What inspired you when writing Nature's Detox 50 Cleansing Herbs?
I wrote 50 Cleansing Herbs because I saw my patients didn't really understand the supplements they were taking; they were just taking them because I told them, or because they saw an advertisement, or because they just knew it was "good for them." There are so many supplements with so many different types of natural ingredients the options can be overwhelming. Over the years of clinical practice I witnessed the excellent results natural remedies brought to my patients- however I wanted them to truly understand what each ingredient was doing in their body. So I dug deep into the medical research and was impressed with the literally hundreds of studies that validated the function of the plants I was using on my patients. 50 Cleansing Herbs basically breaks down each plant in the formulas so the user can really understand them more clearly- "Wow, that plant is proven to promote digestive enzyme production through the action of its bitter phytochemicals" or "That plant has proven to inhibit not just bacteria but also viruses, fungi, yeasts and even parasites in a number of studies." Having the consumer identify with these actions will only make the plants more powerful in healing the body.
Great question! A great health book is a practical book that can be applied at home in an easy step-by-step manner; no-nonsense to the point. That is really the reason I wrote my first book Nature's Diet- it was for all my patients that said they didn't have time to read and they complained the books on the market were filled with too much science language. They just wanted to gain back their health and be told what to do straight and simple. Nature's Diet is a 21 day plan that just lays it out day-by-day so the reader can have the same methods I used with my patients in the clinic.
When did you decide to become a writer?
I have been a writer since I was a little boy- I recently found some of my old elementary school papers my mother had saved and got a kick of what a little story teller I was. In my adolescence I even won local writing contests on subjects like "how to raise rabbits" and "how to catch the biggest fish in the pond". As you can see, my interest in mother nature started young and never stopped! Over the years writing became replaced by hundreds of hours of study and patient care. These books are a full circle return to my childhood talents combined with years of clinical experience to give the reader a useful tool for their health.
When writing Nature's Detox 50 Cleansing Herbs did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
For me, the most challenging part of writing a book is deciding what material to leave out--- there is always something more of interest to add and because of that books can become too thick. In my former books Nature's Diet and Nature's Detox there are some chapters that are so interesting they could become a mini-book all on their own. In 50 Cleansing Herbs the biggest challenge was to limit the number of herbs that I wanted to talk about! As a society, we just have no clue the impressive contents these plants hold that are growing all around us, hence, 50 Cleansing Herbs breaks each one down to demonstrate just how impressive each one is.
How did you come up with the ideas and concepts in Nature's Detox 50 Cleansing Herbs ?
The first book, Nature's Diet is about the food we put in our mouth. Nature's Detox is the second part of the equation, the food that comes out the other end! It is not as glamorous as eating the latest fad diet and thus it is not hyped in mainstream media, however healthy elimination is just as important as healthy nutrition. Nature's Detox is a step-by-step manual on how to maximize the elimination from our own detoxification system including the bowels, liver, kidneys, skin and lungs. Nature's Detox teaches how to do this with selective foods and particularly how to conduct a safe fast at home to heal your body. Because fasting is such a powerful practice in its own right it deserved to be dedicated as a singular book. Plants have unique and profound healing potential and they needed their own platform to highlight their mechanisms. Ideally both fasting and botanical medicine would be utilized together for the most impressive results.
What do you like to do when not writing?
I'm a nature boy at heart- anytime I can get off into the woods, mountains, or oceans I go for it- daily even for just a walk can do wonders to rejuvenate the human battery.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
With the help of great minds we have created a new website that really demonstrates the idea of "Nature as Healer." It is there you will find science articles on natural medicine research and blogs on my latest trips and herb intros. Really there is nothing that replaces actually getting the books and methodically applying them chapter by chapter.