INTRODUCTION
While you might be curious about the healing power of plant-based medicines and products, maybe you’re reluctant to dip a toe into these seemingly ethereal waters. But you don’t have to give up over-the-counter medicine to get on board with herbal treatments. In all likelihood, herbs are already a part of your self-medication or beautification routine—you just don’t realize it. Look closely at the ingredient list on many facial creams and cleansers, shampoos and conditioners, and even cough drops. You’ll likely find herbal extracts of many of the ingredients discussed in this book.
Introducing yourself to alternative treatments doesn’t mean you have to bond with the goddess or Earth Mother labels that herbal medicine has been associated with in the past. All that this book requires is your sincere interest in learning about remedies that can prevent and heal discomforts, plus the side effects of living in a fast-paced modern world. Stress headaches and fatigue are just two common examples of conditions that can be treated effectively with herbal remedies. Between the covers of this book you’ll also find recipes for everyday beauty and body care, mental health, personal “intimate” care that you can share with your special someone, household products, and other remedies for emotional and physical well-being. Who doesn’t want that?
Chapter 1 will give you the scoop on what constitutes herbal medicine, how successful it is in both preventing and curing ailments, the importance of aromatherapy in your mental and physical health, plus how and why the herbal approach works.
Chapter 2 is where the real fun starts. You’ll learn just three simple steps to starting your own indoor garden, the proper tools you need to get started, and which herbs to grow first. But this book isn’t limited to those who have, or aspire to have, a green thumb. The remainder of the chapter introduces the many preparations—from herbal teas to massage compresses to facial scrubs—you can get started making. The chapter also covers what to shop for to stock your herbal workshop.
Chapters 3 and 4 talk herb, providing an accessible, need-to-know education on a shortlist of herbs. Chapter 3 profiles five must-have herbs you’ll want to have on hand, and then Chapter 4 goes into the 30 you should consider for your healing arsenal. You’ll learn why they’re essential, what makes them so powerful, how they’re used in a variety of ways, and how they can be grown.
Chapters 5 through 11 contain more than 200 recipes for the common issues associated with our health, skin, and home, issues that most of us are likely to encounter during the course of our lives.
Consult the handy Glossary at any point if you need help absorbing specific terminology used in this book.
If you’re ready to put the power of your health into your own hands, this is your book. Not only will you learn how to boost your metabolism to prevent disease and illness, you’ll also explore remedies that speed healing, cure all kinds of physical conditions, and improve your overall well-being. Even better, herbal medicine doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. It can be used to complement whatever healing methods you currently use with the idea that when herbs are working for you, your need for commercial products lessens.