Herbal Remedies (Eyewitness Companions) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "When confronted by ill health, human beings have always sought medicines from the natural world, in particular from plants..." (more)
Key Phrases: root key, leaf key, used with echinacea, North America, Native American, Constipation Flaxseed (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For anyone who wants to learn more about medicinal plants and how to use them at home, Herbal Remedies provides essential information on how to safely use herbal medicines and shows you how to create your own remedies to target common ailments.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; 1 edition (April 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756628660
• ISBN-13: 978-0756628666
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #238,644 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to know about herbal remedies? Try this!, August 24, 2008

By	Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Herbal Remedies (Eyewitness Companion) (Hardcover)

Eyewitness Companions has a long list of publications. And this is one that will probably interest many readers. The focus? The title says it all: "Herbal Remedies." I am somewhat skeptical about all the claims made for herbal medicine. On the other hand, I also know that there are some research findings suggestive of real value for some herbs.

Use of herbs to address ills of one sort or another goes way back in time. And such natural medicine is widespread in many parts of the world. The purpose of the book: ". . .'Herbal Remedies' aims to provide you with the essential information to answer [a series of basic questions], to choose safe and appropriate herbal remedies, and to put them to good use."

The book is divided into several chapters--Chapter 1 addresses what herbal medicine is; Chapter two focuses on how to use herbal remedies; the third chapter explores safety and quality; Chapter 4 may be the heart of the book, an A--Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) to Z--Zingiber officinalis (Ginger). The final chapter outlines which herbs go with what maladies (e.g., for a migraine, try Feverfew, Butterbur, or Lavender).

For me, the heart of the book is the enumeration of herbal palliatives. A few examples to illustrate. . . . The miracle of garlic! For medicinal use, the clove is the part used. The clove has several medicinal effects--antibiotic, blood-thinner, antifungal, counters cough and respiratory ailments, decreased blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, and nurtures useful intestinal flora. Dosage? One clove a day. Caution: if already taking blood thinners, take garlic only on the advice of an herbal or medical practitioner. The book also notes that there is a fair amount of research testifying to the utility of garlic treatments.

Lavender. Parts used include essential oil, flower, and leaves. It acts as an analgesic, an antidepressant, antiseptic, and sedative, among others. It appears to have some value against headaches. Key information: it is quite safe, it has long been traditionally used as a medicine, and there is some evidence that it might have positive medical benefits.

Sarsaparilla. The root is used. It may serve as an anti-inflammatory agent. Other possible impacts? Anti-rheumatic, detoxicant, diuretic, and tonic. It is fairly safe (4 of 5 stars), used pretty widely traditionally (4 of 5 stars), and open to question as far as efficacy (only 2 of 5 stars).

All in all, an enjoyable volume, and one that suggests how herbal remedies might address a variety of ailments that we all suffer from at one point or another. Especially nice is that the book provides some assessment as to how well research supports the claims for each herb.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Herbal Overview, March 13, 2009

By	Lilac Lily "Book Lover" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

Anyone who is interested in herbs should get this compact book. It's a great resource to have on hand when working with plants.

The book starts off with some general information on herbal medicine and its preparation. Then it gives exact details on about 140 plants, each accompanied by full colored pictures and details of their therapeutic properties. At the end of the book there is a long chapter on common health problems, and the suggested herbs to use for treatment.

Even though some of the herb listings are a little brief, it's a great starter book and gives you a good overview of the most common herbs.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book to have, October 20, 2009

By	Ronit "Mono dactilus" (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

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The book is good. It gives a genral knowledge.
I do prefer the encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine because there the instructions of "how to" is more elaborated.
However, this one is good to have for quick reference and it is organized well.