FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Q.
What is the difference between tablets and capsules and tea as opposed to liquid
tinctures?
A.
Liquid is much easier to swallow. Caps/Tabs can be hard to swallow especially
for children and seniors. Liquids assimilate immediately into the blood stream
for immediate effect. Caps/Tabs are solids that require digestion and may take
several hours to yield little effect. Liquid absorption of active ingredients
is 95% - 98% while Caps/Tabs absorption of active ingredients is limited to
2% - 20% maximum. Liquid ingredients are not powdered and require no fillers,
binders or added expedients. Also, liquid extracts are not compressed, unlike
Caps/Tabs which require additional ingredients to break down the capsules that
have additives. Caps/Tabs are powdered solids that must go through the volatility
of the digestive system to be digested (losing potency). Capsule ingredients
are powdered, and then placed into pork-based gelatin or vegetable capsules,
where additives like talc or other fillers are added.
Q.
Why take herbal tinctures? Surely tablets are just as effective?
A.
Oddly, in order for certain herbs to be fully effective, they have to be tasted!
This applies to 'bitters', as the nervous system response is involved in full
absorption of the herb's properties. (Strange, isn't it? But it works.) And
if this applies to 'bitters', in a subtle way it probably applies to all herbs.
Also, it has been proven that alcohol actually helps the herb to be absorbed
more efficiently by the digestive system. And tablets are mass-produced industrially
but individually-made herbal tinctures are not. They are carefully prepared,
giving each single preparation the necessary attention for a number of weeks,
until they have 'brewed'. Then under strictly hygienic conditions, they are
bottled. This is all to ensure the best quality and optimum potency of the active
ingredients of the herb. Whether you take tablets or herbal tinctures is up
to you. We know what we prefer.
Q.
Why do you use alcohol in your tinctures?
A.
The alcohol serves several important functions:
Alcohol is the best medium to extract the medicinal, healing qualities of most
plants.
Liquid preparations have to be protected against spoiling, particularly microbial
damage. Alcohol serves to stabilize and preserve the herbal tincture. Alcohol
actually helps to increase absorption of the medicinal substances in the gastrointestinal
tract and, thereby, improve efficacy. The small amount of alcohol used in our
process is easily assimilated.
Q.
Should I take the herbal tincture at any particular time: before meals for example?
Or after meals?
A.
Unless otherwise advised by your Health Professional, it is more effective to
take the tinctures on an empty stomach, as they are very rapidly-absorbed, but
you can take them with water or juice if you prefer.
Q.
Dosage?
A.
Remember that listening to your body is the key for discovering the proper dosage
for your needs. Proper dosage is very important. When using a tincture for the
first time, try a few drops to see if and how you react of if you may be allergic.
Most herbalists believe herbs work best when taken regularly, in small doses
over a period of time. Yet it is not uncommon to need 3-4 droppers-full for
a desired effect. Basically, take the herb until symptoms cease.
Q.
What if I am already sick with cold or flu, how do I take herbal tinctures?
A.
If it's Elderberry/Astragalus or Echina-Gold, then take it every 2 hours until
your symptoms subside. Also, don't take Echina-Gold for more than 2 weeks at
a time because it is a natural antibiotic. But Elderberry/Astragalus can be
taken for as long as you need without any problem or interactions with medicines
whatsoever. ACAI Berry also, known as the world's best antioxidant, can be taken
as long as you want without any problem or interactions with medicines whatsoever.
Q.
What are your recommendations regarding prevention and early treatment of the
flu?
A.
My first and best suggestion is prevention. The weaker your immune system is,
the greater the chance that you may contract the flu if exposed to it. So in
term of supplementing the immune system there's nothing better than Astragalus
and Elderberry extract or tincture.
phone 503-540-3102
e-mail - lola@herbsource.org
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