Southern Folk Medicine, Phyllis D. Light
Southern Folk Medicine, Phyllis D. Light
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Southern Folk Medicine
Healing Traditions from the Appalachian Fields and Forests

Author: Phyllis D. Light

Narrator: Melanie Taylor

Unabridged: 12 hr 55 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/29/2019

Synopsis

For the first time ever, an active practitioner describes the history, folklore, and remedies of Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine in this groundbreaking guide for curious herbalists.  

This book is the first to describe the history, folklore, assessment methods, and remedies of Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine—the only system of folk medicine, other than Native American, that developed in the United States. One of the system's last active practitioners, Phyllis D. Light has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for more than thirty years. In everyday language, she explains how Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine was passed down orally through the generations by herbalists and healers who cared for people in their communities with the natural tools on hand.
 
Drawing from Greek, Native American, African, and British sources, this uniquely American folk medicine combines what is useful and practical from many traditions to create an energetic system that is coherent and valuable today.

About The Author

PHYLLIS D. LIGHT, MA, RH (AHG), is a fourth generation herbalist and healer. Her studies in Southern and Appalachian folk medicine began at the age of ten in the deep woods of North Alabama with lessons from her Creek/Cherokee grandmother and continued with well-known folk herbalist Tommie Bass. She received a master of health studies from the University of Alabama. Light is a registered herbalist and currently acts as vice president of the American Herbalist Guild as well as a member of the Admissions Committee. She is also the president of the American Naturopathic Certification Board. Locally, Light is the director of the Arab, AL, Appalachian Center for Natural Health, which offers both online and residential classes. Learn more at phyllisdlight.com.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lindsay on June 18, 2019

As a student of Phyllis Light, I am so excited that she has put her work (and the long tradition it is part of) into book form. She is an excellent story teller... And, her insights into the human body-mind-spirit are steeped in her experience as an herbalist and the folk tradition of medicine she p......more

Goodreads review by Deatra on May 02, 2021

I loved this book so much. Phyllis draws the reader in from the very beginnings with stories from her own life around the healing plants. Reading history through the lens of healing and healers feels so much more real and meaningful than what can be found in textbooks or classrooms. There is so much......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on April 02, 2022

A wonderful compilation of history and health information written in an engaging way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to examine factors contributing to their health and wellness through the lens of time-proven wisdom.......more

Goodreads review by Rachel on September 11, 2018

Very interesting stories. Only gave 4 stars to this one simply because the book went too into detail over some of the humors, personality types, etc. Would rather read more experiences with southern folk medicine than medical terms.......more

Goodreads review by Kathryn on January 16, 2021

Of all the different approaches to herbalism, this one felt the most natural to me. All have merit but we must work within a system that we can connect to well. Love the blending of story, history, and herb info.......more

Quotes

“Few people know about the practice of Southern Folk Medicine. Heavily based on ancient Greek and European practices, melded with Native American, Christian, and African influences, this system offers us a uniquely American way to look at and positively influence the human body and relieve disease. Written in an easy-to-understand and autobiographical manner, this book will open your mind to a new way of understanding wellbeing, illness, and health.”
—David Winston, RH (AHG)
 
“This book is a treasure! It is at once charming to read and chock-full of plant wisdom. With the growing interest in scientific Western herbalism, ancient Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with which the author is well acquainted, Light is able to remain true to her ancestral roots of Southern Appalachian herbal medicine. As such, it inspires our deeper appreciation for Southern Folk Medicine.”
—Michael Tierra, OMD, founding member, American Herbalists Guild and author of The Way of Herbs and Planetary Herbology
 
“Southern Folk Medicine captures a part of our herbal traditions that is little known, practiced by fewer yet, and at risk of being lost. Much more than an individual’s personal journey or interpretation, it presents a history of the development of culture and medicine in the South, integrates this with its relevance to modern healthcare today, and is reflective of a living tradition whose evolution continues.”
—Roy Upton, herbalist and president, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia

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