Grow Your Own Drugs: Easy Recipes for Natural Remedies and Beauty Fixes is written by ethnobotanist James Wong. Wong believes, and I agree, that it’s easy to grow and make your own natural remedies. He explained to NPR:
I think so many people have this stereotyped idea of what herbal medicine is. I think they’ve very much got a big black line in their minds that separates serious, conventional, tested, scientific medicine on one side and slightly airy, fairy, away-with-the-hippies — you know — natural-but-probably-doesn’t-work, plant-based medicine on the other. To me as a scientist, whether a chemical is found within a pill or the cells of plant is really irrelevant — that’s just packaging.
Wong’s book has a beautiful layout with incredible photographs and recipes. Take for example:
A few tablespoons of this garlicky vinegar in hot water make a powerful antifungal foot bath, but don’t use it on broken skin — it will hurt! The vinegar takes 1 month to infuse but will last at least 6 months to 1 year. It tastes good in salad dressings, too.
ATHLETE’S FOOT
Garlic Footbath
10 bulbs garlic, peeled and finely chopped
100 g fresh sage leaves
2 cups (500 ml) cider vinegar1. Place the chopped garlic and sage leaves in a jar, then add the cider vinegar. Seal and leave to infuse for 1 month, shaking occasionally.
USE Add 5 tbsp to a bowl of hot water, and soak feet for 15 minutes. Use 2 or 3 times a week in conjunction with “Garlic Talcum Powder” (see page 52).
This is a great book for the seasoned herbalist and amateur alike, and it is an incredible resource I know I will refer to over and over again. The title is pretty unique too!
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.