In the past two blogs, I’ve written about different herbs/formulas and their use in treating common ailments like cough or constipation. In this blog, I’ll discuss varying methods in making these herbs able to be digested by us.

Herbal decoctions are the most-used method for preparing Chinese herbal medicine formulas. Simply, a decoction uses water to extract medicinal constituents from the herbs. Many herbalists consider this the most potent way by which to take herbs internally. The most optimum manner to make a decoction is by the week and to keep atleast a week’s worth in the refrigerator.

There are a couple methods to make a decoction. One method is placing the herbs, which should now be finely graded, in a stockpot and add enough water to cover the herbs completely. Then bring this to a boil and let it simmer for 20/30 minutes. Always remember to check to see that the herbs are covered completely with the water. Remove the stock pot from the heat and let it cool and strain.

Another popular manner by which to ingest herbs is by infusions. An infusion is simply soaking rather than cooking the herbs in water. Infusions are for lighter and more delicate herbal matter. Decoctions are used for heavy materials such as roots and twigs.

One tool used for infusion of herbs is a coffee press or a teapot. Simply place your herbs in the coffee press and add boiling water. It is best to allow the herbs to infuse for atleast an hour. Obviously, for a stronger formula, you would allow the herbs to infuse for much longer. One of the best things about infusions is that they can work as a daily tonic or a weekly formula. You should store any of the product that is left.

I’ll delve into other method of preparations in the next blog.