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How to make simple herbal remedies

Making simple herbal remedies at home need be no more difficult or time-consuming than brewing a cup of tea. More complex herbal products, such as ointments and creams, are now readily available from health-food stores and pharmacies, so this section focuses only on the simpler options :

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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.

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.

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.