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Herbal
Supplements Simplified
By Rev. Laura Perry
The many forms of Herbal remedies may seem
complicated, but the principle is a simple one.
Your body views plants as food and utilizes them
efficiently, taking almost all the valuable active
principles and organic compounds right into your
body's cells. In contrast, your body does not
recognize synthetic drugs as food and often utilizes
only 5 to 10% of what you take in, leaving the
rest to float around in your bloodstream and cause
unpleasant side effects.
So, are herbs completely safe because they
are natural? Absolutely not. Belladonna and nightshade
are all-natural and highly poisonous. Please don't
assume that you can safely take more than the
recommended dose of any herb without unpleasant
effects. But there's no need to fear herbs,
either. Be aware and informed about herbs and
how they can help your body reach and maintain
a state of wellness.
Herbal supplements are commonly available
in tinctures, capsules, and tea, each with assets
as well as drawbacks. Familiarity with the different
forms can help you make the best choice.
A tincture is an alcohol- or glycerin-based
extract of the herb, usually packaged in a glass
dropper bottle. Tinctures are convenient because
they are highly concentrated so you take only
a small dose, and they store well for long periods.
To remove the alcohol from a dose of herbal
tincture, make a cup of hot tea. Measure the tincture
dose using the dropper provided and drop the tincture
into the hot tea. Brew it for five minutes and
the small amount of alcohol will evaporate due
to the heat.
Glycerin-based
tinctures are a convenient way to give herbs to
children. The glycerin provides a sweet taste
and the liquid is much easier for a child to swallow
than capsules. Also, the small dose of a tincture
(just a few drops for a child) will cause less
disagreement than trying to get a child to drink
a whole cup of “funny-tasting” tea.
Most herbal tinctures include a dosage range
on the label, usually 20 to 40 drops per adult
dose. A “dropperful” is considered to
be 35 drops, regardless of the size of the dropper.
It is easiest to measure your dosage into a cup
of tea or a spoon rather than trying to count
the drops as they fall on your tongue.
With
Capsules, the dried herb is powdered and pressed
into gelatin capsules containing a combination
of the whole herb plus a standardized extract,
providing the greatest effect. The whole herb
contains the organic compounds that help your
body recognize it as food, and the standardized
extract ensures that a standard amount of the
most active principle is available in each capsule.
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