The Essential Herbal for Natural Health: How to Transform Easy-to-Find Herbs into Healing Remedies for the Whole Family

by Holly Bellebuono

Overview

From tinctures to ease tummy aches to elixirs to enhance energy, making your own remedies from easy-to-find herbs can be a satisfying and pleasurable way to connect with nature and your family's health. While entering the “herb world” can be intimidating—many of today's herb books are filled with cultivation tables, harvest techniques, dye charts, and aromatherapy guidelines—The Essential Herbal for Natural Health provides a welcome entry point for those wishing to experience the beauty and simplicity of natural herbal remedies safely. By focusing on just thirteen foundation herbs, you can easily jump into the world of herbs while still creating a wide range of remedies and recipes. With something for everyone in the family—men, women, and children—these simple recipes can be made to cure coughs, calm anxiety, moisturize skin, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781590309476
Publisher:	Shambhala
Publication date:	03/13/2012
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.92(h) x 0.86(d)

About the Author

Since 1994, Holly Bellebuono has engaged her audiences with themes of personal transformation, purpose, and healing, providing guidance and inspiration for those seeking to improve their lives. Holly teaches about natural health, self-empowerment, creativity, creative business strategy, the craft of writing, and the art and science of herbal medicine. As a traditional herbalist, speaker, forager, formulator, and apothecary, Holly directs The Bellebuono School of Herbal Studies, providing training and certification in herbal medicine, and she has authored several books and an audio CD collection. She directs Vineyard Herbs Teas & Apothecary, a retail and wholesale apothecary on Martha's Vineyard, selling her 70 original and award-winning plant-based medicines and teas around the country and in Stop & Shop and Whole Foods Market. Holly traveled to interview women healers for her documentary book Women Healers of the World, featuring the traditional and indigenous healing practices of 31 women from 20 countries. Holly lectures widely at conferences, universities, and retreat centers, is a regular contributing writer for Taproot, Sage Woman, and other magazines, and is a member of United Plant Savers and the American Herbalist Guild. Holly was awarded the Martha's Vineyard Women's Network Business Owner of the Year Award in 2009 and The Cape Cod SCORE Business Owner of the Year Award in 2015.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Part 1 The Herbs 1

1 Introducing Herbs and Herbalism 3

2 The Essential Herbs 7

Part 2 The Art of Herbal Medicine Making 45

3 Introducing Herbal Medicine Making 47

4 Medicine-Making Methods 50

Part 3 Recipes and Remedies for the Whole Family 85

5 For the Expectant and New Mother 87

6 For Infant and Child 110

7 Especially for Women 133

8 Especially for Men 154

Part 4 Recipes and Remedies for Healthy Living 163

9 Everyday Tonics for Vitality 165

10 Sniffles, Colds, and Viruses 172

11 Healing Wounds 188

12 Happy Heart 199

13 Tummy Health 205

14 Aches and Pains 215

15 Cleansing and Detox 226

16 Mind and Spirit 243

Part 5 Recipes for Herbal Delights 261

17 Skin and Body Care 263

18 Herbal Drinks, Dressings, and Other Edibles 273

Dosage Guidelines 287

Seasonal Chart for Harvesting Herbs 291

Common Plant Thames and Their Latin Binomials 292

Glossary 294

Resources 299

Suggested Reading and References 303

Index 306

About the Author 315

Editorial Reviews

A balanced, basic introduction to creating herbal medicines; recommended.”—Library Journal

“Inspirational. This book is an excellent start for someone who is just beginning to use herbs.  Beautifully produced on cream paper with soft green illustrations, it makes herbs and their remedies both accessible and appealing and encourages you to respect the lore of generations by passing on what you learn.”—Juno magazine (UK)

“Written in the warm open style of the best of the herb classics, The Essential Herbal for Natural Health embraces the art of kitchen and backyard medicine and anchors it firmly to hearth and home. An eminently practical guidebook filled with Holly’s favorite herbal recipes, healthful hints, and practical suggestions, The Essential Herbal is also an inspiring and powerful treatise on this ancient healing tradition.”—Rosemary Gladstar, author of Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal

“A treasure trove of simple recipes and ideas for healthy living for the whole family. Holly’s love of the natural world and of the healing power of the plants around her is contagious! It will undoubtedly inspire readers in their own backyard herbalism adventures.”—Amanda Blake Soule, author of The Rhythm of Family

“A fascinating compendium of herbal formulas for every common problem, from cradle cap to athlete’s foot. Something for everyone here.”—Susun Weed, author of the Wise Woman Herbal series

From the Publisher

For beginners interested in growing herbs and making their own remedies and bath products, this book is filled with recipes, remedies, and decoctions. (LJ 5/1/12)

Library Journal