Customer Reviews

Holistic Herbal 4th Edition: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies

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David Hoffman's "The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal" is one of those rare books I keep nearby, as I'm constantly referring to it. Developed for the layman, Holistic Herbal provides sufficient overview of various herbal remedies to allow one to get their feet wet and feel competent while doing so. Part 1 of the book is a mere 16-page overview of the holistic concept - short, but if you weren't already sold on it, you wouldn't be reading the book, would you? Part 2 covers the practical aspects of herbalism, including the collection and preparation of the various herbs. This is one the areas where the work shines through, as Hoffman's descriptions and photographic accompaniments clearly and succinctly illustrate the process of making not only infusions, tinctures and decoctions, but also capsules, lozenges and suppositories. The latter part of this section also familiarizes the reader with the technical terms associated with herbalism, from abortifacients to vulneraries, in clear layman's terms. Part 3 begins the herbal itself, and its clearly expounded sections will have you referring back to it often. Each page has one to two herbs, with a photograph of the herb in question, a description of the parts used and their preparation, dosages and possible combinations with other herbs for varied therapeutic effects. Seemingly in recognition that this information could overwhelm the layman, Hoffman outlines on page 49 a home herbal medicine chest, with around 30 basic herbs as well as the (minor) equipment one will need in order to make use of them. The therapeutic index which lists the various ailments and their herbal remedies also emphasizes several herbal remedies within each category that are particularly efficacious for the ailment in question.

This is a comprehensive, authoritative, illustrated guide to herbs. Beautifully illustrated, each oversized page has two herbs per page that includes, the plant family name, common name,a paragraph desribing it's benefits, part used, collection,constituents, actions and preparation and dosage. In this informative book you will find the internal and external uses of herbs. There are over 300 illustrated pictures and an A-Z listing of over 200 herbs. There is a section that explains the systems of the body and some common ailments. Included here you will find which herbs work best to heal the ailment. Many of these herbs have been used by cultures for centuries for prevention of disease by drinking certain tonics or teas to help the various systems of the body. If you are interested in alternative medicine for well-being than this book is for you. There are many things you can take besides a little pill to cure your ills, try some natural medicine. This book is recommended for the beginner as well the seasoned herb practitioner.

When working toward my degree as a Natural Health Consultant, David Hoffman was one of the authors of my myriads of textbooks. While this particular book is a newer edition than the one I have in my personal library from my college DAZE :) , I purchased it for a friend who also loves holistic/natural remedies and keeps borrowing my book. Decided to get her one for her own library for her birthday. I know she is going to love it. Filled with bright, colorful pictures of plants, herbs, how-to's, easy to follow instructions, recipes, explanations, etc. Maybe NOT the book for the beginner, but soon to follow the die-hard holistic interest.

This book would be appropriate for either the beginner or a more experienced herbalist.
Very well written and easy to understand instructions on safely making herbal remedies.
A very welcome addition to my herbal library.

I find this book very helpful in the research of herbal studies. I am a student and appreciate the work that has gone into a book of this type making it much easier to find the pertinent information on the herb that I am researching. I can see that I will continue to get a lot of good use from this book.

I've been intrested in herbs for years, but was limited in my knowledge. This is a great book to start with. Definitely recommend it to those who are looking for a book to get a basics of herbs and how to use them.

I tried very hard to make sure I was purchasing a version of this book with full color photos...sadly this one is black and white...arghh!