When most of us think of herbs, we think of the country folk out in the corn fields with straw hats and cute little gardens overflowing with veggies and flowers. Or herbs might bring to mind the old woman, the Grandmother figure, bent over a kettle, chanting away while adding "eye of newt" to a boiling pot. Whether it be the farmer or the Grandmother or whatever that you think of, I'm going to try to give you the correct information to the best of my abilities. And remember, you don't have to be either to use herbs.
The word herb simply means "useful plant" and today, most herbs are classified as and are mostly used medicinally. However, back in old and ancient times, these wondrous plants were prized as not only a way to ease your sneezes and aches but as a source of magic and power. Each herb was classified with an element or a part of the body that it healed or drew it's power from.
Herbs also were demonized, along with the women that used them, as works of the devil and anyone that practiced herbology was condemned as a witch. Many times, when the herbal women were "muttering spells" over cauldrons, they were really repeating poems and recipes of brews that were usually meant for healing.
Now, in modern times, many herbal users are men and women and use a scientific approach. Herbs are still relatively new to the science community because they had so long been ruled out as "old wives tales" and superstitions. But now they've come back and are ready for yet another resurgence.
And now that you know the history of herbs, let's continue with some terms you should know.
Basic terms to know:
Infusion- Steeping herbs in boiling water. This is also known as "tea". The water is used in this technique. This is one of the most basic and easiest preparations you'll use. It's also one of the weakest, but still potent, usage.
Example: Tea. Simply tea leaves steeped in water. Good for antioxidants and a bit of a boost in the morning.
Decoction- The hard parts of the herb ( seeds, roots, bark, ect...) are boiled in water and steeped afterwards then strained. The water is used in this technique. Decoctions require a little more work but is worth it, as many times they're stronger than infusions.
Example: Butterfly Weed tea. The root is dried in the fall, then boiled and steeped when ready for use. Great for lung problems.
Tincture- Herbs are mixed with alcohol and water is added, usually to the point that the mixture is 50% alcohol then left to stand, with the bottle being shaken every day, for days to weeks before use. This is one of the most time intensive of the internal preparations but is the most potent, short of injections. Because they're so strong, tinctures MUST BE HANDLED WITH CARE. Most doses of tinctures are measured in drops.
Example: White Willow tincture. The soft bark of the White Willow tree is harvested, dried or fresh, and are cut into thin strips and steeped in the alcohol/water mixture. Good for pain.
Poultice- The herbs are mixed with a flour and water mixture and used externally. You can also wrap bandages or cloths around the affected area and poultice to keep in the heat an moisture.
Example: Oat poultice. Ok, this one is a little different because it doesn't require flour because oats are a natural thickener. Just add water and oats and slap on the skin. Great for poison ivy.
Compress- A cloth is soaked in an infusion, decoction or tincture and applied to the skin. Used externally.
Example: Chamomile Compress. Simply a Chamomile tea soaked cloth applied to the skin. Good for sore throats, prostate problems, psoriasis
, eczema, earache.
These terms are what every herbalist or herbal user need to know. You won't progress very far if you don't learn them at the beginning. So study these terms. I'll be repeating them throughout the life of this blog so you'll keep learning them as we go.
And so ends our first lesson on the basics. I'll be introducing terms and other information periodically when they come up but this is the basic foundation of all you need to know or will learn.
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