Written by the executive director of the American Herbalists Guild, National Geographic Herbal features backyard weeds like dandelion and red clover, culinary herbs like rosemary and garlic, classics like blueberries and chamomile, as well as less familiar medicinals like ashwangandha, Japanese knotweed, and shatavari. You'll discover the healing properties of herbs and spices like turmeric and ginger, and which learn which popular herbs deserve special conservation attention, such as rooibos and ginseng.
Blending traditional lore and current science, the information found in these pages stretches from tips for the kitchen garden and home apothecary to news about activism in the global arena. Illustrated with vintage botanical drawings and vivid contemporary photography, it highlights hallowed traditions, from ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic principles to the Latin American curanderismo lineage and Gullah Geechee practices in the American South.
Comprehensive and user-friendly, this beautiful book will help readers make sense of the ever-growing selection of herbal remedies on the market-and enhance their health through a deeper knowledge of the wonder of plants.
Targeted to the millions of consumers treating common ailments with herbal remedies, this authoritative guide to 100 essential herbs is chock-full of crucial information for the health-minded consumer, wellness advocate, gardener, and naturalist.
Written by the executive director of the American Herbalists Guild, National Geographic Herbal features backyard weeds like dandelion and red clover, culinary herbs like rosemary and garlic, classics like blueberries and chamomile, as well as less familiar medicinals like ashwangandha, Japanese knotweed, and shatavari. You'll discover the healing properties of herbs and spices like turmeric and ginger, and which learn which popular herbs deserve special conservation attention, such as rooibos and ginseng.
Blending traditional lore and current science, the information found in these pages stretches from tips for the kitchen garden and home apothecary to news about activism in the global arena. Illustrated with vintage botanical drawings and vivid contemporary photography, it highlights hallowed traditions, from ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic principles to the Latin American curanderismo lineage and Gullah Geechee practices in the American South.
Comprehensive and user-friendly, this beautiful book will help readers make sense of the ever-growing selection of herbal remedies on the market-and enhance their health through a deeper knowledge of the wonder of plants.
About the Author
Mimi Prunella Hernandez, MS, RH (AHG), is an internationally recognized clinical herbalist and ethnobotanist with a Master of Science in Herbal Medicine. She is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild, and has served as the Guild's executive director for more than ten years. An award-winning student of the revered ethnobotanist James Duke, she has been practicing and teaching herbalism for more than two decades. Hernandez lives in the foothills near Asheville, North Carolina, where she stewards and advocates for native medicinal plants on the PonderLand Sanctuary.
Industry Reviews
"Beautifully designed and illustrated, thoroughly researched and presented with wisdom, passion, knowledge and love by the incomparable Mimi Hernandez, the National Geographic Herbal is a treasure that will delight and inspire plant lovers of all ages and in every nation." -Wade Davis, PhD, ethnobotanist, professor of anthropology, and author of One River and The Serpent and the Rainbow
"What an astounding and unusual idea the publishers had for this book: to create an Herbal that will reach the general public, filled with detailed, accurate information based on both science and tradition, and written by an experienced clinical herbalist. The book is visually stunning, with step-by-step instructions for home remedies and recipes as well as the history and lore of these wondrous plants. This is one 'coffee table book' that deserves to be read cover to cover and referred to over and over." -David Winston, RH(AHG), author of Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief
"Like sharing a cup of aromatic herbal tea with a friend, this beautifully written book by Mimi Prunella Hernandez weaves together the rich cultural traditions that inspired her path as an herbalist with sound scientific data to create an essential reference for herb enthusiasts and herbal practitioners." -Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH(AHG), author of Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians
"Mimi Hernandez's book is an extraordinary work of art, scholarship, humanity and wisdom of herbal traditions, past and present. Her stunning skill in writing allows the depth and dedication she has for plant medicines to infuse her keen sense and admiration for the sciences. Just when you think you can not come across another herbal of great value, Mimi's book rises to the top of the list. Beautifully illustrated and written with practicality for the home herbalist and clinician alike, this book is truly destined to survive the tests of time." -Kat Maier, RH(AHG), author of Energetic Herbalism and founding director, Sacred Plant Traditions
"Mimi Prunella Hernandez's book, National Geographic Herbal, brings the reader into the sensual world of herbs with lovely herbal illustrations and story. This book captures a wealth of herbal knowledge arranged in a user-friendly fashion with hints of a traditional herbal. The magic of this book is felt throughout the pages, recipes, and Mimi's personal journey on the herbal path." -Dr. Mary Bove, naturopath and medical herbalist
"Weaving together folk and scientific insights into the healing powers of specific plants along with essays highlighting key issues and approaches to herbalism in the 21st century, the beautifully designed National Geographic Herbal offers something for new and experienced herbalists and plant lovers alive." -Ann Armbrecht, PhD, author of The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry
