Daniel P. Reid

Written by a Westerner for the Western mind, here is the first book to explore in light of modern science the balanced and comprehensive system of health care used by Chinese physicians, martial artists, and meditatiors for over 5,000 years.

Drawing on original Chinese sources and years of personal experience, the author introduces the philosophy of Tao and gives detailed, practical information on:

Diet and nutrition, including sample menus.
Food combining, and detoxifying the body.
Specific foods and juices as treatments for a wide range of diseases (including such modern Western concerns as hypertension, cancer, infertility, herpes, and AIDS).
Fasting and excretion.
Breathing exercises.
Physical exercises for long life, total relaxation, and general health.
Acupuncture and massage techniques.
Taoist birth control.
Sex therapy.
Bedroom arts and techniques to ensure complete satisfaction for both partners (considered essential for good health and long life).
Herbal aphrodisiacs and other sexual aids.
Meditation-turning essence into energy and energy into spirit.

With many helpful charts and clear illustrations, The tao of Health, Sex and Longevity makes the ancient 'Way' easily accessible to those seeking the latest in New Age health care.

Born and educated in the United States, with a master's degree in Chinese Language and cilivlzation, Daniel P. Reid now lives in Taiwan, where he has studied with numerous Taoist masters. He is the author of Chinese Herbal Medicine, which has hailed by The New York Times as 'highly readable...a marvelous introduction to the field of Chinese medicine.'

Contents

Preface
Introduction: The Tao
1 History of Taoism in China
The way and its power
The parting of the way
The Tao today
2 Yin and yang
Complements of yin and yang
The five elemental activities
The dynamic duo today
3 The three treasures
Jing: the essence of life
Chee: the energy of life
Shen: the spirit of life
The bridge of energy
Appendix: Cast of Taoist characters
Part I: The Tao of health
Chapter 1 Diet and nutrition
Mother nature's menu
The human dietary devolution
Trophology: The science of food combining
Enzymes: The culinary spark of life
Eating right for health and longevity
Food as medicine
Diet and mental health
Appendix I: Food categories and combination chart
Appendix II: Sample menus for one week
Appendix III: Therapeutic foods and juices
Chapter 2 Fasting and excretion
The colon: Sewer or cesspool?
Fasting
Plumbing your colonwith water
The seven-day fast and colon-cleansing program
Mini-fasts and semi-fasts
Excretion: 'Squatters do it better'
Chapter 3: Breathing
The science of breathing
The Neti nasal douche
The art of breathing
Basic breathing exercises
Establishing a regular regimen
A bonanza of breathing benefits
Chapter 4: Exercise
The hard way versus the soft way
The martial arts
Warming up
Loosening and stretching
Long-life exercises
Total relaxation
A sample regimen
Chapter 5: Taoist healing arts
The tao of health and disease
The five-fold path to natural health care
The new medicine
Part II: The Tao of sex
Chapter 6: The Tao of yin and yang
The nature of man and woman
The way of yin and yang
Foreplay, the four attainments, the five signs, the five desires, the ten indications and the five virtues
The great libation of the 'Three Peaks'
Semen retention
Tao is a two-way street
The harmony of yin and yang
The Tao comes westward
Essence and energy
Hormones and health
Absorbing essence and storing energy
Chapter 7: Ejaculation control
Regulating ejaculation frequency
Mastering the methods of 'contact without leakage'
Learning how to 'lock the gate'
The orgasmic upward draw for women
Taoist birth control
Summary remarks
Chapter 8: Taoist bedroom arts
The thrust of the matter
Adopting different positions
Artful accessories
Sex therapy
The legend of the goat
Cupid's cornucopia
Springtime in a bottle
Part III: The Tao of longevity
Chapter 9: Historical perspectives on longevity
Some enlightening examples of longevity
Comparative world lifespans today
Fundamental factors in longevity
Chapter 10: The Tao of nurturing life
Pollution and purification
Cultivating the three treasrues-External elixir approach; Internal elixir approach
The highyway to health and longevity
Chapter 11: 'Sitting still doing nothing'
The eight stages of internal alchemy
Meditation for health and longevity
The microcosmic orbit
The macrocosmic orbit
Shen-hsien: The 'cosmic astronauts'
Opening the cental channel
Death and immortality
Additional recommended reading (bibliography)
Index… (mer)

Despite the wonders of modern medicine, the state of human health throughout the world is eroding at an alarming rate. The long-term accumulation of toxins and acid waste in our bodies--both from the chemically contaminated air we breathe and water we drink as well as the toxins we ingest in the form of low quality food, preservatives, and additives--damages our organs, corrodes our joints and arteries, enervates our nervous system, and inhibits our immune system. Chronic pain and fatigue, hypertension and heart failure, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, indigestion, insomnia, and even acne, are all caused by the long-term accumulation of toxins in our bodies.The The Tao of Detox, Daniel Reid combines traditional Eastern practices and the latest of modern Western thinking to offer detoxification methods that can repair, in as little as seven to ten days, much of the long-term damage done. He provides breathing exercises, massage techniques, and soft exercises such as yoga and tai chi that help the body to heal itself. He also explains the importance of �rational retoxification,� which allows the careful reintroduction of less healthy substances, and offers ways to counteract those toxins we can�t--or don�t want to--avoid, including alcohol and tobacco. Reid explains that, just as we care for our cars with regular tune-ups, by practicing periodic detox as well as �rational retox,� we can enjoy long and healthy lives and still be able to �eat, drink, and be merry.�… (mer)

A complete and accurate guide to Chinese herbal medicine. Over a span of 5,000 years China has established the world's most extensive pharmacopoeia of medicinal herbs. Through empirical knowledge of nature, practical application, and gradual reasoning based on experience, a system of herbal medicine has evolved that is as highly developed os Western medicinal science.Chinese Herbal Medicine is based on research provided by contemporary experts, among them Dr. Huang Powen, an herbal physician and acupuncturist, and Dr. Hong Yixiang, a kung fu master and licensed herbal doctor, both based in Taiwan. The text includes a color-illustrated list of 200 major herbs detailing their use, and provides herbal recipes for some common ailments.… (mer)