Herbal Preparations And Natural Therapies: Creating And Using A Home Herbal Medicine Chest

Weighing in at 4 full hours on two videocassettes, what we have here is a visual encyclopedia of herbal preparations and natural remedies, supplemented by a manual, and number-coded (through the tape counter) for easy reference. Hosted by Debra Nuzzi, a Master Herbalist, the program opens with an introduction to wildcrafting--or how to collect herbs and other base ingredients in the wild. This is followed by a short guide to preserving and storing one's harvest. Then comes the meat of the program: a comprehensive video guide to creating infusions, decoctions, salves, tinctures, liniments, ointments, lozenges, cough syrups, glycerites, electuaries, powders, oils, suppositories, lotions, and just about any other preparation you can think of (close to a hundred in all). The final section of the program demonstrates natural therapies such as poultices, packs, plasters, and baths. Good close-ups and an easy teaching style make this exhaustive program a good choice for both the would-be herbalist who wants to watch to get an idea of what natural medicine is all about, and for the video reference collection to have on hand for people with specific questions. Highly recommended. (Available from: SunFire Productions, P.O. Box 624, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602.)