Steven Foster Books

An updated field guide to the medicinal plants and herbs found in eastern and central North America, including how to identify them and use them.

Echinacea provides both a contemporary and historical view of this important herb and its healing properties. Known as a non-specific stimulant to the immune system, it was highly valued in Native American medicine and was used more frequently than any other plant. Today, research shows clear scientific reasons for its effectiveness.

Provides background information about herbal medicine and remedies; looks at common drugs and their herbal alternatives; features an annotated listing of a range disorders, with discussion of treatment options; and includes profiles of fifty-eight herbs.

This essential guide to safety in the field features 90 venomous animals and more than 250 poisonous plants and fungi. The 340 line drawings make identification fast and simple; 160 species are also illustrated with color photographs.

For millennia, humans have looked to nature for remedies to ailments great and small. Long before formal science enabled us to take a systematic approach to medicine, healers used plants to alleviate pain, ease the symptoms of dozens of diseases, and treat complaints of every kind. And today, countless people still use medicinal plants, whether in traditional roles or as building blocks for new research and innovative drugs.Featuring 350 full-color photographs, botanical drawings, and maps, this accessible, fact-filled book is based on the work of renowned botanical experts and presents alphabetically arranged, beautifully illustrated entries for hundreds of plants touted for thousands of years to soothe, even heal. Each is clearly described, with full details of its physical appearance and medicinal uses; its origins and geographic distribution, how it’s harvested and used in conventional and alternative medicine, a range map; and more.With fascinating medical chronicle filled with informative sidebars on everything from ancient folklore to the latest research, readers learn how aspirin evolved from a concoction of willow bark to the familiar white pill of today, how the foxglove’s flowery beauty contributes to the potent heart drug digitalis, and how many other now common treatments have deep historical and cultural roots. It’s a journey that starts many centuries ago in remote places like the Amazon rain forest, where shamans practiced their powerful curative magic of plants, and leads to the high-tech pharmaceutical labs of today’s scientists working to discover new plant-based drugs that can be used effectively to treat diseases major and minor alike, from cancer to the common cold.

Movingly rendered and powerfully wrought, The Book of the Vision Quest is for all who long for renewal and personal transformation. It is a celebration of life and a marvelous testament to the ability of all people to take charge of their lives, heal themselves, and grow. In this revised edition--with two new chapters and added tales from vision questers--Steven Foster recounts his experiences guiding contemporary seekers. He recreates an ancient rite of passage--that of "dying," "passing through," and "being reborn"--known as a vision quest. It is a sacred ceremony that culminates in a three-day, three-night fast, alone, in a place of natural power. Blending numerous heritages, wisdoms, and teachings, the vision quest is a mystical, practical, and intensely personal journey of self-knowledge - publisher's description.

The narrative follows Steven Foster as he explores Dubai, a city renowned for its wealth and innovation. He seeks out ambitious and visionary leaders who thrive in this dynamic environment, showcasing the unique entrepreneurial spirit and diverse perspectives that define the city's landscape. Through his journey, Foster highlights the transformative power of leadership and ambition in one of the world's most vibrant urban centers.

"Because I have long worked to make accurate information on botanical remedies available to consumers as well as to doctors, pharmacists, and allied health professionals, I am delighted to see the appearance of the National Geographic <i>Guide to Medicinal Herbs</i>. This excellent guide is the work of a team of highly qualified botanical and medical experts, including two of my colleagues from the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. It offers reliable, up-to-date, practical information about 72 of the most important medicinal herbs." --Andrew Weil, M.D., from the Foreword There is a world of health and healing all around you--in your spice rack, your backyard, and on the shelves of health food and grocery stores. This informative guide is a reference you will keep at the ready, connecting 72 of the world's most common and useful medicinal herbs with the body systems they help and heal. Eight chapters focus on body systems: 1. Mental Health &amp; the Nervous System 2. Respiratory System 3. Heart &amp; Circulation 4. Digestive System 5. Joints, Muscles &amp; Skin 6. Urinary &amp; Male Health 7. Female Health 8. Wellness &amp; Perception Each chapter begins with an overview of how plants can bring health to that part of the body, with stories about traditional herbal remedies from around the world and current scientific findings on herbal remedies for specific illnesses. Then each chapter highlights nine plants, combining botanical and medical information--therapeutic uses, effectiveness, preparations, cautions, and advice, including a round-up of current science about the active ingredients in the plant. Every chapter includes a photo gallery showing how one of its herbs is cultivated and processed commercially--the story behind the contents of that bottle you buy in the store. Special features include "Over the Kitchen Counter"--quick and easy ways to use herbs in your everyday life, and time lines for every herb, showing how today's use of herbal remedies collects wisdom from the centuries and around the world. A functional appendix includes an illustrated index to all the plants in the book, an ailment-by-ailment therapeutic index, a glossary, and an index.

Features more than five hundred plants and herbs of North America providing information on their location and medicinal uses.