Additional information
by Daphne Miller (Author)
In Farmacology, practicing family physician and renowned nutrition explorer Daphne Miller brings us beyond the simple concept of "food as medicine" and introduces us to the critical idea that it's the farm where that food is grown that offers us the real medicine.
By venturing out of her clinic and spending time on seven family farms, Miller uncovers all the aspects of farming--from seed choice to soil management--that have a direct and powerful impact on our health. Bridging the traditional divide between agriculture and medicine, Miller shares lessons learned from inspiring farmers and biomedical researchers and artfully weaves their insights and discoveries, along with stories from her patients, into the narrative. The result is a compelling new vision for sustainable healing and a treasure trove of farm-to-body lessons that have immense value in our daily lives.
In Farmacology you will meet:
- a vegetable farmer in Washington State who shows us how the principles he uses to rejuvenate his soil apply just as well to our own bodies. Here we also discover the direct links between healthy soil and healthy humans.
- a beef farmer in Missouri who shows how a holistic cattle-grazing method can grow resilient calves and resilient children.
- an egg farmer in Arkansas who introduces us to the counterintuitive idea that stress can keep us productive and healthy. We discover why the stressors associated with a pasture-based farming system are beneficial to animals and humans while the duress of factory farming can make us ill.
- a vintner in Sonoma, California, who reveals the principles of Integrated Pest Management and helps us understand how this gentler approach to controlling unwanted bugs and weeds might be used to treat invasive cancers in humans.
- a farmer in the Bronx who shows us how a network of gardens offers health benefits that extend far beyond the nutrient value of the fruits and vegetables grown in the raised beds. For example, did you know that urban farming can lower the incidence of alcoholism and crime?
- finally, an aromatic herb farmer in Washington State who teaches us about the secret chemical messages we exchange with plants--messages that can affect our mood and even keep us looking youthful.
In each chapter, Farmacology reveals the surprising ways that the ecology of our body and the ecology of our farms are intimately linked. This is a paradigm-changing adventure that has huge implications for our personal health and the health of the planet.
Front Jacket
A doctor explores what farming can teach us about nurturing ourselves
- Do the microbes in the soil communicate with the microbes in our bodies?
- Why does a dirty farm offer protection from allergies while a dirty urban apartment does not?
- What can we learn about "good" stress from pastured hens?
- How can a pest management system inspire a radical new approach to cancer treatment?
- What can cows teach parents about raising healthy eaters?
- What kind of impact does urban farming have on crime rates?
These may not sound like typical questions for a family physician to consider, but in Farmacology, Daphne Miller, M.D., ventures out of her medical office and travels to seven innovative family farms around the country on a quest to discover the hidden connections between how we care for our bodies and how we grow our food. Miller also seeks out the perspectives of noted biomedical scientists and artfully weaves in their insights and research, along with stories from her own medical practice. Farmacology offers a profound new approach to healing, combined with practical advice for how to treat disease and maintain wellness.
--Alice WatersBack Jacket
A doctor explores what farming can teach us about nurturing ourselves
- Do the microbes in the soil communicate with the microbes in our bodies?
- Why does a dirty farm offer protection from allergies while a dirty urban apartment does not?
- What can we learn about "good" stress from pastured hens?
- How can a pest management system inspire a radical new approach to cancer treatment?
- What can cows teach parents about raising healthy eaters?
- What kind of impact does urban farming have on crime rates?
These may not sound like typical questions for a family physician to consider, but in Farmacology, Daphne Miller, M.D., ventures out of her medical office and travels to seven innovative family farms around the country on a quest to discover the hidden connections between how we care for our bodies and how we grow our food. Miller also seeks out the perspectives of noted biomedical scientists and artfully weaves in their insights and research, along with stories from her own medical practice. Farmacology offers a profound new approach to healing, combined with practical advice for how to treat disease and maintain wellness.
