The Essential Guide to Women’s Herbal Medicine

Alternative health options, modalities, and herbal solutions are besieging the web and bookstores. The good news is that we are enlightened and exposed to all this informative material, the bad news is there’s so much advice that we don’t which one to apply. Just like clothes, one size or one solution may not be the perfect fit. Gleaning information from the internet might not be from a reliable source. Finding a good resource book written by someone knowledgeable is the first step to understanding a holistic approach to healing.

The essential guide to Women’s Herbal Medicine hit the market a few months ago and it’s filled with beneficial and enriching content that will appeal to any health-conscious individual. This book is a valuable support system specific to women’s issues. It’s an herbal compendium featuring 35 health conditions and the extensive profiles of 66 herbs.

The book is broken up into three sections along with an introduction section which includes a ‘Quick Guide to Herbal Treatments for Women’s Health Conditions‘ and a ‘Quick Guide to Women’s Medicinal Herbs.’ You can scan your condition to see which herb is best to use, or scan an herb and see where its strengths can be applied.

Part 1: Introduction to Herbal Medicine takes you on a journey through the history of how herbs were used in everyday life and employed in healing formulas past and present. They also walk you through the different Botanical Preparations from tinctures to infusions to salves. They also go into plant classifications and dosage.

Part 2: Women’s Health Conditions deals extensively with 35 different conditions and shares herbal treatments along with a case history. Let’s say you are dealing with Varicose Veins. They describe what varicose veins are and how they develop. A list of signs and symptoms are shown, along with several herbal care recommendations. For this condition, Horse Chestnut is your first line of care. Other herbs mentioned are Calendula, Ginkgo, and Witch Hazel. These herbs can be combined to make a topical treatment. Conventional medical treatments have their place too, and this option is addressed as well. Although this book does not cover every issue women have to deal with, it’s scope canopies the most common ones.

Part 3: Women’s Medicinal Herbs spotlights 66 herbs and their attributes, uses and which condition they work well on. Each herb has a ‘safety’ feature that should be read before using it. An example is Ashwagandha, caution is advised in pregnancy and those who have hyperthyroidism. They also provide a reference for ‘further reading’, should you wish to expand your knowledge of a particular herb.

Throughout the book, you’ll see ‘Did You Know‘ boxes punctuating the sidebars. These are filled with interesting facts and tips that are insightful. I enjoyed flipping through the book just reading these tidbits. Did you know that the Cherokee, Osage, Iroquois, and Chippewa used witch hazel to treat sores, scratches and skin ulcers?

This book is a great quick resource that contains up to date research on herbs. It’s written by a naturopathic doctor who is a professor of botanical medicine, so you can be confident that the information shared is factual and written for our wellbeing. It’s a great companion to all complementary medicine modalities. I really like this book and think every home should have a copy.

Disclaimer: I received product to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.