Top Books for your Natural Living Library

As Sir Francis Bacon said in his 1597 work Meditationes Sacrae, “Knowledge is power.” I have never felt more powerless, knowledge -less, than on that last day in the hospital with my first-born. When the doctors said, “you can go home now!” I froze. Becoming a mother made me want, no, need to know so much more than I did. That need grew with the more children I had and with the desire to live a more natural healthy lifestyle. I learn best through books, so these are my top books for your natural living library.

General Oil Knowledge and Recipes

Fearless: Confidence with Essential Oils in 2 Hours, by Sarah Harnisch

From the back cover

If you’re not sure where to start with essential oils, or feel overwhelmed by all the info out there, this little book is your answer.

              I lOVE this book! And it’s not just for beginners either. I go back to this book time and time again. I read it to refresh my memory or when I want to try something new. The author is big on “experimenting” and using essential oils regularly.  The author gives many suggestions for how to use the oils in the Premium Starter Bundle. I go into detail on those oils in 12 Must-Have Essential Oils for Beginners. BONUS: I gift this book to anyone who buys a Premium Starter Bundle from me!

Essential Oil Pocket Reference by Life Science Publishing

From the back cover

Within the pages of this book lie the gifts of knowledge. You can learn how and why essential oils share their powerful life force in ways that support and maintain our health.

              My favorite part of this book is the Personal Usage section. It’s filled with nearly 200 pages of how to use essential oils in everyday life. This is a must-have resource for anyone living a healthy lifestyle using Young Living’s natural products and essential oils.

Oil & Glass: Recipes Using Essential Oils For Healthy Living by The Essential Collective

              From Amazon Book Overview:

Oil & Glass contains 164 pages filled with tried-and-tested essential oil DIY recipes, oil education and safety tips, dilution ratios, step-by-step directions, suggested supplies and stunning photography. This book will shorten the learning curve for people just starting out with Young Living essential oils, as well as seasoned users.

              This is my favorite go-to recipe book. I pull it out when I want to create a care package for a friend, or try something new with the kids. I love that this book provides guidance on altering the recipe to suit children. There’s even a whole section of recipes specifically for babies and children. I also go back to section 6: Pregnancy and Birth way more often than I expected, that’s for sure!

Essential Oils: Natural Remedies by Althea Press

From the back cover

Heal Yourself and your family with essential oils. The healing properties of essential oils are virtually limitless. You can put them to work today without the hassle, expense, and frustration that come with consulting doctors and taking prescription medicines.

              This book has a lot of the same information as the Essential Oil Pocket Reference. I find this book a bit easier to read. I also like that it’s written about essential oils in general, rather than being about Young Living essential oils specifically. It’s a great unbiased resource which is why it’s one of my top books for your natural living library.

Healthy Eating & Cookbooks

Nutrition 101: Choose Life, by Debra Reybern N.D., Sera Johnson, Laura Hopkins and Karen Hopkins

From the back cover

Nutrition 101 is an award winning, three-in-one family nutrition and health program and curriculum for all ages that presents the major body systems, how they function, their common health issues, the benefits of good food and the consequences of bad food.

              I have used this book to help teach my kids about the importance of making healthy food choices. I love that it presents the information in an interesting and engaging way for readers. Of course, it’s full of recipes for putting everything you learn into action.

Whole Food for Your Family by Autumn Michaelis

From the back cover

Feeding yourself and your family nourishing meals can feel overwhelming, But Autumn provides an abundance of tips, tricks and recipes to help you navigate feeding your loved ones.

              This recipe book is full of tips, tricks and recipes to feed my family the way I feel I should. In all honesty, while I bought a bunch of the trade-out ingredients she’s recommended, I am still working towards this level of healthy eating in my home. I will get to it someday though, which is why it makes my list of top books for your natural living library. You can learn more about what I actually eat in 3-Day Healthy Meal Plan!

The Sneaky Chef , by Missy Chase Lapine

              From the back cover

Learn how to make the meals your children already love  – but with secret sneaky ingredients that pack a healthy punch.

              I got this book as a Christmas gift one year and I was surprised at how much being “sneaky” changed my eating habits, let alone my kids’. The more nutritious ingredients I worked into the meals we were already eating, the more we wanted to try new healthier meals. I will say I didn’t ever lie to my kids about what was in the meal they were eating…but I did make them wait until they decided to like it, and they ate it, before I told them all the ingredients. I liked her first book so much I bought her second and third books too : The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue, The Speedy Sneaky Chef.

Pregnancy & Babies

While these next books are centered around pregnancy and babies they are full of general essential oil and nutrition knowledge. Many of them have advice and tips for using essential oils with kids, which is kind of my thing. Which is why it should be no surprise they make my list of top books for your natural living library.

Betsy Bosom’s Baby Book: A Girlfriend’s Guide to Using Essential Oils From Bellies to Babies by Lucy Libido and Betsy Bosom

      From the Back Cover

 This book has everything the expectant mama needs to know about essential oil safety and usage, along with a wholistic approach to nutrition and emotional wellness throughout the entire journey from pre-pregnancy to parenthood.

              This is another great resource I keep coming back to more frequently than expected! I love that this book is packed with research and experience-backed advice for any essential oil user. The tone is very much that of a girlfriend offering her two cents and the author leaves all the decision-making in the reader’s hands. For me it’s been very empowering during all my pregnancies – including the ones that didn’t go as planned.

Gentle Babies by Debra Reybern

From the Back cover

Combining two decades of professional knowledge with tried-and-true techniques and first-hand testimonials, Debra Reyburn has compiled this insightful and easy to follow guide benefiting both experienced and first-time mothers.

              This is the first book I bought that gave guidance on using essential oils with my children. The first-hand testimonials are pure gold. While I trusted the quality of Young Living Essential Oils, It was encouraging to read other mothers’ accounts. This gave me the confidence to dive headfirst into the natural health and wellness world and never look back, and I’m so glad I did. It might sound cliché but it truly changed my life.

The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth by Genevieve Howland

From the back cover

For generations pregnancy and birth have been treated as medical conditions, as opposed to normal biological processes. But change is underway. A groundswell of women are taking back their pregnancies and births and embracing a more natural approach. Whether you want a waterbirth in your living room or just want to eat healthier – This book is for you!

              I’m on the “I just want to eat healthier” end of the natural pregnancy spectrum…if there is such a thing? There is a lot of information in this book that didn’t necessarily apply to my pregnancy plans. Besides the usual “your baby and your body this week” that are a part of any week-by-week pregnancy book or app,  some features I love about this book are the weekly “mama to-do lists” and “nom of the week” recipes. I also appreciate the weekly tips from doulas and the affirmations were a weekly reminder to think positively about my growing baby and my body.

Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols RDN, CDE

From Amazon description

Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. A lot of the advice you have been given about what to eat (or what not to eat) is well-meaning, but frankly, outdated or not evidenced-based. In Real Food for Pregnancy, you will get clear answers on what to eat and why, with research to back up every recommendation. 

              I am a researcher at heart, which is probably why I enjoy working in the natural health and wellness field…I get to research and learn all the time! This book is one of the best and most thoroughly researched books about eating while pregnant I’ve come across. It also has a bunch of delicious and nutritious recipes that implement the nutritional guidance in the book!

I have so many more books on my shelf and more I want to add, so be on the look-out for another post labeled More top books for your natural living library!