One of the world’s oldest and most widely used forms of alternative treatment is botanical medicine. Our forefathers relied on the gifts of Mother Nature to cure long before the dawn of modern medicine. Despite the fact that evidence of plant medicine stretches back approximately 60,000 years to the Paleolithic era, it is not widely accepted.
What Are Botanical Extracts?
Plants and plant components that have medical or therapeutic characteristics, flavor, or aroma are known as botanicals. Preparation methods for botanicals range from tea to infusion to tincture to extract. Extracting the desired ingredient from an herb or botanical by soaking it in liquid-like alcohol, glycerin, or water is known as “botanical soaking.”
Because of their purity and potency, plant extracts are extremely effective. A phytochemical is a single compound isolated from the herb that has a significantly higher concentration.
People with acute and chronic ailments can discover a wide variety of botanical and herbal medicines on the market today that can help them maintain their overall health.
Many of today’s pharmaceutical drugs come from plants, which may come as a surprise to you. Aspirin and morphine, for example, are derived from willow bark and the opium poppy, respectively.
Potency in Botanical Extracts
The phytochemicals in botanical extracts are powerful and easily absorbed, providing a major benefit. Due to their direct bloodstream absorption and lack of transit through our digestive system, they can be extremely effective. That’s why the results tend to be more noticeable with a botanical extract than the actual herb or remedy.
Many people with chronic illnesses have found relief from their symptoms by consuming a diet high in fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are in their most vibrant colors (remember, eat the rainbow). However, if our digestive system is impaired or we have underlying chronic infections, it may be difficult to absorb all of the nutrients and beneficial compounds like antioxidants from food-based sources.
To help with this, we’ve turned to plant extracts. Supplementing a healthy diet and way of life with these supplements may enhance the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Versatility of Herbal Extracts
The fact that liquid tinctures of plant extracts can be used in so many different ways is another fantastic advantage of using them. Use them straight from the bottle or in foods and beverages, or mix with other plant extracts to make therapeutic elixirs and syrups or teas or salves or essential oils.
As a liquid, a plant extract is an excellent choice for those who have difficulty swallowing capsules or tablets. There are a wide variety of tincture bases to choose from, including alcohol, glycerin, water, and even vinegar.
For example, the Wise Woman Herbals’ Tummy Glycerite is an excellent choice if an alcohol-based treatment irritates your mouth but you suffer from digestive disturbance like bloating, gas, indigestion, and so on. It’s made with a sweet glycerin and spring water base with three plant extracts (fennel, lemon balm, and chamomile) to aid digestion and relax the mind.
Getting to the Root of the Problem
It is possible to separate bioactive ingredients and mix herbs for a highly effective and customized approach to your health. When it comes to dietary supplements, less is more for many people with chronic illnesses. Too many substances can cause the system to malfunction, and some of them may not be necessary for your diet at all.
To address specific health issues, botanical extracts can be combined with a variety of other products to produce the most potent remedy. Ashwagandha and milk thistle, for example, are two single plant extracts that can help support your adrenals while simultaneously maintaining good liver function.
