9:13 AM
Home-O-Pathy
Traditionaly ayurvedic remedies are taken
as fresh juices, pastes, or purees, generally
mixed with ghee or oil; as decoctions; as hot
and cold infusions; or as macerations. The
traditional proportion for decoctions
is one part herb to 16 parts water, which is then simmered
until the volume has reduced to one-quarter of the original
This process takes several hours to complete. Hot infusions use the
proportion of one part herb to eight parts boiling water,
with the infusion being left for up to 12 hours,
rather than the 10-15 minutes that are generally
allowed in the West. Some ayurvedic practitioners In the West
recommend increasing the dosage and cutting the
simmering or infusion time to Western proportions in
order to make the preparation more compatible with
Western lifestyles. Decoctions can be simmered until
three-quarters of the water is left and dosages doubled
or trebled, with a similar increase in dosages for a
minimum hot-infusion time of 30 minutes.
Milk decoctions are made from one part herb
to eight parts milk and 32 parts water. They are then
simmered until all the water has evaporated. Using
herbal powders with milk and omitting all the water
is another shortcut that can be made.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Tonic wines
A daily glass of tonic wine is a delightful way to take
herbal remedies. A crockery vinegar vat is best,
although a large rum pot or glass jar is also suitable.
Fill the vat with the chosen tonic herb-ideally using a
root remedy such as ginger, licorice, or Dang Gui
rather than leafy parts-then cover with a good-quality
red wine (preferably organic). Leave the mix for at
least two weeks before drawing the liquid off in a daily
sherry-glass dose (2-3f1 oz/60-75ml). Keep the herb
covered with more red wine to prevent it from going
moldy. The wine will continue to extract active
constituents from the roots for several months before
you need to replace the herbs.
Chinese decoctions
Chinese remedies are generally dispensed by
practitioners in separate bags containing enough dried
herb for each dose. This is traditionally boiled in three
cups of water in an earthenware or ceramic pot for
25-30 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. The
mix is then strained and taken in a single dose on an
empty stomach in the morning. Sometimes
the herbs need to be reheated in fresh
water and then the two extractions
are combined. The same herbs might be used
for the following day's brew,
depending on the exact mix: if it
contains soluble ingredients, such as
certain mineral salts, then a fresh prescription
will be needed each day. The decoction (known as
Tang (soup) ) is generally extremely dark brown and
very strongly flavored. Chinese doses are much larger
than those used by Western herbalists (often up to
3 1/2 Oz/90g ) and the resulting mix is usually rather
unpleasant for Western palates.
Syrups
Sugar or honey will act as a preservative for herbal infusions and decoctions,
while the sweetness can be very soothing for coughs. Make a standard infusion or decoction,
then strain the mixture and add l lb/500g of unrefined sugar or honey to
each 1 pt/500ml of liquid. Stir this in a cast-iron or stainless-steel
saucepan over the heat until the sugar or honey is
completely dissolved and the mixture forms a syrup. Allow to cool and then store in
clean glass bottles closed with a cork. Do not use screw-tops, syrups
often ferment and tight lids will lead to exploding bottles.
Macerations
Some herbs, such as Valerian and marshmallow root, are best
macerated in cold water. Use the same proportions as for an infusion and
simply leave the mixture in a cool place overnight. In the morning, strain the
mixture and use as an infusion.
Tinctures
A tincture is an alcoholic extract of the active ingredients in a herb, made by soaking the dried or
fresh plant material in a mixture of alcohol and water
for two weeks and then straining the mix through a
wine press or jelly bag. Commercially produced
tinctures are usually made from ethyl alcohol. In some
countries this is readily available duty-free, but in
others the supply is strictly controlled by the authorities:
vodka makes a suitable alternative as it contains fewer
other flavorings than most alcohol. Standard herbal
tinctures usually contain 25 percent alcohol in water
(i.e. 1 fl oz/25ml of pure alcohol with 3fl oz/75ml of
water). This is a little weaker than most commercial
spirits (usually 37.5 percent alcohol), so the vodka will
need diluting with water (1 1/2pt/750ml of vodka to
3/4pt/375ml of water) to make the required strength.
Put 80z/200g of the dried herb into a large jar and
pour over 1 1/2pt/750ml of the alcohol/water mixture. If
using fresh herbs, then you need to use three times as
much (i.e. 1 1/2Ib/ 600g of fresh herb to 1 1/2pt/750ml of
liquid). Store in a cool place for two weeks, shaking the
mixture each day, then filter through a wine press or
cheesecloth bag. Store the tincture in clean, dark glass
containers. Tinctures will last for two years or more
without deterioration, although ayurvedic medicine
argues that they increase in potency with age.
Decoctions
Herbal roots, berries, and barks need to be made into
decoctions to extract the active ingredients. The usual
Western dose is 1 Oz/25g of dried root to l 1/2pt/
750ml of water, simmered in a stainless-steel or
enamel saucepan until-the volume has reduced by
about one-third, then strained. Stare in a
pitcher in a cool place and use in
three wine-glass doses during the day,
reheating it if preferred. Decoctions
may be flavored with a little honey.