Books

This book focuses on helping the reader or listener to understand what is happening in their body when they suffer from chronic ongoing fatigue.
Jo explains in some detail how stress caused by life style or life events can alter the physiology of the body, placing the person in a vulnerable position whereby they catch a virus and are not able to fight it off as normal.
The virus and the hormones of stress alter the functioning of the cells leading to fatigue, brain fog, pain and many other symptoms.
As a medical herbalist for over 25 years, Jo has helped many people to recover from chronic fatigue, and more recently, long Covid, and this book distils the lifestyle and dietary advice that she offers, as well as discussing many common herbs which can easily be found in the kitchen or garden.
Packed with recipes and remedies, this book is a support for those with ongoing debilitating fatigue.

There is nothing as magical as picking a weed from under a hedge, brewing it in the cauldron of your teapot, and using that potion to restore health. It’s everyday alchemy, and it transforms us from the base metal of material gratification into the gold of recognizing the exquisite power of nature.

In recent years there has been a groundswell of interest in spending time in nature as well as using plant medicine in the home, as our grandmothers did.

This book is all about herbs which you can grow in your garden, the weeds which you will not want to throw out, wild plants of the hedgerows and culinary herbs in your kitchen cupboards. It is packed with recipes such as Menopause Tea, Horse Chestnut Gel and Brain Spice Condiments, and chapters include Nourishing Your Adrenals, Herbs for the Heart and Muscles and Joints.

Beyond the herbal recipes, there is healing advice born of Jo’s over 22 years of practice as a Medical Herbalist, spiritual insights from her Druidic practice and a bit of metaphysics, because it so fascinating that when we bind the magic of plants with science, we find that nature is even more amazing than we had ever imagined.

Secrets from a Herbalist’s Garden meets the pull to recover from a minor illness, as well as the yearning for a new way of life, where growing and harvesting herbs with the seasons is adopted as a new holistic lifestyle. You might consult the text with a specific ailment or a plant to harvest, but it would also guide you to a more spiritual and seasonal lifestyle.

Read the first chapter of the book here…

Spirit of the Hedgerow follows the wild plants as they call attention to themselves in the hedgerow throughout the year.  Each month outlines modern medical properties, home remedies and recipes to follow, as well as some of the folk lore or magical practice associated with the plants featured that month.  There is also a brief explanation of the eight Celtic festivals of the year so that you may join in with the celebration of the turning of the seasons.

A review from Amazon:

“What a delightful book! Like most people, I love a walk in the countryside or a city park but in the past I’ve hardly given a passing nod to the flowers, plants and herbs growing there until now. This book is a true eye-opener, describing the wild food available for us as well as the very significant medical uses of so many ‘weeds’. The pages also come alive with wonderful and often amusing stories of the ancient folklore of our natural world, and the whole thing is beautifully illustrated with colour photographs. The author has that rare skill, too, of writing a book that manages to be both academic and totally down to earth at the same time, satisfying every kind of reader. Pack this in your bag next time you go for a walk!”

In Part One Jo outlines how stress affects your body systems, and clearly explains why stress can make people so unwell, sometimes for years. In these chapters Jo shows the reader how long term stress can lead to adrenal fatigue, reduced immunity, disrupted hormones, poor digestion and low thyroid function, amongst many other symptoms.

Part Two offers clear guidelines towards recovery, including advice about diet and blood sugar control, dealing with candida, restoring the immune system, rebalancing hormones, restoring the adrenal glands and energy using lifestyle changes, herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.

In Part Three Jo uses her experience to offer practical tips on how to adjust your life so that you stay well. The book concludes by exploring our modern lifestyle, why many of us choose to live to stressfully and how we might make more sustainable life choices.