Decoctions, Tinctures and Infusions Herbal

How to prepare them at home

In recent years the issue of Alternative Healing has skyrocketed to the forefront of the medical field. A 2004 government survey concluded that more than one third of adults use alternative medicine and healing.

While it may seem “trendy” to some, Herbal Medicine has been around for thousands of years. In fact, many of the familiar pharmaceutical medications we use today were originally created from “natural” ingredients. Drugs like opium (from poppies), aspirin (from willow bark), digitalis (from foxglove) and quinine (from the cinchona tree.)

People, native to different geographical locations, have long used plants and infusions herbal to cure specific maladies. Sometimes referred to as “folk” medicine, it is generally recognized that there are three schools of research one can follow with regard to the history of these treatments.

There is the study of medicines based on Greek, Roman and medieval sources which is largely used by Western schools of thought, Ayurvedic which comes from India and the Eastern tradition of Chinese Herbal Medicine. These different schools of thought provide more commonality than division.

With all our advancements in the medical field physicians are still treating “effect” rather than “cause.” The old adage that, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could not be truer. And it includes the use of natural remedies.

Nothing in the makeup of a plant tells us in what way it would be used the best. There are over a half million known herbs that could be used as possible remedies. In China, The Chinese Herbalist practitioners have over 2,000 that are readily available in their pharmacies.

Herbal remedies around the globe very in strength from very mild, gentle remedies that we even use as food to potential poisons if taken at the wrong dose.

Folk use of herbal remedies is familiar to all of us in some form or another. In fact, many of our current pharmacological concoctions have their roots in herbal medicine. Remedies and recipes for herbal teas are handed down from generation to generation and are still used to this day.

Thankfully, the current views on traditional herbal remedies are changing for the better.

There are 2 methods of preparing decoctions and infusions herbal-cold and hot. In the cold method, herbs are kept in the necessary quantity of cold boiled water for 4-12 hours and filtered. After that, the infusion herbal is ready to be used. In the hot method, the necessary quantity of herbs and water (at room temperature) are placed in a glass, porcelain or enameled utensil. Utensil is placed in boiling water and its content is heated up, frequently stirred. Heat up the decoctions for 30 minutes, cool down and filter.

Decoctions and infusions herbal are prepared for no more than 1-2 days of use. A place for their storage should be dark and cool. If it is necessary to drink the remedy warm the next day, it should be diluted with hot water.

At home tinctures prepared on 70 % alcohol or vodka. Crushed raw material is mixed with vodka or spirit in proportions: 1:10, 2:10, or 3:10 and placed in a dark glass bottle. The tightly closed bottle is kept in a dark place from 3 to 21 days, being shaken from time to time. Then tincture is filtered and stored in a dark bottle. Tinctures can be stored for up to 3 years.

There are countless numbers of herbal combinations that are useful for specific ailments. Additionally, certain herbs are recommended to target individual body parts and we will list them here.

Herbal treatment for the majority of chronic diseases, takes 25-30 days. Treatment can be repeated after 10-15 day’s break, but no more than twice after the first course. After that, if there is no significant health improvement, it is advisable to choose other herbs with the same qualities and values.

Tinctures and Ailments

A-B

B

C-F

G-M

N-S

S-Y