Herbal Medicines

0nce you find out, or are reminded, that aspirin was developed from extracts of the willow bark tree, you may begin to view herbal medicine a little differently. Around most of the world outside North America, in fact, herbal, or botanical, medicine is traditional medicine. To the contrary, in our culture, we have come to think of our pharmaceu tical based, increasingly hightech healing system as "traditional" and the other systems around the globe as "alternative."

In herbal medicine, "herb" means any plant -or any part of a plant-that is used to make medicine, food flavorings or aromas (for aromatherapy). You can find herbs in whole form, extracts, tinctures, oils, ointments, teas and tablets. Because everyone's physiology is different, some experimentation is necessary to find the right herbal remedies for you.

The chemicals that occur naturally in herbs have been observed and studied for centuries, but have only recently achieved "scientific" recognition by American doctors and researchers. Despite great strides in the acceptance and understanding of using herbs as medicine, there is no licensing body to regulate herbal medicine in the US. Thus, herbs-some quite powerful-can now be bought in health food stores, supermarkets, herb shops and specialty drugstores. Herbs are regulated as dietary supplements, like vitamins, not as drugs, even though some of them can have the same effect as drugs. (In brief, manufacturers can't make curative claims on the label.)

Care must be taken when seeking advice from an herbalist, for training can be quite varied, or even lacking. Consumers should be prepared to research herbal medicines on their own before starting any kind of serious regimen. Consider including a naturopath in your decision, as naturopathic education includes training in both herbal medicine and physiology in a medical school-like setting. And always consult with any doctor who may be treating you for a particular ailment before going on an herbal regimen.

In the near future, we can foresee that many more people will experiment with herbal medicines for everyday ailments like coughs, colds, sore throats, menstrual problems, minor cuts, scrapes and burns. In such cases, natural herbal remedies may be as effective, no more expensive, and have fewer side effects than conventional over-the-counter drugs.

How to Buy Fresh Herbs

Since herbs lose their essential oils, and thus their efficacy, over time, fresh is best. Whenever possible, shop for herbs in herb shops or in the busiest natural food shops. According to herbalists, you want to use herbs as close as possible to the time they were harvested.

The standard rule is that you should never buy more of an herb at one time than you will likely use in a year. Better yet, if you have easy access to an herb store, buy medicinal herbs in amounts that will be consumed within three months.

Of course, buying fresh herbs and mixing concoctions at home is trickier and more time­consuming than buying prepackaged varieties of aloe, echinacea, ginkgo biloba and peppermint leaf, for example. But if you have the time and energy, you may find that growing your own fresh herbs will dramatically enhance your health.

How to Prepare Herbal Tinctures

Tinctures are herbal preparations made for medicinal purposes using fresh or dried herbs and, usually, alcohol. Throughout this book, you will come across a number of remedies that recommend using herbal tinctures. You can make tinctures yourself at home, but it is strongly advised to enlist an herbalist's help for safety reasons, as well as to answer questions of potency.

The basic process is as follows:

1. Start with finely cut or powdered herbs in a wide-mouthed jar (general rule is 8 oz. dried herb per 1 quart alcohol/water).
2. Fill the jar with a 50-50 mixture of food-grade grain alcohol and water (this is the general rule for dried herbs only), and close tightly.
3. Shake the jar each day, a few minutes at a time, a few times each day, for at least 14 days.
4. After two weeks, strain this mixture into a bowl. Also squeeze the excess moistened herb through a cheesecloth into the bowl.
5. Take the liquid in the bowl and strain again into a jar, this time through a coffee filter to capture the small particles that remain.
6. Using a baster, transfer the liquid into small, dark-glass dropper bottles. (Many pharmacies sell, or will special order, these dark bottles.) Store the tincture in a cool, airy place out of direct sun­light. Now you are ready to treat family members from your own kitchen dispensary.

How Strong Are Herbal Remedies?

Truth be told, few people know the actual strength of herbal remedies. One big problem in herbal medicine today is the lack of comparative standards. Three bottles of echinacea herbal extract, for instance, could have widely varying potency, yet exactly the same price, leaving the consumer not knowing which is strongest or weakest.

Standardization of herbal products is a thorny issue because the natural foods and herb industries do not want to invite too much government influence or intervention. Never­theless, consumers have a right to know what they are buying. You must rely on consumer research and a trustworthy vendor for advice on which brands have the best reputation for product quality. Or, of course, you can grow your own.