Wild Health : How Animals Keep Themselves Well and What We Can Learn from Them

by Cindy Engel and Cindy Engel

How do animals keep themselves well in the wild? Folklore and traditional medicine have long laid claim to feats of self-medication by animals but, until recently, scientists have dismissed such... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0753816768
• ISBN13: 9780753816769
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Phoenix Paperbacks
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.7" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating read!

Wild Health is one of the most interesting books I have read in recent years. Dr. Engel describes in great detail what strategies wild animals have to keep themselves healthy. If you are a pet owner, or have anything to do with animals - actually, even if you have nothing to do with animals - this book makes fascinating reading and is packed full of facts and examples from observations of wildlife as well as some old wisdom from the likes of Juliette de Bairacli Levy. It also reminds us that real life does not take place in a laboratory, that more field research is needed, that living with parasites, diseases and co. to a degree may be better than bombarding them out of our lives, and that there is still a whole lot we can learn by observing nature and it's creatures. I highly recommend this book!

great book--fascinating

This is a totally fascinating, wonderfully illuminating book--it's become a favorite for me. Cindy Engel is a superb writer.

More than Common Sense

This is the book I have been waiting for! Herbalists and other behavioral scientists such as nurses who have encouraged the public to look at their health behaviors will be buoyed up by Engel's research and ability to deliver the "message". This is a must for all health science collections both personal and institutional. Timely.

Read this book!

Everyone should read this book! It's truly revolutionary and fascinating. It will change the way you think about animals and yourself. The things animals do to stay healthy are mind-boggling, and Dr. Engel is always careful to say what is scientifically proven and what isn't. I've always been suspicious of alternative medicine, but it opened my eyes.There are incredible lessons here for human health as well as animal health, and the book isn't heavy lifting at all. It's as full of ideas as Stephen Hawking and as fun to read as Dave Barry.

Extraordinary facts about animals

I loved this book. Seriously scientific but written in very accessible language. Highly topical with its relevance to mad cows, foot and mouth disease, human allergies and drug addiction. Loads of fantastic anecdotes from all sorts of animals and environments, and a style and bibliography that lets you know the author has carried out in-depth research. Constantly refers to the need for studying animals in their native habitat ... not the laboratory. Makes you aware of how new the science of animal behaviour still is, and what fascinating facts it can reveal to us.