The Complete Illustrated Guide to Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies [Paperback]

David Hoffmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 25, 1999

This bestselling guide covers diagnosis and treatment, gathering herbs and preparing remedies, as well as explanations of the body's systems.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An illustrated edition of Hoffmann's earlier The New Holistic Herbal (Element, 1992), The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal offers a listing of over 200 herbs and detailed sections on their use in treating ailments associated with each major body system (circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, reproductive, glandular, and urinary) as well as the major organs such as skin, ears, nose, and throat. In addition, an introduction to holistic medicine, instructions for making preparations, and a glossary are included. Hoffmann's effort is devoted almost solely to herbs found in North America (although this is not stated anywhere), with little information on habitat, growth, and gathering and no cautions on usage. For this latter type of information, one needs to consult The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, which covers herbs from all over the world, giving their location and cultivation. The encyclopedia begins with a history of herbal medicine and the herbal traditions of different cultures. Following is a visual guide to 100 key herbs from around the world, with details of their habitat, actions, traditional and current uses, latest research, preparations, cautions about usage, and useful cross references to particular ailments. In addition, there are shorter descriptions of 450 other herbs, with their history, habitat, therapeutic properties, and medicinal uses. The final section covers growing, harvesting, and processing herbs; making remedies; dealing with common ailments; and a glossary. Both books are well indexed, profusely illustrated, and authored by established authorities in the field of herbal medicine. (Hoffman, incidentally, served as the American consultant for Chevallier's book.) The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants is a better choice as a reference manual, due to its comprehensiveness, habitat information, cautions, and cross references, while The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal is stronger on explaining the physiology and the role of herbs in general holistic health.?Valerie Vaughan, Hatfield P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

David Hoffmann is President, American Herbalists Guild and Director, California School of Herbal Studies, USA

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Element Books Ltd. (December 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852307587
• ISBN-13: 978-1852307585
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a useful introduction and reference to herbal medicine, March 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies (Paperback)

This work offers a satisfying introduction to herbalism for the general reader, and is enhanced by useful sections on medical terminology, when to gather herbs, useful addresses, and further reading. Medical practicioners will probably find that the book contains insufficient detail and inadequate references to other literature and experimental data.

The most useful part of this book - and the one offering the clearest exposition of the author's philosphy - is the 4th chapter entitled "Systems of the Body". This is the chapter that a reader with a specific complaint should turn to first. This includes sections on eleven bodily systems, including: the circulatory system; the lymphatic system; the respiratory system; ears, nose, throat and eyes; the reproductive system; and the digestive system.

Taking the digestive system to illustrate the author's approach, the whole section consists of 14 large pages. In the first two pages, the author explains with the help of illustrations the anatomy and function of the digestive system, and then gives general lifestyle advice on prevention of digestive disease. The next two pages are an introduction to the various kinds of herbs for the digestive system, among them bitters, hepatics, laxatives, emetics, demulcants, astringents and anti-spasmodics. The final 10-page subsection is titled "Patterns of Digestive Disease", in which Hoffmann offers his views on the nature of, and possible treatments for, problems as diverse as constipation, anorexia nervosa, mouth ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and gall-bladder inflammation. The herbs mentioned in this chapter can then be looked up in the preceding chapter, a traditional herbal which devotes half a page to each herb, mentioning the parts used; how and when to collect it; its chemical constituents; its actions; and preparation and dosage. I find half a page far too little, but combining this with the information in the rest of the book, the reader will usually find enough to suggest a possible remedy for common complaints - one that will usually require verification by a qualified practicioner.

The rest of the book includes chapters on "the holistic approach" and "practical herbalism". The latter explains how to gather herbs and make herbal preparations; the chemistry of herbs; the action of herbs; suggestions for a basic herbal medicine chest for the home; and a therapeutic index, which gives an alphabetical list of conditions with most of the potentially useful herbs.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best, September 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies (Paperback)

I own a later 2002 version of the 1996 book. Except for cover design the content has remained very much the same. That is one of the best available books on herbs and herbology. It shows the herb with a color photograph for those unfamiliar with what each herb looks like. It gives a detailed description of the herb amd exact formulas of how to use it singularly or in combination.There are other features like how to cultivate and dry the herbs and how it relates to a body system. One of the Best herb books available

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of information., February 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies (Paperback)

Although the herbs listed do not comprise a complete list of herbs available throughout the United States, it has so much information on the ones it DOES list that it makes it well worth the money. Including how to prepare ointments, infusions, etc.