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Page 15
| compost them. Drink 1/2 to 1 cup of decoction two to three times a day. |
| An alternate method is to start with a strong infusion of herbs, which has been strained. Place the strained infusion into a pot and simmer on the lowest possible heat until the liquid is reduced by half. (If you started with 2 cups of infusion, you now have 1 cup of decoction.) To make a double decoction, start with a decoction and simmer it on the lowest possible heat until the decoction is reduced by half. Strain and drink. This double decoction will be much stronger and more concentrated than the original decoction, so smaller doses will be effective. A double decoction is a good base from which to make a syrup. If you are new to the world of herbs, try each method for making decoctions and decide which one works best for you. |
| If you have an automatic drip coffee maker, you can also streamline the decoction-making process. Place the herbs in the bottom of the coffee maker instead of on top, where the coffee usually goes. Add water to the top of the machine and let the preheated water run down over the herbs. Let the decoction sit on the warmer for 20 to 30 minutes and then strain. You can pour this decoction into a thermos, and take it to work with you or keep it in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to three days. |
| Tinctures |
| Also called extracts, tinctures are concentrated herbal preparations which usually use alcohol as a solvent and sometimes glycerin or vinegar. A tincture is an effective way to take a remedy. Tinctures are quick-acting and dissolve almost all of the plant constituents, since alcohol-based tinctures are a mixture of both alcohol and water. Although |
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