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An engaging and accessible exploration of human anatomy, physiology, and pathology—through a holistic lens
Complementary and alternative approaches to health and medicine have become increasingly widespread as the limits of conventional treatments become more apparent. Holistic Anatomy presents an authoritative study of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, but it expands the discussion by connecting the science of the body to a variety of alternative modalities to explore how human beings exist within—and interact with—their environment, and how they experience existence in emotional and spiritual terms.
Author and massage therapist Pip Waller interweaves basic scientific terminology and detailed descriptions with informal—and sometimes humorous—observations, facts, and ideas about life. The mechanisms, structure, and functions of the body are explored, along with how they relate to spiritual and energetic paradigms, emotions, and ecological principles. The first half of the book covers basic anatomy and physiology, describing each major system of the body and how they interrelate. This part includes a thoughtful discussion of aging and the dying process. The second half focuses on models of health and disease, both traditional and holistic. Topics include western pathology, emotional health, five element medicine, and the spiritual cause for disease.
Publisher : North Atlantic Books
Publication date : February 16, 2010
Edition : 1st
Language : English
Print length : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 1556438656
ISBN-13 : 978-1556438653
Item Weight : 1.45 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 0.99 x 9 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book makes anatomy easy to understand, particularly appreciating its section on the five elements theory. They praise its readability, with one customer noting it’s not boring textbook prose. The book’s texture receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as beautifully woven.
Life –
Life
Very informative and easy to understand.
B. –
Fascinating and easy to follow
Such a beautifully woven book. Who knew a dense topic like human anatomy could be so light and enjoyable. I read textbooks on this material in college and it was so hard to stay engaged. Here, in this book, you learn all that knowledge in a very accessible and captivating way. And most importantly, in a fresh lens of holistic health, relating to the spirit and the whole of existence, human and beyond.
Penelope Jupiter –
Excellent read!
This book is quite delightful. I have studied anatomy in college and it always seemed disjointed and over complex. This book really integrates anatomy and physiology so that it makes sense to life. I would recommend it for anyone who would like a more global understanding of the human system. At times it was even a page turner! The author has done a great job of bringing in the technical information while looping back and bringing it in to relation to the rest of the information in the book. I feel my confidence in my knowledge of the human body is more solid after reading this book.
oaf –
Perfect! This is a nice book to help others …
Perfect! This is a nice book to help others understand the interpretation of anatomy. Nothing really changes what it allows the reader is a deeper understanding in terms that they can understand. Maybe it will bring an understanding that can shrink the world just a bit more.When we understand more we seem to also fear less.
morgan –
Learn something new on every page
Love the authors way of writing, very conversational. Great quality, love the page texture and you get great information from each page.
PaulaYoumell –
I LOVE this book.
I LOVE this book. As a holistic healer, it is the book I wish I had been made to read in nursing school. It would have made life easier finding my path to all I do now. I always saw life as interconnected and everything part of everything else. Pip puts this information about anatomy and physiology, human biology, into a magical read.
Carolyn R. Pardue –
A detailed and thoughtful read
I bought this book to better my understanding of the human body , this book clearly explains how the parts of our body work together. It also gives some ideas for how to live better and longer. I recommend this book to anyone interested in personal health.
Meryserket –
all you need to know is in this book
perfect for self healers looking to understand what their body is communicating to them
Brandon Raynor –
A great introduction to anatomy.
Mg –
For personal reading as an addition to my other books on Natural Nutrition. I like the holistic angle of the complex topics on the complex human body.Thank you Pip Waller for conceiving this resourceful book.
Axel –
1. Waller seems to approve of the theories of Ryke Geerd Hamer ([…]). Bad enough that she writes repeatedly about ‘Dirk Hamer’ (which was Hamer’s son). She doesn’t seem to know that Ryke Geers Hamer calls his ‘medicine’ ‘New German Medicine’ and his theories have a decidedly neo-nazi flavor (cf. ‘Jewish Conspiracy Theory’ in the Wikipedia article on him.)2. After having read her comments on Hamer, I looked up what she writes on ‘skin’ (because I have to pass a test on ‘skin’ soon, and I read a lot on the topic).Waller writes: ‘It is now understood that regular exposure to the sun is not the risk it was once thought to be; it might be worse to have only intermittent exposure. Sunscreen and sunblock use have increased enourmously, but so has incidence of skin cancer. In fact, skin cancer rates have increased the most in places that people use the most sun creams, leading to speculation that something in the creams themselves may be carcinogenic.’ if ‘something in the creamsI don’t know if ‘regular exposure to the sun’ is ‘not the risk it was once thought to be’ and I don’t know if ‘something in the creams themselves may be carcinogenic’. But what I do know: Her argumentation is an example of ‘post hoc, non ergo propter hoc’. People in Iceland use comparatively little sunblock and they have lesser skin cancer than Australians, but that doesn’t mean that sunblocking creams cause cancer.Please don’t read this book if your knowledge on anatomy affects other people’s lives (that is: if you work in the healing profession -‘holistic’ or not!
Josie Felce –
This is a ground breaking book that goes beyond being a text book for those studying human anatomy. It presents the way a body ‘works’ in a clear way, in simple language that is engaging. It is readable for academics, and the non-academic who wants to get some understanding, without taking an examination. It puts several points of view on health issues that are topical, such as how much water you should drink for good health. The author breathes new life into anatomy by including a holistic philosophy that gives greater meaning and reverence to the wonderful workings of our bodies. I could not put it down!
Amazon Customer –
i love this book- I bought it for my herbal medicine course, i needed something more to help me to understand how all the systems work as a whole- something most other books do not offer. It is clear concise with endless fascinating facts, i couldn’t put this down- something that doesn’t happen with text books! I have learnt a huge amount from this book and have recommended it to friends and family and fellow students, its a must read.