by Liz Koch
Below are my favorite books for gathering and fomenting creative ideas as well as finding accurate information on using herbs, flower essences, and nutritional foods for gift crafting. Each book is a feast for the eyes and entices our minds, arouses our senses, and delights our instinctual desire for play.
HEALING TONICS by Jeanine Pollak
101 Herbal Concoctions to Increase Energy, Boost Immunity, Enhance Memory, Ease Digestion, & Support Daily Health & Wellness.
Our locally grown author explains how to make incredible tonics, cordials, and elixirs. For me, this book is the holy grail of tonic making.
“Here we have it, the chapter you’ve been waiting for: love tonics, mystery potions, dream blends, sensory enhancers, nonalcoholic party drinks and more. And each one is healthy, nourishing, flavorful, and so very fun to prepare and ingest. …potions that have marvelous colors and flavors and just seem to hold a little magic in each bottle!”
HERBS FOR THE SOUL by Tamara Kircher
Emotional Healing with Chinese, Western Herbs, & Bach Flower Remedies.
This beautiful book is truly inspirational. It will get your creative juices going as you brew up a yin tonic for deepening receptivity or an elixir for nourishing the heart. Along with vitality and strengthening herbs, the author has included love potions, herbs for protection, for change, to gladden the heart, and invite peace and stillness.
“The quest to heal the soul means remembering who we are, why we are here, and what truly touches our heart. Through rediscovering this connection to our inner self and to all that is around us, we can rekindle the passion that will light the way for us to bring about the changes needed n our life. Herbs reach out to us, bringing balance and strength to our body, mind, and spirit, and help us on our journey.”
FAMILY HERBAL by Rosemary Gladstar
A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health, and Vitality
This talented herbalist offers ideas and recipes for making body products for both internal and external use, which are accurate, easy to follow, and that yield beautiful gifts.
“Good health is not a complicated matter. Being in good health doesn’t mean you are never sick, or tired, or sore, or depressed. But it does mean that you feel hardy most of the time; your body is invigorated and your spirits are high. In the words of that wonderful singer Taj Mahal, ” You wake up and morning smiles back at you.”
WELL BEING by Barbara Close
Rejuvenating Recipes for Body And Soul
This book is divided into seasons. Each chapter offers specific recipes for various systems of the body during each specific time of the year. It includes recipes that are for common winter maladies, such as depression, fatigue, dry skin, colds, and flues. This book reminds us that winter is the time to turn inward and rest.
“The long nights provide fertile ground for our creativity as well as our need to rest, if only we will yield to our instincts”
WILD FERMENTATION by Sandor Ellix Katz
The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live Culture Foods
This book is a treasure trove of how to make delicious live foods by an incredible enthusiast. It includes recipes for making vegetable krauts, kimchi, yogurt, cheese, sourdough bread, miso, tempeh, beer, wines and meads. This book bubbles with excitement!
“Cultures around the world have evolved as specific localized phenomena. This is true of both microbial cultures and human cultures…. fermentation is a phenomenon of transformation, the change it renders tends to be gentle, slow and steady”
You can find these books and more online at Way of Life’s amazon bookstore: www.wayoflife.net/bookstore.html