Indonesian Herbal Healing (9780804857734)

Indonesian herbal preparations and treatments are part of an integrated system of inner and outer healthcare and beauty encompassing natural herbal drinks, powders, ointments, lotions, massage and folklore.

The herbal tonics—specifically known as jamu—are drunk daily. In the pages of this book, you'll learn about the world of ancient Javanese palaces where Indonesian Jamu was perfected, the healers and Jamu makers whose skills have been passed down for generations, and the natural ingredients and herbs used in Jamu preparations. You'll also learn how Jamu is used in Indonesia and about dozens of preparations and treatments you can use at home.

This book is the result of ten years of research and over 100 interviews with Jamu practitioners and producers—from housewives and home apothecaries to the CEOs of multinational corporations who produce Jamu products for export. It is lavishly illustrated with over 100 photographs and is the first definitive book on this subject.


About the Author:
Susan-Jane Beers is an Irish-born writer with a background in public relations and journalism. Educated in England, she worked in London until 1987 then moved to Asia. While living in Indonesia in the 1990s, she became interested in Indonesian traditional medicine when it solved a chronic ailment she had within days. This led her to embark on ten years of in-depth research into the archipelago's traditional health and beauty treatments; the result is this book. Beers also writes for regional magazines, including Artention, The Peak and B International in Hong Kong and Expat magazine in Singapore.