As we learn more about our bodies and how to work with them, rather than against them, we instinctively open up to the world of natural and alternative health. Today we know that we have at our finger tips numerous natural healing modalities that have been tried and tested for hundreds, and even thousands of years. Healing modalities that support our body’s natural balance and healing ability.
One of the not yet widely understood or utilized natural healing modalities by the majority of people is homeopathy. Yet, this amazing tool offers us an abundant platform from which to approach our health on every level. It is truly holistic in that it can address the physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of the self. It is side-effect free, quick, practical, and extremely economical.
To help us take advantage of the wonderful world of homeopathy, author Burke Lennihan has written a new book entitled, Your Natural Medicine Cabinet: A Practical Guide to Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments. In this resource, Burke presents a holistic foundation for health, as well as remedies for numerous everyday ailments that we can quickly and easily treat ourselves in the most beneficial and least invasive way. The book also offers a general introduction to, and understanding of homeopathy that can help to empower us on our personal health journey.
I greatly enjoyed reading the book, and will enjoy putting it to use even more. In the following review, you can learn more about this book, and why it should be an integral resource for every household.
About the Author
Your Natural Medicine Cabinet: A Practical Guide to Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments is written by Burke Lennihan. The book is newly released in September 2012.
Burke Lennihan R.N., CCH – is a Harvard graduate, registered nurse and Certified Classical Homeopath. For 16 years Burke owned a health food store, where she first began working with homeopathic remedies in 1981. She began studying homeopathy professionally in 1995 with Dr. Luc De Schepper, and with him co-founded the Renaissance Institute of Classical Homeopathy. She currently practices at the Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine in Cambridge, Mass.
For more information on Burke and her work, please visit her site GreenHealing.org
Homeopathic medicines are the most powerful natural remedies, in my experience.
Burke Lennihan, Your Natural Medicine Cabinet
Book Content & Format
Your Natural Medicine Cabinet: A Practical Guide to Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments is around 250 pages. It is a very smooth read if one reads it from start to finish, and it can also be read like a reference resource focusing on specific areas of the book that one is seeking. The book is divided into 5 parts, that each have several sections, instead of numbered chapters. Here is a summary of the 5 parts:
Part One: Creating a Strong Foundation
In this part, the reader gets a great, concise and practical foundation for taking care of their body daily in a holistic manner. This means an emphasis on the physical, such as how to eat, as well as the mental, emotional and spiritual parts as well, and how to work with these for our best health. The power of nature and the mind-body connection are also discussed.
Part Two: Drug-Free Remedies for Common Ailments
This part is outlined by condition, or ailment to be a quick and easy reference for whatever condition we may need help for. From acid reflux to warts, about 200 everyday ailments are covered. Each condition includes information for a quick fix, ongoing care and lifestyle support, making it highly practical and valuable no matter what point we might be at in our healing journey. Burke also shares a helpful section to start the reader off in knowing what is safe to treat at home, and what isn’t.
Part 3: Stocking Your Natural Medicine Cabinet
This part covers a succinct explanation of different single and combo homeopathic remedies, as well as the 38 flower remedies and 12 cell salt remedies. This section helps to reinforce the information of the previous part where we can see how one homeopathic remedy can cover various physical, emotional and mental ailments.
Part 4: How to Use Homeopathic Medicines
In this part, the reader can expect to learn how to buy and use homeopathic medicine in their home. It also gives a great explanation, using the most up to date science on how homeopathic remedies work, and other practical information about their use, or where to seek more information depending on our needs.
Part 5: Your Support System
This part leaves the reader on an empowered note to seek and take advantage of the different support systems available to make our homeopathic care journey a pleasant and successful one. From help with finding the right primary care practitioner, to forming a like-minded community, numerous tips and resources are offered.
Homeopathic medicines work because of the information they give your body, rather than conveying medicinal “stuff” the way a drug or an herb or vitamin would.
Burke Lennihan, Your Natural Medicine Cabinet
Personal Commentary
As someone who is passionate about natural health and a holistic approach to wellness, I was very keen on exploring this book thoroughly. Yes, there are a lot of books out there covering these fields in numerous ways, but not all of them qualify as practical or truly valuable resources. So when it came to reading this book, I was in for many pleasant surprises.
For starters, when I began reading part one, I felt like I was reading my own words. It was beautiful to see how in alignment the author was with my own approach, and so many other holistic practitioners’ advice when it comes to addressing the physical, mental and emotional parts of ourselves. Her advice on establishing a proper foundation in your body for health was excellent, as were the dietary recommendations. The only part, in the whole book in fact, where I differed slightly in what the author recommends, was the section on supplements as I am still not convinced we need as much as is sometimes advocated for.
Now when most of us think of our natural medicine cabinet, the first things that may come to mind may be some herbal formulas. While those can be wonderful, Burke introduces us to a whole other world of natural everyday healing that is overlooked by most people. That being homeopathy. She elegantly outlines around 200 ailments that can be an issue for us at different stages of our life, and how homeopathy can help treat them, bringing our body back in balance quickly. From baby needs, like teething, to women’s health issues, sports injuries, skin conditions, allergies, and so much more. This alone makes the book an extremely valuable resource. As Burke shares in her book:
My goal is to empower people to care for themselves and their families with the best natural products for many common conditions.
Burke Lennihan, Your Natural Medicine Cabinet
Lastly, what I loved was the easy, concise, yet thorough information given to help each reader understand homeopathy in the most useful and empowering way. This field of remedies has so much potential for us. As Burke explains it has side benefits, instead of side effects; helps people save money, time and energy spent on health care; and shifts the landscape of how we approach health and healing.
Above all else however, what I loved most I think about this book is the numerous (and I mean numerous) resources that Burke inserts in every section. Yes, this book is meant to be a guide, a handbook of sorts, yet the reader is given abundant resources to further pursue whatever area they may be seeking more information in. The wealth of resources, such as books, products and websites, is truly outstanding. As I was excited to explore further, I enjoyed making use of some of them right when I was reading, and know they will prove invaluable over time.
Here is a general summary of the main pros and cons of this book:
Pros
- super practical
- provides a wealth of resources for more specific information (books, websites, videos, etc.)
- provides an outstanding introduction and foundation to understanding homeopathy for treating everyday ailments
- provides a holistic approach to health and wellness
- provides smart quick fix relief tips, as well as ongoing care tips
- presents concise information for balanced physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health
- conveys a sense of mastery and accountability over one’s own healing
- highly applicable and beneficial to families with kids, who can constantly be in need of some remedy
Cons
- may not be fully appreciated or well received by people who are not open to homeopathy
The book is written in a warm, gentle and loving tone. This is important as Burke does not make an enemy of conventional medical approaches, and even empowers us to know when or how to use them. She makes us feel good no matter where we may be on our path of natural health, to know that the right support is always available. It is an all around “feel-good” book, and one that is highly practical and valuable for each of us to consider having as part of our natural health library.
In conclusion, if you are ready to take your health to the next level and have not yet explored the field of homeopathy, may this be just the nudge you need. From everyday ailments to nutritional support, you will have at your finger tips a personal guide to work with your body in the most gentle and supportive, yet highly effective ways. I am thrilled to include this book as a valuable resource in my personal home library, and recommend it to others as well.
Homeopathy does not suppress symptoms, which means forcing symptoms to disappear while leaving the underlying problem untouched.
Burke Lennihan, Your Natural Medicine Cabinet