 Herbal
Healing for Women, by Rosemary
Gladstar - Beginner Level
One of the best books for beginning herbal
medicine. Rosemary is one of the nicest
herbalists you will ever meet. Her warmth
and willingness to share her knowledge are
apparent in this book. All the basics of
herbal medicine are covered here. Not only will
you learn specifics about the medicinal action
of the plants, but also how to prepare herbal
medicines. The book details how to prepare
teas, tinctures, oils, and salves.
Rosemary also includes her "Famous Face
Cream Recipe". I don't know any
herbalist worth their weight who doesn't know
about her Cream Recipe - it is simply fantastic!
I have had the good fortune to meet Rosemary and
would recommend her as a wonderful herbalist and
herbal educator. For more information on
United Plant Savers, of which Rosemary is
president, click
here.
Healing
Wise, by Susun Weed - Beginner
Level
Another classic herbal book which most
herbalist have. Actually all of Susun
Weed's books are excellent but if you must have
only one of her books, then this is one to have.
This book is about herbs but it is much more
than that. Susun Weed is a herbalist in
the Wise Woman Tradition, a tradition which has
passed down folk medicine for generations.
In her book the plants speak for themselves.
Even the chapters are entitled "Burdock
Speaks", "Chickweed Speaks",
"Dandelion Speaks". When the plants
speak about themselves some are eloquent,
some funny, and all are helpful healers of the
earth, the animals and people.
Complete
Guide to Medicinal Herbs, by
Penelope Ody - Beginner &
Intermediate Levels
I have to recommend this book as the best
herbal book around for color photographs.
Why would I recommend this over a field guide?
This book provides pictures of the full
live plant, the dried herb, the color of the
herbal tea, the color of the tincture (which can
often look quite different from what you might
expect) and has excellent descriptions about the
plant's medicinal activities. Are you
beginning to study about Chinese herbalism and
the energetics of plants? This is the book
for you. All the plants descriptions
include the energetics of the plant. This
is a clear, well detailed book which will serve
you for as long as you study herbs.
The
Web That Has No Weaver, by Ted
Kaptchuck - Intermediate Level
This is the best book I can recommend for
herbalists who are interested in Chinese
medicine and/or the concepts of herbal
energetics. Chinese medicine is a
fascinating system which has existed for
thousands of years. I believe it has many
concepts which enable use to be better
herbalists. This is a well written book
which assumes no prior knowledge of Chinese
medicine. It clearly explains Chinese
concepts which have no western equivalent, such
as: chi (qi), shen (spirit), yin and yang
organs, energy meridians and more. The
book does not cover chinese herbs but it is a
prerequisite for understanding concepts used in
chinese herbalism.
The
Male Herbal - Health Care for Men and Boys,
by James Green - Intermediate
Level
There are plenty of books about herbal
healing for women. Many of the books that
I recommend for general or beginner use are
targeted for women. This is probably since
women make up the lion's share of herbalists in
the United States. This most valuable book
deals with men's health issues. Of you
take herbalism seriously then this book is a
must. There is very little about male
related health issues in herbal publications.
James Green has taken on the most needed task of
addressing men's issues. This book talks
in details about heart disease, hypertension,
stress, ulcers, prostate problems, venereal
diseases, fertility, impotence and more.
The
Herbal Handbook - A User's Guide to Medical
Herbalism, by David Hoffman - Intermediate
Level
An excellent introduction to medical
herbalism. David Hoffman is a practicing
medical herbalist and a member of Britain's
National Institute of Medical Herbalists since
1979. His book is well organized and
thorough. The book is roughly divided into
two sections: Actions and Body Systems.
Under actions David explains everything from
Adaptogens to Vulneraries. He explains
what the term means and gives herbal example of
the action. The second half of the book details
the various body systems (i.e., digestive,
cardio-vascular, respiratory, lymphatic, urinary
etc.) and the herbs which affect them. The
descriptions are clear, and concise.
Herbal
Remedies for Women, by Amanda
McQuade Crawford, MNIMH - Intermediate
Level
This book focuses on women's reproductive
health issues. The book has five main
sections:
- Problems of menses: lack of menses, pmS,
painful menses, heavy menstrual bleeding,
iron deficiency, menstrual migraines.
- Abnormal Cell Growth: fibroids, ovarian
cysts, cervical erosion, endometriosis,
benign breast cysts.
- Healthy Reproduction: infertility,
pregnancy, healthy baby care.
- Infections: urinary tract infections,
vaginitis, candida, herpes, trichomonas,
chlamydia.
- Change of life: menopause
A very comprehensive and useful book for
women.
 St.
John's Wort – the Mood Enhancing Drug,
By Christopher Hobbs
Christopher Hobbs is an excellent herbalist
who has written many books on herbal medicine.
This book offers a thorough look at St. John's
Wort, an herb which has recently gained
widespread use an anti-depressant. Christopher
Hobbs writes in detail about the use of St.
John's Wort for depression, anxiety, sleep
disorders and other herbal uses. Because of his
strong science background (he trained as a
botanist) his book is well referenced material with
scientific studies which explore the efficacy of
St. John's Wort. This is a wonderful book which
clearly presents the uses and benefits of St.
John's Wort.
Note: This book is out of print, but still
may be ordered through Amazon.com.
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