The Keys to Wellness Are Written in the Stars From impulsive Aries to balance-seeking Libra, methodical Virgo to sensitive Pisces, each astrological personality is distinct, with specific needs of body, mind, and spirit. In Planetary Apothecary, astrologer and nutritionist Stephanie Gailing offers a modern approach to the ancient healing art of medical astrology. You'll find wellness and lifestyle recommendations customized for your zodiac sign, including: bull; Health-Supporting Foods and Eating Tips bull; Spa and Wellness Therapies bull; Relaxation Practices bull; Yoga Poses bull; Aromatherapy bull; Natural Remedies bull; Flower Essences Filled with strategies and inspiration for nurturing body and soul, Planetary Apothecary brings the healing wisdom of the planets within reach to help you optimize your physical health and emotional well-being.

STEPHANIE GAILING, is a professional nutritionist, astrologer, and writer who reports on whole foods, herbs, and health for StarIQ.com, Delicious Living, Nutrition Science News, and more. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

THE AUTHOR SCOOP

What are you working on now?
A blog about the topics covered in Planetary Apothecary, ideas for my next book, and getting back to having a bit more life balance (more yoga, more gardening, more cooking, more friend and family time, etc.) now that I'm not at the computer for hours on end.

What's been sitting in the back of your fridge for more than a year?
Umeboshi plum paste. But that's ok because it has a pretty much indefinite shelf life and it's one of those things that I use a little at a time, so it lasts a while. It's really an amazing food…it has a tart salty taste and is really good for stomach ailments. It's said to be a great cure for hangovers as well. It's one of the foods I feature in the Virgo chapter of Planetary Apothecary.

Who is your hero?
I have to pick two: my grandfather and grandmother, Abe and Sylvia. They instilled an amazing sense of love and togetherness in my family, something that I count on as a great blessing. My grandfather taught us about the world and how respect and morality were of utmost importance. From my grandmother, we learned resourcefulness, tenaciousness, how to cook (although no one can do it like her), and the fact that age should never limit you in what you are capable of achieving (to this day, she's still winning golf tournaments). I am so lucky that, while they are 91 and 89, respectively, they are still with us to this day.

How do you cheer yourself up when you're feeling down?
Play with my cat. Pull weeds in the garden. Do a Sun Salutation. Remember how blessed I am to have an amazing family as well as kind and loving friends.

What do you like to make by hand?
Jewelry. I love the alchemy of taking different colorful materials and weaving them together to create a piece of wearable art. I often custom design the pieces with a person's astrological chart in mind so that they can serve as a personal talisman.

introduction
 
Years ago, to my delight, I discovered that there was a healing art that combined two of my greatest passions: natural health and astrology. Always looking for ways to inspire people to achieve their optimal well-being, I decided to writePlanetary Apothecaryto bring this elegant, time-honored healing tradition--known asmedical astrology--to modern-day readers who are looking to further enhance their health.
 
While many people turn to astrology to garner insights into relationships, career, and unfolding life events, your planetary profile can also guide the way you approach personal wellness. It can help you identify natural remedies and healing techniques that are best suited for your unique temperament and individual health needs.
 
A stellar approach to evaluating health and proposing therapies to foster vitality, medical astrology has a long and legendary past: It was documented by ancient Greek scholars, taught in medieval medical schools, and practiced by Renaissance physicians. Up until the early twentieth century, many doctors employed its observations alongside other methods of treatment. The study of the stars was so integral to the work of many healers that none other than the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates himself, was reported as saying, "He who does not understand astrology is not a doctor but a fool." Today you will find astrology professionals and health-care practitioners worldwide studying, and relying on, this graceful method of insight to offer clients an instructive way to approach their health-care needs.
 
At the heart of medical astrology is the tenet "As above, so below," reflecting the long-held belief in the connection between the celestial bodies and our own bodies. The zodiac signs and their ruling planets are associated with various body parts, physiological functions, and emotional tendencies (with some areas of health cogoverned by more than one astrological signifier). In addition, the signs and planets have alliances with different members of the plant, mineral, and animal kingdoms. For example, Aries is the first sign in the zodiac and is associated with the head, while Pisces is the last sign and is associated with the feet. Leo, ruled by the Sun, has an affinity for yellow flowers such as sunflower and chamomile, while Taurus, governed by feminine Venus, has a kinship with trees that bear sweet fruits such as peaches and plums.
 
Practitioners who use medical astrology utilize the information gleaned from their clients' personalized astrology charts to offer them custom-designed wellness solutions. They employ these insights as a tool to assess health strengths and weaknesses, determine the best remedies and therapies, suggest the timing of proposed treatments, and evaluate underlying psycho-emotional patterns that may stand in the way of healing. They don't use this astrologically derived information as the sole means of diagnosis and treatment, but rather as a complement to traditional methods of health-care investigation and advice.
 
Even if you never consult with a medical astrologer, you can still integrate some of this healing art's fundamentals into your wellness regimen by usingPlanetary Apothecaryas your guide. In this book, I take the classical wisdom of medical astrology and apply it to our modern-day health-care needs. As a foundation, I draw on the knowledge inherent in the traditional associations between "as above" (the planets and zodiacal constellations) and "so below" (ourselves and the healing gifts of nature, including foods, herbs, and flowers) as delineated by the ancient masters. With this time-honored tradition in mind, I also offer insights into contemporary healing activities popular today--such as spa and wellness therapies, relaxation practices, and yoga poses--matching their benefits to the needs of those born under the different astrolog

---

Excerpted from Planetary Apothecary: An Astrological Approach to Health and Wellness by Stephanie Gailing
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.