Drawing on the writings of Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th-century herbalist, apothecary and astrologer, this updated, accessible introduction celebrates the holistic medical traditions of the West, and places Culpeper in his appropriate context as one of the forebears of modern holistic medicine and a prophet of the NHS. An extensive new introduction to the work comments on the latest research and developments in the area. The book traces the development of the Western holistic medical tradition from its origins in the natural philosophy of Ancient Greece to the work of Culpeper himself. It describes and explains the relationship between the four elements, the four humours and the four constitutional types: sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic, as well as explaining the functional relationships of organs and body systems. The book explores the interconnectedness of psyche (mind) and soma (body) and includes a section on herbal medicine and therapeutics with a study of 20 common herbs, dietary suggestions and uses for culinary herbs. It also provides accessible information on astrology and the importance of the horoscope for holistic patient assessment. The book looks at the holistic approach to the preservation of health and prevention of disease, with explanations of the various disease states, their humoral medical diagnosis and treatment. An authoritative insight into the expanding world of holistic medicine, this book is an indispensable resource for medical herbalists, students of herbal medicine and all those interested in Western holistic medicine and its origins.

From the bestselling author of ‘The Queen’s Conjuror’, comes the story of Nicholas Culpeper – legendary rebel, radical, Puritan, and author of the great ‘Herbal’. This is a powerful history of medicine’s first freedom fighter set in London during Britain’s age of revolution.

An “updated and beautifully designed” edition of the classic book on herbal remedies (Booklist). For more than 360 years, Nicholas Culpeper’s historic guide to herbal remedies has been the definitive book on the subject. Culpeper, an English herbalist, is the author of the bestselling herbal guide of all time. He offered valuable and sometimes unusual advice on using, gathering, and preparing herbs. Now, this beautifully illustrated new edition, edited and with commentary by acclaimed US herbalist and bestselling author Steven Foster, combines the charm and information of Culpeper’s original seventeenth-century text with up-to-date, modern, practical usage, including details about where to find each herb, astrology, and medicinal benefits.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"Heal Thyself" is the first full biography of Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th century English pioneer of herbal medicine whose actions and beliefs revolutionized medicine and medical practice. 25 line illustrations.