North American Farmers - and Eaters - Could Learn From the Chinese

Toronto, Canada (PRWeb) December 6, 2006 -- For less than 200 years, the Farmer's Almanac has been the purveyor of weather predictions and folklore -- for more than 5,000 years, an elite group of Chinese gurus have accurately predicted weather, health, the environment, agricultural boons and busts and natural disasters. Today, a Canadian publisher and his Chinese author, a registered Traditional Chinese Medical doctor in Thornhill, Ontario, bring you the Chinese Almanac 2007. Based on ancient Chinese wisdom, predictions and tactics are based on how astronomical data affects global weather patterns, and how these, in turn, impact different climate areas in the entire Northern Hemisphere. Drawing on discoveries gleaned to serve emperors in Chinese dynasties over thousands of years, this concise reference tool is an unusual and fun guide for anyone interested in anticipating weather patterns, planning crops for production or combating cyclical health issues.

Is it possible to predict which plants and animals will do well and which won't in a given year? According to early Chinese science, the answer is yes. The ancient Chinese discovered that all things in nature are related and that natural events occur in cycles. From this knowledge, they learned to predict weather trends, the likelihood of natural disasters, which plants and animals are most likely to thrive and which illnesses are most likely to occur. This prediction system has guided Chinese farmers, travelers, physicians and rulers for over 5000 years.

The Chinese Almanac 2007 offers predictions about the weather, crops, animals, health and illnesses, natural disasters, emotions, human relations and business trends for the year, plus sections delineating likely weather events every two weeks, including illnesses most likely to occur at that time, advice on what to eat to help prevent or treat those ailments and a pertinent discussion of a related health topic.

For example, warmth is an obvious reaction to frostbite. This restores circulation. We can put the person in a warm environment (a heated shelter), but we can also put a warm environment inside the person. If we look at nature in winter, all the plants are dead, except for some roots. These roots must have a warm nature, otherwise they'd freeze and die too. Typical roots that survive the cold are ginger, onion and ginseng. Sure enough, these roots have a sharp, 'hot' taste. If we boil such roots and drink the liquid, we feel hot very quickly because they increase circulation, which is exactly what we need to ease the frostbite. The same principle applies to heatstroke and summer fruits and vegetables, which have a strong cooling effect. This knowledge and associated concept also applies to many other health problems.

Did you know:

- Root vegetables and bitter foods are a great health boost in the fall and winter?

- You'll need more sleep and less sex in cold weather?

- Land-animal protein can offer a critical boost as the cold season approaches?

The Chinese Almanac 2007 explains how health and performance are related to food, weather and the environment and how you can use this knowledge to improve your well-being.

New in the 2007 edition:

- Effectively guiding hyperactive children and adults, recognizing that more activity is the key, explaining how and why

- Newly listed stock performance predictions based on first trade date (this is an experiment)

- Simple explanations on how Cold, Wind, Heat, Dampness and Dryness cause health problems along with suggestions for combating related challenges

- A discussion of achieving balance as a dynamic vs. static reality and biweekly tips on adapting behavior to adjust to various weather conditions

- Ideas for countering seasonal disorder/S.A.D. by making lifestyle changes and adjustments in the home

Too often, Western attitudes dismiss older philosophies. Those who are open to new ideas may find 2007 a much more predictable, and profitable, year with some insight from ancient wisdom.

The Chinese Almanac has been published annually since 2002.

Book Summary:

Title: The Chinese Almanac 2007
Author: Thomas Zhang, ND, Dr of TCM
Publisher: Ginseng Press (http://www.ginsengpress.com)
ISBN: 0-9738833-3-2
5" x 7", paperback, 92 pages, US$12.49/Cdn$12.49

Available from ginsengpress.com, amazon.com and other online retailers, and by mail from Ginseng Press. Also available in various eBook formats.

For additional information or to request a review copy, contact Ariel Frailich or visit http://www.ginsengpress.com/press.

About the author:
Dr. Thomas Zhang, the author, is a naturopath and doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The son of a Chinese medical practitioner who opened doors, he is one of a handful of people trained by elders in Tianjin, China to use the prediction system based on The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (written ca. 400 BC from knowledge passed down by word-of-mouth three-thousand years prior). This treatise represented mandatory knowledge for Imperial Court physicians. Few, besides physicians prior to the 1925 advent of Chiang Kai-shek's rule, determined to continue practicing with this knowledge, were privy to the nuances of this system. Today, only a few scholars and traditional medicine practitioners in China still understand and use the system that prescribes a focus on preventive medicine derived from an understanding of the root causes of the disease.

About Ginseng Press:
Ginseng Press was founded in 2002 to bring ancient Chinese wisdom to the Western world through books and through its website. It publishes "The Chinese Almanac" every year.

Ginseng Press, 201-7368 Yonge St., Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 8H9, Canada

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