Herbal Remedies - Types
Herbal medicine comes in many forms - the top three are:
As a POWDER (inexpensive, less convenient, tailor made) Most of the remedies are to be taken upon arising and/or before sleep, so the use of powder formulas is relatively convenient most of the time. The potential disadvantages of powders include strong tastes, dryness, and they are less convenient than the tablets. These factors are easily overcome if a person is willing to encapsulate the powder formula or mix them in honey or another appropriate medium, as recommended by Sonam. As a TABLET Although more expensive than powders, tablet herbal remedies are very convenient with no unusual taste. The advantages of the tablets include: little or no taste, pre-measured amounts, and they travel easily, even on a plane. The potential disadvantage of tablets is that they are not as patient/person specific. As a LIQUID The advantages of the tincture/liquids are: they are easy to swallow, many are kid-friendly, and they are readily absorbed and take effect quickly. They are the easiest remedies for which to adjust the dosage. The potential disadvantages of tinctures include the fact that airplanes limit the amount of any liquid allowed, and some of them have a strong taste even when diluted with water. (Please note: Tinctures are not suitable for those in recovery as they employ alcohol as part of the medium of herbal chemistry.) |