Health Through God's Pharmacy

Maria Treben née Günzel (27 September 1907, Žatec, Bohemia - 26 July 1991, Grieskirchen, Austria) was an Austrian author and herbalist who came to fame in the 1980s for her books.

Treben became famous through her two books: Health Through God's Pharmacy  and Maria Treben's Cures. The first was translated into 24 languages and sold over 8 million copies.

Treben addressed seminars and presented at natural health conferences in Germany, Austria and across Europe, attracting hundreds of people. She is perceived as a pioneer of the renewed interest for natural remedies and traditional medicine at the end of the 20th century.
Remedies

Treben used traditional German/Eastern European remedies handed down from previous generations. She only used local herbs and always accompanied her remedies with advice on diet. She commonly used Thyme, Greater Celandine,Ramsons, Speedwell, Calamus, Camomile, Nettle and Lady's Mantle. She treated a broad range of conditions from psoriasis to constipation and diabetes to insomnia. She used her own recipes as well as traditional healing remedies like Swedish bitters that she believed was a cure-all. Some of her remedies and advice proved to be controversial as with all natural health cures it is difficult to prove their efficacy. Yet, to this day she is widely read and referred to for her knowledge of European medicinal herbs.