Sweet Remedies: Healing Herbal Honeys

by Dawn Combs

Taking medicine just got a whole lot sweeter! Honey is well known for its healing properties. When infused with the additional benefits of medicinal herbs and fruits, it turns natural remedies that can be unpleasant tasting into a treat to take. Author Dawn Combs makes these traditional herbal honeys — called “electuaries” — and has created her own formulations for addressing a variety of common health ailments.

With Sweet Remedies, readers will learn her methods for making electuaries in their home kitchens, using recipes that range from Ache Ease and Sleep Well to Heartful and Calcium for Kids, along with instructions for making simple honey infusions and oxymels — a combination of herbs, honey, and vinegar. Additional recipes offer creative ways to get a daily dose of healing by using herbal honeys in no-bake cookies, smoothies, cocktails, candies, and more.  For those with access to the hive, Combs includes an overview of other bee-produced products with healing properties — including pollen, propolis, and royal jelly — and offers advice on how to harvest them sustainably.

Genres: Cookbooks, Herbs, Health

224 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

Dawn Combs, M.A., Certified Herbalist, is an Ethnobotanist and functional foods expert. She is the best-selling author of the books Sweet Remedies, Heal Local and Conceiving Healthy Babies. Dawn's favorite media appearances include MarthaStewart.com, MindBodyGreen, NPR, and The New York Times

A professional speaker, educator, wellness coach and frequent contributor for several magazines, she is best known for her expertise in using honey and plant-based sugars as a medium for medicine-making and for empowering people in their innate wisdom to be well using local food medicine. The Combs family were named "Homesteaders of the Year" by Mother Earth News magazine for their life on the internationally renowned Soda Farm, a United Plant Savers (UpS) botanical sanctuary, and teaching facility. Dawn and her family model how to grow personal health with a strong community focus, practical solutions, and Creator, rather than man-made, foods and remedies through her “Proactive Health Club” online membership forum and her unique line of healthy supplements at SodaFarm.com

Reviews

[Ann T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Storey Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

The perfect book for readers wanting to learn more about honey, it had lovely illustrations and was full of information, recipes and hints for ways to using honey in everyday life.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't get a chance to finish this book before Netgalley archived it and ADE deleted it from my bookshelf (man, I hate that system). I enjoyed what I read so much that I'm buying a copy of the book for myself to finish it, though. That's about the best praise I can think of. :)

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use honey as body nourishment, because it's a substance full of nutrients and healthy benefits. I was just interested about other ways to prepare honey and this book went way beyond my expectations.
I really liked how it is presented. First there's Dawn's story and how, as it is usually the case, a health issue (in this case infertility) paved the way towards what now is a honeybee farm where she and her husband make use of their herb garden and honey to prepare honey spreads, syrups, honey boosters, etc. In this book, she shares recipes and techniques learned throughout her 13 years of experience.

The book is divided into 3 parts. The first part explains how honey is made, properties, history, healing qualities and instructions for making herbal honey preparations (infused honey, oxymels, electuaries, pills,etc). Really liked that it explains how to choose or grow herbs and honey and a guide to suitable plants for each preparation, in order to get the best benefits from each.

The second part is about recipes. Lots and lost of recipes for different kinds of ailments or as health boosters. What I specially like is that each recipe comes with Dawn's commentary and an explanation of how each herb contributes or affects in the preparation. For example, The Pain Relief Honey Spread recipe includes wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) and explains how this herb is an opiate-level pain killer without the side effects. I really love that it’s not just instructions, but clear explanations on how each ingredient aid our body or interacts with other substances.

The third and last part put a smile on my face. It's about helping the bees and becoming a beekeeper. Sustainability is another great aspect this book focuses on, from explaining the importance of growing your own herbs and making sure you are not depleting plant sources, to instructions for making a bee fountain and supporting the bee community. Loved this book!. I read it as an eARC, all thoughts are my own.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Remedies is packed with lots of information about honey. It is filled with recipes and combinations of honey and herbs for medicinal purposes. It introduces us to how honey is made (how bees produce honey), properties of honey, and tips on how to harvest honey.

This book gives a fascinating insight into the history of the healing properties of honey. It also covers various healing traditions around the world. It also includes tips on blending herbs and honey to make Herbal Honey Soda, Infused Herbal Honey, Oxymel (a blend of Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey), and so on.

Sweet Remedies features some honey recipes including honey spreads, Honey Coated Granola, smoothies, as well as ideas for using infused honey. The author also guides the potential beekeeper on how to grow their honey and presents the best practices to ensure sustainable beekeeping.
Recommended to everyone.

Thank you to Dawn Combs, Storey Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanne Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Storey Publishing, LLC and Netgalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I loved this book and its holistic approach to healing self and others around you with honey natures natural antibiotic. I loved the different honey spreads for different health issues and all-around well-being. I look forward to trying all the different recipes! If you are looking for the natural way to healing yourself this is the book for you! This book is packed with so much information about the healing properties of honey and how to use it every day to planting bee friendly garden, to raising your own bees. The reference guide at the end of the book is wonderful! I can't put this book down!

[Denice Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mother and grandmother were devoted believers when it came to honey's many healing properties. Many times my "dosing" included a spoonful of honey. Dawn Combs takes the most popular honey enhanced home remedies and expands the depth and breadth of knowledge to demonstrate the unlimited powers of honey and by products of the hive. She gives easy, clear guidance on the formulas to create treatments for many everyday conditions. In the not too distant past, honey was a mainstay in any formulary. It's benefits are now coming to light in this era of back to nature practices. This book should be in your home library.

[Dawn Combs · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most favorite so far to write! I LOVE hearing from people who have tried the recipes I wrote here... and I love encouraging people to extend their health supplements beyond pills and tinctures.

[Elise Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd love to try all of these

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this book!

[Mandi W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful resource to have on your shelf. I’ve made recipes from this which are delish and nourishing. My children will even eat them.

[Julie]

I was unable to read this book, as it was not available on my kindle. I did attempt to read the protected pdf, however it proved too difficult on my small phone, so I just looked at the pictures.
It looks a really interesting inviting book and something that I would definitely be interested in reading.
Based on the book as I was able to view it I would give it 3 stars, however in the event that I get to read it, that may change in the future

[Jenny Houle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the recipes look like they'd be helpful, but the book perpetuates the myth that heating honey is toxic. I found myself doing a lot of research after reading that, and once I found some more information about that, I was sort of turned off by the whole book.

[Patrica Liebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and Storey Publishing for an honest review.
I found this book fascinating as the author told her story of how she and her husband began to use the honey and herbs they grew to make their herbal infusions. I have always believed that honey has the power to cure as well as herbs. This book was very well written and the recipes were easy to follow. as well as having some lovely illustrations. I live in the southern Hemisphere where the bees are famed for the pure honey they produce which, makes honey a very prized and expensive item to buy. As for the author's belief that heating honey can make it toxic that I think is not the information I have researched. All in All this book has it's good merits.
I recommend this book to readers that maybe interested in finding out more about honey and herbs there amazing properties to heal and soothe.

[Sandy Sandmeyer]

Sweet Remedies by Dawn Combs is a wonderful book about natural healing herbal remedies made with honey. Combs is no stranger to working with both herb and bees. She is the owner of Mockingbird Meadows and makes and sells teas, syrups, and more. The book begins with information about working the hives and the history of honey. She then goes into making herbal honey preparations before sharing 45 recipes for honey spreads, infusions, oxymels, and tinctures. Finally, the last recipes are frozen treats, smoothies, jams and jellies, cocktails, and more. The book ends with information to make the reader a good steward to the bees and leaves off with information for those considering maintaining hives. Sweet Remedies: Healing Herbal Honeys is a great book for both its recipes as well as the wealth of easy-to-understand information about bees, hives, and honey.

[Kari Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I will be honest. I didn't really "read" this book. I asked for a copy because my aunt has become a bee keeper in the last two years and I thought of buying this for her. After looking through the book I will buy this for her. I think there are some interesting ideas that she would like to try. I will give four stars on NetGalley because I think there are some interesting facts but I am not a well informed judge.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. I really enjoy all the wonderful recipes included! I can't wait to try some of the recipes!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I have used honey for a long time for colds and sore throats. Now I have so many more ways to use it. As a RN, we have used a honey dressing bought from a medical supply company for years and it does a great job on wounds. Don't do this unless under a doctor's orders. Great book. I recommend it highly. I received this book from Net Galley and Storey Publishing for a honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[RedRobinXXX · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book for Dawn Combs, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review

I’m becoming more knowledgeable about using everyday plants to aid health so this was a good book for me to review. Lovely clear instructions … and yet again I have learned a few more things.