Common Herbs for Natural Health

by Juliette De Bairacli Levy, Heather Wood

Common Herbs for Natural Health is an essential herbal for the newcomer to the expert. Juliette de Bairacli utilizes her Gypsy wisdom and decades of studying herbs and healing to create a book filled with natural remedies and recipes. What a treasure! Her respect and love for the plants, the earth, and the medicinal knowledge garnered from people of all ethnic origins is powerful, practical, and sensible. My gardens and personal health are already benefiting from this intelligent and tender book.

Genres: Health, Herbs, Nonfiction, Reference

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Feral · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must have an earlier edition because there is no cheesy picture on it. I have carried this book around with me for years, at least 20. Periodically I read it like a novel. I don't remember any of it, except now maybe I will because I have a garden and I'm growing some of the herbs. But there is something in the voice and the writing style in this book that comforts me. I don't really read it for the valuable information. I just find it soothing. I'm not much of a reader of non-fiction. I think this woman is somehow a print guru for me. I think reading this book adjusts my chakras or some such thing. She introduces the herbs kind of like they are people. You get a feel for their personalities. She tells you how the Arab bedouins or the gypsies, or the Mexican indians used them. And she knows this because she lived with all these peoples. I have a kind of allergy to styles which have a "new age" feeling. Maybe it's because the author is a vet, and treats animals with herbs. Maybe it's because there's a bit of british in her english, or because she plants Rosemary in Galilee where she lives. Anyway I come back to it again and again for reasons that are more literary or spiritual than herbal.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing woman -- if you get a chance, get the DVD "Juliette of the herbs."

[Katie Curlee Hamblen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Teeming in the countryside, the world over, are medicinal herbs and edible plants; it shows disbelief in the power of God to pass them by."

I was really drawn in by this herbalist's spiritual take on herbal healing. In several places in the book, she makes biblical references to passages that suggest that God provided all manner of natural healing remedies. I was also heartened that she confirmed that the use of herbal medicine for illness requires faith. These remedies may be slow, sometimes it may seem they are not working because they are so slow. The condition being treated may even worsen at first. But, with persistence and faith, the treatments do work, as Juliette says, she herself sometimes worried that the remedy was not working, but had faith. She knew that, to paraphrase, the herb had always cured and must cure the ailment it is known to cure, because God provided these remedies to us.

Juliette de Bairacli Levy is one of the modern mothers of herbal lore, and this book is about 40 years old, but the time-tested wisdom holds true. The remedies I have tried thus far at her suggestion have brought me relief-along with trust, of course, and with a healthy lifestyle. I will certainly keep this as future reference, along with my other herbals. Juliette's methods are old, and she was extremely dedicated to the natural (and nomadic) lifestyle, so I do think that for modern readers, more modern books on herbalism may offer easier tips on remedies and preparation.

[Sally]

required for heart of herbs.com course

[Hazel&theRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful and practical guide and a must have for your herbal library!

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything by Juliette is worth reading and learning from. She lead a fascinating life.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go-to reference book on all things herbal. A must have for anyone using herbal remedies at any level.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource book.

A keeper.

[Caron Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that offers green lifestyle choices to treat and care for your family, explains how to use herbs