http://www.morethanalive.com/how-to?id=KoqPRj6tThere is some interesting stuff here. I keep meaning to get my hands on one (or two) of those Big Berkey water filters. The black filter elements are impressive. They even remove heavy metals. What caught my eye here was the how-to information on preparing herbs for use.
Infusions and decoctions (teas):
http://www.morethanalive.com/pages/teasThe simplest herbal preparations are infusion (teas) and decoctions. An infusion is made by pouring a cup of boiling water over a teaspoon or two of herb. Then you let the herb steep in the hot water for three to five minutes and strain. This method is suitable for most aromatic (activating) herbs. A stronger preparation may be made by simmering the herb for 30-40 minutes at a low temperature. Use about 2 teaspoonfuls of herb per cup of water. Simmer soft parts such as flowers, fruits, and leaves for twenty to thirty minutes and harder parts such as roots and barks for thirty to forty minutes, then strain. It is always best to use pure water when making herbal preparations rather than tap water. Both infusions and decoctions may be sweetened with a little raw honey, glycerine or other natural sweetener. Store unused portions in the refrigerator.
Tinctures:
http://www.morethanalive.com/pages/tincturesTinctures are concentrated liquid extracts made with fresh or dried herbs. Herbal material is macerated (soaked) in a natural solvent called a menstruum. The menstruum – usually a mixture of distilled spirits and water – dissolves and carries the active constituents out of the fibrous plant material. When the mass is pressed and filtered, the resulting extract more or less contains the same proportion of naturally balanced ”actives” as the original plant. Tinctures are, therefore, called whole herb extracts, and can be used with the same safety considerations and expectation for outcome as the herb itself. The key advantages to tinctures are that they are concentrated and convenient to use, easy to mix into combinations, dosages are easier to control and they have an excellent shelf life.
Glycerites:
http://www.morethanalive.com/pages/glyceritesA basic glycerite is made like a decoction, only extraction times are longer. To make a basic glycerite, simmer the herb for two to three hours at a very low temperature. Strain and add an equal amount of glycerine. This glycerite should keep for several months to several years if you keep it in a sealed container in a cool dark place. The only problem we’ve ever observed is that it grown mold if you don’t get enough glycerine in it for proper preservation. Another way of making a glycerite is to combine equal parts of glycerine and water and then extract the herb in this mixture as described above. Strain and store as before. Since glycerine helps to extract the herbal constituents, this makes a much stronger (and stronger tasting) herbal preparation.
Oil extracts:
http://www.morethanalive.com/pages/oil-extractsOil extracts are used mainly for topical applications, and as the base for salves or ointments. Oil extracts can be taken internally, but they are readily absorbed through the skin, and can be as much as 70 times more effective at delivering oil-soluble phyto-chemicals into the bloodstream than when the same herbs are ingested. Most beneficial plant constituents, including alkaloids, are at least partially soluble in oil.
Salves/Ointments:
http://www.morethanalive.com/pages/salves-ointmentsEssentially, an ointment is a mixture of fat soluble chemicals, extracted from herbs, that has been made so that it will hold together in a mass. It gradually melts at or near body temperature, and slowly releases its healing properties to the area of application.
