A raw foods diet advocates exactly that: eating raw foods. No cooking, no grilling, no steaming, no application of high temperatures. Why? Because eating food closest to its natural state engenders a tremendous exchange of energy between food and body. The result, over time, is a feeling of buoyant, radiant health. Tackling head-on the skepticism likely to greet proponents of what the world sees as a "fad" diet, renowned nutritional consultant and raw foods adherent Brigitte Mars presents historical data and scientific evidence confirming the efficacy of raw foods diets in: Supporting emotional stablity; Increasing energy levels; Clearing the skin; Boosting immune-system function; improving digestive function; Dispelling depression: Sustaing overall good health. In addition, Mars points out the environmental benefits of the raw foods diet, making a case for eating raw foods as a means of reducing waste, making the most of agricultural practice, and reducing the ! human footprint on the earth. Whether the reader wants to jump right into an all-raw diet or just wants to introduce more raw foods into the diet, Mars offers gentle encouragement and practical instruction. Readers will find advice on planning a balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs, combining foods for best effect, presrving raw foods, equpping the raw kitchen, sprouting, juicing, and evey other technique that makes the raw foods diet simple,delicious, and healthful. In-depth profiles describe the nutritional and health benefits of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seasonings. Perhaps most important, the author provides more than 200 kitchen-tested, real-people-approved raw foods recipes. Under Mar's instruction, readers will enjoy making everything from juices and shakes to salads, soupsdressings, yogurts, crackers, spreads, dips, vegetable burgers, curries, vegetable pastas, wraps, and more. And let's not forget desset: brownies, ice cream, lemon bars, fru! it leathers,pies,cakes, puddings, and other delectable treats. For people who want the vibrant energy and health that raw foods offe but don't want to give up the taste of good cooking, "Rawsome!" provides the answer....

Herbal medicine has been with us since the beginning, one of the many aspects of humakind's symbiotic relationship with the natural world. It is the most time-yested healing tradition in the world, having evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in disparate regions and diverse cultures. In "The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicne." renowned herbalist Brigitte Mars offers a concise, comprehensive guide to the vast array of medicinal herbs that are now commonly available in North America. Drawing on healing traditions from around the world, Mars presents detailed monograps of more than 180 herbs, from the commonplace tea and raspberry to the weedy dandelion and goldenrod to the more exotic ho shou wu and zeodary. The moographs give a broad range of information about the herbs, including their physiological effects, constituents, energetics, historical and current medicinal uses, other common uses, edible properties, natural range, and contraindications. Each monograph follows a consistent format, allowing readers to find the information they need quickly. Students and experienced practitioners of herbal medicine alike will find this one-stop reference an invaluable companion in the study, prescription, and use of herbs to achieve health, mitigate illness, and correct physiological imbalances. As she does in her many other books, Mars writes with the goal of guiding readers toward the safe, effective, self-empowering, and confident use of plants as healing and preventive medicine. Her forthright attitude, pragmatic advice, and gentle humor shine here, inviting readers to use "The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine" as both a study aid and a wide-ranging exploration of the plant realm....