An antacid or an aspirin may soothe your pain, but it doesn't cure the cause of your symptoms. Headaches, indigestion, fatigue, allergies, anxiety, eczema, high blood pressure, and other conditions are clues to a deeper imbalance in your body, and learning to read those clues is a key step in maintaining optimal health. Herbalist Maria Noël Groves shows you how to read your body's signals and support your own wellness with herbal remedies and other natural treatments. You'll learn how each of your major body systems-respiratory, digestive, immune, nervous, memory, reproductive, circulatory, and more-optimally functions, and you'll discover how to use natural remedies to nourish and repair problem areas, restore lost vitality, support your body as a whole, and prevent future problems. Groves includes in-depth instructions, with step-by-step photographs, for making your own herbal remedies, as well as expert guidance on buying and effectively using commercial preparations. A highly accessible natural health guide to all the major body systems and their common imbalances, with in-depth advice on how to best use herbal medicine to support and nourish each system, address chronic health issues, and help achieve optimal health. Achieve your optimal health by learning to use herbs most effectively. Clinical herbalist Maria Noël Groves helps you understand the root causes of diabetes, hypertension, nerve pain, thyroid disorders, and so much more, while also teaching you how to make natural medicine an integral part of your daily self-care routine. Introduction: Achieving a Natural Balance Part 1: The Foundations of Good Health 1. Your Body's Basic Needs 2. Herbal Nutrition 3. Stress and Energy 4. Relaxation, Mood, and Sleep 5. Digestion and Elimination 6. Detoxification: Cleanup Time! Part 2: Going Deeper and Tying It Together 7. The Immune System: Tending Your Inner Army 8. The Respiratory System: Breathing Deeply 9. Blood Sugar: Not Too Sweet 10. The Cardiovascular System: Your Body's Superhighway 11. Memory and Cognition: Sharpening Your Mind 12. Managing Pain: Listening to Your Taskmaster 13. The Thyroid: Butterfly in Balance 14. Your Skin and Connective Tissue: Keepin' It Together 15. Reproductive Vitality: The Canary in the Coal Mine 16. Longevity and Vitality: Aging Gracefully 17. Children and Animals: Herbal Medicine for the Whole Family Part 3: Buying and Making Herbal Remedies 18. Harvesting, Buying, Storing, and Using Herbs 19. DIY Herbal Remedies Appendix I: The Latin Names of Herbs Appendix II: Learn More Index