Plants In Hawaiian Medicine

Beautifully illustrated, this informative book describes the plants integral to Hawaiian medicine and healing, and discusses their uses past and present.

This book is intended as a general introduction to the ethnobotany of the Hawaiians and as such it presumes, on the part of the reader, little background in either botany or Hawaiian ethnology. It describes the plants themselves, whether cultivated or brought from the forests, streams, or ocean, as well as the modes of cultivation and collection. It discusses the preparation and uses of the plant materials, and the methods employed in building houses and making canoes, wearing apparel, and the many other artifacts that were part of the material culture associated with this farming and fishing people.

This classic, award-winning book provides the first comprehensive description of Hawaiian traditions of plant use. Topics include not only food, but clothing, cordage, shelter, canoes, tools, housewares, medicines, religious objects, weaponry, personal adornment, and recreation.

Originally published in 1922, this compilation was made by employees of the Board of Health of the Territory of Hawaii. It covers herbs found in the Hawaiian Islands that were believed by the Hawaiians to possess curative and palliative properties most effective in removing physical ailments.

A Hawaii-based practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, David Bruce Leonard, has just released the new book Medicine at Your Feet: Healing Plants of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Taking ten years to complete, this first volume is one of the most authoritative sources of information on Hawaiian medicinal plants. Exhaustively researched, Medicine at Your Feet contains cross-cultural uses for 49 different Hawaiian plant medicines, many of which are easy to find. Included is information on medicinal properties, food uses, chemical constituents, herbal combinations, plant gathering protocols, possible drug interactions, scientific research and much more. Here is what the experts have to say about Medicine at Your Feet: "This book is exactly what I want with me on my next trip to Hawaii . . . or even if I stay home." - - Jim Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy."David is a thorough scholar who really knows his plants. This is an excellent resource." - - Dennis McKenna, Senior Lecturer and Research Associate, Center for Spirituality and Healing, University of Minnesota.David Bruce Leonard is a practitioner and teacher of traditional Chinese medicine with a working knowledge of more than 400 traditional Hawaiian, Chinese, and Western plants. A deep ecologist and Hawaiian native plant specialist, he has been a student of Hawaiian medicine under Kahu Kawika Ka'alakea, Kaipo Kaneakua and Na Kupuna 'O Hawai'i since 1992.

"Hawaiian herbal medicine, as practiced by the ancient Hawaiians, is emerging as a popular alternative to traditional medical practices today. This book provides ancient remedies for such ailments as headache, sore throat, insomnia, disorders in women, general loss of energy, as well as remedies for mending broken bones and insect bites."--Page 4 of cover.

An introduction to 20 plants of the Ancient Hawaiians. Includes illustrations, uses, proverbs, and poems.