When I was first learning about herbs, I didn't have a computer. Back in my day, all we had were books.

The internet has been both a boon and a curse for herbalism. On one hand, there are websites with extensive collections of early medical books and herbal books, access to scientific studies on herbs, and articles on herbs and crafting herbal medicine by skilled herbalists. There are loads of YouTube videos with tutorials on herbal skills and plant ID. The best part, the vast majority of it is all free.On the flip side, we also get the clickbait sites with unsupported articles and wild claims of cure-alls. The worst are the Facebook memes. These things just won't die- like the onion slices in a sock that cure everything from the flu to pneumonic plague and how coconut oil "cures" literally everything.

Recommended Reading for Herbalists

Thankfully, we have lots of wonderful, well-researched, and well-written herbal books today – many more than were available when I was learning. I have put together a list of what I consider "required reading" below.

Anatomy and Physiology

• Holistic Anatomy: An Integrative Guide to the Human Body, by Pip Waller, is an anatomy book that resonates with many holistic practitioners. It covers Anatomy in a way that is scientifically sound but is holistic in approach. While there are many A&P textbooks on the market, most are written with the medical field in mind. This book is far more readable to the average person.