Maria Treben became famous through her two books: Health Through God’s Pharmacy and Maria Treben’s Cures using Swedish Bitters.
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 such as Swedish Bitters, and traditional medicine at the end of the 20th century.
Maria Treben used Swedish Bitters as a remedy 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 using Swedish bitters. 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 and Swedish Bitters.