What’s cooler than knowing how to make your own herbal medicine and herbal products? Now you can learn more about herbal medicine and how to use it more in your life. I wanted to share with you a great book to get you started on your herbal education, and even continue learning, too. Today I’m reviewing the book “The New Age Herbalist” by editor Richard Mabey. This herbalist book review is one of many to come!
This herb book was borrowed from my library, but I already know that I’d like to own a copy. It has a great glossary of herbs, with many clear, full color photographs of helpful plants (seen in part below). The glossary lists the Genus and species (very helpful when ordering, so you don’t confuse safe plants with something dangerous). It talks about the plant parts used and constituents. The latter are the chemical and active medicinal properties of the plants, like allantoin in plantain leaf (used heavily in cosmetics), vitamins, minerals, tannins in several herbs (including black tea), and others.
Full color herbal photographs in The New Age Herbalist book by Mabey
Then The New Age Herbalist has sections for herbs used in fabric dyes (listed by color), aromatherapy (smells), pot-peri SPELL natural plant insect and bug repellents (that you can place next to garden plants), how to plant herbs in your own garden, what types of soils each herb likes, and – my favorite – recipes.
The author has thoughtfully included recipes for homemade, do-it-yourself herbal butters, herbal vinegars, herbal oils, cheesecakes made with herbs like Calendula or rose geranium, herbal beers and wines, and a few herbal tea recipes. [*Note that the calendula used in herbal medicine is not the common garden marigold. You want Calendula officinalis (genus species).]
Lastly, Mabey has listed physical body systems and disorders, and then listed what herbal formulations (a fancy word for herbal “mixtures”) may be helpful for each illness or condition. This section is pretty extensive. It even includes herbs that I haven’t heard of in ten months of advanced herbal medicine education.
The New Age Herbalist book is by editor Richard Mabey (Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing). It’s a great book! I highly recommend it.