A WARNING ABOUT DOSAGE
Traditional prescriptions are notoriously vague; “a handful” or “a pinch” is often all of the information we are given. Fortunately, with most herbal treatments, there is little danger of adverse reaction. Medicinal herbs offer a natural balance of alkaloids, which work in harmony to promote health and fight disease, while on the whole avoiding severe side effects and other adverse reactions typical of allopathic drugs.

There are some notable exceptions to this generalization in the compendium of herbs found in the next pages. Opium poppy is listed in the traditional Thai pharmacopoeia, as are several toxic plants. When a plant in this book is known to be dangerous under certain conditions, a note has been made. However, people may react to herbs in dramatically different ways, and this text can not take into account individual sensitivities and allergies. In all cases, should the patient experience nausea, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, or other adverse reactions, this should be taken as an indication that an excessive amount has been used, and less should be prescribed on subsequent occasions, or alternative herbs should be used. These warnings should be especially heeded in regard to pregnant women, children, and the elderly, who often react with greater sensitivity to herbal medicines and other drugs.

One last caveat should be noted: the claims made in this collection are based on traditional medicinal uses of these herbs. Many of the more popular herbs in this collection are well known to the West, but in the case of some of the more unusual herbs, these therapeutic claims have not been evaluated by the professional herbalist community. Although these treatments are prescribed in Thailand by reputable healers and health institutions, I have not personally tested all of the herbal prescriptions given in this collection, and I strongly emphasize that this book should not replace consultation with a competent herbalist or physician.

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METHODS OF PREPARING HERBS
Thai herbal remedies can be administered in five general ways:

Tea or Infusion
A tea, or infusion, is made by steeping herbs in hot (not boiling) water for 2–3 minutes. Generally, teas are made from delicate plant parts, such as flowers, leaves, shoots, or stems which damage easily, and therefore require a short exposure to heat for maximum benefit.

For herbal teas, the dosage often varies depending on the age, strength, and severity of illness of the patient. Unless otherwise noted, the rule of thumb is to use 1 “handful” (about an ounce or 30 grams) of fresh herb in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiled water. Halve that amount when using dried herbs. Alternatively, some teas may be made by dissolving dried powders in hot water (see Powder on page 65 for dosage). With any method, it is important to use enough of the herb to give the tea a strong flavor, but not so much that the consistency becomes thick.
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SAUNA AND STEAM BATH
The sauna or steam bath plays an important part in traditional Thai medicine. It is well known that saunas promote general health, relaxation, cleansing of the skin, and detoxification by encouraging release through the sweat pores. In the Thai tradition, specific therapeutic herbs are added to the sauna in order to enhance these effects, and in order to treat many conditions. Herbal saunas are used in treatment of respiratory diseases and infections, circulatory problems, skin disease, eye problems, sore muscles, colds, headaches, stress, and anxiety, among other ailments. Saunas are used daily by Thai mothers in the weeks after giving birth, and there are herbs that are specifically used for this purpose. A regular herbal sauna is also considered to promote longevity.

Many traditional medicine providers in Thailand from hospitals to individual massage practitioners—have a sauna or steam bath which is either used after massage or on its own. These saunas do not necessarily have to be of the cedar-paneled variety we know in the West. One of my massage teachers in Chiang Mai built a small hot-box in her back yard from sheet metal. This “sauna“ had only enough room for a single occupant, who sat on a small wooden chair. Under the chair, a single electric steamer (of the type used for steaming vegetables) provided the steam. Even more simply, I have often used a stove-top steam inhalation for colds and sinus infections. Many of the herbs listed in Chapter VI may
be steamed or dropped in boiling water. Leaning over the pot or steamer with a towel over one’s head is an ideal way to catch the aromatic vapors, although one must be careful to avoid being burnt by the hot steam or irritating the eyes.
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FOOD THERAPY, OR EVERY-DAY MEDICINE
Medicinal herbs found throughout this collection are ingested every day in the typical Thai diet. In fact, the Thai herbalist traditionally will recommend modifications to the diet before recommending more powerful herbal medicines. Every herb and in fact everything we eat has an effect on our bodies and minds. In traditional Thai cuisine, almost every dish is considered to be therapeutic. An old Thai proverb says that all diseases originate in the food we eat. In the West, we also say “You are what you eat.” If we eat well, we will enjoy health, well-being, and longevity; if we eat poorly, we will become unhealthy, unhappy, and prone to illness.

According to legend, when the Father Doctor Jivaka was a young man, he was given his final examination by his master. He was challenged to go off into the forest and find a plant that could not be used as a medicine. After searching the world, Jivaka returned and declared to his teacher, “Everything is medicine!” At that point the old master knew that his student had completed his training.
It is with this philosophy that traditional healers have approached the world over thousands of years, and it is this philosophy that continues to form the backbone of the traditional Thai medical system.
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THE FOUR BODY ELEMENTS
The physical body, in the Thai system, is made up of the same four elements that permeate the entire universe: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. The traditional Thai conception of these elements is roughly parallel to Ayurvedic cosmology. The Thais do not believe that there is literally a speck of earth, a drop of water, or a flame of fire in each atom of the universe; each element refers not to physical substance, but to the qualities of that substance. Substances that are solid can be said to have the qualities of the Earth element. Substances that are liquid are of the Water element. Movement is the quality of the Air element. Heat is the quality of the Fire element.

According to this conception, the organs of the human body can be broken down into categories.
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