In the vast realm of proven remedies that enable us to thrive, the preservation of harvested medicinal plants holds paramount significance. For as long as humanity has cultivated and gathered herbs, the need to retain their valuable healing properties has been a vital concern. Initially, drying was the primary method employed to ensure the availability of medicine when needed. However, as time progressed, innovative techniques surfaced, revealing the efficacy of extracting and preserving botanicals using oils, honey, vinegar, and alcohol. These extracts not only capture the advantageous compounds of plants but also offer a convenient delivery method, eliminating the need for time-consuming preparations like teas and decoctions. In both European and American herbal traditions, tinctures (ethanol-based botanical extracts) have been utilized for hundreds of years. The Eclectic herbal practitioners of the 1800s in the United States and Great Britain established a thorough system of botanical medicine that predominantly utilized ethanolic extracts, popularizing the use of tinctures by chemists, physicians, and housewives. Up until 1918, tinctures were the main “drugs” included in the US Dispensatory (Remington and Wood’s US Dispensatory, 20th Ed.). Up until the late 1960s, the American Medical Association and the emergence of synthetic medications forced the practice of plant medicine in the US underground.
Since at least 4,000 years ago, when medicinal wines were made for religious rituals and medical uses, alcohol extracts have also been used in East Asian medicine. Recipes for therapeutic wines are included in “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine,” the fundamental document of Traditional Chinese Medicine written circa 200 BCE. While the majority of East Asian medicines are currently made as teas, powders, or pills, commercial pharmacies, and traditional healers in this region of the world also sell alcoholic extracts, such as the perennially well-liked tonic liqueur Shou Wu Chih.
How Herbalists Of The Old Paved The Way For The New Generation
Herbalists of the past paved the road for today by experimenting with plants, following their intuition, documenting their discoveries, and continuing to spread the herbal message via teaching and sharing their findings. Each generation of herbalists developed and built on the work of those who came before them. The same is true for families that have used home remedies and handed them on to their children.
About Roots To Remedies (Alexandra Duran)
Alexandra Duran is the creator of her Roots to Remedies brand. With a deep respect for ancient healing traditions and a commitment to harnessing the healing properties of nature, Alexandra honors the invaluable contributions of herbalists from the past capturing them in every one of her products. Her transition to natural living began more than ten years ago. She gradually let go of her contemporary inclinations and started to handle situations in a more understated, traditional way which is why she is frequently referred to as a “hippy” or “crunchy mom”! She has also spent many years learning about herbal treatments and has developed a strong interest in handling them.
“God has blessed us with a lovely world that is home to amazing healing trees and plants”, Alexandra takes it as an honor to assist in creating therapeutic items for you and your families using these remedies.
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