The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything you need to know about Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments. / Alan Keith Tillotson, with Nai-shing Hu Tillotson, and Robert Abel. New York, N.Y. : Twin Streams Kensington Publishing Corp., 2001. ISBN 157566-6170. 596 p.
Here is a delightful book for the practicing herbalist or student of traditional herbal medicine. Written by a 21st century doctor of Ayurvedic medicine, The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook could easily be called an encyclopedia of herbs and herbal treatments. Dr. Tillotson’s compendium demonstrates how traditional practices approach wellness and symptoms and disease.
The Sourcebook’s main three sections are: Orientation guide to herbal medicine, p. 7-45; Getting to know your herbs, p. 61-234 with Important herbs (96 in all) from around the world; and Herbs to treat the whole body, p. 235-451. The orientation guide is helpful for the new user of herbal medicine as the author attempts to relate herbal systems, practitioners, manufacturing and marketing matters, and more. In Getting to know your herbs, the reader will discover not only a dictionary of individual herbs, but also the vocabulary used by herbalists to describe herbal actions and chemical constituents, herbs by their dispensing forms, by their tastes, healing and cooling properties, post-digestive effects, and more. In Herbs to treat the whole body, the author’s chapters on herbal treatment, nutrition and the lifecycle, and longevity and the immune system enrich and discuss the effects of herbal treatments on bodily systems which we expect from herbals: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous, muscular and skeletal, etc. Finally, the Appendix offers Herbs Listed by Physiological Action, Resource and Reference Guides, and the Index, and more.
Could a pan-traditional herbalist also be globally-oriented? This work develops the Western readers’ and herbalists’ knowledge of herbal healing from a global perspective. Yet, to give a short review of this work is to under-represent its value, which is not only global, but potentially infinite. I think an herbal worth your read is one that clearly displays the author’s intent to heal, and solicits your trust by its disclosure and honesty. There are many selections in this Sourcebook from the world of herbal healing that are introductory in nature, covering Ayurvedic, Chinese and Western traditions. Such a broad scope earns the title Sourcebook, but clearly extends to numerous additional facets of practice in herbal medicine. Consider the section under Diagnosis: Signs, Symptoms and Specifics, p. 238, in which he reveals the mechanisms of diagnosis in Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions. With “herbs for asthma”, he says, “… a diagnosis of asthma tells us that the patient has trouble breathing. It does not tell us the level of inflammation in the lungs, the amount of mucus in the lungs, the amount of tension in the surrounding muscles, the level of diaphragm use or disuse, or anything about contributing causes such as exposure to toxins or cigarette smoke. Therefore you cannot simply take “asthma” herbs and expect good results.”
The chapter Actions and Interactions… p. 45, delivers information on aspects of hypersensitivity and allergens, tranquilizers, laxatives, herbs that affect blood sugar, and herbs that are sometimes used as substitutes or to add bulk to a dispensing medium, but that absolutely should be avoided because they are poisonous. Make no mistake, it is possible to suffer greatly and for a long time or even die from misuse of any medicinal substance, natural or manufactured, especially in the case of an overdose, or toxicity of the vital organs, the liver, central nervous or circulatory systems. Areas requiring extreme caution are given as drug interactions: always ask your doctor before using herbal medicines along with prescription medications, blood thinners and blood pressure medications, cardiac glycosides, tranquilizers and antidepressants, digestive issues, diuretics and laxatives. The author advises that herbal use be discontinued, or undertaken only with the direction of a qualified professional, during pregnancy.
Far from brandishing the negative aspects of natural remedies in order to prove his points, the author’s explanations impart both endorsement and caution in an effort to supply a realistic picture of the power of herbal medicinal actions on bodily systems. The Sourcebook’s herbal discloses not only actions and dosage recommendations, but also safety issues and research highlights. Consider the Rating given each herb: gold, silver, yellow or red, a labeling system placed on each herb according to its safety for general or long-term use. The author begins the section by mentioning the herbs most common to the three traditions: Ashwaganda and Guggul gum from Ayurveda, Huang qi and Ginseng root from Chinese medicine, and Echinacea and Dandelion root from Western herbalism. As each herb is reviewed, the labeling system applied, and the use and actions described, a pattern emerges showing these specific herbs to be adaptogenic in nature, increasing the body’s capacity to heal itself.
Indexed for Interactivity
Studying the herbal and reviewing the Index can give a sense of the encyclopedic quality of the material presented here. For example, Echinacea is cited for several bodily systems and disorders including “cleaning the mouth, colds, false toxicity warning against, genital herpes, immune system, respiratory system” etc., p 578. This Index spans pages 571-596. It presents detailed information about the subjects discussed in the book, containing references to pages describing diseases and disorders, conditions and complaints, common plant names, botanical Latin names, agents, foods, organizations, and more, the Sourcebook’s well-developed index features details and is a guide to comprehending the culture and traditions of herbal medicine.
