Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life [Paperback]

James A. Duke PhD (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2000

Combining the most powerful natural substances. Dr. Duke has created a "cocktail" for heart disease that may well have the calcium channel-blocking punch of a leading pharmaceutical--and without the side effects.

Do you legs ache after standing? Are you bothered by hemorrhoids? Do you think there's no help for varicose veins? Dr. Duke tells you about horse chestnut capsules--and the ancillary herb that may further enhance their performance.

Alcohol, Hepatitis C, environmental toxins, and other serious attacks on your liver now have an astonishing first line of defense in milk thistle.

Don't get rid of your dog, but do add saw palmetto, which helps avert prostate problems, may keep your hair from thinning, and boosts both sexes' libido. Dr. Duke compares it to the widely prescribed alternative--and you can judge which lands firmly in the plus column.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of a comprehensive guide to herbal remedies (The Green Pharmacy) narrows his focus to 13 herbs that are the major components of his own health regimen. According to Duke, who worked as a specialist in medicinal plants at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Station, herbal remedies are often safer, cheaper and easier to use than synthetic drugs. Duke believes the herbs highlighted in this volume are ones that will improve overall health for "many, if not most, people," from children (with precautions) to adults. They include herbs that can improve eyesight (bilberry), boost the immune system (echinacea and garlic), detoxify (milk thistle) and serve as antidepressants (St. John's wort). In individual sections, Duke lists the physical problems that each herb targets and explains how the herbs work in the body. The appealing layout balances the more scientific information on research, dosages and possible side effects. Duke's dynamic narrative and personal anecdotes will likely gain the confidence of readers who feel shortchanged by the impersonal manner of many doctors and the limitations of conventional medications. The greatest value of the book, however, may be how Duke extracts a manageable group of herbs from the seemingly endless array being touted in the marketplace and offers a practical plan for integrating them into daily life. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"If it exists, count on Duke to dig it up."--People Magazine

"Perhaps the world's leading authority on medicinal plants."--New Age Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (September 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579543405
• ISBN-13: 978-1579543402
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #322,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JAMES A. DUKE, PHD, held several posts in his more than three decades with the US Department of Agriculture, including chief of the Medicinal Plant Resources Laboratory. He is the author of numerous scholarly and popular books, including the bestseller The Green Pharmacy, and is on the board of advisors for Prevention. He resides in Fulton, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to justify only three stars, October 18, 2006

By 

B. F. Mooney "biologist" (Mooresville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life (Paperback)

To put it simply: three stars? Give me a break! There is no-one who can claim the same level of proven factual knowledge about ethnobotany, medicinal herbs, or herbal medicine as James A. Duke. Check his online ethnobotany database if you want some solid evidence. Investigate his outstanding background. Even Consumer Reports, the perennial skeptic when it comes to alternative medine claims, has touted James A. Duke as a reliable authority for those who wish to explore herbal alternatives.

As a professional biologist with a lot of biomedical experience, I am skeptical, too, by profession and nature; but my skepticism extends to ordinary allopathic medicine as well. Standard medicine is much more expert at the PR game, but its sad record in treating many diseases is there for anyone to see. Try reading Limits to Medicine: Medical Nemesis, the Expropriation of Health by Ivan Illich. Once you see the ENTIRE medical situation in perspective, you might uderstand why many smart people seek to benefit from Dr. Duke's unique honesty and expertise.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Energy Boost, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life (Hardcover)

I've been taking some of the herbs that Dr. Duke mentioned in his book but there were some that I didn't know about. Since I've started taking them in less than two weeks I've noticed a definate increase in my energy level and just a sense of balance and well being. A great book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Informative, June 10, 2008

By 

Douglas Setter (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life (Paperback)

This is a handy reference guide to 13 popular herbs and their functions. It is written for the average person, so you do not have to sift through scientific jargon. I like the way that Dr. Duke bluntly describes what each of his favorite herbs does, some of the possible side effects and certain contradictions. He also mixes a bit of humor in his writing and describes his own experiences. Maybe these herbs will not totally disease-proof your body, but they are a cheaper and safer alternative to expensive drugs. You also have to give Doc Duke credit for keeping up his lifestyle while in his 70's. Now, in my 50's, I have personally followed his recommendations and found that they worked.

Doug Setter, Bsc. author of Stomach Flattening and One Less Victim: A Prevention Guide