I finally offer herbal tinctures as part of my naturopathic dispensary!
What’s a herbal tincture, you say?
Well, to keep it simple, when you make yourself a cup of tea, you infuse your tea leaves in water and extract the water soluble properties of the herb. To make a tincture, the dried herb is infused into alcohol for about 2 weeks in order to extract the fat-soluble highly concentrated medicinal compounds. This makes a tincture a much more powerful form of medicine than a tea, and also allows us to control the concentrations of each herb.
Tinctures also make it easier to mix herbs that share common actions; for example, we can combine herbs that support the immune system with herbs that kill bacteria and other herbs that reduce a cough, clear mucous and open the sinuses. Voila! You have a well-rounded cold and flu formula that is highly effective!
My favourite herbal tincture these days is the one I’ve combined for sleep and anxiety. I don’t know if it’s safe to blame technology, but the blue light exposure before bed really makes it hard to fall asleep at night. Plus, being available by phone 24/7 has put everyone on edge all hours of the day and night. I have combined a few herbs into a formula that helps to reduce anxiety and calm the mind.
I have patients put a few drops in their water bottles for daytime anxiety and take a regular dose in the evening before going to bed. The results have been outstanding. Herbal tinctures really are one of the most ancient and effective natural medicines of this day and I am so excited to make them a bigger part of my practice!