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Herbal Preparations
There are many methods for preparing and using herbs. I have listed them in a sequential order starting with how to harvest, dry, and store, then simple preparations following by more complex methods.
There are many parts of a plant used for food and medicine; roots, bark, leaves, flowers, sap and seeds. Learn how and when to harvest.
Herbs can be foraged or cultivated then dried for future use. Drying concentrates a plant's constituents for greater potency and aroma, preserves it for long-term storage, and makes many herbal preparations possible.
An herbal tea, or to use a more accurate term, a "tisane" is the most basic way to prepare an herb for consumption. Plant material is steeped in water for a period of time to release the flavor and properties of an herb.
Baths are a literal immersive experience that open pores to allow the medicinal properties of herbs to absorb through the skin into the blood stream. Steams open the sinus cavities to work in the same manner.
Washes are concentrated herbal tea used to rinse, cleanse, and support different parts of the body. A compress is a cloth soaked in the wash solution and applied to the body.
Poultices and plasters are used to draw out toxins, relieve pain and inflammation, cool or heat, stimulate circulation and promote proper cleansing and healing of an area.
Powdered herbs can be used to create a variety of herbal preparations for medicinal, culinary and body care uses.
Use powdered herbs to create simple to swallow capsules or add a little honey for pills.
An herbal pillow or sachet, is a breathable cloth bag or pouch filled with dried herbs that is sealed off by tying or sewing. They are used in many ways for health, body and home.
Herbal properties that have be extracted into oil that can be used alone or as an ingredient in salves, personal care products and culinary creations.
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A salve is a way to take the medicinal properties of an herbal infused oil and make them into a solid form for slower absorption over a longer period of time.
Syrups are made by mixing a concentrated herbal tea with a sweetener to create a delicious extract that is perfect for children and the elderly who may have a harder time taking their medicine.
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Combine the microbial and nutrient rich sweetness of raw honey with those properties of herbs and you've got a potent and delicious medicine.
Extracts are concentrated plant medicines made by soaking herbs in a solvent — usually alcohol, glycerine, or vinegar — to pull out their beneficial properties into an easy-to-take liquid form.
Used to get herbs right up against or as close as possible to lower parts of the body such as the vagina, prostate, and colon, while readily being absorbed into the bloodstream, similar to taking them orally.