The Lost Book of Remedies is a new book from Dr. Nicole Apelian, herbalist, survival skills educator, alternative medicine practitioner, and author of “A Reference Guide to Surviving Nature: Outdoor Preparation and Remedies”. Dr. Apelian has gleaned a lifetime of knowledge from studying in Western universities and working as an anthropologist in Botswana, living and working for years with the San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert. In her new book, she shares her knowledge of natural remedies made from medicinal herbs and plants. The book will even teach you how to grow and prepare your herbs and remedies.
The book is divided into sections dealing with the various types of plants you can find in the wild or grow for your use in natural remedies. The sections are:
- Backyard Weeds
- Wild Plants in Great Plains
- Trees and Shrubs
- Coastal Tropical, and Water Loving Plants
- Nationwide Plants
- Household Remedies
- Forests and Woodlands
Major themes of the book
Although organized according to where you might find the plants you can use, some major themes run throughout the Lost Book of Remedies. Themes like:
Disease Prevention
An old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The book takes that to heart, seeking to provide you not just with cures but with solutions to remain healthy through the prevention of common health problems like sneezing, asthma, and the common cold.
Disease Treatment
Although prevention is always preferable, you can’t always avoid getting sick. When that inevitably befalls, the book has many remedies for treating issues such as bacterial infection, pain management, and even remedies that can help you manage hypertension.
Healthy Spices
Spices do more than just add flavor to food. They work to fight disease and keep us healthy. The book will take you through some spices that can help treat parasites and viral diseases. What’s more, it will give you ideas of which spices to keep in the kitchen and how to maximize their potential for health and deliciousness in your cooking.
Growing Your Remedies
The book doesn’t just tell you about medicinal herbs and natural remedies, it offers instruction on how to grow your herbs and prepare your remedies.
Some Ingredients in the Lost Book of Remedies
Although it would be impossible to really show or even list all of the great natural remedies contained in this 300 plus page book, below are just a few examples to give you a taste of what’s in store.
Backyard Weeds: Don’t pull up and toss aside that weed just yet. Some plants that grow naturally in your backyard can be useful in alternative medicine preparations. Plants such as Marshmallow, Horseradish, Chamomile, Boneset, Leeks, Dill, Fennel, Chickweed, Lavender, and Aloe Vera.
Wild Plants in Great Plains: The Great Plains offer a wealth of medicinal herbs if you know what to look for. This section will teach you how to identify useful plants such as Common Flax, Henbane, Sweet Grass, Anise Hyssop, and more.
Trees and Shrubs: Trees and shrubs are present almost everywhere in the world. You likely know of many that provide food, but some you might think are only ornamental can have useful properties. Some of the trees and shrubs that are useful in alternative medicines include Elderberry, Dogwood, Burning Bush, Sage, Honey Locust, Catclaw, Chokecherry, Slippery Elm, Balsam Poplar, Basswood, Bayberry, and Ash.
Nationwide Plants: Several plants grow nation- or even worldwide that can be used to prepare natural remedies. You’ll find out how to identify and use plants like Yarrow, Chicory, Peppermint, Duckweed, Chives, Evening Primrose, and more.
Household Remedies: Although much of the book is about the natural gifts of plants, there are some household items you probably already have in your cupboard that are also useful in making natural remedies. This section of the book will teach you how to prevent and treat disease with items such as Listerine, Epsom salts, charcoal, bleach, and Cayenne pepper.
Forests and Woodlands: Forests and woodlands are teeming with naturally occurring medicinal herbs, but you don’t want to just use anything you find in the woods. This book will teach you which herbs contain medicinal components you can use for alternative medicines. Some include Horse Chestnut, Fern, Indian Poke, Club Moss, Coltsfoot, Echinacea, Bottle Gourd, Cleavers, Cardinal Flower, Ginseng, Black Cohosh, Bearberry, and more.
If you’d like to know how you can use natural remedies to maintain health as well as to treat and prevent disease, this book is a necessity. It shows you how to find and identify as well as grow your medicinal herbs, and it teaches how to prepare your natural remedies.
