“Though I’ve had to make some compromises to maintain good health,” Rawls notes in a concluding chapter to this exhaustive introduction to the practice and benefits of using herbal phytochemicals to cultivate wellness, “somehow they don’t feel like compromises.” The Cellular Wellness Solution lays out, with clarity and persuasive power, the health benefits of herbs, herbal supplements, and the “powerhouse” properties of phytochemicals that, due to contemporary food processing that emphasizes the production of calories over all else, tend to be lacking in American diets. In the opening pages, Rawls recounts his astonished discovery of herbs’ power, relieving aches, sleeplessness, gastrointestinal issues, and a once-persistent brain fog, all issues that traditional western medicine had failed to address. The rest of the book finds him guiding readers through his discovery, with a doctor’s eye for the science—and the practical results.

Rawls makes the case that herbs and herbal supplements like slippery elm and reishi can, when combined with a balanced lifestyle that involves fresh foods and regular physical activity, bolster well-being in many areas without drug-like effects, including the maintenance of blood sugar levels, the reduction of menopause symptoms, and improvements of gut, prostrate, bone, and skin health. Plant phytochemicals, he notes, are fundamentally non-nutritive, meaning they aren’t required for cells to survive, though they relieve cellular stress while offering protection from a host of dangers, among them insects and microbes.

Rawls proves an appealing guide, laying out the facts with clarity and, for all this lengthy guide’s thoroughness, a welcome sense of the bottom line: what readers want to know to improve their own health. Appendices, bulleted chapter summaries, and a conversational tone make the material manageable, and he offers full chapters on common pressing health concerns and the maintenance of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Readers interested in the herbal life will find this a valuable resource.

Takeaway: A thorough yet inviting introduction to the health benefits of herbs and herbal supplements.

Great for fans of: Tina Sams’s The Healing Power of Herbs, Katja Swift and Ryn Midura’s Herbal Remedies for Beginners.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A