The Healing Herbs provides the information you need to use the earth's wonderful bounty of medicinal plants confidently, effectively, and above all, safely. It examines 100 of the most widely used, most easily available, most familiar, and most fascinating medicinal plants, tracing their history, folklore, and healing properties, and summarizing the latest scientific research on their many benefits. The Healing Herbs also explains where to find the herbs, how to take them, store and prepare them, even how to grow them. The Healing Herbs also includes an easy-to-use A-to-Z herb encyclopedia, plus a section titled Prevention and Treatment: A Fast-action Guide to Using the Healing Herbs, including: Conditions--from ear infection to stress, A-to-Z conditions and the herbs you can use to treat and prevent specific symptoms and diseases; Healing Actions--from antibiotic to sedative, an A-to-Z list of medicinal uses with herbs as a natural alternative to certain medicines; Other Uses--some unusual uses for the healing herbs, for example as insect repellent or memory improvement. Both Conditions and Healing Actions include special precautions about certain herbs, whether in preparation, long-term use, or short-term effects.
Reviews
From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly
Except for vague references to folk practices, many books on herbs gloss over their medicinal uses. Not so here. After chapters discussing the history of herbal therapy, the controversies waged over the safety of herbal remedies, and strategies for herb storage and preparation, Castleman offers encyclopedic entries on 100 of the most common healing herbs. Unlike some herbalists, he makes no extravagant claims about the plants; subheadings entitled ``Dead-End File'' and ``The Safety Factor'' detail, respectively, what specific herbs won't cure and the herbs' side effects. The author wisely stresses that self-treatment with herbs should never take the place of professional medical care. His informative entries are highly readable and packed with anecdotal lore. A final chapter contains an invaluable table of common ailments, with herbal preventives and treatments included. A list of references and a bibliography finish this very useful volume. Photos not seen by PW. (Apr.)
