| Making your own herbal concoctions for medicinal purposes
is really not that difficult. And since the best herbal preparations are
those made when the plants are fresh, the better off you are to grow your
own herbs and make your own preparations.
But even the best plants can be ruined if you use the wrong kind of
process in preparing your remedies. Your choice depends on the parts of
the plant to be used, the form in which the remedy will be taken, and
the desired result.
Remember that herbal remedies are not one-shot wonder cures. Their effectiveness
is based largely on a gradual cure.
The following ways of preparing your fresh herbs are those most commonly
used in herbal medicine. Always use an enamel or non-metallic pot.
Infusion - this is a beverage made like tea, made by
pouring boiled water over the plants and steeping to extract the active
ingredients. The normal amounts are about 1/2 to 1 ounce of the plant
to one pint of boiled water. You should let the mixture steep for five
to ten minutes, covered, and strain the infusion into a cup.
Cold Extract - preparing herbs with cold water preserves
the most volatile ingredients, while extracting only minor amounts of
mineral salts and bitter principles. Add about double the amount of plant
material used for an infusion to cold water and let sit for about 8 to
12 hours, strain and drink.
Decoction - this method or preparation allows you to
extract primarily the mineral salts and bitter principles rather than
vitamins and volatile ingredients. Bring ingredients to a boil (about
half an ounce of plant parts per cup of water), then reduce heat and simmer
for up to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and steep the mixture with the cover
on the pot for a few minutes.
Juice - chop and press fresh plant parts to make juice,
then add a bit of water and press again. This is excellent for getting
vitamins and minerals from the plant. Drink the juice away for the best
results.
Syrup - make a basic syrup to which you will add medicinal
ingredients by boiling 3 pounds of raw, brown sugar in a pint of water
until it reaches the consistency.
Powder - grind your dried plant parts until you have
a powder. The powder can be taken with water, milk, soup, or swallowed
in gelatin capsules.
Ointment - quick method: combine well one part of your
powdered remedy with four parts hot petroleum jelly or lard. For purists:
Add the decoction of the desired herb to olive oil and simmer until the
water has completely evaporated. Add beeswax as needed to get a firm consistency.
A little gum benzoin or a drop of tincture of benzoin per ounce of fat
will help preserve the ointment.
Essence - dissolve 1 ounce of the herb's essential
oil in a pint of alcohol; this method preserves the volatile oils of many
plants which are not water-soluble.
Poultice - to make a poultice, you just crush the medicinal
parts of the plant to a pulpy mass and heat. Mix with a hot, sticky substance
such as moist flour or corn meal. Apply the pasty mixture directly to
the skin. Wrap a hot towel around and moisten the towel periodically.
A poultice will draw impurities from the body.
Herb Bath - herbal baths include the use of various
herbal additives to enhance the natural healing power of the water. They
are baths to which plant decoctions or infusions have been added. There
are full and partial herbal baths. For a full bath some of the medicinal
plant parts should be sewn into a cloth bag and then boiled in a quart
of water; the strained mixture is then added to the bath. Sometimes you
can put the bag into the tub for a more thorough extraction of the herbal
properties. |
