Meet a Doctor of the Church whose wisdom on health and nutrition will aid you in everything from better digestion and sleep to improved mood, memory, and pain relief. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a mystic and scholar who chronicled more than six hundred pages of visions, wrote cantatas, and even devised her own language. She authored The Book of Divine Works , Causes and Cures , and Scivias and corresponded with the greatest intellectuals, theologians, and royals of her time. As a pioneer of European phytotherapy, Hildegard described and cataloged hundreds of ingredients from plant, mineral, and animal origins. Her recipes, remedies, nutritional advice, and holistic view of the human being are as valued and appreciated today as when she developed them nearly a thousand years ago. This book faithfully applies Hildegard's pioneering thought to everyday living in our time. In these potent pages, you will find the medicinal properties of essential herbs as well as how to identify, utilize, and cultivate them. You will also learn: "Hildegard's elixir" for curing common ailments Ways to include delicious herbs in your dinner and dessert recipes to fortify your health The herbs that will help you relieve forgetfulness and ease muscle tension Effective treatments for nervous, digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and hormonal illnesses Recipes for preparing everything from breakfast dishes and soups to medicinal wines, teas, poultices, ointments, oils, plasters, and eye drops Which "herb of the angels" is used to treat anxiety, fatigue, and much more Additionally, you will discover the most favorable environment for growing the plants most heartily recommended by Hildegard, and step-by-step instructions on how to develop your own spiritually organized and fruitful garden plan. Hildegard built up an immense store of knowledge of diverse creatures and used it to serve others. Our human illnesses, she observed, are often caused by our disrespect for nature and our own bodies. So she researched, conducted experiments, prayed, and cataloged these ingredients to achieve spectacular results for healing both body and soul.