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Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations David R. Montgomery See book keywords and concepts

After the Bronze and Iron Ages, erosion decreased dramatically for almost two thousand years as native plants regenerated across a largely abandoned landscape—until erosion accelerated again in the modern era. Similar cores taken from small lakes in southern Sweden also record the transition from little preagricultural erosion to much higher rates after arrival of the plow. One from Lake Bussjosjo shows that forest stabilized the landscape from 7250 to 750 bc until erosion accelerated following forest clearing.

Such isolation meant that the island supported few native plants and animals when wayward Polynesians landed after paddling across the Pacific Ocean. The native flora and fauna offered so little to eat that the new arrivals' diet was based on chickens and sweet potatoes they brought with them. Sweet potato cultivation took little effort in the island's hot, humid environment, leaving the islanders with enough free time to develop a complex society centered on carving and erecting gigantic stone heads.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

When it comes to gardening with native plants, local botanists are often your best resource, and the ones who work at public gardens are often eager to help. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is, of course, just one of many such places; it hosts a fine Web site and offers some great reading on the basics of responsible landscaping. EcoHouse Brazi ¦Mi In Brazil's Urea neighborhood, near the base of Sugarloaf Mountain and the shores of Rio de Janeiro, architect Alexandra Lichtenberg tackled a remodeling project that applied green principles to an average urban home.

Handbook of Medicinal Plants Amarjit S. Basra See book keywords and concepts

The native plants of the Greek world among the most used Plant Mentions Plant Mentions F hellebore 63 pomegranate 37 c garlic 49 elder tree 35 P French mercury 47 myrtle 35 ft parsley 46 squirting cucumber 33 w leek 46 sage 31 \i flax 45 cypress 31 d an is 43 barley 30 It white beet 43 rue 30 b cauliflower 41 laurel 29 n origanum 40 29 c Source: Touwaide, Alain, 1997-1998, Bibliographie historique de la t Lettre Jean Palerne, 30: 2-22; 31: 2-65. aThe identification of plants mentioned in ancient texts is a critical issi used in current literature.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

Instead of growing square miles of one kind of corn, we can assemble a whole community of crops based on native plants that can support each other. In other words, we can build a farm the way nature would. as Understanding Soil Soil is the skin of the earth. It's the first point of contact between the planet and the atmosphere. The highly fertile top layer of soil—the uppermost twenty centimeters or so—is known as topsoil. Like the air we breathe, this layer of earth is so ordinary and ever-present that it is easy to take for granted.

Amazon Herb Company review: John Easterling, rainforest herbs and more Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

You win, the people around you benefit, the rainforest benefits, the native populations in Peru benefit by being able to earn an honest living by harvesting native plants in their natural environment, and you also win by sharing the energy and intention of healing at many levels. Is this right for me? If you're out there reading this and you don't know if the Amazon Herb product line or business opportunity is right for you, then keep reading (and remember, I am not involved with this company in any way, so this is not some clever solicitation).

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

Then the CEO's marketing director brings him some research showing that an increasing number of people are willing to pay a premium for high-performance green products (which is already true, as the popularity of hybrid cars shows), and that some country clubs are already responding to their members' requests to use fewer pesticides, less water, and more native plants on their golf courses (which is also already true).

Many of the native plants that Native Seeds/SEARCH has helped reintroduce to the region are specifically well suited to controlling diabetes; prickly pear paddles, for instance, are a great source of nutrients and of soluble fiber, which slows the rate of digestion, keeping the body's glucose levels more stable. Other crops simply serve as nutritious, high-protein staples that cost very little to cultivate. Native Seeds/SEARCH has proven that traditional crops have a future.

Whole Foods Companion: A Guide For Adventurous Cooks, Curious Shoppers, and lovers of natural foods Dianne Onstad See book keywords and concepts

Harrington, who ate his way through uncounted edibles while researching his classic reference book, Edible native plants of the Rocky Mountains. Chestnutlike in texture, the thin-shelled, starchy seed is nestled in a tiny basal cup. To remove the bitter tannins, the nuts must be soaked in several changes of water until sweet tasting. This leaching process may take from a few hours to a few days, depending upon the variety. Ground into meal, acorns can be used in the same manner as cornmeal.

The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America Francois Couplan, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

Wl ere Our Plants and Their Uses Come From Th ; plants that grow wild on this continent can be divided into two main cate-gor es: native plants and introduced plants. Native plants have evolved here for several millions of years. They are found in t ne woods, in the plains, in the mountains, in the deserts - mostly in places wh ch have not been too drastically transformed by the encroachment of the wh te man. ntroduced plants have invaded all the areas where the ground has been dis-turl ied: around dwellings, in cities, along roadsides, in fields and pastures.

Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson See book keywords and concepts

Different types are usually derived from native plants of the particular region or country, such as Australian bush flower essences, rain forest essences (Brazil), Alaskan flower essences. History Bach flower remedies were developed by Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936), a physician and homoeopath. Bach believed that negative states of mind caused physical illness, and his approach to maintaining health was focused on the patient's psychological state. His theory was that by treating patients' emotional and mental responses to their illness, physical symptoms would then be relieved.

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating Jeffrey M. Smith See book keywords and concepts

They believed that when the pollen contaminated the native plants, the hotspot caused the genes to fragment and promiscuously scatter throughout the plant's genome. If such genetic instability were verified, the impact on a plant species would be devastating. Moreover, any pretense of safety, precision, or predictability of the effects of GM crops would have to be abandoned and GM foods would likely be finished. While the evidence that GM corn contaminated local indigenous varieties was solid and easily verified, the second conclusion was not as well established.

The Healing Miracle of Coconut Oil Bruce Fife and Jon J. Kabara See book keywords and concepts

Only those people from other climates, who eat virtually no coconut or other native plants, have a difficult time surviving. Herbalists have noted for years that in regions where certain diseases are common, medicinal plants grow that can cure these diseases. This is why every culture in the world has a form of traditional medicine based on the use of local herbs. The people who live in the tropics where coconut grows are protected to some extent from malaria, yellow fever, and other common infectious organisms.

Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism Marion Nestle See book keywords and concepts

They might, for example, displace existing plants and animals, create new plant pathogens, disrupt ecosystems, transfer genes to weeds or wild relatives, reduce crop diversity, or "contaminate" native plants or organically grown foods. Widespread planting of Bt crops, for example, might encourage the proliferation of insects resistant to the Bt toxin. Similarly, widespread use of herbicide-resistant crops might transfer that resistance to undesirable weeds or encourage further reliance on chemicals—such as Monsanto's Roundup—as pest-management strategies.

Nontoxic, Natural and Earthwise Debra Lynn Dadd See book keywords and concepts

Use native plants. These are the plants that have evolved naturally in the areas we live in. In many cases they are threatened with extinction by plants imported from other regions. Native species usually are better suited to the ecology of the region. In addition, they are already adapted to the climate and generally need fewer resources to maintain. You can also create lawns of native grass instead of the typical water-guzzling grass varieties. • Encourage beneficial wildlife.

Healing with Plants in the American and Mexican West Margarita Artschwager Kay See book keywords and concepts

Thus, little information is available on the native plants of the desert that are used for medicine in the American and Mexican West. Many medical ethnobotanical reports state that the author performed the work to prevent this information from disappearing entirely. In fact the knowledge never disappeared in this region, although the popularity of plant medicine waxes and wanes. Today there is new interest—even a sense of crisis—as whole biomes (major biological communities) are being destroyed.

The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America Francois Couplan, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

Impressive quantities of this plant are readily ava lable in the Southeastern states and the commercialization of our natural-ize< I kudzu would be a beneficial operation for the producer, the local rural pec pie, and the native plants oppressed by this aggressive invader. 'oung leaves, flowers and unripe pods are edible raw or cooked. Older leaves are sometimes used as tea in Japan. tfter long processing, the inner bark of the stems yields fibers which were one 2 woven into highly prized cloth in East Asia.

It is mostly through their kne wl-edge that we have learned to use native plants. As for the uses of introduced plants, we need to turn to the Old Contir ent where traditionally wild plants played an important role in daily life. Disdair for these "weeds" is a recent attitude. Less than 50 years ago, wild spring sa ads were still commonly gathered in southern France, and some are still sold in r mr-kets in Italy. To this day, Greek peasants have basically the same eating habii s as their ancestors in the time of Pericles, 2,500 years ago.

Natural Health Secrets From Around the World Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. and Jean Barilla, M.S. See book keywords and concepts

Edward Bach in 1930, it uses native plants and flowers to approach illness by attacking what Bach supporters believe to be the root of all problems — mental anguish. They believe that physical complaints are manifestations of mental attitudes such as lethargy, depression, over-enthusiasm, guilt or panic. Followers of this system use 38 different dilute plant extracts, gathered from plants that still grow near Bach's house, to trigger the body's self-healing abilities.

Nontoxic, Natural and Earthwise Debra Lynn Dadd See book keywords and concepts

Open-pollinated, untreated seeds, focusing on cool-climate heirloom vegetables, old-fashioned flowers, medicinal and culinary herbs, and native plants of the Cas-cadian and nearby bioregions. Most seeds come from homegrown and wildcrafted sources. Many edible flowers and other edible landscape plants. Wonderful selection of garden books that inspire the spirit of gardening. Not all seeds are organically grown, but they are committed to providing them as they are available. + Bear Creek Nursery.

Reclaiming Our Health: Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the True Source of Healing John Robbins See book keywords and concepts

They were the nurturers and the counselors, the ones who understood how to use native plants, who knew ancient methods of birth control and taught them to other women, who could, if necessary, perform abortions. The arts of healing primarily lay in the female domain, linked to the spirit of motherhood, combining wisdom and caring, tenderness and skill.14 It was not that long ago that the arts and practices of healing were neighborly and familial services, intimately interwoven with all of the rest of life.

The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Andrew Chevallier See book keywords and concepts

In addition to the three species mentioned above, about 170 native plants were listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States. Samuel Thomson & his Followers Lobelia was one of the key herbs, along with cayenne (Capsicum fmtescens, p. 70), advocated by Samuel Thomson (1769—1843), an unorthodox herbal practitioner. He developed a drastically simple approach to medicine that was entirely at odds with the conventional practices of his time (see North America, p. 48). His approach was often extremely effective and was well suited to the needs of people living in frontier territory.

Planting can cause ecological problems because the trees absorb huge quantities of water and prevent the growth of native plants. This can be beneficial, however, for drying up marshy areas and so reducing the risk of malaria. The leaves are harvested as required and are dried or distilled for oil. Related Species Many other Eucalyptus species contain valuable essential oils, including E. smithii (p. 205).

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications Christian Ratsch See book keywords and concepts

Folk Names Canary Island broom, kanarischer ginster, kytisos, Spanish broom, spartion, spartium Islands and, when they left, carried the islands' native plants with them. Knowledge of the use of broom as an inebriant may have traveled along as well. Yaqui shamans from northern Mexico use Canary Island broom for ritual purposes (Fadiman 1965). In the United States, the flowers are smoked as a tobacco substitute (cf. Nicotiana tabacum) (Fadiman 1965). Distribution The bush is endemic to the Canary Islands.

Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World Nelson Foster and Linda S. Cordell See book keywords and concepts

With the introduction of livestock, the dispersal of foreign and native plants alike was expedited, their seeds being spread on the hair and muddy hooves and in the feces of cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Within the first century following Cortes, certain regions of the Americas, such as the Valley of Mexico, were intentionally altered into habitats approximating European pastoral scenes, replete with forage grasses, grain fields, olive orchards, and the like. The inter-Andean valley was also rapidly overhauled, not merely as a visual landscape but also as a food-producing ecosystem.

The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Resource for Healthy Eating Rebecca Wood See book keywords and concepts

Harrington who ate his way through uncounted edibles while researching his classic reference work, Edible native plants of the Rocky Mountains. Health Benefits The acorn is 8 percent protein and 5 percent fat and contains 68 percent carbohydrates. It helps to stabilize blood sugar and so is used both for hypogly- ACORN TEA PARTY My children used to forage acorns. As the woody caps make perfect doll-size tea cups, we had a seasonal supply of the nutmeats. We ground them in a blender and soaked them in several changes of water until they tasted sweet.

In Edible native plants of the Rocky Mountains, H. D. Harrington reports that in Japan and Korea fiddleheads are parboiled, sun dried, and set aside for winter use. In Siberia and Norway, fiddleheads are fermented into a type of beer. Use Fresh fiddleheads are a remarkable delicacy, likened to asparagus, artichokes, and morels. Eat them raw as a trail food if you're out in the woods. To cook fiddleheads, first soak them in cold water and then lightly brush or rinse them to remove their brown, flaky casings. Saute in butter or steam them for 5 minutes, or until tender.

Herbal Defense Robyn Landis See book keywords and concepts

But there aten't many people left who know the indigenous native plants of this area. Therefore, much of what North American herbalists know is a fusion of what native herbalists from all over the world have learned in the context of their local healing systems. Fottunately, because each of the systems has so much to offer, this blending has yielded a powerful brand of medicine. WHAT ARE HERBS? Herbs are edible plants ot, sometimes, concentrated foods.

Herbs Against Cancer: History and Controversy Ralph W. Moss PhD See book keywords and concepts

They therefore had little choice but to turn to the native plants and, more importantly, the native healers, who generously shared their profound knowledge with the colonists. Within decades, native American folk remedies began to show up in books, and were being exported back to the mother country. Medical books and magazines of the 18th and 19th century were filled with enthusiastic accounts of such remedies as blood-root, goldenseal and American ginseng.

This was conducted as part of a survey of Malaysian native plants. Again there was no effect (298). At the same time, most authorities consider aveloz toxic and dangerous. Canadian regulations do not allow it in foods. Warning labels have to be applied in Australia. One reason is that aveloz's latex produces skin irritation and uveitis (in dogs). It also exhibits tumor-promoting activity in some experiments, to such a degree that African scientists have concluded that "the use of this plant (Euphorbia bougheii) as a medicine must be discouraged since the latex extract causes cancer" (158).

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