The aerial parts of herbs (leaves, flowers, and stems) can easily be made into teas or tisanes by infusing them in water. The usual Western approach is to use 10z/25g of dried herb to 1pt/500ml of water that is just off the boil. Infuse the mix for ten minutes, then strain and drink in three equal wine-glass or cup doses during the day. The infusion should be stored in a pitcher, covered, in a cool place and used within 24 hours. Alternatively, use 1-2tsp of the dried herb per cup and make a dose at a time. If using fresh herbs, three times as much plant material (i.e. 3az/75g) is needed. For cold infusions, see macerations below.
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 ...
Comments
Post a Comment