Laurel Vukovic

(Also posted on my site The Paperback Stash)

The world of herbal medicine incorporates a holistic approach in nearly every book, basing its premise on healing and cleansing the body first, maintaining a strong enough core to heal the quickest with the aid of natural remedies. If you become interested in the subject of herbs and healing naturally, it's recommended to purchase either a book that discusses cleansing in-depth, or a book devoted exclusively to the topic.

14-Day Herbal Cleansing is a healing program designed by Laurel Vukovic, which gently cleanses the body using aromatherapy, herbal concoctions, sleep patterns, and concentrates at different times on various organs. There are formulas in the book for cleansing an organ at a time, which is useful when you are not participating in the entire program.

Finally we're introduced to various cleansing options that won't cost us a fortune, force the average person to undergo grueling, intensive dietary changes of drinking only orange and pear juice for sixty days while walking five miles every other hour. Instead, here's something realistic, not overwhelming, something the average person looking to be healthier can grasp onto and not leave feeling lazy and discouraged. Vukovic inspires, making it seem easy, genuine, and sincere.

Beginning with her personal views on why health breakdowns occur, she then moves on to the process our body uses to cleanse itself, ancient wisdom for radiant health, creating your own health spa at home, and cleansing to prevent disease - from colds to cancer, housecleaning fo ra healthy body, the powerful simplicity of cleansing, how excess contributes to disease, cleansing: the perfect remedy for eliminating excess, detoxification to accelerate healing, a healthy check-up self-test, etc.

The second chapter focuses on mental and physical benefits, achieving optimum weight by cleansing regularly and eating right, listing toxins that contribute to aging, and how bright and creative mental energy is improved. This includes everything from anxiety and depression, mood swings and negative thought patterns. The third chapter is the one that begins the program the book advertises. I really like this program. It is not one of those extreme die-hard cleanses that will make you ill - but instead a gentler, while completely thorough, cleanse that deals with much more than simply taking a drink or pill concoction to "clean out."

The program is broken into days - your diet for the day, exercise, evening and morning exercises. This does not say "eat this only..." as in a calendar like many books (Thank God, if only we were all so disciplined.) But more of an "avoid these things this day, focus on these nutrients today..." Her recommendations on exercise are much the same way - for example, start with a 15 minute walk in the morning, afternoon, and evening on the first day. This is plenty if you're not used to any exercise regimen.

The second section is more specific, concentrating on parts instead of the whole. Chapter six covers the liver, the keys to its rejuvenation, liver cleansing foods, a simple tea, bitter foods for liver health, and a Gallbladder/liver flush. Seven speaks of the most important cleansing organ, the large intestines. Here we get an internal cleansing beverage, compress and massages to keep things 'moving along.' Eight also includes a compress, this time for the kidneys, along with a tea to produce a gentle diuretic. Nine comes to the skin and lists a few beauty recipes, ending with chapters ten and eleven - lymphatic system and lungs.

Finally, if that wasn't already enough for a mere $14.95 price tag, there's a part three. Chapter twelve is one of the better ones, talking about creating herbal formulas. 13 focuses on diet, nutrition, the top nineteen cleansing foods, a simple fasting program to accompany the main program or use alone, purifying juices and many food recipes. Fourteen is all about exercise - yoga positions, spinal rocking, neck stretches, energizing exercise.

Chapter fifteen covers so much on hydrotherapy that one would barely need a book devoted solely to the subject. You get temperature ranges for baths, instructions for sitz baths, using aromatherapy in hydrotherapy (with essential oil preparation guidelines, such as in a foot bath, massage lotion, etc.) A few conditions are listed with essential oils good for them and in what form. She shows how to make an Epsom salt detox soak, sea and earth mineral bath, parsley tea, body purifying scrub, and many other teas and methods, including homemade saunas and medicinal steam baths. Women wishing to rejuvenate the skin will be particularly interested in the herbal facial saunas, compresses, and cleansing milks. To wrap up this memorable chapter, she covers the hair, feet, body powders, finger nails, and ends with the perfect spa at home in "10 easy steps."

Surprisingly there's more - 16 is about breathing techniques and massages. The abdominal breathing is of optimum interest. Various massage techniques to stimulate the lymphathic system, the hot towel scrub, dry brush massaging, and cellulite massages. Finally chapter seventeen discusses the mind, benefits of journaling, and meditation techniques.

Wrapping up with herb uses, this book packs quite a punch. You'd never know looking at the price or size of it. It cover cleansing, every aspect of it. If you're looking for an introduction to cleansing, this is the book I'd recommend. In addition it covers so much more - All great stuff sometimes skimmed over too briefly in other works. Even stretches and exercises to increase detoxifying and relaxation are given - with illustrations. Not difficult for the newbie, an easy start for the lazy or motivationally challenged, intriguing and useful for the more advanced herbalist, a great collection of herbal, beauty, and nutritional/juice recipes, all written with a motivational push while not using the obnoxious "yes, yes you can do it" tone. Much more than a simple single-minded 'program'.… (altro)