Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life

The author of a comprehensive guide to herbal remedies (The Green Pharmacy) narrows his focus to 13 herbs that are the major components of his own health regimen. According to Duke, who worked as a specialist in medicinal plants at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Station, herbal remedies are often safer, cheaper and easier to use than synthetic drugs. Duke believes the herbs highlighted in this volume are ones that will improve overall health for ""many, if not most, people,"" from children (with precautions) to adults. They include herbs that can improve eyesight (bilberry), boost the immune system (echinacea and garlic), detoxify (milk thistle) and serve as antidepressants (St. John's wort). In individual sections, Duke lists the physical problems that each herb targets and explains how the herbs work in the body. The appealing layout balances the more scientific information on research, dosages and possible side effects. Duke's dynamic narrative and personal anecdotes will likely gain the confidence of readers who feel shortchanged by the impersonal manner of many doctors and the limitations of conventional medications. The greatest value of the book, however, may be how Duke extracts a manageable group of herbs from the seemingly endless array being touted in the marketplace and offers a practical plan for integrating them into daily life. (Nov.)