The Family Herbal: A Guide to Natural Health Care for Yourself and Your Children from Europe's Leading Herbalists

While I was upset they decided to remove comfrey - and announced this fast at the beginning - due to controversy, and replaced it instead with an herb that they said was "more mainstream and with more studies behind it", The Family Herbal is a great herbal for anyone interested in alternative healing. The first large bonus it has going for it is Chapter 8, which deals primarily with the famous formula Swedenbitters, giving tribute to Maria Treben for bringing its attention to the world again. Not very many books mention this combination enough, so it's always a delight to find one that does. They discuss it in detail and their successes with it, as well as instructions for a Swedenbitters poultice (accompanied with pictures.) Great stuff. The Cleansing and fasting chapter is informative as well, detailing several herbs they prefer for cleansing (such as Stinging Nettle), giving various recipes and skin advise.The rest of the book focuses on chapters broken into various body systems.Each chapter details various herbs best suited to the ailments, as well as formulas they prefer, and why. While not huge in length, it's clear these two truly have experience and are not just 'experts', something that endears me to this book more than anything else. Reading an herbal created from two that firmly believe in nature and God's healing power, who believe in what they're saying, who aren't just quoting but are telling their experiences and sharing remedies they've used, shared, and sold for years is priceless. An underrated book to have, the glossy pages make it an even more enjoyable pleasure to read. (Along with the detailed, color pictures of various plants and procedures)

Barbara Theiss and her husband own an apothecary shop in Saarland, Germany. When they took over the shop from their parents, they slowly began selling herbal alternatives as remedies to their customers. Word spread, and they started their own business to manufacture some of their famous formulae. (Swedish Bitters, developed from a traditional formula is one of them.) We had a chance to visit the apothecary shop, still operating in the market place of the small town and they carry an amazing line of herbal teas and preparations. They will still make up to order various herbal combinations for you. This book has excellent advice for families; the remedy for a cold that is just beginning to set in really works for us. There are recipes for teas such as their headache tea that are very effective yet gentle. There's a chapter on doing a juice fast/cleanse. Naturally you should check your own physician if you decide to do some of the cures such as fasting. But we rely on this easy-to-read book for just about everything. It's a wonderful book.