St. Hildegard of Bingen (O.S.B.) was a writer, natural scientist, composer, playwright, theologian, and mystic. In her 1157 treatise, Physica, she wrote about sources of natural healing, including plants. Hildegard encouraged readers to eat whole grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, hemp, and especially spelt. (We love spelt here at the bakery, too!)
Despite living in a time when women’s voices were largely ignored, the writings of this German nun gained significant recognition and remain widely influential today.