The fresh leaves, barks and roots of herbs can be used n their natural form or they can be found in the form of capsules, tablets, liquid supplements, bark pieces, teas, powders, extracts, tinctures, cream lotions, oils and salves. You can also buy the whole leaves of herbs, berries, flowers, seeds and bark in some health food stores.
There are numerous ways to safely use herbs –
Compress – A compress is a cloth soaked in a warm or cool herbal tea that is applied directly on the injured area. Never use a compress on an open bleeding wound!
Decoctions and Infusions – Make tea from the bark root, seed or berry of a plant. Never boil herbs or you will remove healing compounds. Decoctions made from herb pats should only be simmered for twenty to thirty minutes.
Essential Oils –Essential oils are derived from herbs or other plants through the process of steam distillation or cold pressing. They are usually mixed with vegetable oil or water and are used as a mouth, ear or eye wash or as an inhalant, douche or tea. You can also use these oils as massage oils.
Extracts – Extracts are made by pressing herbs with a heavy hydraulic pres and soaking them in alcohol or water. Excess alcohol or water is allowed to evaporate and this yields a concentrated extract.
Herbal Vinegars – Herbs are immersed into raw apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar or malt vinegar and left to stand for two weeks. Herbalist say that you can use this concoction for years however to be on the safe side – use all herbal vinegars within three months.
Ointments and Salves – An extract, tea pressed juiced or powdered form of the herb is added to a salve that is applied to an affected area. Never apply an ointment to an open bleeding wound.
Poultice – A poultice is a heated moist mast of herbs combined with mustard or flour that is spread on muslin or a similar cloth and then worn on an inflamed or sore area of the body for up to twenty-four hours. The purpose of a poultice is to relieve pain and inflammation.
Powder – Perhaps this does not need explaining but it is when the useful part of the herb is ground up into powder, which is then made into capsules or tablets.
Syrup – Herbal syrup is made by adding the herbs to sugar and water and boils it down. When taking syrup be sure to take the recommended dosage or you could overdose or not get enough of the active ingredients.
Tinctures – Tinctures are a well preserved formed of fresh herbs. The herbs are preserved in alcohol, brandy or vodka. You can make your own tinctures at home.