Sweet Remedies by Dawn Combs

Hi friends! This was indeed a sweeeet book. I keep (more or less constantly) a low-carb diet because carbs make me super tired! I get food coma, sleepy and difficult to think clearly after having a pasta carbonara. I use way less sugar than before (spoiler: tea tastes way better without sugar, once you get used to it, and everything tastes sweeter than before, sometimes disgustingly so).

So you may ask, why did you request a book about sweet remedies?. Because I use honey as body nourishment, as a substance full of nutrients and healthy benefits. I was just interested about other ways to prepare honey and this book went way beyond my expectations.

I really liked how it is presented. First there’s Dawn’s story and how, as it is usually the case, a health issue (in this case infertility) paved the way towards what now is a honeybee farm where she and her husband make use of their herb garden and honey to prepare honey spreads, syrups, honey boosters, etc. In this book, she shares recipes and techniques learned throughout her 13 years of experience.

The book is divided into 3 parts. The first part explains how honey is made, properties, history, healing qualities and instructions for making herbal honey preparations (infused honey, oxymels, electuaries, pills,etc). Really liked that it explains how to choose or grow herbs and honey and a guide to suitable plants for each preparation, in order to get the best benefits from each.

The second part is about recipes. Lots and lots of recipes for different kinds of ailments or as health boosters. What I specially like is that each recipe comes with Dawn’s commentary and an explanation of how each herb contributes or affects in the preparation. For example, The Pain Relief Honey Spread recipe includes wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) and explains how this herb is an opiate-level pain killer without the side effects. I really love that it’s not just instructions, but clear explanations on how each ingredient aids with the body or interacts with other substances.

The third and last part put a smile on my face. It’s about helping the bees and becoming a beekeeper. Sustainability is another great aspect this book focuses on, from explaining the importance of growing your own herbs and making sure you are not depleting plant sources, to instructions for making a bee fountain and supporting the bee community. Loved this book!.

HONEYBUG’S
RECOMMENDATION

• Good for those interested in natural remedies.
• Lot’s of recipes for all kinds of ailments or as a health boost.
• Dawn Combs studied with Rosemary Gladstar.
• If you are interested about starting your own beefarm and making your own honey remedies.

*I requested an eArc from Storey Publishing and will buy a paper copy because this is gold.

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Tags: book review, bookblogging, BOOKS, herbalism, honey, honey remedies, natural remedies, Non-fiction, recipes