George Catlin was a fascinating figure of the nineteenth century, an artist-explorer-ethnographer who ventured deep into the wilds of the newly discovered Americas to paint the rapidly vanishing indigenous populations, their leaders, warriors, medicine men and scenes from their modes of life. The gifts Catlin received over the years from these remote peoples formed the basis of a vast, important collection which Catlin loaned to the world's biggest museums, together with his portraits. Because of the stunning, life-like portraits he seemingly created with magic, the awed tribes dubbed him Te-hee-pe-nee Washed which means The Great White Medicine.

Catlin left moved West to 'live among the savages' at the age of 34 in a belief that the new environment would cure him from a respiratory problem. He not only recovered but went on to live to the age of 76. Catlin believed he owed his recovery and longevity from the wisdom he absorbed and recorded over the course of his extensive travels from the Chiefs and Medicine Men of thousands of (now lost) tribes in North and South America.

He wanted to know how indigenous peoples had escaped most diseases (other than smallpox) that had killed untold numbers of settlers in the New World, as well as why the natives had a startling low infant mortality rate.

Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life, written in fits and starts over the years, contains what Catlin believed were simple techniques for living and enjoying a long, healthy and productive life.