I’ve noticed a theme with many herbalists. So many of them, when asked how they got started learning herbalism, have some variation of the following response: they’ve been drawn to plants and nature since they were young, have always felt a connection to plants and nature, and that the plants chose them.
This is deeply beautiful, of course. But I’m a little bit ashamed to admit that hearing this over and over often makes me feel incredibly inadequate. Like I’m a poser in the herbalism community. My interest (passion/obsession) with herbs and herbal medicine only really started a few years ago while I was getting my nutritional therapy training.
I was definitely raised with a healthy skepticism toward Western medicine. (My mother was a hippy at heart who was raised Christian Scientist). And I certainly believe that all children are more in tune with nature than adults just because they haven’t had that conditioned out of them yet. But herbalism is a fairly new “calling” and sometimes I can’t feel like I’m a bit behind.
All that inner turmoil/imposter syndrome aside, I also know how much learning about herbs and their many incredible gifts has improved my life, both physically and spiritually. So, if you’ve ever felt this way, too, remember that it’s never too late to fall in love with herbalism and begin to explore, learn from, and deepen our relationship with plants.
And also that comparison is the thief of joy.
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Learning Herbalism With Alchemy Of Herbs
The first book on herbalism I ever got was Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Foret. I honestly can’t even remember how I ended up choosing this book. There are many, MANY books on herbalism out there. But I’m so glad I did because as soon as I started reading through it I became obsessed.
Alchemy of Herbs is particularly inspiring because Rosalee focuses on many of the incredibly powerful herbs that are already a part of our culinary existence. She shines a light on the plant medicine that’s easily found in the grocery store. It opens your eyes to the magic of herbs, making you want to start getting to know these allies better. (At least it did me)
Rosalee is also incredibly meticulous and thorough about the information she presents on the benefits of each of the herbs. She cites relevant studies and research as well as historical and empirical evidence, which I appreciate
And then there are the recipes! The Hippocrates quote, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” is a health tenet I fully subscribe to (even if I don’t always live that way 100% of the time). And the recipes Rosalee shares in Alchemy of Herbs beautifully illustrate how simple, accessible, and delicious food medicine can be.
I’ve made many of her recipes. In fact, her famous Astragalus Chai was the inspiration for my favorite Liver-Loving Immunity Chai blend.
5 Reasons You Should Read Alchemy Of Herbs
OK, enough of me rambling. Here’s the tl;dr. You should totally check out Alchemy of Herbs if…
- You’re just starting out learning about herbalism and want a book that is approachable, loaded with information, and will get you stoked to learn more about the power of the plants.
- You’re interested in learning about the herbal medicine that is readily available and easily sourced at the grocery store while also learning about a few herbs you maybe haven’t heard of to keep things interesting.
- You’re a bit of a skeptic who appreciates well-researched and cited information on the benefits of herbs. (Hi, yes, that’s 100% me.)
- You’re looking for easy ways to incorporate herbs into your everyday cooking.
- You’re always looking out for a new herbalism cookbook to add to your collection.
Whether you’re new to learning herbalism or an old pro, Alchemy of Herbs is easily one of the top three herbalism books I recommend. It’s literally the reason I started my ever-growing herb garden and began tumbling blissfully down the rabbit hole of herbalism. And I’m so grateful the book crossed my path.
Do you have any favorite herbalism books? I’m always looking for suggestions on books to add to my collection, so let me know!
You can get Alchemy of Herbs on Amazon (<- not an affiliate link, I just think everyone should own this book). You can also check out Rosalee de la Foret’s website here. It’s loaded with such good resources, recipes, and online courses.
