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Cultivating Health:
Learning and Living Your
Biological Mandates
by Adeha
Feustel
Good Books
Great books on each of the Biological Mandates. This is a list of the best books I have found to date on each of the biological mandates. Be sure to check the Misc. category at the end for some really important and helpful books that fall outside of these categories.
Whole Light Fresh Air Long Sleep Real Food Pure Water EMF Natural Cycles RegularCleansing Sound Miscellaneous Daily Movement
Health and Light: The Effects of Natural and Artificial Light on Man and Other Living Things, by John Ott is the fascinating chronicle of his pioneering studies on the physiological effects of light. Ott was a banker with a hobby of time lapse photography. When he was hired to make a time lapse movie of an apple ripening, he discovered that the apple would not ripen in the glass cage he made for it on the tree. Eventually he discovered that UV light was essential, not only to the ripening of an apple, but to the maturation of many vegetables and fruits. As he studied plants' reaction to different light frequencies, he discovered that the ballasts in fluorescent light fixtures gave off a radiation that distorted growth.
Having seen the powerful effects of light frequencies on plants, he studied light's effect on animals and humans. Ott's research was decades ahead of his peers. Every discovery posed new questions for Ott, and he spent his life answering those questions; this eye-opening book is the tale of his journey of discovery. Fascinating reading on the essential health effects of sunlight on plants and animals, and the profoundly negative effects of the artificial lights we currently live under. This book will make you reexamine current expert advice about the dangers of UV light, and the need to stay out of the sun. Highly recommended.
Light,
Radiation and You, by
John Ott
Light:
Medicine of the Future: How We Can Use It To Heal Ourselves
Now, by Jacob Liberman, OD, PhD. Liberman who has doctorates
in both optometry and vision science, says that the people who live on Earth
evolved to thrive under the light put forth by our sun. He says, therefore,
that we potentially harm ourselves when we hide from sunlight. In Light: Medicine
Of The Future, he explains how to utilize the therapeutic benefits of light.
Dr. Liberman says that "light is the basic component from which all life originates,
develops, heals, and evolves." Everything that humans do is affected in some
way by light. Light has been used for healing since the time of ancient Egypt.
Modern scientists began recognizing the benefits of light therapy in the late
1700's. Although many people believe the ultraviolet (UV) light is harmful,
Dr. Liberman maintains our bodies need at least a small amount of UV light
in order to function properly.
Lights
Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival, This groundbreaking
book by T.S. Wiley and Bent Formby bridges the disciplines of light, sleep,
carbohydrate nutrition, and seasonal cycles from an evolutionary perspective.
Lights Out is a giant step in the direction of understanding how our environment
and lifestyle choices interact to drive our physiology. It traces some effects
of recent changes in two of the biological mandates -- the increasing length
of our daily light intake, and our increasing consumption of refined carbohydrates
-- through the arenas of sleep, obesity, heart disease, seasonal cycles in
breeding and food supply, brain neurotransmitters, immunity, and ultimately,
survival. In unraveling the complex web of effects of these changes it even
touches lightly on breathing and exercise. I couldn't put this book down and
have reread it a number of times. I swear they are rewriting my copy while
I sleep!
Sunlight,
by Zane R. Kime. An excellent introduction to and overview of the health effects
of sunshine and the negative effects of artificial lighting. "Dr. Kime's book,
in my opinion, represents the biggest step forward to date in bringing together
the sceintific data and practical medical application of sunlight to human
health... The scope of this book is spellbinding, and I strongly recommend
it to everybody interested in living longer and enjoying better health." John
Ott, ScD (Director of Environmental Health and Light Institute(ret.)
“Daylight Robbery”, by Dr. Damien Downing,
on the web at http://www.ddowning.demon.co.uk/daylight/daylight.html
This is an excellent and very readable intro to the effect of daylight on
our health. Easy, inspiring read.
Dr. Breath: the Story of Breathing Coordination, by Carl Stough. Tells the story of Carl Stough, a church choir director who developed a remarkably successful breathing therapy for emphesema patients (and singers!) based on his experience with voice training for choirs. Stough didn't know that what he was attempting "could not be done" according to conventional medical wisdom, and he proceeded to do it! He went on to coach the U.S. Olympic team at the 1968 high altitude games in Mexico City. Because of Stough's breath training, the U.S. team was the only lowland team not to need oxygen support. This book tells his story. Videos of Stough demonstrating his techniques were made, but are not currently available. Check with the Stough Institute.
The Ion Effect, by Fred Soyka
Breathing
Free: The Revolutionary 5-Day Program to Heal Asthma, Emphysema, Bronchitis,
and Other Respiratory Ailments, by Teresa Hale & Leo Galland.
This book tells the story of Professor Konstantine Buteyko, a Russian diagnostic
respiratory physician, who developed Breath Reconditioning, a method of treating
asthma which is being used successfully in Europe and Australia, but which
has met resistance in the United States. Although the exercises are difficult,
those who use the method report rapid reduction of asthma symptoms and reduced
need for medications, many even to the point of being able to dispense with
medication entirely. Fascinating read.
The
Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection
Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep, by William
Dement. Covers every aspect of sleep and its effect on your health and function.
"We are a sleep-sick society," says William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. According
to Dr. Dement, "sleep science" has yielded a great deal of scientific knowledge
about sleep--yet the general public, and even doctors, aren't aware of it.
Sleep disorders are routinely misdiagnosed or ignored, sometimes resulting
in medical tragedy and death, frequently leading to chronic exhaustion. In
The Promise of Sleep, Dr. Dement aims to remedy that by making the latest
sleep information accessible to health professionals and lay readers.
Power
Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance,
by Dr. James Maas. Maas has spent 34 years lecturing to drowsy psychology
undergraduates at Cornell University, and knows how to hold an audience--even
when the subject is sleep, and even when the conclusion is that most of us
don't get enough of it. This is a fascinating book; you'll want to take it
in slowly and then sleep on it.
Nourishing
Traditions: the Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and
the Diet Dictocrats, by Sally Fallon, [New Trends Publishing,
1999] is an incredible natural foods cookbook, chock full of solid nutritional
information as well as the traditional recipes to manifest it. Fallon focuses
on food preparation methods that eliminate the antinutritive elements in food
and maximize their ability to support your health. She includes traditional
recipes for soaked grains, raw animal foods, and lacto-fermented grains and
vegetables. In the seventy page introduction to this informative cookbook,
Fallon explains dietary principles based on the research of Weston Price,
a dentist whose meticulous 1930's study of primitive diets deserves much wider
reading (see below). Only one cookbook? This is it!
Nutrition
and Physical Degeneration, by Weston A. Price, DDS. Back in
the 1930's 60 year old Weston Price and his wife toured 13 primitive tribes
and documented the results of their adaptation to the deficient foods of "civilization".
Full of heart rending pictures that contrast the vital physiques of those
who stuck to the native diet with the misshapen and diseased bodies of those
who switched to the deficient foods of civilization, this book is good motivation
to change your diet. Thinking about getting pregnant? Read this book to find
out how traditional peoples made healthy babies by spacing their children
and eating special nutritionally dense foods before they conceived as well
as during the pregnancy and nursing. The book is encyclopedic in scope. Reading
this book may change your life.
Pottenger’s Cats: A Study in Nutrition, by Francis Pottenger, MD. This is a readable summary of Francis Pottenger's famous 10 year study on the effect of raw and cooked foods on the health of 900 cats. He found that raw foods produced generation after generation of healthy cats, while a diet of those same foods cooked produced most of the degenerative diseases of modern civilization. Cats on a diet of cooked foods not only became increasingly debilitated with each generation, the third generation on a cooked food diet was unable to reproduce: there was no fourth generation. It took four generations for the cats to recover from one generation's cooked food diet. This book details Pottenger's studies and recounts other eye-opening experimental results that indicate the manure from the cooked food cats was toxic to plants; that the seeds of those plants carried the resulting toxicity for generations; and that the milk and organs of grass fed cows supplies powerful nutritional components that are missing in the organs and milk of grain fed cows. Another must read book.
The
Curse of Louis Pasteur, by Nancy Appleton. This book is an
incredibly thorough explanation of the flaw behind the germ theory on which
western science is based. Appleton exposes the flaw and presents the alternatives
in a readable and convincing format.
Food Enzymes: The Missing Link to Radiant Health, by Humbart Santillo. A fairly short and readable introduction to the world of food enzymes.
Genetic
Nutritioneering, by Jeffrey Bland. The far-ranging Human Genome
Project is producing a breathtaking revolution in health, raising the prospect
of averting hereditary "destined" diseases by modifying the expression of
genetic traits. Researchers have identified many genes implicated in specific
diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis and have realized that unfavorable
genetic messages can be improved by changes in lifestyle, diet, and environment.
A
Week in the Zone, by Barry Sears. Sears explains how you can
control your energy, your weight, your immunity, and the rate at which you
are aging, simply by eating the right proportions of protein, fat, and carbohydrate.
Well, it's not quite that simple, but almost! All of his books are great,
but this is the short cut version. Feel better in a week!
Probiotics:
Nature's Internal Healers, by Leon Chaitow and N. Trenev. Two
experts in the field cover the subject of beneficial bacteria in your gut,
and their profound impact on your health.
The Healing Diet, by Gerold M. Lemole, M.D.
The Origins Diet, by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.
Your
Body's Many Cries for Water by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.,
explains why drugs will make asthma -- and high blood pressure, headache,
diabetes, high cholesterol, angina, leg pain on walking, ulcers, rheumatoid
arthritis, and a bunch of other "diseases" -- much worse. He claims they are
all symptoms of dehydration, and that anything that makes the dehydration
worse will also make these conditions worse. The cure? Drink more water! (Notice
I said water. Tea, coffee, colas, sodas, and alcohol all act as diuretics
and will exaccerbate the above conditions.) This is a must read book!,
Caffeine
Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug,
by Stephen Cherniske, covers the negative effects of caffeine on your body.
It is a surprisingly long book. (But very readable.) If you are drinking more
than two 8 oz. cups of regular coffee, or 3 cups of tea, or one cola drink
a day, you need to read this book. Cherniske doesn't just tell you how caffeine
ages you and wears out your adrenals. He also tells you how to get off caffeine
using herbal coffee substitutes. This book will give you the motivation and
the method to kick the habit. And it's a habit worth kicking.
Living
Water: Viktor Schauberger and the Secrets of Natural Energy,
by Olof Alexandersson. The fascinating story of Austrian naturalist and iconoclast
Victor Schauberger (1885-1958). "By studying fish in streams and by closely
observing the natural water cycle, Schauberger was able to solve the basic
problems of energy transformation. He saw that modern man, without realizing
it, was destroying the earth and sabotaging his own cultures by working against
Nature. All the prevailing methods of energy generation -- from hydro-electric
to nuclear fission -- produce harmful long-term effects on the environment
and encourage disease. Schauberger had a clear vision of how fertility could
be restored to the earth. As an inventor Schauberger developed a number of
ingenious machines which would revolutionize farming, horticulture, forestry
and aircraft propulsion. He developed water purification systems, and showed
how air and water could be harnessed as fuels for many machines. His discovery
of implosive energy and diamagnetism had many practical applications, most
of which have yet to be developed." (quote from the back cover)
Electromagnetic
Fields (EMF), Natural and Manmade:
The
Body Electric:Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life,
by Gary Selden and Robert Becker, M.D. "In this landmark book, Robert O. Becker,
M.D., a pioneer in the field of bioelectric science, presents a fascinating
look at the role electricity plays in healing, challenging the traditional
mechanistic model of the body. Colorful and controversial, this is a tale
of engrossing research, scientific and medical politics, and breakthrough
discoveries that offer new possibilities for fighting disease and harnessing
the body's healing powers. Fascinating experiments and case studies are presented
in this extraordinary study of how bioelectricity and regeneration open new
possibilities for treating cancer and other diseases. Illustrated. " (Editorial
review from Amazon)
Cross
Currents : The Promise of Electromedicine, the Perils of Electropollution,
by Robert Becker, M.D. "Dr. Becker tells of the emergence of electromagnetic
medicine, which promises to unlock the secrets of healing, and the growth
of electromagnetic pollution, which poses a clear environmental danger. He
explains the effectiveness of alternative healing methods that use parts of
the body's innate electrical healing systems, and warns that our bodies are
being adversely affected by power lines, computers, microwaves and satellite
dishes." (Amazon editorial review.)
Currents
of Death: Power Lines, Computer Terminals, and the Attempt to Cover Up Their
Threat to Your Health, by Paul Brodeur. You owe it to yourself
and your loved ones to read this book.
The
Circadian Prescription, by Sidney MacDonald, M.D. Baker, Karen
Baar. How to vary your diet during the day for maximum health. Eat your protein
in the morning and concentrate the carbs you do eat in the evening to maximize
melatonin secretion. This thought-provoking, clearly written book based on
experimental science and the experiences of Dr. Baker's patients will challenge
many commonly held nutritional beliefs. At the center of the prescription
is the Circadian Diet, a flexible eating plan designed to give the body the
fuel it needs when it needs it (according to Baker, that means protein during
the day and carbohydrates at night). The plan also includes breathing and
meditation techniques, rhythmic exercise, and tips to improve sleep habits,
beat jet lag, and overcome odd work shifts. Separate chapters are also devoted
to weight loss, the role of intestinal flora and phytonutrients, and the specific
needs of women, men, and children.
The
Three Season Diet: Solving the Mysteries of Food Cravings, Weight Loss, and
Exercise, by John Douillard. Eat according to the seasons for
maximum health. The beauty of fitness and diet expert John Douillard's system
is that now, for the first time, the body's cravings actually support both
a weight-loss diet and a way-of-life diet. Given the opportunity provided
by The 3-Season Diet, our desires readily align with foods that nature has
provided for thousands of years at the time when they are naturally harvested.
The Most Profound Medicine, by Roger Jahnke, OMD Explains the effects of chi kung on your physiology.
7
Steps to a Pain Free Life: How to Rapidly Relieve Back and Neck Pain Using
the McKenzie Method, by Robin McKenzie and Craig Kubey. An
excellent primer detailing exercises and life strategies that will enable
you to manage and even eliminate back and neck pain. This book has helped
many of my clients correct their posture and end their pain. This is a do-it-yourself
program, not a magic bullet: you do have to do it. But it does work.
The New Miracles of Rebound Exercise, by Albert E. Carter. Explains the many benefits of the world's most effective exercise, and tells you exactly why and how to proceed with your exercise program.
The
Whole Way to Natural Detoxification, by Jacqueline Krohn (Hartley
and Marks,1996; [Second edition], 2000) contains an extensive, although occasionally
superficial, coverage of detoxification techniques. It is an excellent reference
but makes no attempt to systematize the detoxification techniques or educate
the reader about how to use the elements of daily life to detoxify the body
-- which is one of the main focuses of Cultivating Health.
Dr.
Jensen's Guide to Better Bowel Care : A Complete Program for Tissue Cleansing
Through Bowel Management, by Bernard Jenson. The original treatise
explaining how disease starts in the colon. Read this before you start a cleanse.
The
Colon Health Handbook, by Robert Gray. The most thorough and
informative explanation of colon cleansing and its relation to lymphatic function.
Read this before you do a colon cleanse. Some of Gray's advice seems overly
picky, but in my experience his advice and suggestions pan out every time.
The
Principles of Colonic Irrigation, by Jillie Collings. Excellent
general coverage of colonic irrigation -- why and how to do it.
7-Day
Detox Miracle, by Peter Bennett, N.D. and Stephen Barrie, N.D.
When I first read this book I characterized the program as "wimpy". I was
wrong. The authors propose a 7 day cleansing program starting with a two day
water fast (definitely not wimpy!) followed by 5 days on just vegetables,
fruits, and rice, in any form (example rice cakes or rice bread are acceptable).
Daily exercise, sweating, and supplements are an integral part of the program.
After a week on this "wimpy" program, I found to my surprise that all my presenting
symptoms, which were minor but annoying, were gone! If you are new at cleansing,
this is a great way to start. The first two days are hard, but the other five
days are a breeze by comparison, and surviving the two day water fast will
help give you the motivation to complete the last 5 days. A side benefit:
I thought I could never give up wheat, but seven days off it broke the addiction.
Sound:
(Under construction and in progress. Thank your for your patience.)
Miscellaneous Books that Transcend the Categories:
The
Age-Free Zone, by Barry Sears. This incredible book tells you
how to eat to maintain your health, youth, and vitality, and explains why
the method works. If you want to know the science supporting Barry Sears'
Zone diet, read this book. There is a lot of information in this book, and
it may take you awhile to relate to the whole of it. After I read the book,
I would continually read important things in other books that I thought Sears
should have covered in this book. Well, he had, but I hadn't registered it.
If you want to understand the science behind the effect of food on your health,
this is the book.
How You Rot and Rust, by Steven C. Denk (See www.biomedx.com) One of the most succinct, understandable, and downright helpful explanations of pleomorphic biology I have come across.
Hypothyroidism:
the Unsuspected Illness, by Broda Barnes, M.D. This
eye-opening book explains the connection between low thyroid and many of today's
common illnesses. If you suffer from diabetes, hypoglycemia, obesity, high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, or frequent infections,
this is a must read. Low thyroid may be your problem.
Solved:
The Riddle of Illness, by Stephen E. Langer,MD and James F.
Scheer. Discover the amazing secrets of the thyroid gland and learn how managing
it can control arthritis, obesity, depression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease,
circulatory conditions, impotence, and Alzheimer's disease. Fully updated,
this classic work presents simple, effective ways to manage one's thyroid
and make the most of life.
What
Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural
Progesterone, by John R. Lee, MD. Bone deterioration starts
in your thirties, not in your fifties, because lack of estrogen is not the
problem. Hormone replacement therapy has many side effects that you can avoid
by addressing the true cause of osteoporosis, which is lack of progesterone.
Find out how to increase your bone mass after menopause with natural progesterone.
This is a must read for all women interested in protecting their bones --
not only after menopause, but starting from your early thirties. If you experience
any problems with your periods, reading this book is especially important.
Awakening Our Self Healing Body - A Solution to the Health Care Crisis, by Arthur M. Baker, M.A. A thorough and convincing explanation of the principles of natural hygiene. From my perspective, Baker spends entirely too much space pushing veganism, which I don't agree with, but otherwise he does a real good job.
Beyond
Aspirin: Nature's Challenge to Arthritis, Cancer & Alzheimer's Disease,
by Thomas M. Newmark and Paul Schulick. The authors present scientific research
showing that herbs are just as powerful and even more effective than the top
new anti-inflammatories -- the COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex! COX-2 inhibition
is also associated with the prevention of cancers of the colon, skin, esophagus,
and bladder; with reducing arthritic pain, inflammation, and damage; and with
arresting the development of Alzheimer's Disease. Ginger and a number of other
herbs are powerful COX-2 inhibiting anti-inflammatories, right up there in
effectiveness with these prescription drugs, but without the side effects.
In fact they help your stomach rather than irritate it! Many powerful herbs
are spotlighted, along with the scientific research indicating that they can
relieve your symptoms and help you get off the pharmaceutical merry-go-round.
Get this one for your library. (The authors have a great article on the development
of the book posted on the web at http://www.babyboomers-seniors.com/sept00/beyondaspirin.html
)
The
Diet Cure: The 8-Step Program to Rebalance Your Body Chemistry and End Food
Cravings, Weight Problems, and Mood Swings-Now, by Julia Ross,
M.A. Julia Ross was the director of a successful drug rehab clinic on the
west coast. She is now using her anti addictive strategies to break food addictions
and restore healthy function. She claims amazing success using amino acids
to break addictions to drugs and food. Although I was very skeptical, I gave
it a try. Ross's advice got me out of my addictive craving for frozen coffee
slushies (caffeine and sugar) in TWO DAYS after weeks of struggling with it!
This book is worth a read for anyone suffering food or drug addiction.
Total
Wellness: Improve Your Health by Understanding and Cooperating With Your Body's
Natural Healing Systems, by Joesph Pizzorno, N.D. (Prima, 1996).
This recent classic in the field offers very thorough coverage of physiological
systems and how to influence them to support your health. However, it hardly
even mentions the primary role of the biological mandates (sunlight, ions,
water, etc) in driving the function of those systems, the main focus of Cultivating
Health.
Dr.
Murray's Total Body Tune-Up: Slow Down the Aging Process, Keep Your System
Running Smoothly, Help Your Body Heal Itself-For Life! , by
Michael Murray, N.D. (Bantam, 2000) offers information similar to Pizzorno's
book, but cast in a more popularly oriented "tune up your body" self-help
format, and focused on natural remedies for systems-level symptoms (skin care
or cardiovascular symptoms, for example).
The
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, by Michael Murray, N.D. and
Joesph Pizzorno, N.D. (Prima, 1991; Prima Health, 1998) Although this is primarily
an encyclopedia of specific diseases and their treatment with natural medicine,
the 170 page introduction does focus on the function of different bodily systems
from the natural health care perspective.
Copyright Adeha Feustel 2001. All rights reserved.