How Herbs Are Consumed?

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How Herbs Are Consumed
Herbs may be consumed in a variety of ways, including as pills, capsules, liquids and syrups.
Many other forms are available as well. Sometimes the method of administration is just as important as the effects that come from the plant. For example, suppose you had a harried day rushing around, doing too many tasks at once. The best medicine in this example might be a relaxing herbal blend. It could be administered as a tablet or capsule, but it would be better to consume it as a tea, sitting in a
comfy chair with your feet up.

The Standard Infusion
Something that you’ll see fairly often in this book is the phrase “standard infusion.” To make a standard infusion, simply pour one cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs (just increase the amount of herbs and water proportionally if you want a larger batch). Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is over, strain the herbs out and drink the resulting tea. That’s it!

Making an Herbal Decoction
A decoction is similar to a tea, except that it’s simmered slowly in a pot for at least 20 minutes. This makes the herb more potent. Usually the root parts of the plants are decocted, as it takes time to extract all of the goodness out of them. The decoction recipe that follows is considered a decoction infusion, which is used to make a tea out of roots, seeds and berries. To make a standard decoction, just simmer 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs in 1 cup of water for 20 minutes. You can also make it stronger by adding more herbs. You might find that making up to a quart or two at a time is easier than a single cup.

How Herbs Heal You
Herbs heal in many ways. Their aromas are healing. The beauty of the plants is comforting and sometimes breath-taking. Herbal medicine is best taken with awareness of the herbs themselves.
While some herbs work very quickly, many herbal medicines take time to work. Rather than suppressing a symptom, they work by strengthening the body. Herbal medicine can sometimes
take longer than conventional remedies to work; however, they provide long-lasting benefits that conventional preparations do not. One of the most common ways that people use herbs is in an infusion, as described above. Infusions are made with flowers, stems, and leaves. There are a variety of tea strainers on the market that you can use for this purpose. You may also purchase a tea ball to put the herbs in or make your own tea bags with self-closing commercial bags. Another alternative is to put the herbs in a coffee filter and tie with string to make little tea bags.

After making an infusion, you’ll have some soaked herbs left over. I strongly recommend using the spent herbs for compost. By returning the used herbs to the earth, you’re nourishing it as it nourishes you. Herbs are an excellent addition to compost piles, as they contain minerals, and many herbs also help to activate your compost pile to decompose hotter and faster.


Herbs are Multifaceted and Strengthen Multiple Body Systems
Choosing the right herb depends to a certain degree on identifying a specific system of the body to strengthen. However, many herbs strengthen several systems simultaneously, so in a way, you can’t go wrong once you have the basic knowledge down! For example, let’s say that you fall and end up with a wound on your knee. You’d ask yourself, “What systems of the body need strengthening?” The answer would be the integumentary system (skin), the musculoskeletal system (muscles and bones), and the immune system (to prevent infection).
On the other hand, let’s say your daughter has the beginning signs of a urinary tract infection.
You’d ask yourself, “What systems of the body should I strengthen?” This time, the answer would be the kidneys, urinary tract, and immune system. See how easy this is? You can make smart decisions based on this way of thinking. A lot of it is just based on common sense. I’ll be discussing the different body systems, and the herbs that target each system, in the coming chapters. Advertisement