An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary: The Art & Science of Creating Effective Herbal Remedies

by Holly Bellebuono

Explore the ancient art of formulary with award-winning herbalist Holly Bellebuono's comprehensive guide to creating effective herbal medicine. Organized by body systems, An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary shows how to design a holistic treatment for acute and chronic conditions. Packed with detailed information on more than one hundred plants, An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary is the go-to reference for formulary. Holly presents her 4-tier formula structure, a commonsense way to integrate a wide range of herbal actions while keeping the formula simple. She also shares the history of healing traditions as well as personal and clinical examples that illustrate the art of combining plants for illnesses, preventative care, and overall wellness. With this book's guidance, healing-arts practitioners can turn formulary into a rewarding and practical skill. "Holly has blended the richness of the Western herbal tradition with the transformative insights of modern holistic medicine. This book is a cornucopia of herbal insights."―David Hoffmann, BS, FNIMH, medical herbalist

Genres: Nonfiction, Plants, Health

384 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2017

About the author

Author and herbalist of 30 years Holly Bellebuono explores philosophy, natural health, entrepreneurship, and the human experience. Author of 8 nonfiction books, Holly has lectured in England, Costa Rica, Canada, and across the US from Boston to Hawaii at conferences, retreats, and universities, delivering strategies and inspiration.

Holly is a multiple award-winning small business entrepreneur who coaches business owners to develop strategies and pursue environmental and social commitments--especially women's empowerment, women's equity and self-agency.

Her documentary book Women Healers of the World: The Traditions, History & Geography of Herbal Medicine, was named The Thomas DeBaggio Book of the Year 2015 by The International Herb Association. To create the book, Holly interviewed dozens of women from around the world, sometimes requiring translators, to learn about cultural traditions and personal beliefs that inspire herbal medicine.

The Bellebuono School of Herbal Medicine is an official school of the American Herbalist's Guild. Her signature program, Herbal Medicine FOUNDATIONS, provides comprehensive trainings in herbal medicine for men and women of all ages. Visit https://school.hollybellebuono.com/ to learn more.

Holly is also a nonprofit leader; she holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Appalachian State University and has served as Executive, Program and Fiscal Director for human service, education, and environmental nonprofit organizations. Awards include two Small Business Owner of the Year and a Nonprofit of the Year Award. Holly’s specialty is Grant Management and she is a professional member of the Grant Professionals Association, having stewarded dozens of state and foundation grants for nonprofits making an impact.

Holly welcomes inquiries from people interested in hosting her as a speaker on sustainability, personal and business transformation. Contact her at www.HollyBellebuono.com.

Reviews

[Regina Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill Nye said a very funny thing a while ago on his new show. Herbs that we use, and mixed - paraphrasing here - and that work, are called medicine. Except very minor treatments, like pink eye and etc, I have never seen remedies work. No matter how much my grandmother brewed them.
Book tries to be divided into 4 parts, and then the other main systems. Main parts of the body are like brain and respiratory. Endocrine system is briefly mentioned with the immune system and digestive. Anybody suffering from Hypothyroidism (more people that one would think) would tell that Endocrine system should have had it its parts. There is definitely enough herbs on that part too.
Over all a fleeting book, of many like its kind. I did not see any particular new knowledge and would suggest that people use common sense. Some things do have side effects, even soda (not a herb, just an example.)
2.5 Stars

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

"An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" is not a book you can use by itself unless you have an extensive knowledge of herbs. The author provided only very brief information about the herbs, focusing mainly on how the human body works (digestive, cardiovascular, brain & nervous, immune, hormones, etc.) and her formulas. By which I mean, use 2 parts tonic (supportive, long-term usage herb) to 1 part tier 2 herb to 1 part tier 3 herb to 1 part tier 4 herb.

So she'd talk about the respiratory system, for instance, and then list some herbs (tier 1, tier 2, etc.) that would be helpful for various problems with the respiratory system. She'd even suggest specific formulas (2 parts yarrow, 1 part sage, 1 part....taken as tincture). However, she didn't suggest how much of the herb to use (or even say how much was safe). The closest she got to giving amounts was "a small amount." As in, use kelp only in "small amounts due to high sodium content." (And she didn't mention the high iodine content here, which is a greater concern.) She didn't suggest how often or long one might take the formula. She didn't explain how to mix the herbs or make pills, tinctures, etc. She assumed you already know all this abut herbs.

Also, I found enough basic errors that I stopped trusting her information. While she generally had good information, she'd say things like constipation is caused by too much fiber (but the opposite is true). She suggested eating yogurt when you have an ulcer, but the current medical advice is to avoid all dairy when you have an ulcer. In one spot, she said to avoid dairy for that condition, then a few sentences later she suggested eating yogurt. She also said some things that were confusing due to not fully explaining what she meant. So she said several times that you shouldn't take garlic long-term, only much later explaining that she was referring to raw garlic. I believe I was reading an advanced reader copy, so maybe the errors will be fixed in the final copy.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Sam (Hissing Potatoes) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Definitely not a beginner's book. It provides formulas in ratios, but it doesn't discuss effective or safe dosages at all. It doesn't say how to create the tinctures/teas/salves/etc it recommends.

The book organizes information based on body part/ailment, which means that pieces of information about particular herbs are all over the place. It's difficult to get a full picture of an herb's uses/strengths as a result, which is important even if you're only planning to treat a particular ailment/area. I had to spend a LOT of time using the index and flipping back and forth for a single herb, let alone all the ones I might want to use.

The book's premise and formulary theory are interesting, and I definitely got something out of the information. In parts it validated and explained some experiences I'd had with herbs and their effect on me. However, because of the lack of practical information and some conflicting information (e.g. the author refers to lavender as a cooling herb and then on the very next page says it's warming), I'm taking it all with a grain of salt and will be cross-referencing with other herb texts before putting anything into practice.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Typically, I don't read a lot of books on herbalism. I'm more likely to just grab a quick reference and be done with it. That said, this book isn't that type of herbalism book. Holly Bellebuono has an extensive background in herbalism including multiple publication credits and running a school to certify local herbalists.

As I said, this isn't an easy "look and run" type of book. It's meant to be studied in depth. Holly gives background on medical issues and gives possible herbal remedies for them, going into detail about how to use them and why some remedies might be better than others in certain circumstances along with recipes/formulas for teas. tinctures, and/or capsules.

I would recommend this book for anyone seeking to enhance their current use of herbs in their own healthcare practices. A great gift for the intermediate herbalist in your life.

[Books In Brogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book, definitely a must have for anyone seriously interested in herbal medicine but not for the novice.  The historical and modern information and examples given will give you a great starting point for how and what you can use in creating customized herbal formulas.  This review was originally posted on Books In Brogan

[Lili · Rating 1 out of 5]

From Netgalley for review:

I was not the biggest fan of this book, it is definitely one that is only really suitable for people that have a pretty solid knowledge of herbal medicine and not for a beginner. Granted there is nothing wrong with having advanced texts, but I feel a text being created for the general public should at least devote a chapter to the basics. Like how to make a tonic, or even more basic notes of why an herb works the way it does. And you do get some of that in the glossary, but it really should be at the front of the book and more in depth.

I personally have mixed feelings when it comes to herbal medicine, I was raised on it and have continued my studies on it into my 30s, and some of it does work. Drink honeysuckle for a sore throat, ginger for indigestion, licorice for gastritis. I feel that it works a lot better than OTC medication for basic things, but I do not think that a tea drank is going to do anything for Giardia save hydrate. Especially when the book makes no mention of dosage.

I think books like this do more harm than good, imagine being somewhat new to herbal medicine, most likely because conventional western medicine has failed to fix a health problem (because unless you are raised in a culture where herbal medicine is just a thing, I bet you that why you are getting into it) and you see these formulas that will treat a wide variety of problems. Say you want to treat a skin fungal infection so you see the tea recipe where it gives the ratios, 2 parts echinacea 1 part sage...and so forth...but does not give weight to water ratio. How many grams of total material should you be steeping and for how long? Also no mention anywhere that the reason you might have a skin fungal infection is due to an immune system problem and if that problem happens to be an overactive immune system, echinacea can make the problem worse.

There are a lot of decent formulas in this book, but no substance or instruction, something that is very dangerous when dealing with self medicating.

[Gaby F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple and elegant approach to herbal medicine:
The beauty I find in Holly Bellebuono's book is her 4-tier formula approach which makes the use of medicinal herbs simple and economical. The combination of herbs in this system elegantly addresses acute medical issues as well as long term wellness goals at the same time. I have already bookmarked a throat formula, a formula to support healthy lungs, a formula for chronic stress, and two formulas for the skin. For each formula Holly states the ratio between the herbs that are used and in which form they are best administered (tea, tincture, salve, syrup, etc.). She does not quantify how much of a remedy should be used at one time or how often it should be taken during a day. A beginner needs to find out from other sources how tinctures, salves, syrups, etc. are made, because their fabrication is not described in this book. This does not deter me because I already have other books and I really like Holly's formulations. Overall I agree with Holly's holistic approach to herbal medicine. In the beginning of the book, Holly for example makes clear that herbal medicine does not represent a magic bullet, but rather supports the healing process. I appreciate that she reminds the reader not only to rely on herbs but also to make healthy lifestyle changes and find a personal support system. I agree with her that herbal medicine has its limitations and that we have to consult with medical professionals, if necessary. She is also concerned about the environmental impact of herbal medicine and asks the reader to purchase organically grown herbs for her formulas and to avoid endangered herbs that are harvested in the wild. The only thing in this book I would criticize is that Holly recommends using arnica in homeopathic form because I do not believe in homeopathy.

[Jess Macallan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is geared toward practitioners rather than the average reader interested in herbs. Reading it from that perspective, I found it to be a useful resource for understanding herbal approaches to common medical issues. I liked that the author recommends different tiers, depending on the presentation of the affliction, and she does a nice job explaining the benefit and purpose of each tier. I also appreciated the variety of herbal recipes she offers, including tinctures, capsules, teas, salves, and more. I liked the breakdown of ailments and conditions, and the variety of approaches for treatment. I also liked the easy-to-reference information about each herb and how it relates to the condition.

One thing I do wish she would have addressed a bit more is that even though herbs are a gentle approach, they should still be treated with respect and the understanding that contraindications exist and should be ruled out before starting an herbal protocol. It's mentioned briefly but is important enough to warrant more emphasis, even for practitioners. She does indicate the scope of the book and encourages readers to do more research on certain topics.

I recommend this book as a resource for herbalists and functional and integrative medicine practitioners looking to expand their knowledge of herbal remedies.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different approach to writing an herbal and it comes off well.

The book organizes herbs by bodily system which makes it much easier to find an herb for a particular ailment. Some other herbals have a system reference in the back. That approach works but I find this approach easier to use.

I only have two complaints regarding this book. First, all of the herb's properties are not listed in any one place. So if licorice is in 3 different sections it will be relisted with different information in each. This makes it harder to know the reasons why one might not want to take it. For example, if there was information about licorice being stimulating in the mind section, it might not show up in another section I am reading and I might assume licorice was good for me when it's not (at least most of the time it's not).

Secondly, the herbal description's format left something to be desired. I like a constituents section and an actions (e.g. carminative) section that make it quick/easy to determine what the herb is about.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A very informative guide on how plants interact with our body systems to alleviate health issues or injuries. The book is broken out into sections by major body system (circulatory, pulmonary, brain/nervous system, immune system, hormones/endocrine system) which makes it easy to find the formulas that may aid whatever malady you're experiencing.

I do wish the book had more information on how to prepare the formulas - for example, how do you make a "tonic"? Some information on the best places to find the various plants would be helpful as well - which ones can you grow at home, which ones can you buy, which ones are rare or best foraged?

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the result of a LOT of time and work. It feels both like it has too much information and not enough information in it, upon first review.

At the same time—if you get in and read of the topics thoughtfully, this is an excellent high level overview of how many of us use the concepts of Western herbalism to help our communities.

If you’re looking for another herbal for your shelves, this one is good and explains how things have worked out.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed that this book was a step above the basic "this is what this herb is for" and gave helpful suggestions on how to formulate and blend for specific ailments. It is written in an easy to read format, but you should have some understanding of herbs to get the most out of this book. It has revived my love of herbalisim and gotten me back to studying.

[Amber Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good read I will surely reference in the future. I can’t speak on the validity of the material as I haven’t personally tried any of them yet. One thing I found disappointing was the fact that there was an entire chapter on the brain yet nothing about healing from brain injuries.

[Amy Kreydin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Formulations address most common health concerns, life stages, and how to formulate for acute versus chronic patterns.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for beginners, but has a lot of great information! I enjoyed reading it to expand my knowledge, but I have read books in the past about herbs as well as using them myself.

[Andrew McAuliffe-Shave · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am no expert when it comes to Herbalism. I need all the help i can get when it comes to the subject. This book is definitely for a more intermediate practitioner though i think a beginner would benefit from reading it if they have an interest. I found it to be a rather solid read with lots that kept my interest peaked.