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ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-156-5 | Ebook 978-1-64611-157-2
R0
For
DAD,
who raised us to be country girls, and
MOM,
who gave me her love of growing plants.
CONTENTS
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to live in the country with access to the woods, a pond, and a pony to ride wherever I wanted to enjoy the sounds and sights of nature.
I also spent many weekends with my paternal grandmother, listening to stories of her many uses of the plants that grew in her yard, both cultivated and weedy.
My journey into herbalism began when I began raising a family of my own. I wanted my children to be healthy, and the more I learned about the toxicity of chemicals and commercial pharmaceuticals, the more I began to notice their overuse.
At one point, my daughter had a swollen lymph node but presented no signs of illness. I took her to the doctor, who immediately prescribed antibiotics and wasnt happy when I questioned the need for them. I picked up the prescription but didnt use it. Instead, I made a weak poke root tea and gave my daughter a small cup of it to drink. The next day, her lymph node was completely back to normal, and she never had another problem with it.
Another time, my older children brought home pertussis (whooping cough) from school. They had been vaccinated against the highly contagious illness, but my younger children had not, and most of us came down with it. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic, which turned out not only to be unnecessary for one of my children (her test came back showing the bacteria had died off), but also to be the wrong antibiotic. I immediately switched to an all-herbal protocol for myself and my other kids to calm the intense coughing spasms at night. The herbs soothed our coughs and helped us sleep during that miserable time.
If youre like me, you probably have a relatable story or two about how the medical system has let you down, and that experience might be what led you to pick up this book. Now more than ever, with our health system in crisis, natural health and herbalism are gaining popularity. Medical care costs are on the rise, the quality is questionable, and many people want more natural options that dont come with horrible side effects. At the same time, resources for good, quality herbs also are on the rise, as is good information on how to use them.
Figuring out which of the worlds thousands upon thousands of herbs to use can be daunting. In the following chapters, Ive helped narrow down the choices by selecting herbs and creating recipes for a variety of common ailments for adults and children, men and women, young and old. These simple, affordable remedies are effective and can be easily made at home. Although this book doesnt cover serious long-term illnesses (consult a qualified herbalist to work out an individual protocol for your specific needs), it does show you how to make your own teas, tinctures, and salves for everyday healing.
This book presents the basics of herbal preparations, along with 40 herb profiles, 125 recipes, tool and ingredient lists, a section to help you source reliable information and learn more about herbalism.
Ready to get started? Grab yourself a cup of tea, find a cozy spot to sit, and start reading!
More and more people are turning to herbalism to provide for their everyday health needs and for good reasonherbs work! If youre new to herbalism, the choices can be daunting. Moreover, most herbs dont come in a box with instructions for how to use them.
What is herbalism? How do you know what to do and when? What are tinctures, teas, infusions, tonics, and salves? How do you make them?
In part 1, Ill answer all these and other questions.
In this chapter, well explore the history of herbalism, how our ideas about using plants have changed over time, and the benefits of practicing herbalism at home. Confused about when to use conventional medicine rather than herbalism? This chapter will help you make that determination.
By the end of this chapter, youll feel comfortable with the idea of using the plants that grow around you to heal yourself and your family. If you live in an urban setting and cannot harvest plants in a nearby wild space or grow your own, you can purchase plants through reputable suppliers (see the section for a list of recommendations).