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New Choices in Natural Healing: A Road Map for Shoppers

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A Road Map for Shoppers

A Road Map for Shoppers

When you walk into a health food store, you'll find that herbs are sold in a variety of forms. Teas are probably the most familiar, but here's a quick consumer's guide to other types.

Capsules and tablets. Swallowing tablets is probably the easiest way to take any medicine, but many herbalists prefer tinctures and teas because they believe that the active ingredients of the herbs are released more quickly and more efficiently in these forms.

Extracts and tinctures. Technically, extracts are stronger and more concentrated than tinctures. But today, these terms are generally used interchangeably. To make these, fresh herbs are soaked for days or weeks in alcohol with varying amounts of water. (Some concoctions are available using glycerin and water as a solvent.) The mixture is shaken regularly and then strained and rebottled for use. Extracts and tinctures are taken two or three times daily as a specified number of drops mixed in a little water.

Teas. One of the easiest ways to use herbs, fresh or dried, is to make a tea. When using the leaves or flowers of a plant, pour a cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of the loose herb and let it steep for roughly ten minutes, then strain out the loose herb. Pour cold water over roots, seeds, bark or tough leaves, bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, then strain. Sweeten to taste with honey, if you like.

Ointments and creams. These herbal products are prepared for external use. Use according to label directions.

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