13 Great Books About Herbs for Healing
Using herbs for healing has been an activity that has become so popular over the last few years thanks to all of the included benefits that both the organism and body receive. However, this is a field where knowledge is important for achieving good results, and it is also important to know that you do not want to mess with these herbs by any means as consuming the wrong choice could be potentially harmful. Remember that while they are known as “healing” herbs, this does not mean that all of them are safe for consumption.
That is why instead of wasting a lot of money and resources on getting overpriced knowledge, you should rely on your reading skills. One of the worst things about herbal medicine is the fact that while it might look appealing at first, many get overwhelmed by the insanely large amount of numbers of knowledge that must be studied to avoid causing issues in the future. That is why the next article lists the 13 GREAT BOOKS ABOUT HERBS FOR HEALING to make sure that you find the best available resources to start getting into this world as soon as possible.
13 GREAT BOOKS ABOUT HERBS FOR HEALING:
The great thing about these books is the fact that even when you could consider yourself an advanced herbalist, they will prove to be an interesting lecture as it covers everything with a unique approach without making anyone feel disrupted by the massive amount of knowledge and information that is being displayed. These books will be discussed by explaining the pros, cons, and also the recommended audience that could benefit most from the lecture.
1.- THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE FOR MEDICINAL HERBS – ROSEMARY GLADSTAR
This is indeed the ultimate beginner’s guide for medicinal herbs as there is so much valuable information packed in this thing. Luckily, the author has a unique way of expressing her thoughts, meaning that it will not matter how little you understand about the topic, thanks to the unique approach, everything can be understood without too much problem.
Beginners will benefit the most from this reading as the traditional, energetic and even mystic side of this world will be discussed throughout the book without changing the subject. Also, the visuals prove to be more than enough to satisfy the reader by providing enough visual explanations and examples to learn more about herbalism.
Finally, it is worth noting that it is easy to find many formulas and recipes to use on a regular basis as well as many common herbs that will be discussed and explained to see how vastly open the herbalism world is when compared to other things.
2.- THE ESSENTIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE TO MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS – REBECCA POTTER
Sometimes you do not desire an encyclopedia, instead, you look for a more practical and quick-reference approach that can be consulted whenever you have any doubt on your mind. This resource proves to be just like that as it is perfectly set up to be an all-in-one book for those who are looking for medical self-sufficiency.
Many strategies for dealing with numerous illnesses and injuries can be found across this resource, and there are surely a lot of things in there that will make this an excellent read. However, this is not just an herb book, in fact, it covers other topics like essential oiling and reflexology for those who are interested in those fields as well.
Thanks to its brief yet interesting content, this is something that could be considered an interesting acquisition for beginner and intermediate individuals. While it might come with multiple disciplines, you can not just have a lot of things explained deeply, and sadly, this is proven with this book as there could be more explanations about certain things. But that does not make it worse by any means.
3.- HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS: WHAT BIG PHARMA DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW – HOW TO PICK AND USE THE 45 MOST POWERFUL HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS FOR OVERCOMING ANY AILMENT
Practical, well-written, and easy to read, that is everything that a book should provide to its readers. Luckily, the herbs world has a resource that shares those conditions, and it is called Herbal Antibiotics: What BIG Pharma Doesn’t Want You to Know – How to Pick and Use the 45 Most Powerful Herbal Antibiotics for Overcoming Any Ailment, a practical approach to standard herbal preparations with some good tips and tricks that could be useful for the experience.
It is good for starters who tend to fall into common pitfalls. This will correct many of your mistakes without using complicated and unorthodox language or words that could make everything a mess.
Coming with a little bit of everything, it is good reading for beginners and intermediates. However, keep in mind that it is easy to lose track of the read due to the lack of depth in certain parts, but that was a required sacrifice in order to fit all the content into a single resource.
4.- ROSEMARY GLADSTAR’S HERBAL RECIPES FOR VIBRANT HEALTH
The first resource of this list was also made by the same author, the main difference this time is the fact that this book is targeted at intermediate and advanced herbalists who require information that goes beyond traditional resources. This time, there will be more detailed formulas and explanations as it is expected that the reader already has the required knowledge to understand the language used for everything in this world.
In formulas alone, there will be more than enough content to enjoy for a very long time. However, that is not all as it is possible to find more things about health and beauty issues that could be caused for not following directions properly. The only addressable problem could be the rare layout that was chosen.
5.- ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBAL MEDICINE: 550 HERBS AND REMEDIES FOR COMMON AILMENTS – ANDREW CHEVALLIER
Considering the fact that the cover of this book insinuates the fact that it should be considered a coffee table book, this resource sure surprises a lot of readers in the very first pages. There are a lot of pretty pictures that not only are engaging but also informative enough as it presents a lot of herbs in a basic approach.
It is loved by many individuals as they even tend to come back to get more information about certain herbs. Every single profile discusses things like habitat, cultivation process, and related species. Also, there might be a little bit about key actions, common uses, and selected preparations with doses.
6.- HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS: NATURAL ALTERNATIVES FOR TREATING DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA – STEPHEN HARROD BUHNER
This time, you will find a science-based resource that not only deals with infectious agents but also will prove to be a refreshing and practical reading thanks to the fact that the author addresses the issues with the modern medical system with infectious agents and how several herbs can help in many situations.
Surely, this proves to be regular reading for those who are looking for details about the spiritual or energetic aspects of herbalism. It is possible to find profiles of several herbs that discuss which bacteria and viruses they can deal with best. Even though beginners can benefit from this resource, it is heavily recommended that only intermediates and advanced individuals consider acquiring it.
7.- MEDICAL HERBALISM: THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF HERBAL MEDICINE – DAVID HOFFMANN
Another scientific approach, but this time, the resource is as good as it sounds and since it includes more than 1000 pages of content, everything comes together into a magnificent masterpiece. It definitely spends a lot of time covering the plant chemistry side and that is a good thing as it will detail differences between common compounds and also help determine what their presence indicates.
It is severely guarded and geared toward conventional and scientific approaches to make all readers happy and eager to learn more even when they finish the book. It is recommended for those who consider themselves advanced herbalists.
8.- PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PHYTOTHERAPY: MODERN HERBAL MEDICINE – KERRY BONE AND SIMON MILLS
This resource is only for those who are really committed to herbalism as every information will be well-researched and written for advanced individuals of this unique world. Everything will be discussed in-depth and without leaving any piece of information behind, making it a trustworthy resource to keep around even after finishing it.
Divided into 3 sections, it will cover everything about herbalism, basic principles, and optimizing safety. The next section focuses more on applications and how the body develops certain diseases and dysfunctions that can be cured or treated with herbs. The last section offers material that goes into properties and research that surrounds at least 50 herbs
9.- SNAKEBITE! THE 5 ESSENTIAL PREPARATIONS YOU NEED TO HAVE – MARJORY WILDCRAFT
Sometimes, authors tend to forget that many herbalists require medicinal herbs to treat injuries or illnesses that are caused in areas that do not have access to a decent medical system. However, this book delivers in that sense as it carefully deals with unpleasant situations just like snakebites.
It discusses multiple methods and how a victim feels during a troublesome and shocking experience like the one that the author encountered. Luckily with the correct usage of herbs, it is possible to survive wild experiences like the ones explained in the book. It will be a guide on how to fight fears, and doubts to put all of your focus into learning more about herbalism in case you ever face a similar situation.
Thanks to the unique approach and tone of writing, this book is recommended for all kinds of public, even for those who do not desire to learn anything about medicinal herbs at all, making it a true gem for readers across the world.
10.- PETERSON FIELD GUIDE TO MEDICINAL PLANTS – STEVEN FOSTER AND JAMES DUKE
A good identification guide for those who desire to learn more about the “front-end” of herbalism which focuses on finding plants in the wild, something wonderful and entertaining to do. However, in order to perform such a task, it is important to have the correct amount of knowledge to avoid causing any self-harm.
Luckily this only provides detailed entries on numerous species, relying on full-color pictures combined with tips to make the reader understand what kinds of plants can be used and how they should be used. Overall, a good resource for practically everyone.
11.- THE HERBAL MEDICINE-MAKER’S HANDBOOK – JAMES GREEN
Practical and approachable, that is what this book tries to do and it surely succeeds in doing it. This resource offers a lot of information on multiple herbal preparation methods and everything about the existent variations that could be made from similar sources. Since everything is written in a friendly and easy-to-follow tone, it is surely a good read for practically everyone.
Finding anything about the desired plant is possible thanks to the existence of this handbook, and also you will learn more from here when you are someone who wants to discover more about self-made medicine.
12.- HEALING WISE (WISE WOMAN HERBAL) – SUSUN WEED
It is practically filled with tons of charisma and personality to the point that even when it is a herbalism book, it is something that everyone can follow. Everything about the philosophy of herbal medicine is discussed and also the author dives into 7 different herbs, and do not forget about the herbal pharmacy section that can be found at the end of the reading.
Overall, it is a good read for those who desire to have extra knowledge about certain herbs, and while only 7 are discussed, you will not be able to find more information about them anywhere else. It will prove to be a stylized, wonderful, and refreshing read.
13.- PLANTS FOR THE PEOPLE: A MODERN GUIDE TO PLANT MEDICINE – ERIN LOVELL VERINDER
To close the list, this book is what every beginner should read if he/she is interested in herbalism and the medicinal values of certain plants. It will be a source of self-care and wellness, making it a refreshing reading in many ways. More than 30 medicinal plants will be discussed, and readers will obtain great knowledge from the cited resources and explanations. A good place to start even when you do not feel too encouraged by medicinal herbs yet.