From tinctures to ease tummy aches to elixirs to enhance energy, making your own remedies from easy-to-find herbs can be a satisfying and pleasurable way to connect with nature and your family's health. While entering the “herb world” can be intimidating—many of today's herb books are filled with cultivation tables, harvest techniques, dye charts, and aromatherapy guidelines—The Essential Herbal for Natural Health provides a welcome entry point for those wishing to experience the beauty and simplicity of natural herbal remedies safely. By focusing on just thirteen foundation herbs, you can easily jump into the world of herbs while still creating a wide range of remedies and recipes. With something for everyone in the family—men, women, and children—these simple recipes can be made to cure coughs, calm anxiety, moisturize skin, and more.
Herbalist and author Holly Bellebuono, MPA, CH, CPC, directs the multiple-award-winning Vineyard Herbs Teas & Apothecary LLC on Martha's Vineyard--providing both retail and wholesale apothecary remedies and boutique products nationally. These products are made from organic or wildcrafted plants grown or harvested by Holly and her apprentices. Her products are top-of-the-line and made with premium natural ingredients, without petroleum, in small batches for quality.
Holly is the author of numerous articles, especially in such community and regional magazines as Taproot, and she is the author of The Essential Herbal for Natural Health: How to Transform Easy-to-Find Herbs into Healing Remedies for the Whole Family (Shambhala), as well as The Authentic Herbal Healer: The Complete Guide to Herbal Formulary & Plant-Inspired Medicine for Every Body System.
She also directs the distance education course The Heritage & Healing Herbal Studies Program (TM), which is open for enrollment at www.vineyardherbs.com. This unique gateway curriculum to herbal medicine combines books and written material with a complete 6-set audio CD package and one-one-one study times with Holly, enabling the nurse, midwife, herbalist, or family or individual provider to learn herbal medicine and formulary at their own pace and with trusted guidance. Enjoy learning about plants, healing and personal health in a supportive atmosphere that embraces both the heritage of herbal medicine and up-to-date clinical research.
Students have the opportunity to enroll throughout the year and to participate in holistic retreats and workshops at a discount. Fun and educational apprenticeships are also available: Holly offers 2-week apprenticeships and a 12-week seasonal internship in the summer season on the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard. Combining the Internship with the Herbal Study Program results in a Community Herbalist Certification.
With a background in gardening, botany, and natural health, Holly enjoys traveling the country teaching women's empowerment, natural health, and herbal medicine. An inspiring event speaker, Holly presents her slide-documentary Our Healing Heritage: Celebrating World Medicine Tradition and Women Healers for audiences at arboreta, universities, and women's conferences. Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Holly lives with her family on the lovely New England island of Martha's Vineyard where you are welcome to visit her apothecary (call for times) and participate in retreats, workshops and apprenticeships!
