.
- 247  -Dual Cultivation
   The e yes, nose  and tongue  of each  of you help  to jo in and
encoura ge the flo w of sexual  energ y dow n the front  channels.  If
you and your partner  now  have  a lot of  saliva, be sure  that you both
are in good  health  before  swallowing it.
Fig. 8.33 Body  Clock Ch art
I. Certain times of the day heighten  the Healing effect. (Fig.
8.33)
   The Taoists believe  that the orga ns of the bod y and their
correspo nding meridians  are activated  and stimulated  during  certain
times of the  day. Since good  health  exists w hen there  is a com plete
- 248  -Chapter VIII
balance  of energ y within the organs  and meridians  of the  body,
sexual  activity  being  stim ulating  and energizi ng when prop erly done,
can further  deplet e a body  that is suffering  from an ener gy imbalance
when practiced  at a low energy  time. Since  the sex  act leaves  a
person  open  and vulnerabl e to universal  ener gies,  it is wise to
choose  a time when the universal  energy  will be beneficial.
    The best  time for sex is in the  early morning  when your body is
well rested.  A particula rly bad time for sex is in the late  evening,
especially  when you are tired  or under  emotional  stress,  because
the organs’  energ y is not  strong  enou gh to handle  the sexual  energ y.
A nap  or rest  befor ehand is recom mended  if this is the onl y time
convenient  for you.
    The hand  positions  described  in this  chapter  are used  in mo st
of the  positions  that we described  previously  in this chapter:  These
positions  can help  you and your partner  stimulate each  other  in
one particular  area  of the sexual orga ns to initiate  a greate r reflex
of the  organs.  But the  most important  part of the practice  is to  open
the channels  so that the sexual  energ y can abunda ntly flow directl y
to the  organs  and glands  to stimulate them  as we ll. Once  you
master the  openin g of the channels,  you can direct  the sexual energy
more w ith your mind and  less w ith your hands,  or without using  the
hands  entirel y.
    Try  to practice  one position  at a tim e to make sure  you both feel
the opening  of the  channels.  If yo u are quite  sure  you are open,
make sure  that your partne r is also  open.  If you cannot  open  your
partner’s  channel,  you can send  som e mo re of your sexual  energ y
to him, or if yo u cannot  open  your channel,  your partner  can send
his sexual  energ y to you. When a w oman  sends  her sexual  energy
at this  time, as w ell as during  the time of exchangi ng energy  she
enhances  the love making  and helps  her partner  by squeezi ng his
penis  tightly. First she  must be  sure  that her partne r is in a  safe
stage  of arous al, or he may ejaculate.  Squeeze  and hold  for a while,
then release.  (Fig.  8.34)
    Exhale  and mentally  send  the sexual  energ y to the  point  where
your partner  needs  help,  covering  it with your palms. W ith practice
you will feel your energ y pass more easil y through  your hands  to
reach  the point  that you intended.  You will sense  the energ y, even
taste  it.
- 249  -Dual Cultivation
Fig. 8.34 To help the man delay or  stop ejaculation,  the woman grips
        tightly  with  her vagina the head and sh aft of the penis.
D. Valley Orgasm
    A Valley  Orgasm is the  means to  attaining  more pleasure,  more
healing  ener gy, and more energy  to transform into  a higher  spiritual
energy. A Valle y Orgas m in a ma n occurs  when he is 99  percent  of
the way to ejaculation.  At this  point  he pulls  out of the  vagina  and,
practices  the Big Dra w to mi lk his prostate  gland  of semen, and
rather  than  release  it outw ardly, send  it in an in ward and upw ard
direction  where the energy  will be transformed.  He relaxes,  allowing
the sexual orga ns to settle down to approximately  a 60 percent
arousal,  and then  he begins  again  by practicing  sets  of nine  shallo w-
one deep  penet rations to bring  him again  99 percent  of the  way to
ejaculation.  Again he  does  the Big Dra w, the exchange,  and then
relaxes,  setting  down a bit and  then  com ing back up  again.  Each
time he dra ws back  and sends  the energ y upw ard, he doubles  and
triples  his sexual  energ y. He can  continue  to mu ltiply it in this wa y
and draw the energy  to higher  centers  as long  as he does  not let
the sexual ener gy escape.  Sexual energ y is the  one energ y that
can be mu ltiplied


 of hormones when it comes to health. Susan’s caseis another example of a deficiency of hormones creating havocwith one’s health and illustrates the importance of beingpro-active with your own health care. For the most part, youcannot expect the medical community to come up withanswers it is ill-equipped to find.
EVEN MOVIE STARS GET THE BLUES
As many of you are aware, actress/model Brooke Shields wrote
a book detailing her experience with severe postpartum depression.Her advice to women with this problem is to avail themselvesof anti-depressant medications. She has been on multiple talkshows reiterating this advice.
What she is proposing is the classic, standard medical care
approach: take a Band-Aid (drug) for your problem.
It is my understanding that Ms. Shields utilized in vitro
fertilization to get pregnant. The number one reason why awoman cannot get pregnant is a low progesterone level. Myunderstanding is that she did not have morning sickness, theoccurrence of which I would have expected. After her delivery,56 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  her progesterone level might have dropped to non-existent
levels, which could have precipitated her severe postpartumdepression.
Using natural, bio-identical progesterone might have
eliminated the need for in vitro fertilization and preventedpostpartum depression. In fact, giving her progesterone wouldhave eliminated her depression almost immediately.
There is an ironic twist to this situation. Many of you
might be aware that actor T om Cruise, who I understand is apracticing Scientologist, advised Ms. Shields to take a morenatural approach for her depression—healing with prayer, andso on.
Interestingly, T om Cruise has said that he has a problem
with ADHD—a condition I feel is also caused by a lowprogesterone level. So both of these well-known actors havethe same hormone deficiency, in my view, yet neither of themis aware of it.57 POSTP ARTUM DEPRESSION AND SUSAN B.  FIBROMYALGIA AND
JANET L.
chapter SEVEN
Fibromyalgia is a rheumatism of the muscles, ligaments, and
tendons that can cause crippling pain and can make normalactivity excruciating. It is far more common than most peoplerealize and seems to occur with great frequency among over-weight people. Fibromyalgia can be healed using a natural,drugless approach, a fact that should bring joy to the hearts ofmany sufferers. I hope Janet’s story will inspire others to “say no”to this debilitating condition and begin living a pain-free,joyous life.
I’ve had fibromyalgia for 20 years, although it wasn’t diagnosed
until recently. Most people who have fibromyalgia do not getproperly diagnosed until they have had it for at least seven years.That’s because it is a progressive disease, and when it starts out itmight only manifest as a stiff neck or isolated pain and generalfatigue. The symptoms, in other words, are so general they can beinterpreted as the flu, tired muscles, a sleep disorder, or anynumber of less serious problems.
When I first started experiencing the pain of fibromyalgia I
was living in the mountains in Washington State. In that oftencold, usually moist climate my body behaved like a barometer—
59whenever the weather changed my body would feel it. Whether it
was dampness, cold, a change in the wind—any change wouldregister in my body as pain. I went to rheumatologists, chiropractors,all kinds of doctors about my pain, but none of them had asolution for me.
One doctor started me on cortisone shots. We reached a point
where he was shooting cortisone into 42 muscles in my back everyday. He finally said, “Janet, I can’t do this any more. You’vebecome a human pincushion.”
I would have good days and bad days. On my good days I was
energetic and took part in family activities with great zest. Onbad days I wouldn’t be able to get dressed without stopping a fewtimes to lie down and rest and get my energy back.
In the days before the fibromyalgia was advanced, my husband
and I decided to build our dream house up in the mountains inCardiff. I took a very active part in designing it, a house on threelevels. It was a project that went on for several years. By the timewe were close to finishing it, the major symptoms of my fibromyalgiahad set in. At that point, I found it unbearable to climb stairs. Ihad to wonder who that person was who had thought to design athree-story house. But no one had diagnosed me or told me myproblem would get worse every year.
I was given various medications for pain, Neurontin being the
one I ended up taking long-term. It dulled the pain withoutgetting at the source of the problem.
The way I dealt with the pain in the early days was to be very
active. Inactivity seemed to exacerbate the stiffness and pain, so Ithrew myself into family activities. We have a large extendedfamily up north and I loved making dinners and entertaining. Icould forget about my pain if I had a goal like cooking for 40people. However, the activity took a lot out of me and after thesedinners were over I would have to recuperate for a week.60 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  Part of the fibromyalgia was a sleeping problem—the pain
kept me awake. Often I would get only three hours of sleep atnight. I would toss and turn and then finally go to my husband’srecliner to get some sleep. It was easier to find a comfortableposition there. I also started getting migraine headaches.
Gradually I reached the point where I was quite debilitated.
If it were snowing outside I could only walk a half a block or sobefore exhaustion would set in. My knees would get so swollen theywould be like footballs. I couldn’t bend them.
A rheumatologist finally diagnosed me. He checked my
pressure points and told me all 18 of them were inflamed. He saidI had both osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.
I finally had a diagnosis, but the rheumatologist didn’t have a
solution for my pain. He just prescribed more Neurontin. Myhusband and I arrived at the point where we were ready tosacrifice our dream house so we could live in a warm, dry climatewhere I could be in less pain. We sold our house in Cardiff andbought a house in the desert. As soon as we’d moved in I contacteda rheumatologist—I needed a local source for my Neurontin. Thisdoctor checked my pressure points, and they were, as usual,inflamed.
Meanwhile, I happened to see Dr. Platt on television talking
about hormones and weight loss. I thought that if I could lose someweight I might be able to move around better. I weighed 185 backthen, and I am 5 feet tall. The weight seemed to exacerbate mypain. So I decided to go in to see him.
He was astounding. I sat and talked to him for two and a half
hours for my first visit! He went over all my records, and then hestarted asking me such pointed questions that I kept on saying tomyself, “How did he know that?”
He told me I was internalizing anger and that I needed to
face what was angering me and cope with it. We talked aboutsome fairly personal stuff. He gave me some ideas for changing the61 FIBR OMYALGIA AND JANET L.  patterns in my life that were forcing me to swallow all this anger.
He said I could put the fibromyalgia into remission throughlifestyle changes and balancing my hormones.
I started taking progesterone and I went on the diet. Three
weeks after seeing Dr. Platt I went to see the rheumatologist. Hechecked my pressure points and told me there was no more inflam-mation. I told him that for the first time I was able to sleepthrough the night and that I didn’t have pain any more. This wasthree weeks after starting the progesterone! The rheumatologistsaid, “Whatever you’re doing, continue doing it. Your osteoarthritishas gone into remission.”
I got really excited about how effective the progesterone had
been. The next time I went in to see Dr. Platt I wanted to have awhole blood panel done. If one hormone could take away allthat pain, what else could we accomplish by balancing all ofmy hormones?
When he examined my blood panel, Dr. Platt said that I had
a thyroid deficiency. He gave me a prescription for thyroidmedication and my energy level increased dramatically. I continuedwith the diet, eventually losing 53 pounds. T oday I weigh 132and I feel so incredible, it’s as though someone gave me back mylife from years ago. I feel young inside. When I visited my grand-children up north last time, I went hiking and swimming withthem, things I’d never been able to do. “It’s like we have a newgrandma!” all the kids said.
Dr. Platt also prescribed testosterone, which has given me back
my sex life—my husband is absolutely thrilled.
I feel so blessed to have met Dr. Platt. He’s changed my life.
Some of my friends ask me whether I’d have sold my dream houseif I’d known I was going to feel this good—today I’d have noproblem with those flights


 attuned to the rhythms of life, precisely what we have lost in
this coun try. It’s worth quoting at length from Dan Geor gakas, an American
writer who traveled to Abkhas ia and was among the first to document
inconsistences in centenarian accounts of their age, and still found much to
admire. In his book The Methuselah Factors  Georgakas wrote, “Abkhasians
dislike being rushed, loathe deadlines, and never work to exhaustion. In the
same vein, they consider it extremely impolite to eat quickly or to eat too
much.…Their routines have a tempo more linked to biological rhythms than
the helter -skelter patterns that predominate in most developed countries.”
One gets the sense of a peopl e who have reached a natural  balance.
Rather than struggling to break unhealthy habits, their culture had woven
good health into their overall view of life. Seventy percent of their food
consisted of vegetables and dairy products, and a further uniqu e aspect of
the traditional diet was the insistence on freshness.
“Vegetables were picked just before cooking or serving, and if meat was
to be part of the menu, guests were shown the animal before it was
slaughtered. Whatever the food served, all leftovers were discarded,
because they were considered harmful to health. Such concern for freshnessguaranteed that a minimal loss of nutrients took place between  garden and
table. Most food was consumed raw or boiled, with nothing fried.”
Light eating and heavy exercise made it easy for Abkhasians to preserve
the lean body outlines considere d most pleasing in their culture (as in ours),
but there was a deeper significance to this than vanity. “The Abkhasians
have been among the few people in the world so appreciative of the ill
effects of fat that even their children and infants remain slim.” The
traditional love of horses added another tempo to this integrated  way of life
that already embraced work and diet. “From the earliest possible  ages, even
at 2 and 3, child ren were taught to ride. Horses provided the main sport, and
the ability to do equestrian tricks was a mark of individual worth. The
horses were never used as work animals, only for recreation and sports.”
In every  society, expectation rules outcome. In a culture where wealth is
the highest goal, the entire society will focus on making money, prestige
will accrue to those who make the most, and the poor will be regarded as
failures. In Abkhasia, a great value was placed on longevity; therefore the
entire society felt motivated to live up to that ideal. In America, the reverse
is true; old age is not valued, much less exalted.
This helps account for the flagrant manner in which we waste the last
years of life in our society. An extremely pessimistic study from the
government’ s Centers for Disease Control underscores this point. To assess
the health of people at the end of their lives, researchers evaluated seventy-
five hundred individuals who had died in 1986. Their families were asked if
the deceased person could still perform five minimal daily activities in the
year before he or she passed away: dressing, walking, eating, going to the
toilet, and bathi ng. On average, only 12 percent of people who died after
age 65 could be classified as “fully functional” according to these minimal
standards.
At the opposite extreme, 10 percent of the subjects needed assistance to
perform three or more of these daily activities in the last six months of life;
these people were classified as “severely restricted.” The bulk of elderly
Americans falls between these two extremes, in a shadow land between
self-suf ficiency and dependence. It is disturbing enough to realize that only
one person in seven can take care of life’s simplest needs but the figures get
worse the closer you inspect them.In the youngest age category, from 65 to 74, only one-fifth of the people
could be classed as fully functional. About 15 percent showed confusion
when asked where they were; 13 percent had trouble remembering what
year it was; 10 percent could not reliably recognize family and friends. A
higher percentage of people who died from heart attacks remained fully
functional than did those who died from cancer. Fully 49 percent of heart-
attack victims could perform all five activities the year before they died,
compared to only 4 percent of cancer sufferers. Women, besides suffering
more years of disability, were hit harder than men: They were 40 percent
less likely to be able to take care of themselves in the last year of life than
were men and 70 percent more likely to fall into the severel y restricted
category. Another factor that increased the likelihood of disability was not
being married.
Researchers consider this study highly significant because few others
have looked as closely at the health status of old people in the critical last
year of life. We have to be caref ul not to extend the findings too far—since
the vast majority  of the elderly are not in their last year, they are much less
likely to be severely restricted. But the CDC figures give us a sobering look
at how far the “new” old age still has to go.
Huge differences divide the American and Abkhasian cultures. One
would have to go back to 1920 to find a time when the majority of
Americans lived  in rural areas. A lifetime of light eating and considerable
physical activity  is something we have to consciously learn again, but to
fixate on those ingredients would cause one to miss the spirit of Abkhasia,
which to me is far more inspi ring as a motivation to survive to 100. I
recently received  a letter from a concerned woman named Mary  Ann Soule,
inviting me to a conference on “conscious aging.” She ended it with the
following eloquent statement:
If we continue to succumb to modern America’ s stereotypic vision
of aging, fearing the changes in our bodies, resisting the natural
transitions of life, and avoiding the unknown territory of death, we
will deny ourselves and the whole of civilization the gifts of age:
mature perspective, seasoned creativity, and spiritual vision.The truth of this comes through every day when I talk to older patients.
One of them, a retired office manager, once ruefully remarke d to me, “I
always wanted to live a long time, but I never wanted to grow old.” He said
this ironically; it went without saying that he couldn’ t have one without the
other. But why not? He was quite healthy and active, yet unfortunately he
saw himself  as old, which in America means entering a no-man’ s-land of
lost dignity and uncertain self-worth. After his 1972 visits with the long-
living, Alexander Leaf came away “feeling that to live to be 100 was a most
natural and simp le thing. It took only a brief time back in Boston before the
feeling was just another exotic memory.”
This country has recently experienced an unparalleled boom in
centenarianism. The number of Americans who are 100 or over is currently
estimated at 35,800—double what it was ten years ago and expected to
double again before the year 2000. This figure comes from the Census
Bureau, which accepts people’ s reported ages without verification. (A
detailed investigation of Social Security recipients who reported their age as
100 revealed that 95 percent were exaggerating; this is easy to do, since
being 97 or 98 carries much less mystique than being 100.)
Even assuming that a certain number of respondents have inflated their
ages to cross the magical centur y mark, statisticians agree that at least 1 in
10,000 Americans is 100 or older. This is a historic number, and yet it is
only an average. Some regions of the country already boast incredibly high
ratios of longev ity. In Iowa, where life expectancy is the highest in the
nation, 1 person  out of 3,961 is over 100, followed by South Dakota, with 1
out of 4,168. By contrast, some  areas are far below the national average in
centenarians: The last two states  on the Census Bureau list are Utah, which
reports only 1 centenarian per 19,358 people, and Alaska, with 1 in 36,670.
By historical standards, howev er, even these low figures are astonishing.
What they imply is that we have won the struggle for longevi ty and now
face the challenge of becoming a land where the long-living are still young.
Senility: The Darkest FearMost of us would find it easier  to bear the physical afflictions  of old age
than the mental  ones. In India, where I grew up, age is still equated with
wisdom. Rural villages are run by the panchayat,  a counc il of five elders
who have gained respect and authority because of their venerable age. In
the West, the longer one lives, the more one is suspected of mental
incompetence. Alzheimer ’s has probably surpassed cancer for the dubious
honor of being the most feared  disease in America. I know 60-year -olds
who obsessively pore over articles about Alzheimer ’s and panic whenever
they forget a friend’ s telephone number, so convinced are they that
contracting Alzheimer ’s is only a matter of time.
“Put at its crudest,” Anthony Smith wrote in


ic,andheadaches,tonamebuta
few.Atonetimeitwasusedasapowerfuldefence
againstwitches,andtheGreeksuseditfortheindiges-
tiontheysufferedwheneatingwithstrangerswhich
theyattributedtowitchcraft. Itwasalsohighly
thoughtofasaremedythatprotectedagainst
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Rutagraveolens(Ruta.)•145
infectionsandpoisoning.Inancienttimesrueseed
drunkinwinewasusedtoantidotethepoisonfrom
mushrooms,toadstools,snakebitesandthestingsof
scorpions,bees,hornetsandwasps.Houseswere
sprinkledwithwaterinfusedwithrueinordertorid
themoffleas.Engraversandpaintersateruetorelieve
theireyeswhentheywereweakfromoverwork.
Thehomeopathicremedyispreparedfromthefresh
herbwhichisgatheredinJune,shortlybeforebloom-
ing,thenchoppedandpoundedtoapulp.Theex-
pressedjuiceislefttostandinalcoholandsuccussed.
GENERALSYMPTOMS
Pains:inbones;inpartslainon;sore,bruised.
Betterformovement.
Worseforlyingonpainfulpart.
LikeRhustoxicodendron,Rutaisaremedyforsprains;
thedifference isthatRhustoxisindicatedfordamaged
ligamentsandRutaisforinjuriestothetendonsand
theperiosteum(thecoveringofthebones).Itcanbe
veryhardtodifferentiatebetweenRhustoxandRutain
asprain,andusuallyitwillbeRhustox'scleargeneral
symptomsthatguideyou.Rutaisindicatedwhere
therearesore,bruisedjointpainswhichfeelworse
whenlyingontheaffectedpartofthebody.Theremay
berestlessnessbutnotnearlysomarkedasinRhustox.EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Fearfulofdying.Weary.
Theemotionalsymptomsarenotstronglymarked,but
duringafeverthepatientwillfeelscared,andmay
alsobeirritableandalittledepressed.
PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Backache
SymptomsPainssore,bruised.Withlameness.
Betterforlyingonback.
Eyestrain
SymptomsEyesight:dim;weak.Pains:aching;burn-
ing;strained.
Worseduringtheevening;atnight;forpoorlight;for
usingeyes;forclosework.
Causestoomuchclosework;overstrainingeyes.
Rutawillstimulateandstrengthentheeyemuscles
andrestorethesightwhereeyesighthasbecomeweak
anddimafterstrainingtheeyeswithfineworkortoo
muchreading(whenthelettersonthepageseemto
runtogether).Thisparticularweaknessoftheeye
occursinpeoplewhodoagreatdealofcloseworkfor
prolongedperiodsoftime.Itisnotaremedyfor
inflammations oftheeye.
Headache
SymptomsPains:insidesofhead;sore,bruised.With
eyestrain(seeabove).
Causeseyestrain
Theheadfeelsasifithasbeenbeatenorcrushed.
Injuries
SymptomsBruisesonshins.Painsbruised,sore.
Rutaisindicatedforbruisestothecoveringofthebone
(theperiosteum), inparticularbruisesontheshins.
Thesecanbeverypainfulinjuries.
Jointpain
SymptomsPains:inhands;infeet;inlowerback;in
partslainon;inbones;sore,bruised.Withlameness.
Worseforwalking.
Sprains
SymptomsPains:bruised;constant;inankle;inwrist.
Withexhaustion;lameness.
Worseforexercise;forpressure;forstanding;for
walking.
UsedafterArnicahasdealtwiththeswellingand
bruisingofsprainsandstrains,Rutawillfinishoffthe
NBSEEALSOPAGES203-26FORGENERALADVICE,DOSANDDON'TS.
146•Sarsaparilla(Sars.) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
healing.Handsandfeetfeelcold.Theinjuredpart
feelslameandasifbruisedandthepainsareconstant
-thereisnoreliefofpainfromcontinuedmovement.
Pressureisalsopainful.Thepersonfeelsweakand
weary.
Tenniselbow
SymptomsPainsbruised,sore.Withlameness.
Worseforexercise.
Thesearepotentiallydifficultinjuriestodealwithand
shouldalwaysbegivenalotoftimetohealincasethe
tendonitselfispartiallydetached.Rutawillhelpto
healadamagedtendon,providedthejointisban-
dagedtightlyandcompletelyrested.afterwardssoonbecameapopularremedytotreat
chronicrheumatismandobstinateskindiseases.The
Moroccansuseditinthetreatmentofleprosy.Itwas
alsoregardedasatonicandabloodpurifier.Itisoneof
themajorflavouringingredientsofrootbeer.
Thehomeopathicpreparation ismadefromthe
driedandpowderedroot,whichisaddedtoalcohol
andsuccussedintheusualway.
GENERALANDEMOTIONAL/
MENTALSYMPTOMS
Sarsaparilla isasmallremedythathasnomarked
generaloremotionalsymptoms,butitisoftenneeded
forcystitisandIhavethereforeincluded ithere.
Sarsaparilla (Sars.)
Familyname:Liliaceae
Othernames:wildliquorice;shotbush;small
spikeard;rabbitroot
Sarsaparilla isaperennialclimberfoundincertainparts
ofnorthandsouthAmerica. Ithaslong,slender,
bitter-tastingrootletswhicharepoisonous iftakenin
largequantity,producingnausea,vomitinganda
temporarylossofappetite.
TheplantwasbroughttoEuropeinthemid-
sixteenthcenturybyexplorersofthe'NewWorld'andPHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Breastfeedingproblems
SymptomsNipplesinverted.
Thismakesitverydifficulttoestablishbreastfeeding.
Cystitis
SymptomsDesiretourinate:ineffectual.Painscut-
ting.Urination:slow;dribbling;canonlypassurine
whilestanding.Urine:green;pale;withmucus;with
sediment.
Worseatendofurination;duringamenstrualperiod.
Causesgettingchilled;cold,wetweather.
Thepersonmaypassurinewithoutfeelingit,butwill
experienceunbearablepainattheendofurinating,
andwillyellwiththepain.Urinatingisdifficultwhile
sittingdown,andthepersonmayonlybeableto
urinatefreelywhilestandingup.Eventhenshemay
onlymanageafeeblestream.Childrenwithcystitiscry
outbeforepeeingbecauseoftheanticipatedpain.The
kidneysmayalsobepainful(therightmoresothanthe
left)andinflamed(withcuttingpains)-itisadvisable
toseekprofessionalhelpbeforethispoint,butSarsa-
parillawillhelptorelievethepaininthemeantime.
Sepia(Sep.)
Familyname:Dibranchiata
Othernames:squid,cuttlefish
Cuttlefisharemolluscsrelatedtotheoctopusand
squid,andarefoundmostcommonlyinthe
MediterraneanandotherEuropeanseas.Unlikemost
molluscs,whichhaveshellsoutsidetheirbodies,
cuttlefishhavesoft,gelatinousbodieswithtinyshells
inside.Theygrowtoonetotwofeetlong,andswim
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Sepia(Sep.)•147
aboutrapidlybysquirtingjetsofwaterfromtheir
bodies.Theycanchangecolourandsquirtjetsofinkas
aprotective,camouflagingdevice.
Sepiaisthenamegiventothedriedbrownish-black
ink,whichisusedasanartists'pigment;therawinkis
notfitformedicinaluseandindeedwasunknownto
medicineuntilHahnemannobservedthatasickly
artistfriendofhislickedhispaintbrushfrequentlyas
heworked.Hemadeapotencyofthe'sepia'inkand
curedtheartistofhiscomplaints.
Forthehomeopathicpreparationthepurepigment
istriturated.
GENERALSYMPTOMS
Catchescoldseasily.Complaintsfromgettingwet.
Cravesvinegar.Dischargesvellow.Dislikesmeat.
Facepasty.Painspressing.Sweat:cold;hot;profuse;
smelly;sour;fromslightestphysicalexertion;from
mentalexertion;frompain;onsinglepartsofthe
body.Symptomsleft-sided.
Betteraftereating;forvigorousexercise;forrunning;
forfastwalking.
Worsebeforeduring/aftermenstrualperiod;


 mentioned are juniper (Juniperus communis, p. 224), elm (Ulmus carpinifolia), peony (Paeonia officinalis, p. 243), and burdock (Arctium lappa, p. 65). The text, listing about 600 herbs in all, was to have
an astonishing influence on Western medicine, being the principal reference used in Europe until the 17th century.
It was translated into languages as varied as Anglo-Saxon, Persian, and Hebrew. In 512 ce, De Materia Medica became the first herbal to feature pictures of the plants discussed. Made for Juliana Arnicia, the daughter of the Roman emperor Flavius Avicius Olybrius, it contained nearly 400 full-page color illustrations. Galen (131–200 ce), physician to the Roman emperor
Marcus Aurelius, had an equally profound influence on the development of herbal medicine. Galen drew inspiration from Hippocrates and based his theories on the “theory  of the four humors” (see p. 32). His ideas shaped and, some would say, distorted medical practice for the next 1,400 years. In India and in China, elaborate medical systems somewhat resembling the theory of the four humors developed (see
pp. 36–38 and pp. 40–41 respectively) that have endured to the present day. Though European, Indian, and Chinese systems differ
widely, they all consider that imbalance within the constituent elements of the body is the cause of illness, and that the aim of the healer is to restore balance, often with the aid of herbal remedies.
Folk Healing in the Middle Ages
The theories of Galenic, Ayurvedic (Indian), and Chinese traditional medicine, however, would have meant practically nothing to most of the world’s population. As is still the case today for some indigenous peoples who have little access
to conventional medicines, in the past most villages and communities relied on the services of local “wise” men and women for medical treatment. These healers were almost certainly ignorant of the conventions of scholastic medicine, yet through apprenticeship and practice in treating illness, attending childbirth, and making use of locally growing herbs as a natural pharmacy, they developed a high level of practical medical knowledge. Galen’s “four humors,” which he believed
made up the human constitution.Frontispiece decoration for the first illustrated herbal, Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica, produced in Constantinople in 512 ce.
US_018-027_Early_Origins_To_The_19_Century.indd   20 26/02/16   4:42 pm21 Early Origins t O th E 19th C EnturyWe tend to underestimate the medical skills of apparently
undeveloped communities—particularly during the so-called
Dark Ages in medieval Europe—but it is evident that many
people had a surprisingly sophisticated understanding of plant
medicine. For example, recent excavations at an 11th-century
monastic hospital in Scotland revealed that the monks were
using exotic herbs such as opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum,
p. 244) and marijuana ( Cannabis sativa, p. 182) as painkillers and
anesthetics. Likewise, the herbalists in Myddfai, a village in
South Wales, obviously knew of Hippocrates’ writings in the
6th century ce and used a wide variety of medicinal plants.
The texts that have been handed down from that herbal
tradition are filled with an engaging blend of superstition and
wisdom. Two prescriptions from a 13th-century manuscript
illustrate the point. The first recipe could have been written by
a modern, scientifically trained herbalist; the second, one must
presume, is pure fancy, and would not choose to try it out!
To Strengthen the Sight
Take Eyebright and Red Fennel, a handful of each, and half a handful
of Rue, distil, and wash your eye daily therewith.
To Destroy a Worm in the Tooth
Take the root of a cat’s ear, bruise, and apply to the patient’s tooth
for three nights, and it will kill the worm.
Islamic & Indian Medicine 500–1500 ce
Folk medicine was largely unaffected by sweeping forces of
history, but Western scholastic medicine suffered greatly with
the decline of the Roman Empire.
 It was thanks to the flowering of Arabic culture in
500–1300 ce  that the gains of the classical Greek and Roman period were preserved and elaborated. The spread
of Islamic culture along North Africa and into present-day
Italy, Spain, and Portugal led to the founding of renowned
medical schools, notably at Cordoba in Spain. The Arabs
were expert pharmacists, blending and mixing herbs to
improve their medicinal effect and their taste. Their
contacts with both Indian and Chinese medical traditions
meant that they had a remarkable range of medical and
herbal knowledge to draw on and develop. Avicenna
(980–1037 ce ), author of Canon of Medicine, was the
most famous physician of the day, but perhaps the most
unusual herbal connection was made a century before
his time by Ibn Cordoba, an intrepid Arab seafarer, who
brought ginseng root ( Panax ginseng, p. 118) from China
to Europe. This valuable tonic herb was to be regularly
imported into Europe from the 16th century onward.
 Further east, in India, the 7th century saw a golden age
of medicine. Thousands of students studied Ayurveda at
university, especially at Nalanda. There, scholars recorded
the medical achievements of the time, with advances such
as the development of hospitals, maternity homes, and the
planting of medicinal herb gardens.
Central & South American Cures
On the other side of the world, the ancient civilizations
of Central and South America—Maya, Aztec, and Inca—
all had herbal traditions with a profound understanding
of local medicinal plants. One account tells of Incas taking
local herbalists from what is now Bolivia back to their
capital Cuzco in Peru because of the herbalists’ great
capabilities, which reputedly included growing penicillin
on green banana skins.
 At the same time, medicine and religion were still closely
interwoven in these cultures, possibly even more so than
in Europe. One gruesome account tells of Aztec sufferers
of skin diseases who sought to appease the god Xipe
Totec by wearing the flayed skins of sacrificial victims.
Fortunately, a supernatural appeal to the gods
was not the sole means to relieve this and
other afflictions. Many herbs were available
as alternative treatments, including
sarsaparilla ( Smilax  spp., p. 270), a tonic
and cleansing herb that was used
in treatments for a variety of skin
complaints including eczema
and psoriasis.
Galen and Hippocrates, two of the
preeminent physicians of the classical
era, debate in this imaginary scene
depicted in a fresco.
US_018-027_Early_Origins_To_The_19_Century.indd   21 26/02/16   4:42 pm
22
The developmen T of herbal medicine
Rebirth of European Scholarship 1000–1400 ce
As European scholars slowly started to absorb the lessons
of Arabic medical learning in the early Middle Ages, classical
Greek, Roman, and Egyptian texts preserved in the libraries of Constantinople (later Istanbul) filtered back to Europe, and hospitals, medical schools, and universities were founded. Perhaps the most interesting among them was the medical school at Salerno on the west coast of Italy. It not only allowed students from all faiths—Christian, Muslim, and Jewish—to study medicine, but it also allowed women to train as physicians. Trotula, a woman who wrote a book on obstetrics, practiced and taught there in the 12th century ce. Herbs were, of course, central to the healing process. An adage from the Salerno school on sage (Salvia officinalis,  p. 131) went as follows: Salvia salvatrix, natura conciliatrix
(sage, the savior; nature, the conciliator). By the 12th century, trade with Asia and Africa was
expanding and new herbs and spices were being regularly imported into Europe. Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179),
the famous German mystic and herbal authority, considered galangal (Alpinia officinarum, p. 61)—used in Asia as a warming and nourishing spice for the digestive system—to be the “spice of life,” given by God to provide health and to protect against illness.
Asian Unification
Marco Polo’s travels to China in the 14th century coincided with the unification of the whole of Asia from the Y ellow
Sea in China to the Black Sea in southeastern Europe by Genghis Khan and his grandson Kublai Khan, whose capital
was in China, not far from Beijing. Neither the Chinese nor Ayurvedic medical traditions were directly threatened by this conquest. The Mongol rulers were strict in banning the use of certain toxic plants such as aconite (Aconitum napellus,  p. 160), but their decree may have held an element of self-Marco Polo’s voyage to China in the 14th century opened the door for a flourishing
reciprocal trade in goods, including medicinal herbs, between East and West. Eventually,  exotic herbs like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves became widely used in European


 for
sugar cravings and diabetes. Its Hindi name means
“sugar destroyer.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses Gymnema has
real value in treating diabetes, especially in the
early stages of type 2 diabetes, which develops
in middle to old age. If taken consistently for a
year or more, it will help to prevent the condition
deteriorating. Gymnema may help to regenerate
cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin, so
it may be possible to control or reverse mild
diabetes with diet and gymnema. The plant’s
remarkable ability to block sweet tastes means
that it can reduce sugar cravings and contribute
to weight-loss programs.
Research In recent research in India and
Japan, gymnema has shown promise as a safe
and effective natural treatment for diabetes. In
two clinical trials in India, patients with diabetes
needed less insulin or other treatments to lower
blood-sugar levels. There is an indication that
gymnema may encourage repair of the islet cells
of the pancreas, responsible for insulin secretion.
The leaves have been shown to anesthetize the
sweet taste buds of the tongue, and temporarily
reduce appetite. Medicinal Actions & Uses Thought to
stimulate bile secretion, haronga is used in European
herbal medicine to treat indigestion and poor
pancreatic function. In African herbal medicine,
haronga is chiefly employed as an astringent and
mild laxative, and is also given for digestive system
ailments such as diarrhea and dysentery.
Hedera helix (Araliaceae)
Ivy,
English Ivy
Description A woody climber up to 100 ft
(30 m) with leathery, dark green leaves, clusters of
greenish-yellow flowers and black or orange berries.
Habitat & Cultivation Native to Europe and
northern and central Asia, ivy has been introduced,
often as a garden climber, in many parts of the world.
In the wild, it typically grows on trees and in hedges.
Parts Used Leaves, berries.
Constituents Ivy contains saponins, sterols,
polyacetylenes, a volatile oil, and flavonoids.
The saponins are expectorant, amebicidal, and
antifungal, and kill liver flukes.
History & Folklore In the classical world,
common ivy was dedicated to Dionysus, the god
of wine making and intoxication. Ivy was thought
to be able to prevent or undo drunkenness. The
leaf was traditionally used in England to treat corns
and warts—it was soaked in vinegar and bound
on as a poultice, or placed inside a sock, overlying
the corn.
Medicinal Actions & Uses Ivy is chiefly
used for congestion of the ear, nose, and
throat, as well as for bronchitis. It acts as  an expectorant, stimulating the coughing up
and clearance of phlegm. It has a beneficial effect
on mucous membranes and is generally combined
with tonic herbs, especially thyme ( Thymus vulgaris,
p. 143). Ivy extracts are common ingredients in
cosmetic formulations for cellulite.
Caution Fresh leaves can irritate the skin.
Herniaria glabra
(Caryophyllaceae)
Rupturewort
Description Prostrate annual or perennial
with bright green oval leaves and clusters of
green flowers.
Habitat & Cultivation Rupturewort is found
throughout Europe and western Asia. It thrives in
barren areas, in lime and sandy soils. It is gathered
when in flower.
Parts Used Aerial parts.
Constituents Rupturewort contains coumarins
(including 3% herniarin and scopoletin), flavonoids,
phenolic acids, and saponins.
History & Folklore Rupturewort was first
documented in European herbals of the 16th
century. Its genus name, Herniaria, refers to its
reputed ability to heal hernias.
Medicinal Actions & Uses Rupturewort is
of value chiefly as a diuretic herb. The fresh plant
treats urinary problems such as cystitis, irritable
bladder, and kidney stones. It is also astringent, and
has been applied as a poultice to speed the healing
of ulcers. The whole plant appears to have an
antispasmodic effect on the bladder.
Ivy was thought, in the classical world, to undo drunkenness.Haronga madagascariensis
(Guttiferae)
Haronga
Description Small evergreen tree growing
to 26 ft (8 m). Has black-dotted leaves with
a dark green upper surface and red-brown
hairs underneath, and clusters of creamy-
white flowers.
Habitat & Cultivation Haronga is native
to Madagascar and East Africa, and grows in
tropical areas. The leaves and bark are collected
throughout the year.
Parts Used Leaves, bark.
Constituents Haronga bark contains phenolic
pigments, triterpenes, anthraquinones, and tannins.
The leaves contain phenolic pigments, the diterpene
hypericin, flavonoids, and tannins. Hypericin, which
is also found in St. John’s wort ( Hypericum
perforatum, p. 106), has antiviral properties.
History & Folklore Haronga resin has
traditionally been used in Africa to secure
arrowheads onto shafts.Hibiscus sabdariffa (Malvaceae)
Hibiscus,
Jamaica
Description Shrub growing to 61⁄2 ft (2 m)
in height.
Habitat & Cultivation Native to North
Africa and Southeast Asia, hibiscus grows in tropical
regions around the world. It is primarily cultivated
across Africa and in Thailand, China, and Mexico.
Parts Used Calyx (the outer base of the flower),
flowers, leaves.
Constituents The calyx and flowers contain
flavonoids, including anthocyanins.
History & Folklore “Hibiscus” means “plant
that is consecrated to the ibis,” a bird held sacred in
ancient Egypt.
Medicinal Actions & Uses Hibiscus makes
a refreshing, pleasant-tasting tea that is cooling
and mildly sedative, soothing hot and feverish
US_202-223_Digitalis_lutea_Iris_versicolor.indd   219 26/02/16   12:47 pm
220
other medicinal plantsHieracium pilosella
conditions. The calyces are gently tonic and will
ease colds, coughs, and chest problems. They also aid digestion and gently stimulate appetite. Both the calyces and flowers act to reduce cholesterol levels. All parts of hibiscus are demulcent, mildly soothing sore or inflamed mucous membranes within the digestive and respiratory tracts.
Research Various clinical studies have shown
that hibiscus helps to lower high blood pressure.
Hieracium pilosella syn. pilosella
officinarum (Asteraceae)
Mouse-ear
Hawkweed
Description Perennial herb growing to a height
of 8 in (20 cm) from a rosette of basal leaves. Stems
bear single bright yellow flower heads.
Habitat & Cultivation Mouse-ear hawkweed
is common throughout much of Europe and temperate regions of Asia and North America. Found growing in dry pastures and on sandy soil,  it is collected when in flower in summer.
Parts Used Aerial parts.
Constituents Mouse-ear hawkweed contains
a coumarin (umbelliferone), flavonoids, and caffeic acid. It is thought to be mildly antifungal.
History & Folklore In his Irish Herbal (1735),
K’Eogh summarizes mouse-ear hawkweed’s medicinal benefits: “good against the spitting of blood, all kinds of flow, coughs, ulcers of the lungs, mouth and eyes, and shingles.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses Mouse-ear
hawkweed relaxes the muscles of the bronchial tubes, stimulates the cough reflex, and reduces  the production of mucus. This combination of actions makes the herb effective in respiratory problems, including asthma and wheeziness, whooping cough, bronchitis, and other chronic  and congested coughs. The herb is used to  control heavy menstrual bleeding, and to ease  the coughing up of blood. It may be applied as  a poultice to heal wounds.Parts Used The peeled stem.
Constituents Hoodia contains a steroidal
glycoside, which is thought to act as an appetite suppressant.
History & Folklore The San people of the
Kalahari traditionally used this plant to suppress sensations of thirst and hunger, when on journeys through the desert. Such use was first recorded  in 1937.
Medicinal Actions & Uses Hoodia
provides a cautionary tale for herbal medicines  and supplements in the 21st century. There is  little evidence that taking it leads to weight loss other than the plant’s traditional use as an appetite suppressant, while its safety profile is unknown. Despite this, after media coverage by the BBC  in 2003, sales of hoodia supplements rocketed, with prices in the LA Times reaching $40 per  ounce (30 g) in 2006. At such a price, it is not  hard to see why hoodia


.b o o k r i x. c o m / - a u d i o b o o k 99<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>SPECIFIC HEAL TH PROBLEMS
by W alter Last
The following recommendations for overcoming speciﬁc health problems contain in a condensed form some important or speciﬁc
ingredients of a natural approach. However, it is essential to incorporate these speciﬁc recommendations into a holistic program for
improving the wellbeing of the whole person.
Most modern diseases are caused by or associated with dysbiosis – pathogenic microbes, and especially Candida, dominating in the
intestines due to antibiotics and similar drugs. These damage the intestinal wall, causing Leaky Gut Syndrome which then leads to
allergies, weakening of the immune system, and pathogens invading other parts of the body. This then becomes the basis of most of
our chronic diseases, including autoimmune diseases, cancer, and general health deterioration. In addition, the related condition
pyroluria is reaching epidemic proportions; see the entry Pyroluria in this article. If Candida and pyroluria are not corrected then other
therapies may not properly work. After  Intestinal Sanitation, using the systemic antimicrobial therapy  (Ultimate Cleanse ), a cleansing
program, Fasting and Cleansing, and a High-Quality Diet and Food Groups and Diets  your disease or health problem may just
disappear without any further therapies being required.
In addition to any supplements speciﬁcally mentioned for your problem, you may also need to take a vitamin B-complex, P5P (the
active form of vitamin B6) and other vitamins and minerals, ascorbate/MSM, antioxidants, and other helpful nutrients, especially
taurine and coconut oil. Be aware that oil-soluble vitamins and nutrients should be taken with a meal containing fats or oils or, even
better, directly mixed with coconut oil. When “Microhydrin” is mentioned do not take “Microhydrin  Plus” instead. Also experiment with
other methods described at my website, such as reﬂexology, meridian, magnet or colour therapy, and guided imagery to improve
diseased organs and assist healing. The more of an ef fort you make the better will be the result.
AIDS
Focus on intestinal sanitation, pyroluria and systemic antimicrobial therapy; see the Ultimate Cleanse ; also try Beck-type electronic
zapper and magnetic pulser. Use a predominantly raw food diet with plenty of sprouted seeds, acidophilus ferments, root-vegetables
raw as blended purees, and fresh, mainly green-leaf vegetable juices. Emotional and mind therapies. For supplements and other
supportive measures see ‘Infections and Inﬂammations’  below.
Addictions
Basic Cleanse followed by food allergy testing and a diet based on acidophilus ferments, raw root-vegetables as blended purees, and
fresh, mainly green-leaf vegetable juices with added water for a temporary ﬂuid intake of about 4 litres. Try homeopathic remedy
made of the addictive substance, high-potency B-complex, glutamine, afﬁrmations, guided imagery, outdoor activity, and group
support, try emotionally bonding types of sexual activity such as Karezza. Detoxify using saunas or hot baths to induce sweating,
see Hydrotherapy.
Allergies
Focus on Intestinal Sanitation  and controlling Candida,  see the Ultimate Cleanse. Test individual foods and chemic als with an
elimination diet after a 5-day water fast or Basic Cleanse. Possibly use a rotation diet and use the same food only once every ﬁve
days; eat small meals and chew well. Use digestive enzymes, hydrochl oric acid, vitamin B complex, high vitamin C, glutamine, and
MSM. Alkalize the body with sodium bicarbonate. Avoid or minimize intake of sweet food, ﬂour products and food additives. Make a
homeopathic remedy from the of fending allergens, also see  Allergy Testing.
Alzheimer's disease and Dementia
Focus on intestinal sanitation, antimicrobial and anti-Candida therapy, pyroluria, raw food and liver cleansing. Gradually increase up
to 5 tablespoons of coconut oil and 10 g of ascorbate and MSM, P5P in addition to B complex with high niacinamide, vitamins D3
(5000 IU) and E, borax/boron, iodin e, magnesium, selenium and zinc, bromelain and hydrochloric acid with meals, alkalise. Use
plenty of turmeric paste and fresh green/chlorophyll juice or blended puree, rub 50-70% DMSO on the skin, e.g. abdomen; clean
blood vessels and remove waste proteins with nattokinase and serrapeptase as in Hypercoagulation. Avoid paracetamol and Problem
Foods, remove aluminium and mercury, amalgam ﬁllings and dead or root-canalled teeth.
Anaemia
Focus on intestinal sanitation, pyroluria and Candida.  Use fresh green juices or purees, powder of cereal grasses and sprouted
seeds, liver underdone or freeze-dried. Take hydrochloric acid with cooked proteins; minimize sweet food. Supplement all vitamins,
B6 as P5P, also taurine and organic forms of iron (only for premenopausal women), copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, and
selenium. Do a parasite cure with gum turpentine, borax, wormwood, cloves or tincture of walnut. Try red colour therapy; get mild sun
exposure and outdoor activity. Treat any excessive menstrual bleeding and avoid long-term use of anti-inﬂammatory drugs, especially
aspirin. Take sodium bicarbonate before meals not only to alkalise but to get CO2 into the body to release oxygen from haemoglobin.
Arthritis
Home About Diseases Healing the Body Healing Foods Healing the Mind Healing the Emotions Energies Science & Spirituality Spirituality Contact10/30/24, 4:15 PM Health-Science-Spirit - Summary of Speciﬁc Health problems
https://health-science-spirit.com/Diseases/Speciﬁc-Health-Problems.html 1/15Focus on intestinal sanitation, pyroluria, and antimicrobial therapy.
DIET : Use the Basic Cleanse followed by allergy testing and a predominantly raw food diet. Use ground linseed, ﬁsh oils, coconut oil,
olive oil, and plenty of grass juice and sprouted seeds. Take hydrochloric acid with protein meals, and sodium bicarbonate before
breakfast. Avoid or minimize sweet, fatty food as well as wheat products, gluten, milk, cheese, commercial cooking oils, processed
food, test food of the nightshade family (potato, tomato, capsicum, and eggplant).
SUPPLEMENTS:  Take vitamin B6/P5P  (especially with problems of the hands) and nicotinamide in addition to multivitamins, also
magnesium, boron (at least 10mg/day, best as borax), zinc, and ascorb ate/MSM; try topical copper salicylate solution for pain and
inﬂammation, or, alternatively, copper colloids or copper bracelet. Also useful are digestive enzymes (bromelain) with protein meals,
glucosamine, chondroitin and broth of ﬁsh heads. Nattokinase and Serrapeptase improve blood circulation and removal of protein
wastes, see  Hypercoagulation.
ADDITIONAL  THERAPIES:  Rub 70% DMSO with magnesium chloride into affected joints and at another time warm peanut oil (do not
take it orally). Try blistering agents, or hot magnesium chloride packs and baths, or a hot bath followed by sweating wrapped in
blankets. Use blue light therapy over painful areas and orange light on stiff, calciﬁed joints. Try magnet therapy, deep muscle
massage; remove dead teeth and mercury amalgam ﬁllings; Keep the urine alkaline. For details see  Overcoming Arthritis.
Asthma
The main causes  are dysbiosis and infestation with Candida and pleomorphic  microbes,  therefore focus on intestinal sanitation and
systemic antimicrobial therapy  (Ultimate Cleanse ). Initially avoid and later minimize sweet food, wheat, gluten and lactose as in milk
products (except butter), also aspirin, vaccinations and processed food. Avoid sulphites which are used in many foods and
medications as preservatives. Allergy testing is essential; use plenty of coconut oil and acidophilus ferment, also ground linseed, ﬁsh
oils and extra virgin olive oil, avoid other commercial oils.
Use vitamin A in addition and not instead of beta-carotene; also vitamins D, E, C, P5P, B-complex, lysine, magnesium, manganese,
MSM, selenium, and zinc are helpful. Try molybdenum with sulphite  sensitivity, Take hydrochloric acid with protein meals if your
ﬁngernails are weak. Alkalise with sodium bicarbonate to keep your urine alkaline. Use foods high in antioxidants, ascorbate,
bioﬂavonoids, and carotenoids, including green tea, grape seed extract, and purple foods.
Breathing exercises: inhale into the abdomen and exhale as slowly as possible, do this also routinely during sedentary activities. After
normal exhalation continue to hold your


 ge mixing bowl
Hand mixer
Plastic wrap
Cookie sheet
D i r e c t i o n s
1. Remove butter from fridge two hours prior to making cookies to
soften.
2. Preheat oven to 300F degrees.
3. Sift all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl.
4. Add almond meal, baking powder, and cinnamon, and mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, beat butter, turbinado sugar, and coconut sugar
together at medium speed until light and fluf fy.
6. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
7. Mix flour in at low speed until blended. Scrape dough of f beaters.
8. Mix oats and carob chips into the dough with your hands.9. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour.
10. Shape d ough into small balls (about 2” in diameter) and place on
ungreased baking sheet. Flatten  them with the palm of your ha nd and
put the baking sheet into the oven.
1 1. Bake until lightly brown, 10-12 minutes. Check partway through to
avoid burning the cookies, as oven temperatures are not con sistent.
Remove from oven and transfer  to a cooling rack or a plate to c ool for
about 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
W ant fresh cookies at the drop of a hat?
Make small cookie logs abou t 6” long and 2” thick, and wrap them
individually in wax paper. Place  them in a plastic bag and freeze. Y ou can
take one log out and bake cookies whenever you want fresh, warm cookies.
Each log will make 5-6 cookies.S P I C E D  M I X E D  V E G E T A B L E S  ( S A B J I )
Great as a side dish Serve with chapati, rice or bread
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
M a i n  I n g r e d i e n t s
1 small potato - cut into small chunks
½ cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 cup pea pods (cut in half) or green beans
H e r b s / S p i c e s
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder1 teaspoon basic spice mix (optional) *
½ -1 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro or fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped dill
O i l / G h e e
2 tablespoons ghee *  or Coconut Oil
K i t c h e n  G e a r
Medium pan with lid
*  recipe in Chapter 1
D i r e c t i o n s
1. Put oil/ghee in frying pan and heat on medium for 15 seconds
2. Add mustard and cumin seeds, followed 15 seconds later by tu rmeric
powder, ginger powder and basic spice mix, if using. Mix.
3. Add pot atoes an d mix it into the spices. Add 2 teaspoons of water and
cover th e pot. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. (W e add potatoes
first as they take longer to cook)
4. Add remaining vegetables, and the salt and pepper. Mix gently, cover
the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Check to  make sure that the ve getables are not sticking to the pan. If
they are, turn th e heat to low and add a teaspoon of water to th e pan,
and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with cilantro or basil or dill.
Enjoy!S P I C E D  T E A  ( M A S A L A  C H A I )
Rich, aromatic comfort in the m ornings. Great for sharing in lat e afternoon.
Y ou can always leave out the black tea to eliminate caf feine.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes 2 cups
M a i n  I n g r e d i e n t s
2 Cups W ater
1 teaspoon loose black tea
¼ cup milk
H e r b s / S p i c e s
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon cloves
3 sticks of cinnamon
1 teaspoon green cardamom5 black cardamom – if available
Licorice
2-3 slices fresh ginger
O i l / G h e e
–
K i t c h e n  G e a r
Spice grinder
Small pot
Small strainer
D i r e c t i o n s
1. Grind spices together and store in a glass jar.
2. Put wate r, 2-3 slices of fresh g inger root, and 1 teaspoon of the chai
spice mi x in to a small pot and bring to a boil on medium hea t. T urn
the heat down and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
3. Add milk and boil for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add bla ck tea and turn the heat  of f. If you would like a stronge r chai,
you can let it boil for another 2 minutes and/or add more black tea
5. Use a small strainer to pour tea into cups. Add honey or sugar to taste.
Enjoy with vegetable fritters (pakoras) or by itself.S P I N A C H  W I T H  L E N T I L S  ( D A A L  P A A L A K )
This pro tein-rich dish is very filling and satisfying. Enjoy with salad,
chapati or rice.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
M a i n  I n g r e d i e n t s
1 cup yellow chana daal
4 cups water
3-4 handfuls spinach
1 small onion cut into long thin strands
½ tomato chopped coarsely
H e r b s / S p i c e s
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon spice mix *
½ teaspoon salt
O i l / G h e e
3-4 tablespoons ghee *
K i t c h e n  G e a r
Medium pot
Potato masher
Small frying pan
* recipe in Chapter 16
D i r e c t i o n s
1. Soak da al in warm water in med ium pot for 10-15 minutes. Rin se with
water until clear.
2. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, skimming and discard ing the
white fo am that builds up as daa l cooks. Reduce the heat to a lit tle less
than medium. Cover the pot, leaving a little gap for steam to escape.
Cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Check the daal. It should be soft enough to squish with your fingers.
Mash gently with a potato masher 2-3 times.
4. T o prep are the T arka, heat ghee and sauté onion in a separa te pan.
When onion is light brown, add ginger and tomato, and cook for
another 3-5 minutes.
5. Push the  ingred ients in the pan  to one side and allow the rem aining
ghee to pool in the middle. Add all the spices to the ghee and co ok for
15 seconds
6. T ear spinach into small pieces  and add to the pan. Cook f or 2-3
minutes and add the daal mixture to the pan; mix.
7. Cook together for another 2 minutes on medium heat.
8. T op with a teaspoon of ghee.Serve hot. Enjoy!S P R I N G  B L A C K  E Y E D  P E A  S A L A D
This has  becom e my favorite summer salad. It is light, vibrant and has all
six tastes. Enjoy as a side dish or by itself.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
M a i n  I n g r e d i e n t s
1 cup black-eyed peas
4 cups water plus more for soaking small red, orange and yellow sweet
peppers (2 of each)
½ red onion
2 stalks of celery
¼ small cucumber
1 cup chopped parsley
1 small green chili (optional)H e r b s / S p i c e s
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
½ teaspoon basic spice mix *
½ lemon
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon capers
2-3 slices of avocado (optional)
O i l / G h e e
2 teaspoons ghee *  or olive oil
2 teaspoons olive oil or avocado oil
K i t c h e n  G e a r
Medium pot
Small frying pan
* recipe in Chapter 16
D i r e c t i o n s
1. Soak bl ack eye d peas in a medium pot in at least two cups water
overnight, if possible, but for at least one hour before cooking. Rinse
peas in water un til clear, then a dd 4 cups of water and bring to a boil
on medium heat; boil for 10 minutes.
2. Skim of f the white foam that d evelops and discard. Y ou may h ave to
do th is 2 -3 times  until no additio nal foam appears. Reduce heat to low,


 even say th at virtual reality makes us forget to remember who
we really are.
At its most universal, enlightenment is simply expanded self-
awareness. W e go beyond stories, beyond fixed bou ndaries,
beyond the rickety construct  of “I,” and, in doing so, awareness
effortlessly expands. It expands naturally, of its own accord,
because storie s, boundaries, and limitations were artificial to
begin with.T9

T H E  D I R E C T  P A T H
he g uides of humanity who urge us to undergo radical
change use many tactics, including the religious promise of eternal
peace and unbounded happi ness, either here or in the afterlife.
The carrots lure us on, but there’s also the stick—the persistence of
present suffering and fear of more suffering to come. The stick
doesn’t work in getting people to change, because even the
ultimate threat, unending suffering in hellfire and brimstone, can’t
compete with the urges of d esire and the reckless behavior that
follows. The carrot isn’t muc h better. Why should we be lieve in
divine rewards? Anyone can  see that virtue very often is not
rewarded whil e sin is. Soldie rs are told that God is on th eir side,
which gives divine vindicatio n for going to war. But, at the same
time, urging soldiers to wi pe out the enemy contradicts the
teaching that God forbids killing.
When G od is used to justify k illing and condemn it at the same
time, w e are almost too dee p in the spell/dream/illusion to be
rescued. Every religion has tried to make the rewards of salvation,
redemption, enlightenment, waking up, or whatever you want to
call it more e xtravagant. Consider the Parable of the Burning
House, which appears in an a ncient Buddhist scripture, the Lotus
Sutra.A rich man’s house is on fire  and, to his dismay, his children
refuse to leave. They are so absorbed in playing with th eir toys
that the y ignore the flames a ll around them. Frantically, the rich
man gropes for a solution, and one occurs to him. He tells his
children that waiting outside  the house are even better toys. Their
fondest wish was for a pretty goat-drawn cart, and one  is right
outside the door. Enticed by their father’s promise, the children
run out of the burning house, and what they find isn’t an ordinary
goat-drawn cart, which would have made them happy, but a far
more splendid reward, a jewe l-encrusted cart pulled by two snow-
white bullocks.
This carrot, like the promise of a heavenly feast prepared by
God with Christ sitting at the head of the table, demonstrates how
far relig ions wi ll go to win adherents. But, for many, these  inflated
promises have  lost their power to inspire devotion. I don ’t think
modern secular people are less faithful—they’ve simply shifted
their faith from religion to science. The spell/dream/illusion keeps
changing. In prosperous societies, most people live in an u pgraded
illusion filled with the wonders of technology. Why should they
give tha t up? In sheer exasp eration, the great Persian poet Rumi
looks at humanity and pleads, “Why do you stay in prison when
the doo r is wide open!” The honest answer is that we like it  here. It
took enormous creativity t o devise the current state of our
collective dream. But the key isn’t wealth and comfort. At a very
deep level, humans agreed to a life of high drama. The drama is
driven by the warring opposites of pain and pleasure, desire and
repulsion, good and evil, light and darkness, us versus them, my
God against your God, and so on.
There’s no sign that the drama will ever end. The direst threats,
like global climate change, only exacerbate it. As for new carrots, I
doubt t hat waking up can compete with going to Heaven or
finding a jewel-encrusted ca rt. There has to be a way t o reach
metahuman th at isn’t either c arrot or stick. Such a way does exist;
it’s known as the “direct pat h.” It offers no punishment and no
reward. What else is there? W holeness. This answer doesn’t seem
very enticing at first. We’re too used to the system of rewards and
punishments meted out by the war of opposites. But wholeness is
healing—it overcomes the wounds of separation and the dividedself. Wholenes s is unshakable and eternal. It is the only th ing that
no one and nothing can take away from you, not even death.
I don’t want to make these things seem like another set of
rewards. The direct path isn’t a sneaky tactic for dressing up
Heaven in a new costume. Reality is whole already, needing no
human beings to validate it. Wholeness is totally real. The direct
path ex ists to show the way t o the same reality. If it succeeds, the
outcome will be unpredictable. Reality is confronted here and
now, in  the midst of constant change. The here and now can’t be
pictured or described. But  by ending the war of opposites,
wholeness erases a false reality—no reward we can possibly
imagine compares with this.
The dir ect path, also known as the direct method, aims to shift
a perso n’s sense of self. Inst ead of “I am X,” which forces us to
identify with bits and pieces  of experience, we become content
with “I am.” Th is is more than a semantic twist. “I am” means that
you identify with existence, and because existence contains the
infinite potential of consciousness, so do you. The shift to  “I am”
involves every aspect of life, and this poses a potential problem.
Which aspect should we confront first—the body, the mind, the
brain, psychology, relationships, beliefs, or habits a nd old
conditioning? It’s not clear that any of these should be given top
priority, or confronted at all.
The direct path doesn’t ask us to think about our prob lems
intellectually o r to analyze the prospects for inner change. In fact,
the direct path bypasses all o rdinary ways of seeing and thinking
about ourselve s. These are w hat got us into trouble to begin with.
Ordinary ways of seeing and t hinking are totally adapted to virtual
reality. A different way must be found.
In m y e xperience, direct  is a tricky wor d. It implies s omething
that happens immediately, but going to college for four years is the
direct way to get a bachelor’s degree, and four years isn’t
immediate. Direct  a lso implies something easy, efficient, without
obstacles. This  applies, for example, when a package is delivered
directly  to your house. You don’t h ave to go to the trouble and
expense of driving to the ma nufacturer to get whatever is inside
the pac kage. B ut a Sherpa leading a trek to the top of Mt. Everestis exact ly the opposite—the path might be direct, but it is arduous
and full of obstacles.
The origins of the direct path can be traced back to Vedic India
and ancient Greece, where the issue of waking up was fully
discussed. Many answers an d many ways to reach the goal were
devised. A detailed survey of  all these paths would lead to more
confusion than ever, becaus e disagreements among the  various
approaches abound. There ha ve been dreams of shortcuts, such as
accepting Christ as the Son of God, a single decision that redeems
all sins and opens the door to Heaven. That’s as direct as it gets.
On the other hand, a lifetime can be spent by a Tibetan Buddhist
monk or a devout Hindu reno uncing the world for a forest  ashram
or a mountain  cave. This ch oice presents the prospect of a long,
difficult inward journey.
In this book I’ve been de scribing the simplest and most
powerful (I believe) version of a shortcut, which is to exchange
illusion for reality. I define direct  a s easy, effici ent, and natural.
There is no need for anythin g arduous and filled with obs tacles. I
insist on a path  that is painless, because I’ve seen too much of the
opposite. Some people spend years in frustration and
disappointment struggling to reach some spiritual goal that
remains just out of reach. What baffles people is that the whole
spiritual project gets tangled  up in misguided ideas and doomed
expectations. Let me list the pitfalls one is most likely to
encounter:
1. Mistaking the goal for some kind of self-improvement,
shedding your old imperfect self for a shiny new one.
2. Assuming that you already know what the goal is.
3. Hoping that higher consciousness will solve all your
problems.
4. Struggling and striving to get somewhere fast.
5. Following a cut-and-dried method, usually a method
backed by some famous spiritual authority.
6. Hoping to be looked upon with respect, reverence


	suggesting	that	you	bake	out	in	the	sun	1960s-style,	when	it	was
the	thing	to	reflect	the	sunlight	back	onto	your	skin	with	aluminum	foil.	What
we’re	talking	about	is	much	more	strategic	and	controlled.	When	managed	this
way,	limited	sun	exposure	might	actually	reverse	sun	damage!	Research	out	of
Stanford	University	found	that	by	triggering	the	synthesis	of
vitamin	D	within
the	body,	limited	sun	exposure	may	cause	immune	cells	to	travel	to	the	outer
layers	of	the	skin,	where	they	are	available	to	protect	and	help	repair	damage
caused	by	excessive	sun	exposure.
14
So	how	much	sun	is	the	right	balance	for	your	beauty?	Well,	first	of	all,	we
don’t	recommend	exposing	your	delicate	facial	skin	to	the	sun.	It’s	too
precious,	and	it’s	obviously	the	first	place	you	want	to	protect	against	visible
signs	of	aging.	Always	wear	a	hat	when	you	are	exposed	to	sunlight,	and	be	sure
to	use	nontoxic	sunscreen	protection.
To	get	healthy	sunlight,	focus	on	your	limbs
.
Michael	F.	Holick,	MD,	PhD,	who
heads	up	the	Vitamin	D,	Skin,	and	Bone	Research	Laboratory	at
Boston
University	and	is	the	author	of	the	book
The	UV	Advantage
,	agrees.	He
recommends	sensible	sun	exposure	of	5	to	10	minutes	of	direct	sunlight	on
bare	legs	and	arms	two	or	three	times	a	week.
15
	Applying
sunscreen	is	definitely
recommended	for	any	sun	exposure	beyond	that.	The	sun	will	feel	great	on
your	arms	and	legs	during	short	walks	in	the	sunlight.	Try	parking	your	car	a
little	farther	away	from	the	mall	or	grocery	store	the	next	time	you	go	shopping
and	enjoy	some	extra	time	in	the	sun.	Take	5	minutes	to	read	outside,	to	sip
your	favorite	tea,	or	just	to	look	at	the	beauty	around	you,	whether	you	are	in
the	suburbs	or	in	the	city.	Even	in	most	industrial	areas	you	can	usually	find
something	beautiful.	This	will	naturally	feel	fantastic	and	delicious	for	your
whole	body,	which	loves	getting	some	light,	even	for	a	very	short	time!	Holick
also	recommends	supplementing	with	1,000	IUs	of
vitamin	D,
16
	especially	in
the	winter,	when	you	may	not	get	adequate	sunlight.You	can	also	balance	the	beauty	of	natural	sunlight	with	foods	that	are	rich
in	vitamins	C	and	E	as	well	as	selenium.	These	are	great	skin	beauty	foods	that
protect	against	sun	damage.
Karen	E.	Burke,	MD,	PhD,	of	the
Mount	Sinai
School	of	Medicine	says,	“These	antioxidants	work	by	speeding	up	the	skin’s
natural	repair	systems	and	by	directly	inhibiting	further	damage.”
17
	Some	great
natural	sources	of	these	Radical	Beauty	nutrients	include	acai,	blueberries,
Brazil	nuts,	almonds,	oranges,	and	bell	peppers.
Capturing
Energy	Directly	from	the	Light
We	all	know	that	plants	convert	sunlight	into	energy.	But	in	2014	a
groundbreaking	study	published	in	th
e
Journal	of	Cell	Science
	suggested	that
animals	that	consume	a	chlorophyll-rich	diet	are	also	able	to	derive	energy
directly	from	the	sunlight.
18
	Previously,	we	believed	that	green	plants	were	the
only	organisms	that	were	able	to	convert	sunlight	into	biological	energy	in	the
form	of	adenosine	triphosphate	(ATP).	This	study	showed	that	the
mitochondria	in	animal	cells	“can	also	capture	light	and	synthesize	ATP	when
mixed	with	a	light-capturing	metabolite	of	chlorophyll.”
19
In	other	words,	this	study	implies	that	animals—including	humans—can
borrow	the	light-harvesting	capabilities	of	chlorophyll	when	consuming	a	diet
rich	in	plant	food	and	use	it	for	energy	(ATP)	production.	Some	of	the	animals
researched	that	were	fed	such	a	diet	and	exposed	to	light	also	saw	an	increased
life	span.	Furthermore,	the	energy	coming	from	the	chlorophyll-induced	diet
and	light	exposure	was	believed	to	help	animal	mitochondria	function	in	a
healthier	way.
20
	This	is	super	exciting	from	a	beauty	standpoint,	because
healthier	mitochondria	function	means	a	reduction	in	the	aging	caused	by	free
radicals	and	thus	a	reduction	in	cellular	damage.
21
This	is	a	whole	new	way	to	think	about	our	diet	and	the	role	green	vegetables
play	when	it	comes	to	our	beauty.	Besides	providing	us	with	an	abundance	of
vitamins,	minerals,	and	thousands	of	beauty-building	compounds,	according	to
this	research	consuming	green	vegetables	may	also	help	us	generate	energy
directly	from	the	sunlight!	This	further	shows	our	timeless	and	infinite
connection,	an	unbroken	continuum,	with	nature.	Greens	are	grown	in	nature
and	make	up	a	large	part	of	the	diets	of	our	close	genetic	relatives.	The	big
takeaway	here	is	the	reinforcement	of	what	we’ve	been	saying	all	along:	eat	close
to	nature	and	become	more	naturally	beautiful	and	have	more	beautiful,
natural	energy.Lunar	(
Moon)	Energy
Like	the	sun,	the	moon	and	her	cycles	have	an	impact	on	our	energy,	albeit	in
more	subtle	ways.	While	it’s	not	as	obvious	as	the	sunlight	that	grows	plants
and	has	a	visible	impact	on	our	skin,	the	moon,	another	larger	energetic	body
in	our	macrocosmic	orbit,	also	impacts	our	beauty.	Our	ancestors	were	more	in
tune	with	the	moon’s	waning	and	waxing	rhythms	and	observed	and	noted
them	to	create	timetables	for	tending	and	harvesting	crops	and	organizing
community	life.	The	planting	calendar	of	biodynamic	farming,	a	type	of
sustainable	organic	farming	practiced	globally	from
France	to
India	and
beyond,	considers	soil	fertility,	plant	growth,	and	livestock	care	as	a	set	of
ecologically	interrelated	tasks,
22
	and	is	synced	with	the	lunar	phases	of	the
moon.
23
There’s	been	some	documented	influence	of	the	moon	on	certain	animals,
such	as	the	body	weight	of	honeybees	that	peaks	during	a	new	moon.
24
Different	ancient	cultures,	verified	in	some	writings	from
Babylonia	and
Assyria,	have
connected	a	lunar	influence	on	humans.	It’s	recognized	that	the
tides	are	caused	by	the	gravitational	relationship	between	the	moon	and	the
earth,	known	as	the	tidal	force.	On	a	micro	level,	we	are	made	up	of	around	72
percent	water	and	might	experience	some	of	the	lunar	influence	from	this
larger	body	of	energy,	such	as	periods	of	feeling	more	expansive	and	energized
or	more	retracted	and	inward.
The	female	menstrual	cycle	and	the	complete	cycle	of	the	moon,	which	is
approximately	the	same	number	of	days,	has	caused	much	intrigue	over	the
years.
Ayurveda	believes	that	the	cycles	of	the	moon	and	the	tides	of	the	ocean
are	mysterious	and	powerful	ways	to	display	the	deep	connection	a	woman	has
to	nature.
Just	as	it	is	important	to	keep	your	waking	hours	closely	tied	to	the	sun