Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family

by Rosemary Gladstar

Promote vibrant health and radiant beauty, soothe everyday ailments, and ease persistent stress with these simple, natural cures for everything from dry skin and infant colic to cold symptoms and insomnia. Renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar provides 175 proven therapies and herbal remedies that are easy to prepare and safe enough for children.  Offering a potent and effective alternative to commercial pharmaceuticals, Gladstar will inspire you to nurture yourself and those you love with nature’s healing herbs. 

 

Genres: Health, Herbs, Nonfiction, Reference, Plants, Nature, Cookbooks

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Rosemary Gladstar is a pioneer in the herbal movement and has been called the "Godmother of American Herbalism." She began more than 35 years ago developing herbal formulas in her herb shop, Rosemary's Garden in Sonoma County, California. She is the founder of the California School of Herbal Studies, the oldest running herb school in the United States, author of The Science and Art of Herbalism home study course, and is the director of the International Herb Symposium and The New England Women's Herbal Conference held annually in NE. She is the author of numerous herb books including the bestseller Herbal Healing for Women, The Storey Book Herbal Healing Series, and Herbal Remedies for Vibrant Health. Rosemary is also the co-founder of Traditional Medicinal Tea Company and did all of the original formulations for the company. She has taught extensively throughout the United States and worldwide at venues as varied as backyard gardens, native villages, garden clubs to universities and hospitals. She has won numerous awards and certificates for her work with medicinal plants, but her greatest reward has been in watching the herbal renaissance soar from its birth and feeling in some small exciting way, a part of it.

Her greatest passion has been the work of United Plant Savers, a nonprofit organization that Rosemary founded in 1994 and is currently serving as Founding President. UpS is dedicated to the conservation and cultivation of at-risk North American medicinal plants and to preserving botanical sanctuaries across the U.S. to help preserve the land that these precious native species thrive on. For information on United Plant Savers, please visit: www.unitedplantsavers.org

Rosemary lives and works from her home, Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center, a 500-acre botanical preserve in central Vermont.

Reviews

[Jaime Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing asset to any household - from beginners to experienced herbalists. As a mother, I take very seriously my responsibilty to tend to the health and wellness of my family. I got this book when I was just beginning to learn about herbs and natural health. At first, all of the recipes look a little daunting. But if you just slow down and pick a few to try based on your individual needs, you will see how easy they are to use/make and will gain confidence to try others. With the vast availability of quality organic herbs on the internet these days, your ingredients can be delivered to your door if they cannot be found locally. My favorite recipe in the book is the elderberry syrup. I had previously paid $11.49 per 8oz bottle from a trusted supplement company. Now, I make 32oz of the syrup for $5.48. She includes several recipes suitable for children and has dosage instructions making administering them foolproof. They really work too! I LOVE this book and will pass it on to my daughter when she has a family of her own.

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar (2001, 2008 ed.), 400 pages.

This year, summer of 2025, I finally have the herb garden I’ve always dreamed of. So, my interest is really high in learning as much as I can about herbs and how to use them as I dehydrate for teas and make tinctures for healing. ❤️‍🩹 You don’t have to be sick to use these wonderful God-given herbs. Prevention is key. Use herbs on a daily basis.

Lemon balm is one basic, easy-to-grow calming nervine herb, which I am growing and drying. In fact, Young Living sells Melissa Essential Oil (a.k.a. Lemon Balm) for $239.80 for a little bottle. Imagine that! I found that a nightly hot tea made with lemon balm and catnip eases the pain in my legs, and I get great sleep.

Here’s the list of benefits I have found from a variety of sources, so why wouldn’t you just grow your own lemon balm:
- Traditionally used to reduce anxiety (calming) and improve cognitive function
- Good for Parkinson’s
- Restless leg syndrome
- Helps detox the liver,
- Hormonal health: hot flashes, menopause
- Metabolism, cholesterol levels, balance blood sugar, lower cortisol, good for adrenal health, helps libido, improve brain health, heart palpitations, helps insomnia,
- One of the easiest plant to grow
- Used to sooth digestive issues like indigestion, gas, and bloating. It can also help relax the digestive tract and alleviate discomfort.
- Depression
- A study found that chemicals called terpenes found in lemon balm can help calm agitation in people with severe dementia by reactivating brain circuits.
- Lowers blood pressure: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34766...
- Good for shingles (antiviral)
- Stress, anxiety, sleep
- Tea: Lemon balm and mint (or catnip)

Most herbal remedies usually require a period of several weeks or months to be effective. It is suggested to take herbs on a rotational basis of 5 days on, 2 days off, repeated for up to 3 months. Rest for 3-4 weeks, then repeat this cycle. Doses for adults:
- Capsules: 3 capsules 3x daily
- Tinctures/Extracts: 1/2-1 tsp. 2 or 3x daily
- Tea: 1 c. 3x daily
(p. 30)

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ROSEMARY GLADSTAR

Rosemary Gladstar, known as "the godmother of modern herbalism", began practicing in the ‘70’s. She is a Frontier Co-op contributor, which is a company I frequently purchase from and is sold on Amazon. Gladstar is very instrumental in teaching others. She opened up a school, California School of Herbal Studies, in 1978. She co-founded Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center and Botanical Sanctuary, a 550-acre botanical preserve in central Vermont. In 1994, Gladstar founded United Plant Savers out of concern over the ecological sustainability of the herb trade. [wiki accessed 9/24/2025]

She might be a little kookie, believing in Cosmeos, a mythical Greek god, for healing, praying to let the spirit of the herb guide her (p. 168), and toasting the gods after making a divinely flavored red raspberry drink (p. 359); but, she does know her herbs. I’d have her on my team for natural healing any day.

But, this book is not for your everyday herbalist. Most recipes will require you to purchase at least one or two herbs, or even more. Not only that, but you will actually need to READ the entire book or miss out on some super valuable health information. There is an index, but it is very minimal and not very useful.

I did purchase a few herbs to try out some teas that I felt were most important to me at this point in my life: Preserving my brain 🧠 and eyes 👀. I’m now taking Bilberry capsules for my eyes, and I have a tincture for the brain in the making, as well as a dried herb mix for daily hot teas until the tincture is ready.

BRAIN TONIC TINCTURE (p. 40):
(All dried herbs)
2 parts gingko leaf
2 parts gotu kola
1 part peppermint
1/2 part rosemary
1/2 part sage
Brandy or vodka (80 proof)

1. Place the herbs in a widemouthed jar and cover with brandy or vodka. Seal jar with tight-fitting lid and place in a warm, dark area for 6-8 weeks. Shake the bottle every few days to prevent herbs from settling on the bottom.
2. Strain and rebottle the alcohol. The recommended dosage is 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of tincture diluted in 1/4 cup warm water, juice, or tea three times daily for 2 to 3 months. Break for a few weeks, then start again.

BOOKS MENTIONED FOR RECOMMENDED READING:

1. “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon

2. “Healing with Whole Foods” by Paul Pritchard

3. “8 Weeks to Optimal Health” by Andrew Weil

4. “Care of the Soul: A Guide to Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life” by Thomas Moore (A good book to read during times of depression.

5. “An Elder’s Herbal” by David Hoffman, provides recipes and remedies specific for the elderly population…65 and older are often on meds.

——————————
Continuing Rosemary Gladstone’s work, see webpage at sagemountain.com.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the herbal that I recommend to folks just starting to explore medicine-making and home remedies. Frankly, it took me a couple of years to truly appreciate just how easy-to-use yet informative Rosemary Gladstar's book is. The instructions on how to make tinctures, salves, and teas are simple; the formulas are fun and elegant; and the materia medica is to-the-point.

My only bone to pick is that Gladstar has a "women's" section -- dominated by aids to alleviate menstrual pain, address cancer anxiety, etc. -- and a "men's" section, where one can find the love potions. Alas, few of us are free from sexism/male supremacy. Read with a few grains of salt, and perhaps you'll love it as much as I do!

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Gladstar is the most trusted herbalist in America for good reason. This book compiles all of her best recipes and information from her other books in one small, easy to use, helpful book. We've been using her elderberry syrup recipe to treat the flu for years now (most of the recipes on the web are based on her recipe). If any of our family comes down with the flu (which is pretty rare anyway), they're generally much better by the second day and completely over it by the third if we do elderberry syrup.

I refer to the book often and hope to use even more of her recipes in the future.

[Kate Moffett-Polacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just READING this book made me feel good, and gave me wonderful dreams. I'm so inspired to create a million teas and lotions and potions. In fact, I stocked up on supplies at Rosemary's Garden over the weekend to create full-on facials with my friends next week. I feel so lucky to live near the herb store she started here in Sonoma County. Looking forward to exploring all of her recipes.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It is so incredibly comprehensive on herbs, herbal recipes, herb therapies, and different natural treatments for men, women, children, and the elderly and it also includes sections specifically about stress, everyday ailments and natural beauty regimens.

After reading it cover to cover I was left feeling so inspired in the way Rosemary Gladstar uses and values nature in her daily life.
I have made the shampoo and face lotion/cream recipes. The facial cream I have been using for about 7 or 8 months now and it is the only thing that is not irritating and keeps my skin moisturized without reapplication. I'm now almost out of it so I need to make another batch soon. It is a bit time consuming and requires specific ingredients and tinkering in the kitchen but it's definitely worth it for clean high quality product.

I have been off of shampoo and conditioner for 4 months now. It was not easy getting used to the different feeling of my hair without shampoo or conditioner unnaturally stripping it of it's oil every day. My hair is heavier and shinier now and doesn't get frizzy or fly-aways anymore. When I do feel it needs a deep scrub I just use the herbal shampoo I made from the recipe in the book.

The appendix is very helpful because it has an A-Z section about all the different plants, which parts of them to use, what they are used for, and in some cases how long humans have been using the herb. For instance Blue Cohosh tea had been used for centuries by Native Americans to help with an easy child birth. Fennel has been traced back to early Greek times, when the physicians used it for nursing mothers. Fo-ti has been used for hundreds of years in China for vitality. Ginseng has been traced back to 196 A.D. and was used as a cure all! The list goes on and I just loved learning about the various different plants and their uses.
We have our own little medicinal back yard garden here, with rosemary, sage, lavender, chamomile, Feverfew, mullien, borage, calendula and motherwort. But after learning about all these other great herbal plants, we want to expand the herbal section of our garden to include so much more.

I happen to be reading Harry Potter while reading this book and I couldn't help feeling like her various tinctures, decoctions, infusions, syrups, and salves were like making potions at Hogwarts :)

So I suppose this book isn't for everyone. If you don't care about living "naturally" or organic life practices this probably is not the book for you. If you have a fascination with living simply, organically, naturally, or just trying to get off the dependence of commercial grade mass market consumer personal care items, then this is the book for you!

[Plateresca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really inspiring.
I do not follow the recipes precisely, though, partly because, living in Spain, I just don't have the same herbs. I've ordered some seeds, but still, a lot of the plants featured here are American or North American species, so if you live in Europe, it might be hard to get and grow them. By the way, I'd be really grateful if somebody could point out a similar book about more Southern-ish-climate plants.
That said, I think the book makes much more sense for those able and willing to grow their own plants; you definitely can order some of those herbs dried, online, but I personally wouldn't find that particularly inspiring.
And then, remember you do need to research those plants!
And before that, study the structure of the book :) There's an appendix in the end which has all the Latin names, but before I found it, I'd spent some time googling them up (could've saved myself some time).
The most important thing for me was, the book gave me the confidence to try some new herbal recipes, and I learnt of some plants that I can and will add to my garden.

[Graybird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is packed with information about using herbs and lifestyle changes and nutrition to maintain good health and mental balance. Rosemary Gladstar definitely approaches the issue of health from a holistic standpoint that compounds all facets of one's way of living and interacting in order to properly address influencing factors and circumstances.

Many of her recipes are based on using tonics of several herbs as preventive measures, which can be seen as intimidating when she recommends drinking four cups of several different types of tea a day, but the content also provides a clear picture of how to prioritize and incorporate healthy elements of living in fluid, seamless ways. She also provides descriptions of common herbs and their most well-known uses. This book is a must for anyone who may benefit from what she has to say: men, women, those with mental health issues, those who are either temporarily or chronically ill, those trying to stay healthy, children, the elderly, and those who want to look good with the help of natural methods. I highly recommend it.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was required reading for my degree. Although I am not passionate about herbology, this book was definitely informative, fun to read, and had recipes that seemed easy enough to make at home. Granted, I have not tried any as of yet, I did learn quite a few new things about herbs that I did not know before, as well as natural solutions for hair, skin, and body. When I have some free time, I would be willing to try some of these out!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed with good recipes.

[Mrsdove · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a good herbal book that will help you understand herbs and their medicinal value then this is the book! As a casual studier of herbs for years now this book really helped raise my awareness on how to use herbs for more things that I had hoped for. She does a great job with recipes and advice. She even has pictures of herbs in their natural state so you can see what the flower or plant looks like thus raising awareness in us so that we may recognize those herbs which grow readily in our habitat. Great book for anyone who wants to learn more about herbs.

[Parin Stormlaughter Stormlaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to discover that this is the Storey Books printing of Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal which is not easily available any longer.

The potions, lotions, salves, and teas are very effective but much of the medical information that goes with them is simply outdated. Be well-read about what you wish to correct and you'll be well-served by the recipes and procedures in this book.

Thrilled to have it in my hot little hands!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book. As a beginner with making my own, homemade remedies, this was a perfect collection of recipes and instruction, complete with color pictures and fabulous reference material. I have a slew of tabs marking favorite recipes using local flora, and I expect this book will get a lot of use in the years to come. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for the beginner, or even the more experienced person looking for a solid addition to their reference material.

[Maja Haloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy-to-use guide that has fabulous mix of hebal information, recipes, and personal stories. A good starting point for people just starting out with herbal preparations, and a fun reference book for the more experienced. I have used her basic recipes as starting points to make amazing custom preparations and blends.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! I borrowed it from the library, bought it for all my family for Christmas, and now definitely need my own copy. I tried three of the recipes--lotion, shampoo, and a sore throat tea--and all were amazing. Other herbal remedy books I looked at only said what herbs to use without giving recipes that suggest how to use them, so this was by far my favorite of what I've seen.

[Davida Temima · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous go-to for anyone interested in making quick an relatively easy medicines for themselves and their family. As an herbalist, I have quite an extensive collection of recipes and reading material on this subject, and this book remains one of my most prized and most used.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's great for me, as a beginner. There are a huge number of recipes, as well as lots of information and anecdotes. It's so inspiring! Thank you Rosemary for sharing your wisdom!

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

book was assigned in my herbal class and was very informative. gave you plenty of recipes to make teas. tonics, slaves and energy balls and more. the book was broken down in to chapthers to aid in the health of kids adults and elders and gave a brief descerption on different herbs to use

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous recipes that I am trying on myself and my family and they work so beautifully.

[Elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes in this book are excellent!! The commentary in the book... well unless you are a nature-worshiping wacko yourself, I would just skip it. :)

[Liz Neves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have resource for anyone interested in living a good long healthy happy life.

[Amy Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and resource for natural remedies, easy instructions and great photos...definitely something to add to my personal library.

[Morgan Djuna Sorais Harrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! Rosemary Gladstar presents all the information in a very readable and beautiful way. All of the herbal recipes that I've tried have worked out very well.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource. Keep it close by. Recipes, tinctures, factual information. Rosemary is a comprehensive author.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just the sort of organic, earthy, feel-good book that every woman should read. I have not tried most of the recipes yet, but am planning to!

[Nikoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's one of the best herbal resources I have found.

[Ana Fill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Gladstar shares her extensive knowledge in a clear easily read format. Nice photos, good recipes and stories of elder herbalists. Great info from a stellar herbalist

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best herbalism book I have read so far.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! I wish it was still in print. I had to get it from the library. An essential herbalism book.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome for first timers and experienced herbalists. recipes, materia medica, widom.