Force of Nature »

Laird Hamilton is known as the guiding genius of crossover board sports, and he is truly amazing in the water. His size—6'3", over 215 pounds—makes him seem indestructible. Laird is the elder son of sixties' surfing legend Bill Hamilton and is a throwback to that time when surfers prided themselves on being all-around watermen. His mother, JoAnn, gave birth to him in a "bathysphere" with reduced gravity as part of an experiment at the UC Medical Center in San Francisco. JoAnn was also a surfer and decided to move the family from California to Hawaii when Laird was just a few months old. They lived on Oahu's North Shore and later in a remote valley on Kauai, not far from one of the world's best surf breaks. He learned to surf between the ages of 2 and 3 on the front half of a surfboard; and at age 8, hi father took him to the 6-foot cliff at Waimea Falls, where Laird looked down, looked back at his dad, and jumped. "He's been bold since day one," says Bill, "and hell-bent on living life to the extreme." He lives in Hawaii and California with his wife and three daughters.

Laird Hamilton has been hailed as the world's greatest big-wave surfer. His first book, Force of Nature, allows readers a rare glimpse inside the unique philosophy that has created his circumstances, and not the other way around. After all, this is a man whose biological father abandoned him shortly after he was born; whose first job was working on a pig far; who dropped out of school in eleventh grade. And then the career decision: surfer. Though earning enough to pay the rent as any kind of surfer is next to impossible, Hamilton has ended up in the place we all desire to be: doing exactly what he loves, becoming the world's best in the process, making a great living, being surrounded by nature and family, radiating peak health and fitness, and succeeding by any definition of the word.

How did he get there? And more importantly, how can the rest of us join him?

Force of Nature is a detailed map to that destination, with Laird Hamilton as the reader's guide. It's not about chasing trophies or accolades or cash. It's about quality over quantitysoul and being true to your physical, mental, and spiritual roots. Not only is it possible to thrive in the modern world without adopting its harmful habits, it's essential. And not only has Hamilton mastered this balance, he makes a compelling and articulate case that anyone who wants to can do the same.

This book is a deeply authoritative and cutting-edge guide to peak fitness in mind, body, sould, and surfing. It comes directly from the source and his inner circle, which includes those at the vanguard of sports, training, nutrition, and more. Former pro volleyball player Gabrielle Reece; surf legend Dave Kalama; fitness gurus Paul Chek, T.R. Goodman, and Don Wildman; and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis all contribute their knowledge. Readers will get an all-access pass into an elite world filled with definitive and provocative ideas.

About This Book     xi
How to Use This Book     xii
What Supplements Can Do for You     1
The Benefits of Supplements     3
The ABCs of Supplements     3
Micronutrients: Essentials for Good Health     5
Herbal Alternatives     10
Food Packs a Punch     13
Supplement Savvy: Becoming a Wise Consumer     15
A Guide to Supplements     25
A
Aloe Vera     27
Alpha Lipoic Acid     29
Arginine     31
Arnica     33
Astragalus     35
B
Bee Pollen     37
Beta-Sitosterol     40
Betaine     42
Bilberry     44
Biotin     46
Black Cohosh     48
Boron     50
Boswellia     52
Bromelain     54
C
Calcium     57
Calendula     61
Cat's Claw     63
Cayenne     64
Chamomile     67
Chasteberry     69
Choline     71
Chondroitin     74
Chromium     77
Coenzyme Q10     80
Conjugated Linoleic Acid     83
Copper     84
Cordyceps     88
Cranberry     90
Creatine     93
D
Dandelion     96
Devil's Claw     98
DHEA     100
Digestive Enzymes     102
Dong Quai     105
E
Echinacea     107
Elderberry     109
Eucalyptus     111
Evening Primrose Oil     115
F
Fenugreek     116
Feverfew     118
Fiber     120
5-HTP     123
Flaxseed 126
FolicAcid     130
G
Garlic     135
Ginger     136
Ginkgo Biloba     138
Ginseng     141
Glucosamine     144
Glutamine     146
Glutathione     148
Goldenseal     151
Gotu Kola     153
Grape Seed Extract     155
Green Tea     157
Guarana     160
Guggul     162
Gymnema     164
H
Hawthorn     167
Horse Chestnut     169
Huperzine A      171
I
Ipriflavone     172
Iron     175
K
Kava     178
L
Lactobacillus Acidophilus     180
Lavender     184
L-Carnitine     186
Lemon Balm     190
Licorice     192
Lutein     195
Lycopene     197
Lysine     200
M
Magnesium     203
Mastic     206
Melatonin     208
Milk Thistle     210
N
N-Acetylcysteine     213
NADH     216
Niacin     219
O
Omega-3 Fatty Acids     221
P
Peppermint     226
Phosphatidylserine     229
Policosanol     232
Potassium     233
Q
Quercetin     236
R
Red Clover     238
Red Yeast Rice 241
Rhodiola 243
Riboflavin     245
S
SAMe     247
Saw Palmetto     249
Schisandra     251
Selenium     253
Slippery Elm     256
Soy     257
Spirulina     260
St. John's Wort     262
T
Tea Tree Oil      265
Thiamine     267
U
Uva Ursi     270
V
Valerian     272
Vitamin A     274
Vitamin B[subscript 5]     277
Vitamin B[subscript 6]     279
Vitamin B[subscript 12]     282
Vitamin C     284
Vitamin D     289
Vitamin E     292
Vitamin K     295
W
Willow Bark     298
X
Xylitol     300
Y
Yohimbe     302
Z
Zinc     304
Using Supplements to Manage Health     309
A
Acne     311
Aging     313
Alcoholism     317
Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Problems     321
Anemia     325
Anxiety     328
Appetite Loss     331
Asthma     333
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder     337
Autoimmune Disorders     340
B
Back Pain     343
Bronchitis     346
Bruises     349
Burns     352
Bursitis and Tendonitis     354
C
Cancer Prevention     358
Canker Sores     364
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome     366
Cataracts     369
Cervical Dysplasia     372
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and General Fatigue     375
Circulatory Health     379
Colds and Flu     383
Conception and Pregnancy     389
Conjunctivitis     392
Constipation     394
Cough     397
D
Dandruff     400
Depression     402
Detoxification     406
Diabetes     410
Diarrhea     416
Diverticular Disease     419
E
Ear Infection     421
Eating Disorders     424
Eczema     427
Emphysema     430
Endometriosis     433
Excessive Gas     436
F
Fever     439
Fibrocystic Breasts and Breast Pain     442
Fibromyalgia     445
Food Allergy     449
Fungal Infections of the Skin     452
G
Gallstones     454
Glaucoma     457
Gout     459
H
Hangovers     462
Hay Fever     465
Headache     467
Heart Disease      470
Heartburn     475
Hemorrhoids     478
Hepatitis     481
Herpes     484
Herpes Zoster     487
High Cholesterol     489
HIV and AIDS     494
Hypertension     498
Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism     502
Hypoglycemia     505
I
Immune-System Support     507
Infertility     512
Insomnia     516
Irritable Bowel Syndrome     520
K
Kidney Stones     522
M
Macular Degeneration     525
Menopause     527
Menstrual Problems     531
Migraine Headaches     535
Multiple Sclerosis     538
Muscle Pains and Cramps     541
N
Nausea, Vomiting, and Morning Sickness     543
Neuralgia     546
O
Osteoarthritis     547
Osteoporosis     551
P
Parkinson's Disease     555
Poison Ivy     558
Premenstrual Syndrome     560
Prostate Health     564
Psoriasis     569
R
Restless Legs Syndrome     572
Rheumatoid Arthritis      574
S
Sexual Dysfunction     577
Sinusitis     580
Skin Health     584
Sprains and Strains     586
Stroke     589
Surgery Preparation     592
T
Temporomandibular Disorders     594
Tinnitus     596
Tooth and Gum Care     599
U
Ulcers     602
Urinary Tract Infection     605
V
Varicose Veins     608
W
Warts     610
Water Retention     612
Weight Loss     614
Y
Yeast Infection     617
Index     621