Infusions of Healing: A Treasury of Mexican-American Herbal Remedies
Author: Davidow, Joie
Brand: Atria Books
Features:
- Used Book in Good Condition
Binding: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 368
Release Date: 05-10-1999
Part Number: 9780684854168
Details: Product Description NATURAL REMEDIOS FOR EVERYDAY AILMENTS When the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs, they stumbled upon a treasure trove ultimately more valuable and lasting than the glittering mounds of Moctezuma's gold -- the herbal remedies and medicines developed by the Indians, which in many ways surpassed the rudimentary medicine of the Old World. The remnants of these cures, potions, infusions, and tonics form the basis of the countless natural remedies still used in many Mexican-American households today. Now, these healing herbs and remedies are brought together in a volume that is as practical as it is fascinating. In Infusions of Healing you'll find: * The intriguing story of how this long-suppressed ancient knowledge was passed down over the course of five centuries. * Hundreds of safe, effective herbal treatments for everyday ailments -- teas, liniments, compresses, salves, and soothing baths for headaches, colds, fevers, digestive disorders, menstrual cramps, skin problems, aches and pains, and much more. * An alphabetical listing of more than 200 herbs and plants, from abedul (birch) to zarsaparilla (sasparilla), including their English, Spanish, Nahuatl (Aztec), and botanical names, with extensive notes on their histories and healing properties. * Expert advice from today's traditional healers and practitioners of Mexican-American herbal medicine, many of their remedies recorded in print for the first-time. Thorough, well organized, and rich with history, Infusions of Healing is a practical handbook for anyone interested in natural remedies, as well as an invaluable contribution to the preservation of a tradition deeply embedded in Latino culture. Amazon.com Review The ancient Aztecs were expert horticulturists who cultivated and studied medicinal plants. Gardens flourished and were used by Aztec doctors as laboratories, and every family had a basic knowledge of herbal medicine. This rich, herbal-healing tradition has been passed along and modified by succeeding generations, and much of it is alive and well in Mexican American culture now. In Infusions of Healing, author Joie Davidow traces the history of this tradition. Then she presents a compendium of 200 herbs. For each, she gives the common name, botanical name, other names, description, historical use, scientific validation (if any), parts used, property, what it is used to treat, and any cautions. Another section presents herbal remedies organized by the type of treatment: digestive, urinary, respiratory, aches and pains, and so on. For example, you learn what herbs to use as "mouthwashes" for gum inflammation, how to make liniments for arthritic joints, which teas treat diarrhea, and which herbs can be used topically to soothe irritations, including hemorrhoids. Davidow also profiles modern Mexican American healers, with descriptions of their treatments. This is a fascinating book if you're interested in herbal medicine. --Joan Price About the Author Joie Davidow, an award-winning journalist, was a founder of the LA Weekly, LA Style magazine and Sí, a national Latino lifestyle publication, and is coeditor with Esmeralda Santiago of two anthologies, Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories and Las Mamis: Favorite Latino Authors Remember Their Mothers. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Part I: Five Centuries of Healing ¿Qué mágicas infusionesde indios herbolariosde mi patria, entre mis letrasel hechizo derramaron? What are these magical infusions of the Indian herbalists of my homeland, that spill enchantment over my pages? -- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695) Traditional Mexican-American medicine is un rico menudo, a rich stew, with a long list of ingredients: sixteenth-century Arab and European herbal medicines, ideas that date back to Hippocrates, twentieth-century patent medicines, plant medicines from
EAN: 9780684854168
Package Dimensions: 9.0 x 6.0 x 0.9 inches
Languages: English