100 Plants That Heal

Book excerpt: Discover how to use common medicinal plants and natural beauty products for healing and self-care with this sumptuously illustrated guide. Dig up the fascinating history of these plants, their active components and therapeutic properties, and learn how to prepare safe herbal remedies including infusions, tinctures, oils and lotions. This journey into plant-based wellbeing is guided by a respected ethnobotanist and doctor of phytotherapy, meaning you can grow your knowledge of this natural science with complete confidence. Ordered alphabetically, the guide covers a huge range of common plants, including almond, blackcurrant, borage, caraway, chard, chicory, dandelion, fig, hazel, ivy, juniper, nettle, poppy, cornflower, cowslip, oak, walnut, eucalyptus, fennel, flax, nasturtium, heather, horse-chestnut, jasmine, lavender, leek, mint, oregano, pomegranate, raspberry, rosemary, St. John’s-wort, watercress, thyme and yarrow. You’ll find suggested treatments for nausea, coughs, colds and flu, acne, burns, bites and sprains, as well as ideas for pain relief, skincare and aids for digestion, stress, sleep and more. At the end of the book, you’ll find a small practical guide for budding herbalists, featuring useful tips for picking and preserving plants while being an environmentally responsible picker, ensuring you always show respect to nature and its “magical” healing powers. The healing properties referenced for each plant are fully explained and there’s a glossary of botanical terms to ensure that everything is clear for complete beginners. This magnificent book will satisfy all your curiosities about healing plants and become your essential companion to herbal medicines and natural beauty products.