How to buy herbs

It use to be if you wanted to use an herbal remedy, you basically had two choices a.) you could grow your own or b.) you could try finding it in the woods. Then no matter which way you choose, you had to pick it, dry it, grind it, boil it, or combine it in a alcohol solution to create a potent remedy. This of course was a time consuming process, and due to divergences in climate and growing conditions, you were never always sure if the plant you picked had enough of the right active ingredients or that you had prepared it in just the right way.

Now a days that has all changed, you do not have to be a gardener or chemist to use herbs safely and efficaciously, but you should always get a professional consult about a herb you are not sure of before using it. Just like vitamins, herbs are widely available in health food stores and herbal stores. Simplified packaging has eliminated much of the guesswork in using it. There are a number of companies that have been making and selling vitamins for years now, who now have their own line of herb products and offer a standardized, guaranteed potency product. Now what a standardized and potency means is that the herbs sold by these companies, contain uniform or consistent levels of the compound (or compounds) that are believed to be responsible for the plants medicinal properties. There are also non standardized products which in my opinion are inferior and do not recommend. There are companies now that are offering fresh, freeze-dried herbs that if done right will preserve more of the herbs active ingredients than conventional processing methods. If this is available I prefer using this method.

Using fresh herbs is my preferred method, but due to the concern over pesticides and processing techniques, many manufactures offer organically grown, non irradiated products. If you do not have the time or resources to grow your own herbs, then I recommend using a commercial herbal blend. Question now is what is better buy herbs from a health food store or a herbal store, well it depends on what you are looking for. Usually herbal stores carry a greater selection of dried herbs and teas, including many of the more exotic varieties, but then a well stocked health food store may actually offer a better selection of herbal remedies. That is to say if you are well knowledgeable on how each herb functions and know how to combine herbs to form a remedy mixture, than I buy from a herbal store. But if your knowledge is not that diverse and you just want to solve an aliment you have than I would recommend buying from a health food store. No matter which way you buy it is always a good idea to consult with the person running the store about each product and the manufacture of the product, if you do not understand what the herb is used for and the processing quality of it.

Herbs can be packaged and sold in different ways. Dried herbs, sold in bulk and should be stored in a airtight container at home. Powders can be mixed with water or juice using a proper required dose, and if it is bitter a drop of honey can be used as a sweetener. Capsules and tablets are the more popular herbs sold and come in various potencies, always follow the direction on the bottle, unless a professional practitioner proscribes otherwise. Extracts or tinctures are liquid herbal products prepared in a alcohol solution, however there are now some new alcohol-free extracts available that may be preferable with diabetics, children, pregnant women or any one wanting to avoid alcohol. Prepared teas are sold in a tea bag form and the ones sold in a health food store as a home remedy for colds are more potent ten the herbal teas sold in supermarkets. Creams and ointments are used externally for things such as skin problems and should only be used as directed. Essential oils are primarily used for aromatherapy, massage oils, bath oils and perfumes, and they are only for external use. Juice can be also made from herbs and should be used as directed. Then there is combination herbal products which are two or more herbs that form a herbal remedy and are available in capsule, tea, and extract form, for example several herbs that are good for maintaining hearth health, or herbs that are good for your immune system may be combined in one easy to use product. There are also personal care product lines such as hair shampoos, soaps, facial cleansers,toothpastes,deodorants and even mouthwash, now these should not be confused with herbal scented products.

Shelf life varies for each herb. Dried herbs should be as fresh as possible and if you buy them from a store make sure it has a good turnover, meaning they sell a large number of herbs. Packaged herbal products will have an expiry date on the container to let you know when it has become stale. Unopened containers of tablets and capsules are usually good for up to two years, if opened usually dispose of them after one year.

In a final note, you need to be a alert consumer if you are not sure of a herb or a manufacturer of a herbal product, than you should inquiry about it.