author’s note

On Taking Herbal Remedies

want to explain my use of the term medicine. I do not necessarily use the term the way a medical doctor would, such as in the case of prescription drugs or such, or even things like vitamins and supplements and so on. To me, medicine means something different, beyond the mere physical to a more heightened sense of awareness and being—awareness in the act of preparing a soothing pot of tea, or awareness in making a batch of herbal healing salve for friends and family, to see them through the bumps and bruises of life. This book isn’t about medical medicine; it’s about spirit medicine, the kind you get when you pick strawberries with your children and see happy faces at the potluck as your friends discover fresh dinner rolls with honey butter. The side effects of this type of medicine are completely positive.

I salute the discoveries of science, from microcosm to macrocosm, and am no stranger to a microscope or a telescope. I do wash my hands a lot in the kitchen, but not with antibacterial soap—for gosh sakes, plain old hand soap is as clean as need be.

If you have a medical condition that needs monitoring by a physician, you should ask him or her about the remedies in this book before trying them on yourself. I have confidence that they are safe when used as instructed. I have taken extra consideration in noting when a recipe, remedy, or ingredient is inappropriate for babies or pregnant women. You are responsible for your own personal choices, and I won’t be held responsible if you wander from the parameters of my instructions.