Customer Reviews

A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs

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Don't let the small size of this book (328 pages in a paperback format) fool you; this book is absolutely packed with information on the healing herbs used in TCM --traditional Chinese medicine.

Author Reid has written a number of books on TCM. This herbal reference is well-written because it includes: the common Western name of the herb, the Latin name, the romanized Chinese name and the name in Chinese characters.

Packages of Chinese herbs may be labeled with any of the above, so this is really helpful. There is also a wonderful section on the principles of Chinese medicine and how the traditional herbal preparations are made. Some of the common combinations of Chinese herbs are included along with how to prepare them. There is a resource reference in the back. Highly recommended to anyone wanting to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine.

With so many phony TCM practitioners going around cheating uninitiated Westerners with their exotic claims and theories, it's good to have books like this which only provides the facts.

This small book manages not only to list but even provide some details on each commonly used Chinese herb. The herb's energy, taste and organs affected are all mentioned. It's definitely a good buy for anyone interested in learning more about one aspect of TCM as it is.

This book is an excellent companion to Reid's "The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity" There are 108 herbs commonly used in Taoist medicine. Only a few of the herbs are easily obtainable such as aloe, garlic, ginger, and cinnamon. The majority of herbs however you will have to go to either a "Chinatown" or buy those herbs online. Each herb is broken down by it's affinity to yin or yang, and how each one corresponds to the meridians (body channels). There are a lot of great traditional compounds that have been used for centuries. There are treatments for all sorts of common ailments to virulent diseases that are considered difficult to treat or cure. And for the person in good health; there are formulas and recommendations to preserve that level and raise it higher into excellent health.

Clear guidelines for herbal use, need some background in Chinese medicine to understand some of the terms. Herbs and their uses, herbal combinations to use for specific conditions, where to find the herbs.

This book has alot of oriental herbs that are very helpful and I have discovered, via this book, the wonders of TCM(traditional Chinese medicine). As someone who grew up with a mother who was a slave to a team of western doctors for a myriad of minor to major ailments, I believe strongly in TCM now.

This book has everything from uses, history, potential uses, incompatibilities, and herbal concoctions and recipes using many of these herbs and others not mentioned in this book. Only complaint I had is I had to look up some of the herbs mentioned in the recipes outside of the book but that's what Google is for.

Herbs are tremendously useful and what medicine should be about, not Big-Pharma or money. Health, wellness, and prevention of epidemics of issues including obesity, heart problems, and toxicity of organs that lead to slow and painful suffering and death is paramount. If you are interested in actually BEING healthy and not popping pills just because your doctor said so and taking your own health into your own hands matters to you, read this book and another one I recommend to supplement it(this one doesn't have common western herbs like chamomile or honeysuckle)

The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James A. Duke, Ph.D

I love this book and that one and will be getting more TCM books in the future. Book arrived on time and in perfect condition. Great investment.:D