3 basic questions...

16 years ago

Hello...as you can see I am new to this forum. I have some basic questions about tinctures and some other small things. Before I ask my questions I think that I should give you just a little bit of background.

I have been taking a herbal tincture at the recommendation of my doctor for about 4 months now. Yes, I know it sounded odd to me too when he made the suggestion, infact I told him that I was not a "tree hugging hippie, I just want some drugs." (yeah, I see the irony in that statement...) 7 years ago I was had knee surgery that left me with more pain then before I had it done and I started to get headaches daily because of the stress it was causing me.

Anyway, after about two years of walking around like a zombie because of taking pain pills every day, I some how lost half a bottle of the pills. I had no refills so I had to see my doctor before I could get any more pills. I had really bad withdraws from the pills and I decided that I was an addict and vowed never to take anything that "hard" again. The doctor started giving me Noprexen pills that helped enough with the pain.

About five months ago I confessed to my doctor that I had learn that Noprexen was basically just Aleve and that I was having to take around 3,000mg daily. I was starting to worry what this might do to my body...so after slapping me a couple of times (joke) he told me to just give some herbs a for two months. What did I have to lose? So I did.

I feel good after about four months now of taking a tincture that contains "Devil's Claw, fresh Yucca root, organic Ginger root, fresh organic Dandelion plant, fresh Black Cohosh root." The doctor say that it would be better for me then 3,000mg of Aleve is...lol. I now believe in the "healing power" of the herb.

Since I am ready to jump onto the "tree hugging hippie" bandwagon now, I have decided that it would be fun to make my own tinctures and not buy them from stores. Anyway my questions now.

1) If you want to make a tincture that has three herbs what would be the best way to make it. a) make a 3 tinctures one for each herb then mix when needed. b) just use all three herbs in the tincture all at the same time. c) add the first herb, let it sit, drain, add number two, let sit, drain, add the last, let sit.

2) I have ordered some books online about herbs but I just like the web, so what are some good and reliable websites for information. (very important since I would not know what websites might be commonly known as unreliable) websites for information.

3) I did not find anything in the rules of this forum what would make it so I could not ask this question...Does anyone know a reliable place that I can order herbs online or by catalog. I could google this one but I find that for things like this word of mouth is better since ever company will say they have the best and freshest products.

Ok, sorry for the long post, and any input would be great.

Thanks for your time

DCanup, New Hippie...

Comments (4)

apollog
16 years ago
As far as making tinctures, I prefer the first option - make 3 separate tinctures, and mix as needed. It may not make a difference, depending on the amount of solvent used.

With extracts, a person needs to be pretty good at fractions and algebra (to get the correct dosage). Not trying to discourage anyone, just make sure that the numbers are right.

As far as websites, I like pubmed.com, shrubmed.com, itmonline.org (oriented towards Asian herbalism), Michael Tierra's site, Jame's Dukes ethnobotanical databases, australianethnobotany.com (small, but a good community), Henriettesherbal.com, and a few others I
dcanup
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for the links I will look at them. As far as the math is concerned, I am in college now and I know that my math skills are up to par.

I must admit though I have not really though to much about the does yet the sites that I have been to have not really talked about that part of it. I will look at those sites you talked about and try to find more info about doses. I hope one of the books I ordered has dosage information in it too, but since I do not know much about this "tree hugging hippie" culture I just picked three books that sounded like they might be helpful.

On a side note my comments about hippies is to be taken lightly. I have alway, well...till five months about, been so anti-herb, recycling, or anything "earthy". My mother before she died was really big into this culture (it really can be a way of life for some) and I would give her a hard time about how she was just having flashbacks to her "hippie" days; I just know she is rolling in here grave laughing at me telling me "I told you so those tree hugging hippies knew something!"...lol
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Heathen1
16 years ago
I like Mountain Rose Herbs. They are my favorite place to order.
You know, I did many years in college and my math skills were under par. :o) I DID score in the top 4 percentile in English on the SAT however. My sister got the degree in theoretical mathematics. College nor university nor letters after your name are any indication of math skills. :o)
You know, people grow and change. Specially young people. I used to know everything. I was SURE I knew everything, I had the answers to everything, just ask me, I would have told you. :o) Now, I know that not only did I know squat, everyone knew that I knew squat and now I know less every year (it's a sign of maturity). Sometimes, though you want to, it behooves one not to dismiss someone who thinks differently, as in 2 years, it might be you. :o) Though it's a bad habit I am learning to drop myself. Just thought I'd preach a little here. I am happily a major non-fluffy-in-the-least-bit tree hugger. If you saw me, you'd NEVER guess that I am a happy tree hugger. :o) You just never know.... people learn and grow, those who don't... well...
dcanup
Original Author
16 years ago
Heathen1: I really did not mean to make it sound that since I was in college my math skills where good. What I should have said was..."I think that my skill in math as it is now will be high enough to get me along in the use of herbalism. Since I am in college and there are tons of people that are far better at math than I am if at any time I am unsure about my mathematical calculations of a dosage I have tons of people to ask if I am doing the math part right."

I must admit though, at times I can be a little slow on the pickup; this was one of those time when my mind was running slow. I had to read "Sometimes, though you want to, it behooves one not to dismiss someone who thinks differently, as in 2 years, it might be you." like five time before I understood what you where talking about...lol. I would said that I do get your point now though and yes, I am seeing now that it not be that wise to have though like I once thought. Infact I am looking about getting a part time job in a store in my area that sells bulk herbs and what not, I think I could learn a lot there. I am also thinking about taking a six month herbal program so that I can learn even more but that would need to wait one more year till I get out of college.

I am starting to see that for years I might have been a "closet tree hugging hippie"...lol