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Page 33
| of dropper bottles sold in health food stores, usually measured in drops, are insufficient for most acute conditions in adult humans. Also, many commercially prepared tinctures are weaker and less concentrated than what you can make at home, either because the proportion of alcohol to herbs is higher, creating a more dilute solution, because the tinctures are made quickly, allowing insufficient time for complete extraction, or because the quality of the raw materials is inferior. |
| Because concentration and quality very among tinctures, just as the people who take them vary in size, weight and physical condition, it is impossible to specify a single dosage for best results. If you don't notice improvement after taking a tincture as directed, you probably need more. If you experience adverse side effects, you probably need less or should discontinue the product altogether. |
| If you purchase herbs in capsules, buy them from a retailer whose stock rotates quickly or who powders herbs for capsules as needed. Powdered herbs lose their potency when exposed to heat, light or humidity. |
| As you become familiar with herbs, experiment with small doses of single herbs in tea, tinctures or capsules before taking therapeutic doses such as several cups of medicinal-strength tea, a dozen capsules a day or a teaspoon of tincture three times daily. If you are allergic to an herb or have any adverse reaction to it, substitute something else. |
| Poultices and Plasters |
| A poultice is a wet herbal pack applied directly to an inflamed, irritated, swollen, infected or injured part of |
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