Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health Rosemary Gladstar’s HERBAL RECIPES FOR Vibrant Health 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family Storey Publishing The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment. Edited by Nancy W. Ringer Photography credits given on page 399 Cover design by Jessica Armstrong Illustrations by Charles Joslin Text design by Wendy Palitz Indexed by Susan Olason, Indexes & Book layout by Susan Bernier and Knowledge Maps Erin Lincourt This publication is intended to provide educational information for the reader on the covered subject. It is not intended to take the place of personalized medical counseling, diagnosis, and treatment from a trained health professional. © 2001, 2008 by Rosemary Gladstar A hardcover edition of this book was previously published under the title Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal. Sections of this book previously appeared in the author’s self-published works The Science and Art of Herbology (1985), Herbal Medicinal Preparations (1989), Herbs for Children (1989), Herbs for the Nervous System (1989), and Natural Cosmetics and Skin Care (1989). All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission from the publisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247. Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396. Printed in China by R.R. Donnelley 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gladstar, Rosemary. [Herbal recipes for vibrant health] Rosemary Gladstar’s herbal recipes for vibrant health / Rosemary Gladstar. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-60342-078-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Herbs—Therapeutic use. 2. Materia medica, Vegetable. I. Title. II. Title: Herbal recipes for vibrant health. RM666.H33G532 2008 615’.321—dc22 2008023432 Contents Dedication & Acknowledgments Foreword 1 Eco-Logical Herbalism 2 A Prescription for Life 3 Taming Stress and Anxiety 4 Home Remedies for Everyday Ailments 5 Recipes for Radiant Beauty 6 For Children 7 For Women 8 For Men 9 For Elders Appendix I: The Herbal Apothecary: An A-to-Z Guide Appendix II: The Art of Making Herbal Remedies Resources Index Dedication There is a circle, green hands enfolded, lives entwined, of fellow herbalists. I’ve held each of their hands and laughed and prayed with them, these old friends who influenced my earliest teachings. Their thoughts are embedded in my heart and flow into the words of this book. At a time when herbalism wasn’t popular or faddish, we “followed our bliss,” our green passion. Now practically elders, ever more impassioned by the green world, we face a new millennium, wondering not what the world has in store for herbalism but what the herbs have in store for us. With all my heart, this book is dedicated to my family of fellow herbalists. You have guided, nourished, and fed me on this journey into the green. You are the sparks that light my way. May the circle ever grow and the weeds be plentiful. And in sweet memory of Gail Ulrich; she walked the beauty way. Acknowledgments A book is never born alone but is the collective vision and hard work of many. First, I must thank my partner and dearest friend, Robert Chartier, for his unending support, kindness, and passion for the earth. He makes my life more joyful. Great credit must be given to my editor, Nancy Ringer, whose patience and gentlest prodding are the only reasons this book ever made it past the first rough draft. She was a wonder in every way. I also wish to thank Deborah Balmuth of Storey Books for her integrity and vision, as well as the entire Storey staff — what delightful people! I felt nourished and supported in every way. Thanks also flow readily to Rocio Alarcon, Svevo Brooks, Stephen Buhner, Cascade Anderson Geller, Christopher Hobbs, Tieraona Low Dog, Paul Strauss, and David Winston; their teachings continue to inspire me and are woven into the leafy fabric of my own lessons. My gratitude is great. Foreword by James A. Duke, Ph.D. Rosemary, the herb of remembrance, and the memorable Rosemary Gladstar have much in common. Both are stimulating, ethereal, and volatile, beautifully enhancing any setting they chance to alight in. Inspirational, effervescent, innervating . . . enlightening to both the mood and the intellect . . . challenging, whether with aromatic vapors or ephemeral ideas . . . these characteristics are the essence of R(r)osemary. Photosynthesis, the manufacture of useful things from simple ingredients in the presence of sunshine, blesses our planet with oxygen, green foods, and green medicines; it embraces and purifies the soil, rescues the atmosphere from pollutants, and provides communion and peace. Through photosynthesis, plants draw on the sun’s power to prepare the chemicals necessary for life on earth. Anyone who sees Rosemary Gladstar in her green gardens, caressed by spring, summer, and autumn light, wonders whether she, too, might draw her unending energy from the sun. It’s no wonder that she is the driving force behind the herbalist movement. She may not have chlorophyll, but she certainly has green charisma, green passion, green wisdom, and green spirit. It is not only Rosemary’s enthusiastic and authoritative lectures, teachings, and writings that I praise, but her unflagging dedication to green causes, such as United Plant Savers, which vigorously promotes the salvation of endangered medicinal plants in North America. Having brought so much to the herbalist movement, Rosemary now brings us this great and useful book, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. A delightful guide to a green lifestyle, it will certainly help you and your loved ones live healthier, happier, more joyful lives. As Rosemary writes, “Everyday radiant well-being, in mind, body, and soul, is a function of everyday self-care. It’s a prescription for life. It’s a part of what you do, what you take into your body, and what you feed your mind. Radiant well-being is . . . finding your joy in life. Exploring your passions. . . . Whatever you choose to do, do it well, and do it joyously.” The information, advice, recipes, and stories that Rosemary — the gladdest of herbalism’s superstars — provides in this treasury will help and inspire you and your family to achieve radiant well-being and enjoy a well-lived life. To your health! Think green!