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.
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.
Comments
Post a Comment