Asian American Herbalism: Traditional and Modern Healing Practices for Everyday Wellness

Acupuncturist Wilkins debuts with an enlightening guide to making herbal remedies. Describing herself as “a Japanese American woman practicing a modern interpretation of traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine,” Wilkins explains the theories that underpin the traditions, noting that they view “disease as interconnected to lifestyle, circumstance, and the rhythms of nature” and focus on maintaining a balance of the five vital substances—qi (“life force”), blood (“healthy fluids and substances that nourish and moisten the body”; distinct from the biomedical term), Jing (“essence”), body fluids (e.g., tears, sweat, saliva, urine), and Shen (“mind and spirit”). Dozens of recipes detail how to prepare herbal treatments for a variety of ailments. For example, Wilkins recommends boosting vitality and energy with green tea made from bancha leaves and chrysanthemums, easing anxiety with a latte created from dried tulsi and lemon verbena, and promoting digestion with bitters composed of burdock and dandelion root. A substantial appendix provides an extensive overview of herbs and their associated properties (eucommia bark improves Jing, for instance), and the thorough primer on traditional Asian medicine will satisfy curious readers. It’s a robust introduction to an ancient tradition. (Oct.)