Therapeutic uses: Allergies, antiseptic, antiviral, appetite, arthritis, asthma, backache, bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, cellulite, colds, congestion, flu, fungal infections, headaches, immune booster, indigestion, insomnia, lymphatic circulation, menstruation, menstrual cramps, migraines, muscular pain, nervous tension, rheumatism, sprains, swelling.

Essential Oil Applications:

For allergies, asthma, bronchitis, and congestion, use 2-3 drops in 1 ounce of carrier oil and rub on chest and throat. Can also use 2-3 drops in a steam inhalation.

For arthritis, backache, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscular pain, and rheumatism, use 2-3 drops in a carrier oil and massage on affected area.

For chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, and nervous tension, use 2-3 drops in a diffuser, or add 8-10 drops in bath water before bedtime.

For cellulite, use 2-3 drops in 1 ounce of carrier oil and massage on affected area regularly.

For fungal infections, mix 2-3 drops in 1 ounce of carrier oil, and massage into affected area. Repeat as needed.

For headaches and migraines, use 2-3 drops in a carrier oil and massage on temples and neck. Can also be used in a hot or cold compress.

For indigestion, use 2-3 drops in 1 ounce of carrier oil and rub on chest and abdomen.

To encourage menstruation or to alleviate premenstrual syndrome, use 2-3 drops in a carrier oil and massage on lower abdomen and lower back. Can also be used as a hot compress, or use 8-10 drops in bath water.

To boost lymphatic circulation, use 2-3 drops in a carrier oil and massage into body.

For sprains and swelling, use 2-3 drops in a cold compress. To boost immunity after sickness, use 2-3 drops in a diffuser.

Mixes well with: Atlas cedar, basil, bergamot, citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, orange, rosemary, tea tree, thyme, and wintergreen.

Extraction method: Steam distillation.
Parts used: Dried, herb and leaves.
Safety Information: Avoid if pregnant.

Fun Fact
The Greek philosopher Aristotle noticed that
tortoises who ate snakes, then ate oregano. This
appeared to prevent them from being poisoned, so he
began to recommend it as an antidote for poison.

One of the best essential oils for a lymphatic massage is true bay (Laurus nobilis); lemon and grapefruit are also good. (A good carrier oil for these essential oils is calendula.) Use basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and clove to improve general circulation. Stress-related heart problems respond well to a sedating massage of melissa, neroli, lavender and ylang-ylang. Along with marjoram and ginger, these oils also help normalize high blood pressure. (Studies show that just sniffing neroli can lower high blood pressure.)

Chamomile, myrtle and cypress ease the inflammation and pain of varicose veins, phlebitis and hemorrhoids; frankincense constricts distended veins. All of these oils are especially effective in an infused oil of St. John’s wort. If the skin is ulcerated and broken, apply a compress of carrot-seed essential oil. Soak a cloth in water to which a few drops of oil have been added, wring out, then place over area.

Formula for Varicose Veins

6 drops cypress

3 drops myrtle

3 drops German chamomile

2 drops frankincense (optional)

1 ounce St. John’s wort oil

Combine ingredients. Apply externally. This can also be made into a salve by heating the oil and adding 1/2 teaspoon shaved beeswax before adding the essential oils.

Herbal Adjuncts-Among the herbs which strengthen heart and blood pressure are hawthorn flower and berry, and motherwort. Lymphatic cleaners include echinacea, cleavers and Oregon grape root, which may also be taken as teas, tinctures or pills.

The kitchen cupboard supplies many foods whose essential oils enhance circulation, make blood vessels more elastic and inhibit blood clotting. These include garlic, onion, cayenne and ginger. Ginger either raises blood pressure by restricting external blood flow, or lowers it by dilating surface blood vessels. Garlic and onions also lower high blood pressure. Lemongrass contains five different compounds that inhibit blood clotting.

Lavender, lemon, bergamot, thyme, chamomile, pine, sandalwood, myrrh and vetiver stimulate production of infection-fighting white corpuscles. The antiviral action of certain essential oils is one of their most valuable attributes-especially since allopathic medicine has little to offer. Essential oils with terpenoid compounds are very specific, notably the citruses and pine oils, as well as some oils in the phenol group. (See the “Chemistry” chapter.)

Building health is the best insurance against contracting illness. The following blend helps build the body’s natural resistance.

Basic Immune Tonic Blend

• 3 drops lavender
• 3 drops tea tree
• 2 drops bergamot
• 2 drops ravensare
• 2 drops eucalyptus
• 10 drops Caulophyllum inophyllum
• 1 ounce carrier oil (calendula-infused)

Use as a body oil daily in the bath or in a diffuser as part of a health-maintenance program, or to treat acute conditions such as cold or flu.

Herbal Adjuncts-“Adaptogens” are defined as safe, beneficial herbs that have a balancing and toning action. There is some controversy over which herbs fit the criteria, but there is little argument against the Panax ginsengs (Korean and American) or Siberian ginseng. The immune tonics echinacea, myrrh, calendula, garlic, wild indigo, astragalus, shiitake and reishi mushrooms, schizandra berries and ligusticum all build resistance.

We suggest how to treat common ailments, things you would normally treat at home without the care of a doctor: the common cold; headache; a bout of indigestion; PMS; simple burns, bites and stings; muscular aches and pains. You may have formerly treated such disorders with over-the-counter drugs. The biochemical complexity of essential oils-most of which cannot be synthetically duplicated-allows them to act on many levels, and gives them multiple powers. You’ll achieve not only health dividends, but also savings in your pocketbook.

As herbalists and aromatherapists, the authors of this book are eclectic in our approach to healing, using whatever remedy seems most appropriate. In some cases, we use aromatherapy exclusively; in others, we find that combining aromatherapy with herbs is more effective. To help you integrate the two modalities, we offer “herbal adjuncts,” generally to be taken several times a day in teas, tinctures, capsules or tablets.

Because true holistic healing requires individual assessment and formation of a blend specific to each person, we do not give many recipes for specific ailments. We understand that some guidelines are needed, however, so to get you started we have given formula examples for general conditions in each section. Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to develop your own blends as your understanding of working with essential oils increases. Refer to charts and the “Materia Medica” chapter.

Essential oils are extremely concentrated. Most of them are at least 50 times more potent than the herbs from which they are derived. In her book Aromatherapy: The Complete Guide to Plant and Flower Essences for Health and Beauty, Daniele Ryman states that one drop of essential oil often represents the potency of one ounce of plant material. This gives you an idea of their healing potential-and of the potential hazards of using essential oils improperly.

Only about 5 percent of the essential oils produced today are used in aromatherapy, but there are plenty from which to choose. In fact, if you become familiar with only 10 to 15 essential oils, you’ll be able to treat many common problems. (It is better to know a few essential oils well than to know a little about many oils.)

Essential oils include muscle relaxants (marjoram and black pepper), digestive tonics (cardamom and mint), circulatory stimulants (rosemary and basil) and hormone precursors (clary sage and fennel). Many repair injured cells (lavender and helichrysum); others help carry away metabolic waste (grapefruit and juniper). In addition, a number of essential oils enhance immunity, working with the body to heal itself. They are capable of stimulating the production of phagocytes (white blood cells that attack invaders), and some (e.g., tea tree and lavender) are antitoxic for insect bites and stings.

Many essential oils have been proven effective against fungi and yeast (tea tree, lavender and geranium), parasites (bergamot) and viruses (cinnamon, thyme and Eucalyptus radiata). Others fight infection with amazing effectiveness, killing bacteria by disrupting their life cycle. According to Dr. Jean-Claude Lapraz, M.D., a specialist in essential oils, most essential oils lower the pH of the blood slightly, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria, which thrive in an alkaline environment.

Unlike conventional antibiotic drugs, which may cause undesirable side effects, essential oils are “probiotic”: they not only kill pathogenic bacteria, but tend to leave beneficial bacteria (intestinal flora) intact. This seems an exclusive prerogative of natural healing and remains a mystery to science. Also, bacteria typically do not acquire a resistance to essential oils, as they so often do to antibiotic drugs.

Essential oils act quickly in the body. Some are detectable in the breath within minutes after application to the skin, and are eliminated from the body within several hours. Repeated applications may be required, especially when treating acute disorders that require keeping a constant level of essential oil active in the body.

Remember that less is more when it comes to aromatherapy. Consistent low doses are safest and most effective.

One advantage of aromatherapy treatments is that they don’t need to work their way through the entire body to treat a particular area. Most of the essential oils suggested in this section are intended for dilution in a carrier oil. You can massage these diluted oils directly over the area that needs treatment-on the chest, for example, to treat congested lungs, or on the stomach in cases of indigestion. Application by inhalation or bath is also appropriate for many treatments.

Essential oils are perfectly safe when used in the suggested dilutions, although applications complicated by pregnancy, epilepsy, serious health problems and some medications do call for caution. A patch test is recommended before using any formula. (See Safety Precautions in the “Guidelines” chapter for further information on safety, applications, dilutions and carrier oils; also, please note the various “considerations” in the “Materia Medica” chapter.)

Body Systems

Health and vitality depend on the harmonious and collective functioning of each organ in the body. Therefore, the identification and separation of systems and their association with various oils is a simplification, albeit a necessary one. Also, because most plants have multiple actions, many are listed below for more than one system or symptom.

Aromatherapy Materia Medica

Guidelines for Using Essential Oils and Herbs

Some aromatherapists use rosemary and lemongrass to ease stiffness. According to Dr. Dietrich Gumbel, they remove lactic-acid buildup in the muscles. The following formula may also be used for arthritis.

Pain Formula

6 drops helichrysum

4 drops marjoram

2 drops juniper

4 drops birch or wintergreen

3 drops chamomile

3 drops lavender

3 drops ginger

2 ounces of carrier oil

Combine ingredients. This formula can be used in massage or bath.

Herbal Adjuncts-Anti-inflammatories include meadowsweet, willow bark and devil’s claw, or cayenne, ginger, mustard and horseradish added to foods. Dandelion, sarsaparilla, burdock, celery seeds, parsley and yarrow help eliminate toxins through the kidneys. Pain relievers include valerian and St. John’s wort.

For stress in general, try bergamot, chamomile, lavender, melissa, clary sage, neroli, rose or jasmine. For insomnia due to mental agitation or overwork, clary sage, marjoram, ylang-ylang and neroli can help you unwind. Headaches due to nervous tension are also helped by these oils, but keep in mind that headaches can result from many causes, from indigestion to hormonal problems, and should be treated appropriately.

Relaxing/Antidepressant Formula

3 drops lavender

3 drops neroli

2 drops marjoram

2 drops ylang-ylang

1 drop chamomile

2 drop clary sage

1 ounce carrier oil

This can be used as a massage or bath oil.

Neuralgia, or nerve pain, is best remedied by treating the cause, although essential oils do alleviate the pain, especially when used in conjunction with massage.

Neuralgia Relief

5 drops helichrysum

3 drops chamomile

2 drops marjoram

2 drops lavender

1 ounce carrier oil

Combine ingredients and use for massage.

Herbal Adjuncts-Herbs can stimulate or relax the nervous system. A number of plants are relaxing, including California poppy (completely safe, with no addictive alkaloids), hops, valerian, passionflower and catnip.

One of the best tonics to repair the nervous system is wild oats (even eating oatmeal does some good); others include skullcap and vervain. St. John’s wort repairs damaged nerves and helps overcome depression.

Many asthma sufferers wage a constant battle with low-level congestion. Don’t use essential oils during an asthma attack, but between attacks try a chest rub of German chamomile, frankincense or lavender. The chamazulene in chamomile releases cortisone from the adrenals. During an asthma attack, give a bath or treat the feet with these oils. (Hyssop can also be used, but be careful to only use var. decumbens.)

Ninety percent of respiratory ailments are caused by viruses. Oils of thyme, rosemary, peppermint, ravensare, tea tree, eucalyptus, bergamot, black pepper, melissa and hyssop inhibit most flu viruses. Lemon and eucalyptus oils are effective against bacteria that cause staph, strep and pneumonia infections. A 2-percent dilution makes an effective antiseptic gargle or vapor steam.

Steam treatment carries essential oils directly to sinuses and lungs, and provides warm, moist air to help open nasal and bronchial passages. To do a steam, boil a pan of water, turn off the heat, cool 1 minute, add 3-6 drops of essential oils to the water, and use a towel to corral the steam around your head as you breathe deeply. Essential oils can also be used in many humidifiers, or as an ingredient in steamy hot bath water.

If steaming is impractical-at the office, say, or while traveling-inhale a tissue scented with the oils, or use a natural-products nasal inhaler. These are sold in natural food stores, or you can make your own:

Homemade Nasal Inhaler

2 drops eucalyptus

2 drops rosemary

1 drop peppermint

1 tablespoon rock salt

Place a few pieces of rock salt in a vial and add the oils. The salt will quickly absorb the oil. Inhale.

An aromatic diffuser-a glass piece (often hand-blown) connected to a small electrical compressor- disinfects the atmosphere by releasing droplets of essential oil as a cool, fine mist. One advantage to using a diffuser is that the essential oil vapor can be directed into the nose, throat or even ear passages. It can be turned on in a sickroom for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to clear airborne bacteria.

Do not use thick oils such as vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, myrrh and benzoin in a diffuser unless they are diluted with a thin oil-such as the citruses, eucalyptus or rosemary-or mixed with alcohol. If oils sit too long in a diffuser, they oxidize and thicken. Also, expressed citrus oils often contain sediment that may clog a diffuser. To clean or unclog it, soak the glass unit in alcohol and unplug the opening with a pin or toothpick. Rinse and air dry.

Diluted essential oils can also be used as a throat spray through “nebulization.” A nebulizer sprayer, with its long spout that reaches to the back of the throat, used to be a standard item in the home medicine cabinet. A perfume atomizer or spray bottle will work just as well.

If you don’t have a diffuser, simply combine water and essential oils in a spray bottle. Studies show that a two-percent dilution of eucalyptus oil kills 70 percent of airborne staph bacteria.

Disinfectant Room Spray

3 drops eucalyptus

1 drop peppermint

2 drops pine

1 drop tea tree

2 drops bergamot

1 ounce of water

Combine ingredients. Shake well before using. The combination is also suitable as a chest rub. (Replace the water in this recipe with a carrier oil.)

Generations of Europeans, especially singers, have gargled sage, thyme or marjoram tea sweetened with honey to relieve laryngitis and tonsillitis. A few drops of essential oils diluted in two ounces of water may also do the trick. In case of sore throat, gargle frequently, at least every half-hour.

Throat Spray/Gargle

1/2 cup thyme or sage herb tea

3 drops each cypress, lemon, tea tree

Shake well to disperse the oils before each use. For a gargle, half a teaspoon of salt may be dissolved into the solution.

For lung congestion a salve or a massage oil containing essential oils can be rubbed over the chest, back and throat. The oils will be absorbed through the skin and lungs as the vapor is inhaled. Place a flannel fabric on the chest after rubbing in the oil to increase warmth. Commercial “vapor balms” still use derivatives of essential oils (or their synthetic-oil counterparts), such as thymol from thyme and menthol from mint, in a petroleum ointment base. Natural alternatives are also sold in natural-food stores.

Vapor Balm

2 teaspoons peppermint oil

3 teaspoons eucalyptus oil

1 teaspoon thyme oil (chemotype linalol is best)

1 cup olive oil

3/4 ounce beeswax

Melt beeswax into olive oil over very low heat. Cool a bit, add essential oils and stir. (Be sure to keep your face away from the oils as you stir them in.) Allow to harden. Store at room temperature.

Poultices are an age-old remedy for chest congestion. A ginger or onion compress on the chest breaks up lung congestion and makes breathing easier. Onions also help curb asthma and allergic reactions.

Poultice

1 onion, chopped and 1/4 cup ginger, grated

water

Lightly cook together in a little water until soft. Cool slightly, mash and apply to the chest while still warm. Cover with a soft cloth.

Herbal Adjuncts-Herbs that loosen mucus from the lungs include elecampane, horehound and mullein. Respiratory relaxants, such as wild cherry bark and wild lettuce, are used in cases of extreme spasmodic coughing. Demulcent herbs, which soothe inflamed mucous membranes, include flaxseed, marshmallow root and licorice. Use these herbs in a tea, tincture, pills or syrup.

In a different way the soft tissue techniques which have evolved out of osteopathy allow a further expansion of the range of conditions which massage therapists and aromatherapist can successfully address.

Osteopathy has gradually moved (and continues to move) away from the traditional means of joint mobilisation (high velocity thrusts for example) towards increased use of methods which accepts that most dysfunction in joints is the result of soft tissue dysfunction. Techniques for normalisation are therefore less invasive and aggressive.

These methods which include what are generally called ‘muscle energy’ techniques as well as functional methods (including Strain/counterstrain) and Neuromuscular Techniques (which address local soft tissue dysfunctions including trigger points) are loosely combined under the heading of soft tissue manipulation.

Many osteopaths now find that by using such approaches they can deal more effectively than previously with joint restrictions and pain, in less time, with less effort, and far more safely.

From the perspective of the massage therapist and aromatherapist this opens a treasure chest of technique possibilities.

The only factor retarding aromatherapists and massage therapists seems to be a significant (in some cases) lack of knowledge of anatomy and physiology, something which can be remedied by additional study….after which the availability in workshop settings of training in use of these safe and powerful soft tissue methods can allow a significant widening of the scope of what can be successfully treated.

Assessment

In order to adequately deal with soft tissue dysfunction the therapist needs to be able to assess and identify what is dysfunctional. The questions which need answering include:

• Which muscle groups have shortened and contracted?
  

  
  

• Which have become significantly weaker?
  

  
  

• What ‘chain reactions’ of imbalance have occurred as one muscle group (because of its excessive contraction) has inhibited and weakened its antagonist?
  

  
  

• What postural stresses have such changes produced and how is this further stressing the body as a whole, affecting its energy levels and function?
  

  
  

• Within particular muscle areas which are stressed how can we rapidly (using at least five different palpatory method) identify local soft tissue dysfunction such as trigger points?
  

In other words what palpable, measurable, identifiable evidence is there which relates to the symptoms (pain, restriction, fatigue etc) of this patient ?
And what can be done to remedy the situation, safely, effectively and quickly.
These are the questions and answers which the methodology of soft tissue manipulation offers.

Different Muscles Respond Differently to Stress

One of the most exciting revelations over the past decade has come from research which shows without question that particular muscles will shorten when stressed while others will not shorten but become increasingly weak (see reference 1 in particular).

The stress can result from poor posture, occupational patterns, repetitive movement, injury, emotional or other stress factors.

The muscles which shorten are the primarily postural ones and it is possible to learn to conduct, in a short space of time (ten minutes or so) a diagnostic sequence of simple tests in which these can be identified as being short/contracted or normal.

Postural Muscles

Those muscles which respond to stress by shortening comprise the following :
Gastrocnemius, soleus, medial hamstrings, short adductors of the thigh, hamstrings, psoas, piriformis, tensor fascia lata, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae muscles, latissimus dorsi, upper trapezius, scalenes, sternomastoid, levator scapulae, pectoralis major and the flexors of the arms.

Once any of these is identified as being short (as mentioned, a rapid screening of all is possible and desirable) there exist a powerful range of easily applied methods which allows them to be painlessly stretched back to a more normal state.

This is called ‘Muscle Energy Technique’.

Muscle Energy Methods

The following methods are suggested for use in any shortened soft tissue as long as the starting point is at the restriction barrier (for acute conditions) or short of it (for more chronic conditions).

Note: Restriction barrier in this and all other instances is defined as the first signs of resistance as the muscle is taken towards its end of range, not the furthest position obtainable.

Starting from the appropriate position, based on degree of acuteness or chronicity, the patient is asked to exert a small effort AWAY from the restriction barrier (20% of available strength say) towards an unyielding resistance provided by the operator’s hands.

This effectively isometrically contracts the shortened muscle(s) and this contraction is held for 7 to 10 seconds (longer, up to 30 seconds, if the condition is chronic) together with a held breath (if appropriate).

On slow release of the contraction the shortened muscle is taken (painlessly) to its new restriction barrier if acute or slightly and painlessly beyond the new barrier if chronic (and if chronic, held there for 7 to 10 seconds in slight stretch).

This pattern is repeated until no further gain in length is achieved.
Alternatively the antagonists to the short muscles can be used by introducing a resisted effort TOWARDS the restriction barrier followed by a painless stretch to the new barrier (acute) or beyond it (chronic).

Use of antagonists in this way is less effective than use of agonist but may be a useful strategy of trauma has taken place.

Example: PSOAS

As an example of what one ‘trouble-maker’ postural muscle can do we can examine psoas.

• Psoas has a powerful reciprocal agonist-antagonist relationship with rectus abdominus with important postural implications since as psoas shortens it results in ever increasing weakness of the abdominal muscles.
  

  
  

• Lewit tells us in addition that Psoas spasm causes abdominal pain, flexion of the hip and typical antalgesic (stooped) posture. Problems in psoas can profoundly influence thoraco-lumbar stability.
  

  
  

• If you see or palpate the abdomen ‘falling back’ rather than mounding when the patient bends forwards this indicates normal psoas function. Similarly when lying supine if the patient flexes knees and ‘drags’ heels towards buttocks (keeping them together) the abdomen should remain flat or ‘fall back’.
  

  
  If the abdomen mounds or the small of the back arches, psoas is incompetent.
  

• If the supine patient raises both legs into the air and the belly mounds it shows that the recti and psoas are out of balance. Psoas should be able to raise the legs to at least 30 degrees without any help from the abdominals.
  

  
  

• Goodheart points out that there exists an intimate link between psoas behaviour and sternomastoid behaviour (a psoas in spasm will influence SCM on the opposite side of the body and vice versa. Increased tonus in one will produce similar increase in tonus in the other).
  

  
  

• Psoas fibres merge with (become ‘consolidated’ with) the diaphragm and it therefore influences respiratory function directly (as does quadratus lumborum).
  

  
  If the lumbar erector spinae group of muscles is in a weakened state then bilateral psoas contraction/spasm/shortening will result in a loss of the lumbar curve, or even a reversal of it.
  

  
  If however the erector group are hypertonic then similar psoas problems will produce an increase in lumbar lordosis.
  

  
  

• It is useful to assess changes in psoas length when treating by periodic comparison of apparent arm length.
  

  
  Patient lies supine arms extended above head, palms together so that length can be compared. A shortness will commonly be observed in the arm on the side of the shortened psoas, and this should normalise after successful treatment.
  

  
  

• Basmajian informs us that the psoas is THE MOST IMPORTANT postural muscle.
  If it is hypertonic the abdominals will weaken and a chain reaction of imbalance will result.
  

Treatment of Shortened PSOAS

1. Psoas can be treated with the patient lying face down. The operator lifts with one hand the thigh (knee bent or straight) to its EASY resistance barrier (no force). The other hand stabilises the sacrum to prevent arching of the back.

The patient takes the thigh towards the table with a slight effort for 7 to 10 seconds and the releases and relaxes. as the leg is extended through the resistance barrier for a short stretch. This is repeated until no further gain is possible.

2. A better position is to treat from the supine position, in which the patient is at the very end of the table, non-treated leg flexed at hip and knee and held in that state by the patient.

The leg which is to be treated hangs down.

If the condition is acute the leg is allowed to commence treatment from the restriction barrier, whereas if chronic it is taken into a somewhat more flexed position to be in the mid-range.

The patient’s effort is to lift against resistance.

After the isometric contraction, using effort suitable to the degree of acuteness/chronicity, the thigh should either be taken to the new restriction barrier, without force, if acute, or through that barrier with slight, painless, force if chronic and held there for 10 seconds or so. Repeat until no further gain is achieved.

Note: Direct inhibitory pressure techniques onto the origin of psoas, through the mid-line is an effective alternative approach.

Conclusion

Massage therapists / Aromatherapists have in Soft Tissue Manipulation a powerful additional set of methods combined with simple and accurate diagnostic methods.

References

1. Karel Lewit Manipulative Therapy in Rehabilitation of the Locomotor System Butterworth Heinemann 1992

2. Irvin Korr Neurobiological Mechanisms in Manipulation Plenum Press 1980

3. J. Basmajian Muscles Alive Williams and Wilkins 1978

4. Leon Chaitow Soft Tissue Manipulation Thorsons/Harper
Collins 1989

5. Leon Chaitow Palpatory Literacy Thorsons/Harper Collins 1991

6. David Simons and Janet Travell The Trigger Point Manual William and Wilkins 1983

This current climate is a far cry from the amount of public interest and
media coverage of depression just four years ago in 1994 when we produced a
conference called “Healing Depression” in Santa Monica, California that
inspired this book. At that time, depression was still a taboo subject
socially, a frightening and mysterious condition that was treated medically
with powerful psychotropic antidepressants which had disturbing side
effects. The controversial antidepressant drug, Prozac, had been on the
market for several years and was just penetrating the public consciousness
and beginning to make headlines. There was little or no interest in, nor
knowledge of natural alternatives to treating depression.

Today, thanks to the barrage of media stories and a number of well known
public figures who have disclosed their battles with depression, including
television journalist Mike Wallace, actor Rod Steiger and novelist William
Styron, much of the social stigma surrounding depression has been removed.
Discussion of depression in our culture has become more commonplace, and
it can now be mentioned in the same breath as being “anxious” or “stressed
out.” Concurrently, there is an increasing public interest in natural
approaches to dealing with this health condition. Even conventional medical
doctors who have historically been known to only prescribe antidepressants,
are now responding to the public demand and are beginning to recommend
natural remedies like St. John’s wort for mild to moderate depression.

A National Health Problem

One in four Americans will experience some degree of clinical depression or
mood disorder during their lifetime, and each year over twenty- five
million people will be diagnosed with a depressive illness. Two-thirds of
those suffering from depression are women. However, the recent focus upon a
“silent epidemic” of depression among men indicates that these figures are
in need of adjustment.1

All told, it is estimated that depression will cost our economy more than
forty-four billion dollars, and an annual loss of two hundred million work
hours. These numbers may be deceiving, however, given people’s reticence in
the past to talk to their physician about depression. Today over 17 million
people, including teens and children, are currently on Prozac, the second
most commonly prescribed drug in America. Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly,
the maker of Prozac, is now engaged in a major media campaign to raise
public awareness about depression and Prozac. With the rising tide of
awareness of depression, many who would have never considered themselves
depressed will be taking Prozac, or some other antidote, pushing the
statistics even higher.

And it appears we are bringing our children along for the ride. It is
estimated that close to 13% of teenagers and approximately 3% of children
under thirteen suffer from depression according to the Center for Mental
Health Services. Until recently, no one has wanted to recognize that teens
and children suffer from depression. To make matters more difficult,
childhood depression is hard to identify and diagnose because it is so
easily confused with other health conditions, and because children lack the
verbal skills to explain what they are experiencing. As a result they act
out their depression in the only way they know how–what we commonly
describe as moodiness irritability, anger and even rage.

Are we becoming a “Prozac nation?” Prozac, despite its ability to transform
personality, appears to be a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
FDA statistics reveal unsettling reports of adverse side-effects ranging
from loss of sexual appetite to suicide and death. These serious
shortcomings, the rising incidence of depression, and the growing
popularity of natural health care, clearly demonstrates the need for safe
and reliable drug-free treatments. It is no surprise then that the
antidepressant herb St. John’s wort, despite having been successfully used
for centuries, was barely on the radar screen in the United States four
years ago, but is now the number four-selling herb in the U.S. and is
outselling Prozac in Germany.

Where Does the Answer Lie?

We have spoken with an endless succession of people whose psychiatrist or
psychologist reflexively prescribed antidepressant medication for their
depression as the only available option. Modern medicine, with its focus on
treating disease with a single “standard of practice” has created a serious
situation for those being treated for depression in the class of
psychotropic antidepressant drugs. Many complain they have been on a
treatment merry-go-round for years, going from one antidepressant to
another, and are still seeking help. They report that they have had some
relief but at the cost of unpleasant and grave side-effects. Others,
however, have received virtually little or no relief, or have actually
gotten worse, and are becoming increasingly desperate.

Two things are clear. The human suffering resulting from depression is real
and impacts every aspect of one’s life–family, work, and relationships.
Secondly, depression is not an illness that can be reduced to a single
cause or a single cure, as demonstrated by the problems associated with the
succession of antidepressant drugs produced over the years. There are no
magic bullets for depression.

Where then does the answer lie to relieving the toll of human suffering
brought on by depression? We have discovered that there are many answers to
solving this complex malady. The key is in understanding the many
underlying causes of depression, and becoming aware of the variety of
natural approaches to its treatment.

Many of the solutions come from the world’s great systems of traditional
health care. Some have ancient roots such as herbal medicine, the oldest
form of health care on the planet, and the Greek medicine of Hippocrates.
Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, both of which have both been practiced
continuously for five thousand years, can rightly be called the original
systems of holistic medicine.

Other systems of traditional health care have more modern origins, such as
homeopathy and naturopathic medicine, each of which originated in early- to
mid-19th century Germany before taking root in the U.S. After having fallen
into obscurity for most of the 20th century due to the advent of miracle
drugs, both are now enjoying a major renaissance.

What all of these systems of traditional health care have in common is a
focus on health maintenance, prevention, treating the whole person,
reliance on natural therapies, and taking a more integrative,
multi-disciplinary approach to treatment in order to restore health and
internal balance. These systems also share another commonality–for most of
this century, each has remained outside the accepted standards of
conventional Western medicine, but are now becoming increasingly in demand
by people like yourself in search of solutions to their health problems.

In order to prevent illness and achieve optimum level of personal health,
it is important to be familiar with the tools that can help build a
wellness-based lifestyle, and become aware of all of your treatment
options. The approaches in this book represent the collective wisdom of
thousands of years of the great healing traditions as well as the best of
the emerging field of integrative medicine–nutrition, healthy lifestyles,
mind/body therapies, and spiritual practices.

We have brought together a team of nine leading experts from each of these
fields to present, for the first time, a comprehensive and integrated
picture of depression, including an understanding of its many causes,
prevention and time-tested natural approaches to its treatment. This team
of health professionals will provide an in-depth understanding of the
following primary systems of natural medicine: