Making an Herbal Infusion:

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Making an Herbal Infusion:

 

An infusion, or liquid extract, is made much the same way you brew your tea. Making an infusion extracts the aromatic essences or the active ingredients of the herb you are wanting to use medicinally.

 

Use fresh herbs whenever possible and the purest form of water you can get, such as bottled mineral water. Use a generous teaspoon of finely chopped herbs (gathered from leaves, flowers, seeds or roots, depending on the purpose), to a cup of water, and bring to a boil in a pan. Remove this from the heat and leave it covered for ten to fifteen minutes. Then strain the mixture, and you have an infusion that will last 24 hours in the fridge or up to two weeks frozen.

 

Decoctions:A decoction is different than an infusion in that you cook down the ingredients for a decoction. This method is preferable for seeds, roots or bark wood.

 

Ideally, you should soak your herbal ingredients for a few hours before making your decoction, which will make your boiling time shorter. Use one teaspoon of your herbs for each serving you will want. Keep track of the amounts you use to make the decoction so you will know how much you need for a dosage when you are done. The more water you use, the longer it will need to boil, until you have reduced your liquid by half. Let this cool, then strain and bottle. A decoction will keep for three days in the fridge and several weeks in the freezer.

 

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