Post by cytamalyn on Jul 26, 2015 16:42:36 GMT -8
We can use herbs both internally and topically.
For internal purposes, we usually extract an herb’s goodies using water or alcohol as a solvent. By ingesting water or alcohol that has been used to release an herb’s goodies, we take in those constituents and marshal them for their therapeutic benefits. In order of weakest to strongest action, we can ingest herbs as capsules, tisanes, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, and extracts.
Capsules: Quite literally, herbal capsules are dried herb material packed into digestible capsules. The capsule membranes melt when they reach your stomach, and the herbs release their goodies into your body and bloodstream through the digestion process. This is the weakest form of using herbs because you’re relying on your stomach acids to release the goodies instead of ingesting them directly. Taking capsules is appropriate if you are trying effect an overall long-term change in your health, i.e., giving your husband daily Saw Palmetto capsules to protect his prostate.
Tisanes: Honestly, an herbal tisane is like a “tea.” Except we don’t call it “Tea” because “Tea” refers specifically to the herb Camellia sinensis (black tea, green tea, white tea, etc.). A tisane uses hot water to extract an herb’s goodies (they dissolve in the hot water), and usually in the ratio of 1 teaspoon of herb steeped in 8 ounces of hot water.
Infusions: An infusion is like a tisane, except it’s a little stronger because the concentration of herb is higher (one ounce of herb to one pint of water). The typical dosage for an herbal infusion is 8 – 10 tablespoons, 3-4 times a day.
Decoctions: A decoction is much like an infusion, except that instead of steeping an ounce of herb in a pint of boiling hot water, you add the herb to the water and boil the whole thing together. You would make a decoction instead of an infusion because sometimes the herb you are trying to take the goodies from is a harder/woodier substance (a bark or root or rhizome). A decoction has the same herb to water ratio as an infusion. The typical dosage for a decoction is 2 – 6 tablespoons, 3 to 4 times a day.
Tinctures: A tincture uses alcohol to extract the herb’s goodies, although if you’re making a tincture for children, you can also use apple cider vinegar instead of alcohol. The strength of tinctures is usually expressed in ratios, such as 1:5, which means that 1 pound of herb material was dissolve in 5 pounds of liquid. Making tinctures is a bit of a science, because the ratio of herb to alcohol (or vinegar) changes depending upon the herb you’re using (different plants require different alcohol concentrations in order to give up their goodies). Because tinctures are more concentrated, you usually take them as drops in water or on the tongue. The typical dosage for a tincture is 8 to 12 milliliters, about 2 – 3 teaspoons, 3 -4 times per day.
Extracts: Extracts are still more concentrated than tinctures (they’re about twice as strong). Extracts cannot be made at home, as they require some very specific and specialized equipment to prepare. Extracts are made using evaporation, cold percolation, or high pressure, depending on the particular herb’s goodies. The typical dosage for an extract is 2 – 8 millileters, or 1 – 2 teaspoons, 3 to 4 times per day.
There are also different ways herbs can be used externally (or topically) to speed healing, reduce swelling, and in general, relieve pain, itchiness, or discomfort from sprains, bruises, insect bites and stings, wounds, and pulled ligaments. These include poultices, fomentations, ointments/salves, and more.
Poultices: A poultice is the term for applying herbs directly to the skin. Usually, you use fresh herbs that you’ve mashed up (although powdered/dried herbs can be used too) and poured boiling water into (you pour just enough to wet the mixture). You then wrap the mixture up in a cheesecloth or muslin, and apply it directly to the affected area, then cover with a warm cloth. Good herbs for poultices are demulcents (or mucilaginous herbs that apply a protective coating to whatever they touch). Some examples of good poultice herbs are Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) for bee and wasp stings, Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) for dermatitis/eczema/psoriasis, Chickweed (Stellaria media) for abscesses, boils, or otherwise inflamed skin, and Comfrey Root (Symphytum officinale) for burns and just about anything skin-related (it’s also called “knitbone” because the old-time herbal healers used it to mend broken bones).
Fomentations: A fomentation is kind of like the inverse of a poultice. Instead of applying the herbs directly to the skin, you are applying a wet cloth or towel that has been soaked in a decoction of the herb to the skin. You can apply fomentations either hot or cold (hot for old, chronic injuries, and cold for acute ones is the general rule). When might you want to use a fomentation instead of a poultice? Well, obviously, a fomentation takes more time to prepare, since you have to decoct the herb first before soaking a cloth or towel in it. In my mind, a fomentation is slightly more effective because the decoction has already extracted the goodies out of the herb, whereas with the poultice, you’re waiting for the boiling water to percolate through the herb, pick up the goodies, and take them into the skin.
Ointments and salves: For me, the term “ointment” is synonymous with the term “salve.” Both extract an herb’s goodies and hold them in suspension so they can be applied later in time (the poultice and fomentation are meant to be used right away). There are several ways to make ointments and salves, but in general, you can make pretty good ones using just a double boiler, some beeswax, sweet almond oil, and of course, the herbs you want to use.
Eyewashes: Some of the infusions and decoctions that you would normally drink can also be applied as eyewashes for eye infections or inflammation. For example, a decoction of Chickweed can be good for eye infections, while an infusion of Marshmallow Root can be used to bathe inflamed eyes. Another herb, Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), got its very name from its ability to heal eye irritations like conjunctivitis (pink-eye), so that would be a good candidate for an eyewash or poultice as well.
For internal purposes, we usually extract an herb’s goodies using water or alcohol as a solvent. By ingesting water or alcohol that has been used to release an herb’s goodies, we take in those constituents and marshal them for their therapeutic benefits. In order of weakest to strongest action, we can ingest herbs as capsules, tisanes, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, and extracts.
Capsules: Quite literally, herbal capsules are dried herb material packed into digestible capsules. The capsule membranes melt when they reach your stomach, and the herbs release their goodies into your body and bloodstream through the digestion process. This is the weakest form of using herbs because you’re relying on your stomach acids to release the goodies instead of ingesting them directly. Taking capsules is appropriate if you are trying effect an overall long-term change in your health, i.e., giving your husband daily Saw Palmetto capsules to protect his prostate.
Tisanes: Honestly, an herbal tisane is like a “tea.” Except we don’t call it “Tea” because “Tea” refers specifically to the herb Camellia sinensis (black tea, green tea, white tea, etc.). A tisane uses hot water to extract an herb’s goodies (they dissolve in the hot water), and usually in the ratio of 1 teaspoon of herb steeped in 8 ounces of hot water.
Infusions: An infusion is like a tisane, except it’s a little stronger because the concentration of herb is higher (one ounce of herb to one pint of water). The typical dosage for an herbal infusion is 8 – 10 tablespoons, 3-4 times a day.
Decoctions: A decoction is much like an infusion, except that instead of steeping an ounce of herb in a pint of boiling hot water, you add the herb to the water and boil the whole thing together. You would make a decoction instead of an infusion because sometimes the herb you are trying to take the goodies from is a harder/woodier substance (a bark or root or rhizome). A decoction has the same herb to water ratio as an infusion. The typical dosage for a decoction is 2 – 6 tablespoons, 3 to 4 times a day.
Tinctures: A tincture uses alcohol to extract the herb’s goodies, although if you’re making a tincture for children, you can also use apple cider vinegar instead of alcohol. The strength of tinctures is usually expressed in ratios, such as 1:5, which means that 1 pound of herb material was dissolve in 5 pounds of liquid. Making tinctures is a bit of a science, because the ratio of herb to alcohol (or vinegar) changes depending upon the herb you’re using (different plants require different alcohol concentrations in order to give up their goodies). Because tinctures are more concentrated, you usually take them as drops in water or on the tongue. The typical dosage for a tincture is 8 to 12 milliliters, about 2 – 3 teaspoons, 3 -4 times per day.
Extracts: Extracts are still more concentrated than tinctures (they’re about twice as strong). Extracts cannot be made at home, as they require some very specific and specialized equipment to prepare. Extracts are made using evaporation, cold percolation, or high pressure, depending on the particular herb’s goodies. The typical dosage for an extract is 2 – 8 millileters, or 1 – 2 teaspoons, 3 to 4 times per day.
There are also different ways herbs can be used externally (or topically) to speed healing, reduce swelling, and in general, relieve pain, itchiness, or discomfort from sprains, bruises, insect bites and stings, wounds, and pulled ligaments. These include poultices, fomentations, ointments/salves, and more.
Poultices: A poultice is the term for applying herbs directly to the skin. Usually, you use fresh herbs that you’ve mashed up (although powdered/dried herbs can be used too) and poured boiling water into (you pour just enough to wet the mixture). You then wrap the mixture up in a cheesecloth or muslin, and apply it directly to the affected area, then cover with a warm cloth. Good herbs for poultices are demulcents (or mucilaginous herbs that apply a protective coating to whatever they touch). Some examples of good poultice herbs are Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) for bee and wasp stings, Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) for dermatitis/eczema/psoriasis, Chickweed (Stellaria media) for abscesses, boils, or otherwise inflamed skin, and Comfrey Root (Symphytum officinale) for burns and just about anything skin-related (it’s also called “knitbone” because the old-time herbal healers used it to mend broken bones).
Fomentations: A fomentation is kind of like the inverse of a poultice. Instead of applying the herbs directly to the skin, you are applying a wet cloth or towel that has been soaked in a decoction of the herb to the skin. You can apply fomentations either hot or cold (hot for old, chronic injuries, and cold for acute ones is the general rule). When might you want to use a fomentation instead of a poultice? Well, obviously, a fomentation takes more time to prepare, since you have to decoct the herb first before soaking a cloth or towel in it. In my mind, a fomentation is slightly more effective because the decoction has already extracted the goodies out of the herb, whereas with the poultice, you’re waiting for the boiling water to percolate through the herb, pick up the goodies, and take them into the skin.
Ointments and salves: For me, the term “ointment” is synonymous with the term “salve.” Both extract an herb’s goodies and hold them in suspension so they can be applied later in time (the poultice and fomentation are meant to be used right away). There are several ways to make ointments and salves, but in general, you can make pretty good ones using just a double boiler, some beeswax, sweet almond oil, and of course, the herbs you want to use.
Eyewashes: Some of the infusions and decoctions that you would normally drink can also be applied as eyewashes for eye infections or inflammation. For example, a decoction of Chickweed can be good for eye infections, while an infusion of Marshmallow Root can be used to bathe inflamed eyes. Another herb, Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), got its very name from its ability to heal eye irritations like conjunctivitis (pink-eye), so that would be a good candidate for an eyewash or poultice as well.