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Introductory Herbals

The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann, M.N.I.M.H. Hoffmann is trained in the British system of medical herbalism. This is probably the best introductory herbal available in the English language.

Herbs of Life : Health & Healing Using Western & Chinese Techniques by Lesley Tierra. A good introduction to hands-on herbalism, including plenty of things to do in the kitchen. Includes a simple overview of Chinese and ayurvedic herbalism and dietary systems. 

General herbals

The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants by Andrew Chevallier. An excellent quick reference to more than 550 herbs, written by a prominent British clinical herbalist. Most medical herbalists have have one of two general herbal references for a quick look at an herb. This one stands out because of the number of herbs and the depth of information (even though only cursory) on each. As a quick reference it is superior to such standbys as The Herb Book by John Lust or Potter's Encyclopedia by Wren. 

The Healing Power of Garlic by Paul Bergner. Bergner uses garlic as an excuse to give an overview of each of the major healing systems in the world, and the principles by which herbs are applied in each of them. The middle third of the book reviews the science on garlic. The last third of the book is a practical introduction to herbal pharmacy, telling how to make more than twenty garlic preparations. 

Materia Medica

Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West by Michael Moore. Los Remedios : Traditional Herbal Remedies of the Southwest by Michael Moore. Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West : A Guide to Identifying, Preparing, and Using Traditional Medicinal Plants Found in the Deserts etc by Michael Moore. Moore is director of the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, a master of the Southwest plants and their pharmacy. His collection of books was voted among the top ten all-time herb texts by a group of professional herbalists. They are certainly among the most important in the history of North American herbalism. Indispensable references on the botany, harvesting, and pharmacy of the Western U.S. plants. (all books)

The Book of Herbal Wisdom : Using Plants As Medicine by Matthew Wood Seven Herbs : Plants As Teachers by Matthew Wood. Wood is the contemporary master of in-depth clinical materia medica study. For the herb, he covers traditional herbal uses in Western, Eastern, homeopathic, shamanic, and magical systems. Both books belong on the shelf of any herbalist undertaking continuing study of materia medica, or wanting insights into the psycho-spiritual pictures of some of our most familiar herbs. 

Folk medicine

Trying to Give Ease : Tommie Bass and the Story of Herbal Medicine Vol 1. Herbal Medicine Past and Present : A Reference Guide to Medicinal Plants Vol 2 This two volume set is a scholarly study of Appalachian folk herbalism as seen in the practice of Tommie Bass, a prominent North Georgia herbalist. Complied in the 1980s, it shows influences from outside Appalachia. It remains a unique collection of hands-on observations by a practicing folk herbalist, with great value to the clinician. Bass helps to differentiate the relative clinical value of herbs in some catagories. The second volume is more useful as a referenc eto specific herbs.(for the medical folklorist) (for the general herbalist)

German Phytotherapy

Herbal Medicine by Rudolf F. Weiss. This is the translation of the standard German medical school text on the subject. A must-have for the Western clinician. 

Native American Herbalism

American Indian Medicine (Civilization of the American Series, Vol 95) Virgil J. Vogel / Paperback / Published 1990. Dozens of "wannabe" books about about "Indian" medicine flood the markeplace. This one is authentic, and indispensable for any serious study of the subject. 

Traditional European herbalism

Culpeper's Color Herbal or Culpeper's Complete Herbal : Consisting of a Comprehensive Description of Nearly All Herbs With Their Medicinal Properties and Directions etc. Both titles are inexpensive reprints of the botanical classic from Britain. The language is antique, but Culpepper was a hands-on clinician and herbal pharmacist, and wrote from experience. Of limited value to the contemporary clinician, but very useful for in-depth study of materia medica. 

Culpeper's Medicine : A Practice of Western Holistic Medicine Medicine by Graeme Tobyn. Tobyn explains the principles of the Greek-Arabic Four Humors system, effectively decoding Culpepper for the modern reader. He also explains Culpepper's system of medical astrology. (for specialized students in this area)

Herbs and immunity

The Healing Power of Echinacea and Goldenseal, and Other Immune System Herbs by Paul Bergner. Bergner explains the two herbs in the title in great depth, and also explains how to use 22 other antibiotic or immune stimulating herbs. This is the only book in print on echinacea that clearly distinguishes the effects of different routes of administration --oral, topical, and injectible -- an area of clinical importance that is fudged in other books on echinacea. 

Herbal Defense : Positioning Yourself to Triumph over Illness and Aging Robyn Landis, Karta Purkh Singh. Khalsa has more than twenty years of clinical experience in Western and Ayurvedic herbalism. 

Herb Growing

Herbal Renaissance, Growing, Using & Understanding Herbs in the Modern World : Growing, Using & Understanding Herbs in the Mocern World by Steven Foster. For garden or commercial farm, this is the book to buy. 

Wise Woman Traditions

Healing Wise (Wise Woman Herbal Series) Susun S. Weed. Weed has defined an entire trend in contemporary medical herbalism. Read this book and you may never practice the same way again. Includes an illuminating approach to healing in general, and in-depth study of a small group of herbs. (for all medical practitioners)

Women's Health

Herbs for Women's Health : Herbal Help for the Female Cycle from PMS to Menopause (Good Herb Guide Series) by Mary Bove, M.N.I.M.H, N.D., L.M. Bove is among the most highly trained herbalists in the Western world. She has formal training in the British system of herbalism, and is also a naturopathic physician and midwife. Add years of experience to that training, and we have one of the best resources available for herbs and women's health. 

Women, Hormones & Menstrual Cycle; Herbal & Medical Solutions from Adolescence to Menopause by Ruth Trickey. Trickey is an professional herbalist in Australia. This book covers the complex topic of hormone imbalance and its clinical manifestations in great depth, and suggests practical herbal treatments. 

The Herbal Menopause Book by Amanda McQuade Crawford, M.N.I.M.H. Crawford is trained in the British system of herbalism, with more than a decade of clinical experience. She is also founder of two schools of herbal medicine in the U.S. This book provides easy-to-use formulas in either tea or tincture form. 

Pediatrics

An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants by Mary Bove, M.N.I.M.H, N.D., L.M. Bove is among the most highly trained herbalists in the Western world. She has formal training in the British system of herbalism, and is also a naturopathic physician and midwife. Add years of experience to that training, and we have one of the best resources available for herbs and women's health. 

Nature Cure and herbalism

The Nature Doctor : A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Alfred Vogel, H. C. Alfred Vogel / Paperback / Published 1991

East-West integration

Planetary Herbology : An Integration of Western Herbs into the Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic Systems by Michael Tierra. Tierra, along with editor David Frawley, who, like Tierra, is trained in Western, Ayurvedic, and Chinese herbalism, have produced the definitive book in the field of classifying Western herbgs according to the principles of the other systems. The field itself is new and often imprecise, but this is the current state-of-the-art.

The Yoga of Herbs : An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine Dr.David Frawley, Dr.Vasant Lad. Frawley and Lad explain some basic principles of Ayurveda, and then help to categorize a group of Western and Ayaurvedic herbs according to its criteria. (as introduction to Ayurvedic herbalism) (as a general herbal)

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese Herbal Medicine : Materia Medica Dan Bensky, Andrew Gamble Chinese Herbal Medicine : Formulas and Strategies (Tr. from Chinese/With Resource Guide to Prepared Medicines Supplement to Chinese Herbal Medicine) Dan Bensky, Randall Barolet. Bensky and his co-authors have defined the standards for medical level references in traditional Chinese medicine. These texts reflect contemporary medical herbalism as practiced in Chinese hospitals. The first covers individual herbs. The second covers classical and modern formulas and their variations. Both texts require education in the basic terminology and principles of traditional Chinese medicine. (both books)

The Healing Power of Ginseng and the Tonic Herbs by Paul Bergner. Contains a basic introduction to the principles of traditional Chinese herbalism, suitable as a first introduction for the Westerner. Also introduces and explains how to use thirty Chinese tonic herbs, a category of herbs without an equivalent in either Western herbalism or conventional mediicne. (as an introduction)

Safety

American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook Michael McGuffin, Christopher Hobbs (Editor), Roy Upton, Alicia Goldberg. The book complies information for all the leading modern texts of botanical toxicology. 
 

Clinical Herbalism Book list

The books below are required or recommended for students of the Clinical Herbalism Program at Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies. They all carry our recommendation. We post them here for your convenience. (This list does not include those texts required by RMCBS that are not available online.)

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Click on a title for more information or to order it online through Amazon.com

Pathophysiology

The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, by Murray and Pizzorno, and Total Wellness, by Pizzorno. We don't endorse the therapeutics in these texts, but the discussions of the background of the diseases, from the point of view of natural medicine, are valuable. Pizzorno's Total Wellness describes such topics as leaky gut syndrome, immune deficiency, adrenal exhaustion, metabolic imbalances, and other similar topics in detail.
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Professional Guide to Diseases (sixth edition) Springhouse. Our basic pathology reference text.
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Human Physiology and the Mechanisms of Disease Guyton and Hall. The standard medical school text.
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Harrison’s Internal Medicine (McGraw Hill). The standard medical text.
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Women Hormones and the Menstrual Cycle Ruth Trickey. This is simply the best book in print that combines pathophysiology -- both conventional and alternative views -- with therapeutics and materia medica for the female reproductive system.

Therapeutics and Materia Medica

Herbal Medicine, by Dr. R.F. Weiss. The standard medical school text in Germany.
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The Healing Power of Echinacea, Goldenseal, and the Immune System Herbs Bergner.  Materia medica on more than twenty herbs that affect the immune system, with and introduction to the pathophysiology of immune deficiency.
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The Healing Power of Ginseng and the Tonic Herbs, Bergner. Introduction to concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a materia medica of twenty-seven herbs
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An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, Mary Bove. An excellent introduction to herbal pediatrics, by an experienced Western herbalist.
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Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West Michael Moore. The only text we are aware of that is a guide to both field identification and therapeutic use for these regional plants.
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Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions Francis Brinker. We don't agree with everything in this book, but it is the best starting point we can find for an intelligent discussion of the subject.

Clinical Nutrition

The Healing Power of Minerals and Trace Elements Bergner. Essential for a discussion of minerals and nutrition, with important chapters on nutritional pathophysiology and therapeutics
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Nutritional Influences on Illness and Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness, by Melvyn Werbach. Reviews of the scientific literature on nutritional therapeutics, arranged by condition.
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Coping With Food Intolerances, by Dr. Dick Thom. A good overview of the subject of food allergies and intolerances, with discussion of lab tests. The strong point is the patient education materials, with lists of foods that contain hidden allergens and suggested substitutes.
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Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Weston Price. Perhaps the most significant book on nutritional anthropology in the history of the science. Price documented with photos the changing health of primitive peoples during the 1930s as modern foods were introduced into their societies.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy: A complete Guide to the Healing Art Keville and Green
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Encyclopedia of Essential Oils Julia Lawless
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Flower Essences

Flower Power Anne MacIntyre. Discusses traditional use, homeopathic use, and the flower essence for 100 remedies.

Mt Hood Earth-Centered Intensive

The Tracker, Tom Brown Jr. Tom Brown's Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking  Tom Brown Jr. Our basic texts for the nature observation training leading up to and during the trip.

Looking for something you don't see? Try searching the titles at Amazon.com. Search by author, title word, or subject.
 

More recommended books

Folk Herbalism      Introductory Herbals      German Phytotherapy      General Herbals      Materia Medica      Native American Herbalism      Pediatrics      Traditional Chinese Herbalism      Traditional European Herbalism      Safety      Wise Woman Traditions      Women's Health      East West Herbal synthesis

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