Book Review: Magic and Medicine of Plants by Reader’s Digest

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Modern medicine has come a long way through the ages. Therefore it is surprising to see a current growth of interest in people towards going back to the “good ol’ days and good ol’ ways” of health care and the like with people becoming more aware of health foods, preservatives, sugar and salt content in their foods, vaccinations and the suspicion that modern pharmaceutical companies and health care providers are trying to keep people sick for money purposes rather than healing them.

The book: Magic and Medicine of Plants, a Reader’s Digest book is an exceptional and detailed reference book about the multiple medical and other various uses of plants. It also contains information about the history of medicine, facts about plants, their biology and anatomy, and also provides a few remedies using common herbal ingredients.

Not only does this book provide information on specific plants and their healing properties, but it also begins by introducing plants in myth and magic such as during the era of witches and Greek mythology. The first chapter in the book is a very interesting read, even if you aren’t one for natural medicines.

The book then goes on to introduce plants in medicine throughout the ages as well as in different cultures and civilizations including the Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, Arab and tribal cultures. You are introduced to several important people in history who made significant contributions to the sciences such as botany and the emergence of  modern medicine.

Most importantly, this book is an excellent A-Z reference for the medicinal uses of various native and exotic plants used in modern medicine that have been scientifically proven to have miraculous benefits. Many of which may be growing already in your own backyard. The book contains a detailed description of the plant, what parts to use and for what purpose. It contains plants that most may be already familiar with possessing medicinal benefits such as aloe, echinacea, camomile, sandlewood, lavender, ginger and dandelion. It also contains medicinal information on plants that we may be familiar with but don’t necessarily know are medicinally useful such as peppermint, basil, marijuana, pineapple, marjoram and poppy.

In addition to the plants that are medicinally beneficial, this book also targets several plants that are poisonous to people and may cause serious illness and/or even death. If one is to know about what plants to harvest, it is best to also know which ones you shouldn’t.

After providing such an extensive reference to medicinal plants, Magic and Medicine of Plants also informs readers about a vast array of different uses for these plants such as: how to grow and use them, how to cook with them, crafts, scented goods and beauty uses and of course, recipes for different kinds of remedies including syrups, gargles, inhalants and lotions.

So, if you simply just like gardening, or are one of the commonly arising people who are trying to revert back to simpler times, this is a must-have book for you!


Source: Amazon



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