< previous page | page_72 | next page >
Page 72
| The Preparation of Herbal Medicines |
| From a therapeutic perspective, the basic way to use herbs is to take them internally since it is from within that healing takes place. The ways to prepare internal remedies are numerous, but with all of them it is essential to prepare carefully to ensure you end up with a medicine that works. |
| Teas |
| There are two ways to prepare teas: as infusions or decoctions. There are some basic rules of thumb for choosing which method to use with what herb, but as with all generalizations, there are many exceptions. |
| Infusions are usually appropriate for non-woody material such as leaves, flowers and some stems. |
| Decoctions are usually required if the herb contains any hard or woody material such as roots, barks or nuts. The denser the plant or the individual cell walls, the more energy is needed to extract cell content into the tea, thus explaining the value of decocting. An important exception would be a root rich in a volatile oil such as valerian. The woodiness of valerian root would suggest decocting, but |
< previous page | page_72 | next page >

If you like this book, buy it!