This complete guide to kava describes its centuries-long use in the religious, political, and economic life of the Pacific islands and summarizes the literature and research on a plant that is now considered a comparable or superior alternative to anti-stress prescription drugs.

For centuries, Pacific Islanders have used Piper methysticum - the Kava plant - for healing, religious ritual, and relaxation. Now Westerners are discovering the calming, centering effects of the plant, and Kava potions are served at many health clubs and coffee-houses. Kava is rapidly becoming a healthy, natural alternative to alcohol and tranquilizers, and a welcome addition to social gatherings or spiritual circles. Kava-Kava is an in-depth look at the history, botany, chemistry, culture, and use of the Kava plant. Filled with rare illustrations and photographs, the book examines how the Pacific Islands' native peoples grew and processed the plant, how it's used in both traditional and contemporary beverages, and how its unique properties affect the human body and mind. Kava-Kava explores the increasing interest in its use as an alternative to alcohol. Users report that kava drinking reduces alcohol intake, resulting in weight loss, gains in strength, better sleep and health in general. Kava has anti-anxiety properties that help fight stress and promote sleep. Kava-Kava is built upon the Dutch botanist, Dr. E.F. Steinmetz's classic early pamphlet,Kava-Kava: Famous Drug Plant of the South Sea Islands with addition of considerable new information about health, social, and spiritual uses. A fact-filled look at this fascinating plant,Kava-Kava belongs in the library of anyone interested in intoxicants, herbal medicine, or shamanistic practices.

Scientists consider kava (Piper methysticum) a narcotic and a hypnotic, but not a hallucinogen or a stupefacient. It is used throughout the South Pacific as a social intoxicant, an aid to religious inspiration, and as medicine for a number of conditions. Here is a review of the literature on kava's botany, chemistry, ethnobotany, pharmacology, social usage, distribution, and the economic potential for its spread beyond the region. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

About half of all species under threat of extinction in the world today are plants. The loss of plant biodiversity is disturbing for many reasons, but especially because it is a reflection of the growing disconnect between humans and nature. Plants have been used for millennia in traditional systems of healing and have held a significant place in drug development for Western medicine as well. Despite the recent dominance of synthetic drug production, natural product discovery remains the backbone of drug development. As the diversity of life on Earth is depleted and increasing numbers of species become lost to extinction, we continue to lose opportunities to achieve advances in medicine. Through stories of drug revelation in nature and forays into botany, human behavior, and conservation, Kara Rogers sheds light on the multiple ways in which humans, medicine, and plants are interconnected. With accessible and engaging writing, she explores the relationships between humans and plants, relating the stories of plant hunters of centuries past and examining the impact of human activities on the environment and the world's biodiversity. Rogers also highlights the role that plant-based products can play in encouraging conservation and protecting the heritage and knowledge of indigenous peoples. Out of Nature provides a fresh perspective on modern drug innovation and its relationship with nature. The book delves into the complexity of biophilia—the innate human attraction to life in the natural world—and suggests that the reawakening of this drive is fundamental to expanding conservation efforts and improving medicine. Rogers's examination of plants, humans, and drug discovery also conveys a passionate optimism for the future of biodiversity and medicine. Including a collection of hand-drawn maps and plant illustrations created by the author, this well-researched narrative will inspire as well as inform.

This practical guide to psychoactive drugs reveals fourteen legal and accessible paths on your journey to altered consciousness. Getting high in one form or another has been a part of human life for thousands of years. And while the US government stands in the way of this basic right, there are ways around the restrictions. With each of the fourteen psychoactive substances detailed in this book, you can get high, pass a urine drug test, and never once break the law. Legally Stoned is a practical guide to obtaining and using fourteen mind-altering agents that are both legal and easy to acquire. It also includes a description and history of each item, its chemistry and physiological reactions, accounts of its pleasures and perils, and any risks associated with it. Legally Stoned covers substances such as: • Amanita muscaria mushroom, which induces feelings of euphoria and auditory hallucinations • Anadenanthera peregrina/colubrina seeds, which have been known to cause intense visions of psychedelic light and color • Ayahuasca, which originated in South America and often produces visual hallucinations that include the jungle, exotic animals, even ancient native artwork

The Routledge Handbook of Mormonism and Gender is an outstanding reference source to this controversial subject area. Since its founding in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has engaged gender in surprising ways. LDS practice of polygamy in the nineteenth century both fueled rhetoric of patriarchal rule as well as gave polygamous wives greater autonomy than their monogamous peers. The tensions over women’s autonomy continued after polygamy was abandoned and defined much of the twentieth century. In the 1970s, 1990s, and 2010s, Mormon feminists came into direct confrontation with the male Mormon hierarchy. These public clashes produced some reforms, but fell short of accomplishing full equality. LGBT Mormons have a similar history. These movements are part of the larger story of how Mormonism has managed changing gender norms in a global context. Comprising over forty chapters by a team of international contributors the Handbook is divided into four parts: • Methodological issues • Historical approaches • Social scientific approaches • Theological approaches. These sections examine central issues, debates, and problems, including: agency, feminism, sexuality and sexual ethics, masculinity, queer studies, plural marriage, homosexuality, race, scripture, gender and the priesthood, the family, sexual violence, and identity. The Routledge Handbook of Mormonism and Gender is essential reading for students and researchers in religious studies, gender studies, and women’s studies. The Handbook will also be very useful for those in related fields, such as cultural studies, politics, anthropology, and sociology.

Kava is an herb that has been used for ceremonial, ritual, religious, social, political, and medicinal purposes for centuries. In the past few decades, kava has been widely marketed as an over-the-counter treatment for anxiety, stress, restlessness, and sleep disorders. Kava: From Ethnology to Pharmacology describes the history, botanical origins, production, economic aspects, and chemical and biological properties of this medicinal herb. A major part of the book focuses on the chemical and pharmacological properties of kavalactones, the psychoactive constituents of kava that reportedly have sedative, anxiolytic, analgesic, local anesthetic, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective properties. Clinical and medical studies that provide evidence of kava's therapeutic benefits are balanced with an assessment of the known adverse effects and interactions in which kava has been implicated. With contributions from experts in the field, this volume presents a comprehensive view of the traditional aspects of kava and the latest applications for the herb. It is a valuable reference for botanists, phytochemists, toxicologists, physicians, pharmacists, herbalists, and alternative medicine practitioners.