Copyright © 2019 by Althea Press, Emeryville, California No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Althea Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (866) 744-2665, or outside the U.S. at (510) 253-0500. Althea Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa. TRADEMARKS Althea Press and the Althea Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Althea Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Interior and Cover Designer: Emma Hall Photo Art Director / Art Manager: Karen Beard Editor: Vanessa Ta Production Editor: Erum Khan Photography © 2018 Marija Vidal. Food styling by Cregg Green. Illustration © Foxyliam/Shutterstock. Author photo © 2018 Maryanne Schwartz. ISBN Print 978-1-64152-239-7 | eBook 978-1-64152-240-3 To chamomile, elder, holy basil, and mimosa—my favorite teachers. To Molly and Maryanne for keeping me laughing. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART I How Do Herbs Heal? 1 WHAT ARE HEALING HERBS? Healing Herbs Benefits of Herbal Medicine How Are Medicinal Herbs Used? 2 HOW TO USE MEDICINAL HERBS What You’ll Need Herbal Teas Syrups Oils Salves Tinctures Pills Baths Poultices Compresses 3 SELECTING THE BEST HERBS FOR YOU Energetics of Individuals Energetics of Herbs Energetics of Illnesses PART II The 30 Essential Herbs Aloe Aloe Mouthwash Aloe Hair Mask Astragalus Tonic Soup Immunity Balls Calendula Calendula Sunshine Bath Soak All-Purpose Calendula Salve Capsicum Hot Sauce Cayenne Salve Catnip Catnip and Rose Geranium Bug Repelling Spray Relaxing Catnip Tea Blend