Herbal Remedies for the Family

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love plants, which is why I think herbal remedies for the family is so important. I studied plants and soils during my undergraduate work, but then continued my Masters and later my health coaching certification to study the human side of plants… eating them. I’m always telling people to eat more vegetables, that gardening is fun and rewarding, and that house plants aren’t really all that difficult to keep alive. I’m proud to be a 4th generation avid gardener, so I suppose you could say that plants are in my blood.

After my daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, I got a little more serious about using herbal remedies for the family. Our country is plagued by preventable disease and one of the key factors in preventing disease is eating a healthy diet. I knew that her disease could either be worsened or controlled through diet, so I chose the latter.

I then started to wonder how medicinal herbs might fit into my desire to heal with plants. I began researching and have a found a number of useful resources that I’d like to pass along for those who are interested in using more herbal remedies for the family. I have found a number of websites that are somewhat beneficial, but my primary reference tools have been books. Here’s a list of the books (listed in order of simple to advanced practice) that I have found to be most beneficial.

Herbal Remedies for the Family

Natural Remedies for Kids was the first book I purchased. What I like about this books is that it’s very basic and the author is very cautious. What I’ve learned about her recipes is that she’s limiting her use of herbs to those that are considered extremely safe to use for children provided you follow the dosing recommendations. I also like that she has noted certain herbs that should be used with caution for kids with cystic fibrosis or asthma. Some herbs are considered mucilaginous (i.e. marshmallow or slippery elm) and their benefits comes from the soothing nature of the mucus. For the general population, this is desirable, but those with asthma or CF it may further exacerbate breathing problems. If you’re looking for a very basic, entry level book, this is for you. Personally, I found myself slightly disappointed that it wasn’t more in depth, but it’s a great starter book if you’re wanting to play it safe.

Herbal Healing for Children is a fantastic book written by one of the most well-known herbalists around, Demetria Clark. If you have young children and want something a bit more in depth than Natural Remedies for Kids, this is the book I would recommend. She starts out with basic herbal info and then has a quick reference guide for commonly used herbs – a feature that I really like since I’m using these books as quick references as needed. She has listed contraindications and cautions for each herb including age recommendations when appropriate. There are also a number of recipes in addition to tons of information about buying, gathering, using, preparing and even growing your own herbs. Of the books I ordered, this is probably the one that I’ve used the most often for my kids.

Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health is probably one of the most well-known books out there and written by the face of herbalism herself, Rosemary Gladstar. I absolutely love her writing style – it’s less about the science and more about the intuitive nature of healing plants. Not only is the book packed full of herbal information, but Rosemary also shares some great stories. This book is a comprehensive book for kids, women, men and elders. She also touches on stress relief, anxiety, everyday herbalism and recipes for “radiant beauty” – one look at Rosemary is a testament that her techniques are working. She covers a variety of topics, so if you want something broad, this is the book for you. If you want sometime more specific, you might want to keep looking.

The Green Pharmacy and The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook work in tandem, and I highly recommend buying them both. The Green Pharmacy is a quick reference guide for ailments… have high blood pressure or gas? Look up “hypertension” or “flatulence” and you’ll learn which herbs are best for your condition. You’ll also learn quite a bit of scientific background information about the herbs, which is particularly interesting because it helps me (the beginner) understand how it is that these herbs are actually working. The only problem with this book is that a dose is not always recommended. There are recipes throughout, but not for every condition. So, that’s where The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook comes in – rather than looking up the ailment (like you do in The Green Pharmacy), you instead look up the herb and you’ll find tons of information including therapeutic uses, medicinal properties, prescription counterparts, dosage options, safety rating and precautions. As a beginner herbalist, I have found these books to be some of the most practical, easy to use, and beneficial since I can quickly and efficiently get all kids of information in one spot. I have also found them particularly useful for making recommendations to others since there’s such a wide variety of ailment and herbs discussed.

Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals are the last books that I recommend and these are by far the most advanced. I honestly have to say that I would never try a single recipe in either of these books unless under the guidance of an experienced herbalist. But, I’m blown away with the information within and know that if either of my children ever contract an antibiotic resistant bacteria, that I at least have a guide to help. The overuse of antibiotics is a serious threat for the future of healthcare and it’s reassuring to know that treatment options exist outside of normal healthcare. I find this especially beneficial since my daughter is likely to face a lifetime of antibiotic treatments and that the future of such treatments is currently unknown. But again, I wouldn’t try the recommendations within before consulting with a professional.