The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal

by Penelope Ody

Elaborating on the healing powers of herbs, this guide demonstrates the best methods to extract healing properties and includes an A-to-Z portfolio of more than 120 medicinal herbs. 35,000 first printing.

Genres: Health, Reference, Nonfiction, Herbs, Gardening, Medicine, Plants

192 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've probably read a couple dozen herbals by now.
I found most of them lacking in scope/depth.

This is the second herbal that has been good enough to buy (the other was The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal: Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies. This herbal is not perfect, but combined with other herbals it makes a great resource.

I like this book because
1) It includes many herbs (including some interesting TCM herbs that sometimes get missed)
2) Has sections linking herbs to disease
3) Lists herbal actions making it easier to quickly understand the herb

[Deborah Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I was so excited to get this! I had heard so much about The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody that I had to order it for myself. This amazing book is a library in itself! Filled with beautiful color photographs of all the herbal plants and their parts so you can easily identify plants;along with the uses of each part of the plant;how to make tonics;the history of herbal medicines;making essential oils;making poultices,creams and so much more!



You’ll find more than 250 remedies for common ailments;and how to make a herbal first aid kit!



This really is the bible of herbal medicine!



Once thought to be considered a sign of those who practiced witchcraft,more and more of those in the professional field of healing are turning back to once again using medicinal herbs. A skill highly regarded in the Eastern cultures,medicinal herbs have continued to grow in popularity since the 1960′s here in the US.

I don’t think you’ll find anyone more knowledgeable in herbal medicines than Penelope Ody who has studied in China and England and practices as a professional medical herbalist in England and writes for several publications on the subject.

I highly recommend this book for your home library or preparedness library. It’s a necessity for all of us who desire to be prepared for any emergency. Learn to identify the best plants and which plants to grow in your garden to have on hand for your family’s specific needs. This is a treasure!

[Steve Cran · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many books out there on herbalism . This one is another one and maybe like all the others yet with some differences . This one is great for the coffee table, it is big, hardcover and looks nice. Most books on herbology will give you a dictionary listing of the herbs and what they are good for. The second half of most books has the dictionary symptom of ailments and what herbs can be used to treat them. This book has more.

The first part of the book talks about different philosophies around herbs. The author discusses Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Greek medicine , European medicine going up until today. This tome will teach the student how to prepare teas, oil infusions and tinctures. There is a section on how to grow and harvest your herbs as well.

When describing the herbs you get a full page based on that herb. There is a picture of the herb and all the parts that are used. There is also a subsection on the page dealing applications . The various ailment that plague us are listed in chart form. So you get the ailment, what herb you should use and how the herb should be prepared. It is easy to understand .

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a coffee table book than a textbook, but it's the first herb book I ever got and it's still the one I refer to most. Excellent set out for ease of use and succinct information.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great drawings, photos, and synopsis of various herbs. Shows various stages and parts of the plant. Great resource to add to your library.

[Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything you need to know about herbal healing. You can either look up an herb and see what its uses are, or you can look up symptoms and see what herbs can be used to treat them. Unlike other herb books I've read, this actually teaches you in great detail *how* to use the herbs. The photographs are very helpful as well. I also enjoyed reading the first segment of the book where it talks about the history of herbal medicines in different cultures. If you plan on learning/practicing herbal healing, I strongly recommend this book.

[Erin Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good solid overview covering the history, use, and remedies of about 100 different plants.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best herbals I've read. It is a newer version ofComplete Medicinal Herbal which was excellent. This version seems to have more herbs. Some of the herbs in this version aren't organized as well (with breakout actions/constituent sections). That being said, this is the version I will buy.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a very visual person I love the layout of this book. It gives you a really nice overview with history and different cultural approaches to herbalism in the beginning while the meat of it is sort of a visual encyclopaedia of common garden herbs with common preparations, recipes in the back!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I like DK books in general. (Hello, picture references!) Heehee... aside from that, good info on herbs in their various forms and on treatments for more common illnesses & problems.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a fun book. The presenation is stunning even if the information isn't as complete as it could be. Still, you get a good brief run-down. It's worth it!

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this herbal. Very informative and easy to understand. Really like the section with instructions for infusions, poultices, tinctures, etc. Will definitely be adding this to my personal library.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a certified herbalist and this book is one of the most important ones in my library. It's a must-have for any herbal healer!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't judge the book by the cover (or date of publication) on this one, because it packs a punch with information on medicinal herbs. Not only does each informational page of each herb include a visual chart of the parts used, applications, and cautions, there was also a large section on how to make herbal remedies through harvesting, drying, infusions, and more. The book ended with large charts on common ailments that included the herb to be used, how to use it, what combinations would work well, and any cautions on it. My only real caveat with this resource is that it is quite dated, so I would only use it in conjunction with something published more recent.

[Sydney Hamby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asked for this book for Christmas and am so impressed. I am 18 and have recently been making my own essential oils and become obsessed and fascinated with the power of herbs. This book has gone above and beyond my expectations! Not only is the context of it interesting, but the aesthetic of the layout/design is beautiful alone! It contains lots of helpful methods of how to use your herbs, if that’s something you’re interested in! It definitely has won my vote!!

[Deborahanndilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally got this book to have as a reference book in the house, however when it arrived today in the mail I started reading the introduction and then found myself sitting and reading the entire thing, cover to cover, in one sitting. There is a ton of information in this that is very accessible and usable.

[Beverly L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A proper herbal manual

This book answered a lot of my questions concerning herbs, applications and precise usage concerning ailments. I love it! I will use this book as daily driver in helping with my ailments. Doctors are great, but they don't know everything. Lol!

[K Shirey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book we use as a reference. Our family has had it for many years and it, as well as others, are very useful in the attempt to be self sufficient and not reliant on a medical system gone mad.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and well descriptive. A good book to have and add to a collection of medicinal herbal books.

[Christine Battiston]

Great Book. I own and forage everything discussed in this reference. Good for anyone interested in creating their own apothecary

[Claire Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUST HAVE!!!

[Nym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures, very informative

[Lisa Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative book, which I read often and have had great success with its advice.

[Hudson Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got the book in real life and I'm benefiting from it thank you

[Ann]

Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody @1993,ISBN: 156458187X, HB/DJ eBay $6.00, 2/2012

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed browsing through this herbal resource book. Quite well done with image examples of how to process each ingredient making it simple to understand and achieve the proper results. Each type of processing, be it tincture, poultice, salve or other, is fully addressed. In fact, I have pre-ordered Penelope Ody's new version due out in May 2017. "The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Healing Properties of Herbs" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1634508432/...).

[L.C. Tang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library because I wanted some more information about certain herbs that my naturopath recommended. I like how the author provides a history of herbs in the past and present within the first 13 pages. Then followed by medicinal herbs A-Z, herbal and home remedies, and then Chinese and western tonics. The following sections were of interest: Page 174: Skin and Hair, Page 180: Heart, Blood and Circulation, Page 185: Digestive, Page 253: Other medical herbs. Overall, an informative reference book that includes visuals of herbs and sample case studies.

[Milo Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gold standard for a comprehensive guide. Detailed illustrations, step-by-step processes on everything from harvesting seeds to making a tincture, with anecdotes on the historical/cultural significance of different plants. Extremely well organized, and very beginner-friendly.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures. I've consulted it often.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Ally!