The Illustrated Herbal Handbook

This beautifully illustrated, complete guide to herbs unlocks the secrets of these wonder plants—from planting and harvesting to cooking and storing—including their health benefits. Now you can discover the joy and pleasure of growing your own herbs—for spicing up meals, creating crafts, treating ailments, and more. In this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated herbal guide you’ll find information on their history, cultivation, propagation, and harvesting, along with a wealth of great ideas for using herbs everyday in a variety of ways. This guide unravels the mysteries of these versatile plants, with savvy tips and simple formulas for maximizing their powers. Did you know? · Mint can repel ants, flies, mice, and moths · Garlic can seriously lower cholesterol · Chives, fennel, tarragon, thyme, oregano, and winter savory are perennials · Rosemary was used in the Middle Ages for its tranquilizing effects, and it is still a digestion aid Known for alleviating common ailments, herbs are an ancient natural wonder—herbs are hotter than ever. Extremely informative and fascinating, this book will help you find which herb can treat various complaints. Throughout the guide are instructions for bursting-with-flavor recipes, health-care products, decorative craft ideas, insect repellents, cosmetics, cleaning agents, and much more.

This “fun, sassy, and colorful” guide to herbal medicine “contains a wealth of information and offers a deeply profound and personal approach to herbalism” (Rosemary Gladstar). Take charge of your wellbeing by reconnecting with your local plants—and with the land, elements, and seasons—through the 5 tools of Sensory Herbalism. This book has been written for anyone who has heard the whispers of the wild and has been stirred to know more—for those with a political conscience and for lovers of the outdoors. Whether you are new to the ways of herbs or already a practicing herbalist, it explains how you can take your physical and mental health into your own hands using the plants that grow around you. Sensory Herbalism is a unique system of health devised by the Seed Sistas over 20 years of practice. It combines traditional herbal knowledge with an understanding of how the elements (water, fire, air, earth and spirit) and the ever-changing seasons interact with the human body. Their approach blends science, medicine, creativity, ritual, magic, and fun into 5 practical, easy-to-use tools that help readers develop their own relationship with their local medicinal plants: • Observation • Intuition • Interpretation • Characterization • Plant Dream Creation Illustrated with 140 artworks, photographs, and diagrams, The Sensory Herbal Handbook will guide you on a journey throughout the year, deepening your knowledge of each season’s featured plants and enhancing your wellbeing with herbal medicines, nutritious recipes, and healing rituals.

In this comprehensive guide, Hoffmann explains specific actions individual herbs have on the body and suggests herbal prescriptions for a variety of conditions. It includes a practical reference section listing the effects of various herbs, with prescriptions on how to use them for a wide range of illnesses.