I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a thorough book!

It focuses on self care through things like tinctures, teas, and plant essences. While not really my thing there is a lot of information in this book. The book focuses on herbs and other natural remedies and how to use them. Some of the herbs aren't particularly common, at least not in my area, so it seems like an investment to find some of them.

Overall it's an informative read.

The book is comprehensive, covering maladies that most people experience at some point as well as lesser-experienced issues. It breaks down the energetics of each plant and how it will help (or not help) you based on your own personal energetics. (One thing I didn't see, but may have just overlooked, was how a person's energetics can temporarily change with illness.) There are beautiful pictures included, lots of charts for easy comparison and understanding the information, and a handy reference guide at the end. It also talks about natural health through lifestyle choices, rather than just focusing on the herbs, which is why I'll be using it with my students.

So much information in one book! I use a lot of herbs, grow my own as well. I’m always looking for new ways to use them for my own benefit. I knew some things about the herbs in this book, but there is always a lot more to learn, and this book is a good way of growing your knowledge.

I felt a bit overwhelmed by the book at times, since there was such a big mix of information load. Pretty much all of our modern day Western problems regarding mental health issues, stress, anxiety etc. are present in the book. Some of the information is general knowledge to the extent that it was a bit too much. I’m sure people know that healthy eating is the key to a healthy life, the problem is that even though people know this, it seems like few actually do what is best for them.

Otherwise I really appreciate the information found in this book. The good thing is that you can easily choose what you want to read, so if you’re not depressed or stressed, you can easily skip over those parts. It’s a really good book to use as a reference book and to keep handy within reach whenever you need it. I really enjoyed the parts regarding cold/flu and our different bodies, as well as digestion. The crap people eat today is a great reason to read this book, and get a better digestion.