Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I get in each herbal packet? Each herbal packet contains a different amount of dried herbs depending on the "type" of herbs used. Packets contain all different parts of plants... leaves, flowers, and roots. The packets with more leaves tend to be bulkier than others. The measurements we use are always 1/2 cup - 2/3 cup of dried herbs.
How much does one packet make? This depends on what you want to make from the packets. You can yield about 3/4-1 gallon of tea from one packet, 1 pint tincture or glycerite, 1 quart syrup.
Will herbs interact with medication I take? There are some herbs that are contraindicated with certain medications. We ALWAYS recommend that if you are on any medication to talk with your medical professional before taking any herb to make sure it is okay.
Can herbs replace my medication? There are many herbs that could replace your prescription medication, however it depends on the type of medication and it depends on the herb. We always recommend to work with your medical professional and/or naturopath if it is one of your goals to get off of prescription medication. NEVER STOP ANY PRESCRIPTION without FIRST consulting your doctor. If your physician is not willing to discuss alternative methods as part of your long term goals, you could consider getting a second opinion.
Is it okay to use herbs everyday? We use nutritional herbs as part of our health routine, most of the time in a daily multi-vitamin tea. Other herbs and mixes (such as the Lung and Broncial Infection Fighter - as an example), only need to be taken depending on the ailment you are trying to treat and support your body in fighting.
How do I learn to identify herbs? This is a big question! There are herbs all around you. Even the most common weeds (like dandelion) can be used medicinally. We suggest to start with reading herbal books, such as Medicinal Plants of the Intermountain West by Michael Moore.
Is it okay to use herbs for kids? Most herbs are wonderful to use for children! We have a specific children's category as a part of our store to let you know, worry free, which are okay for your children's bodies. There are some herbs that are very powerful and potent that we wouldn't suggest for children on their own. Good example of this is cayenne pepper...Giving straight cayenne pepper to a child is too hot. But adding a little bit of cayenne in an herbal mix or glycerite takes down the potency and makes it tolerable. The best way to make sure it is safe for your child, is to use them yourself and see the effects, potency and strength.
What are the best herbal applications for children? We use syrups for our children ALL THE TIME. They are easy and fast to make from dry herbs. We also have glycerites on hand for our children. Something we like to do is make popsicles from our herbal infusions for our children to have, that makes it fun! You can also add herbal infusions to jello. Suggestions and instructions are all included in the herbal handbook we send with your order.
What about your herbal sources? All the sources we use to make our products are completely organic, pesticide free, free range grown, chemical free, and from the best sources, and USDA approved (especially if they are from a 3rd world country). We USE these sources personally (if not grown on our own). We always like to pass the "mother" test with our products... if we would not give it to our own mother, then we won't give it to you!
What is the benefit of making my own medicine from a dry packet? We always recommend to make your own teas, infusions, syrups, glycerites, tinctures and salves because it is reassuring for YOU to know that YOU know how to make your own medicine. We are all about self reliance. It is also much more cost effective to make your own medicine, compared to already made products. However, we understand that so many people are crazy busy, and don't want to jump into making their own medicine right away, which is why we offer ready made glycerites and salves as well.
Why buy products from you instead of the health food store? Also a great question! We make everything FRESH. You have the peace of mind knowing that when you get a product in the mail, it is NOT an old product that has been sitting on a shelf for months at a time. We believe in fresh product, and we rotate through our supplies quickly. And, once again, we use the "mother" test on all our products. We guarantee you quality and wonderful customer service. We will answer any question. If we would give it to our own mother, then we will sell it to you!
I use essential oils, so do I really need to use these kinds of herbs as well? This is a question we are asked all the time. We LOVE essential oils and we use them with our families. With that said, we also know that essential oils are NOT the only application for natural medicine. We believe in many applications in order for your health to be as well rounded as possible. Essential oils are wonderful for various needs, but they don't cover every need. We also believe that ingesting herbs, instead of essential oils, is a better use of the plant and getting the amazing benefit of the vitamins and minerals in the herbs.
How long do the products store? A dry packet will store for 3-5 years before loosing potency, glycerite for 3 years in the fridge, tincture for 20+ years, when you make a tea/infusion use as quickly as possible, salves store for 1 year in cool, dry conditions (if it is hot and humid where you live, we suggest putting salves in a fridge to keep them fresh. We do not add any chemicals to our salves).
How do I make the herbs in the packets so I can actually use it? The applications we suggest for any dry herbal packet are teas, infusions, glycerites and tinctures. We include a handbook of instructions - simple instructions - so you can know exactly how to make and use the dry herbal packets. The BEST way to start using herbs for medicine is by making a simple tea. Steep 1-3 tsp of dry herb in 8-12oz warm water for 10+ minutes, add some honey, and enjoy the benefit!
Why use teas, glycerites or tinctures instead of just buying capsules? This is also a question that we get all the time. If the best way for you to start herbs is by using capsules... then please do so. We still use capsules every once in a while because of their convenience. However, we have 98% of the time converted over to tea, infusions, glycerites and tinctures mainly because of the ABSORPTION benefits. We also like to use herbs in these applications because of FRESHNESS. Capsules sit on the shelves in stores for a very long time. We would rather know exactly our sources for what is going in our bodies and how old they really are. Read this blog post for the best information about absorption.
What is the difference between a tea and infusion? An herbal infusion, simply put, is simply an herbal tea that has steeped for a MUCH longer period of time, allowing more medicinal benefits from the plant to be steeped into the water.
Is it better to grow my own herbs or order them from you? We promote self reliance! Yes, please grow your own herbs whenever and wherever possible! That way is always the best.
How much does one packet make? This depends on what you want to make from the packets. You can yield about 3/4-1 gallon of tea from one packet, 1 pint tincture or glycerite, 1 quart syrup.
Will herbs interact with medication I take? There are some herbs that are contraindicated with certain medications. We ALWAYS recommend that if you are on any medication to talk with your medical professional before taking any herb to make sure it is okay.
Can herbs replace my medication? There are many herbs that could replace your prescription medication, however it depends on the type of medication and it depends on the herb. We always recommend to work with your medical professional and/or naturopath if it is one of your goals to get off of prescription medication. NEVER STOP ANY PRESCRIPTION without FIRST consulting your doctor. If your physician is not willing to discuss alternative methods as part of your long term goals, you could consider getting a second opinion.
Is it okay to use herbs everyday? We use nutritional herbs as part of our health routine, most of the time in a daily multi-vitamin tea. Other herbs and mixes (such as the Lung and Broncial Infection Fighter - as an example), only need to be taken depending on the ailment you are trying to treat and support your body in fighting.
How do I learn to identify herbs? This is a big question! There are herbs all around you. Even the most common weeds (like dandelion) can be used medicinally. We suggest to start with reading herbal books, such as Medicinal Plants of the Intermountain West by Michael Moore.
Is it okay to use herbs for kids? Most herbs are wonderful to use for children! We have a specific children's category as a part of our store to let you know, worry free, which are okay for your children's bodies. There are some herbs that are very powerful and potent that we wouldn't suggest for children on their own. Good example of this is cayenne pepper...Giving straight cayenne pepper to a child is too hot. But adding a little bit of cayenne in an herbal mix or glycerite takes down the potency and makes it tolerable. The best way to make sure it is safe for your child, is to use them yourself and see the effects, potency and strength.
What are the best herbal applications for children? We use syrups for our children ALL THE TIME. They are easy and fast to make from dry herbs. We also have glycerites on hand for our children. Something we like to do is make popsicles from our herbal infusions for our children to have, that makes it fun! You can also add herbal infusions to jello. Suggestions and instructions are all included in the herbal handbook we send with your order.
What about your herbal sources? All the sources we use to make our products are completely organic, pesticide free, free range grown, chemical free, and from the best sources, and USDA approved (especially if they are from a 3rd world country). We USE these sources personally (if not grown on our own). We always like to pass the "mother" test with our products... if we would not give it to our own mother, then we won't give it to you!
What is the benefit of making my own medicine from a dry packet? We always recommend to make your own teas, infusions, syrups, glycerites, tinctures and salves because it is reassuring for YOU to know that YOU know how to make your own medicine. We are all about self reliance. It is also much more cost effective to make your own medicine, compared to already made products. However, we understand that so many people are crazy busy, and don't want to jump into making their own medicine right away, which is why we offer ready made glycerites and salves as well.
Why buy products from you instead of the health food store? Also a great question! We make everything FRESH. You have the peace of mind knowing that when you get a product in the mail, it is NOT an old product that has been sitting on a shelf for months at a time. We believe in fresh product, and we rotate through our supplies quickly. And, once again, we use the "mother" test on all our products. We guarantee you quality and wonderful customer service. We will answer any question. If we would give it to our own mother, then we will sell it to you!
I use essential oils, so do I really need to use these kinds of herbs as well? This is a question we are asked all the time. We LOVE essential oils and we use them with our families. With that said, we also know that essential oils are NOT the only application for natural medicine. We believe in many applications in order for your health to be as well rounded as possible. Essential oils are wonderful for various needs, but they don't cover every need. We also believe that ingesting herbs, instead of essential oils, is a better use of the plant and getting the amazing benefit of the vitamins and minerals in the herbs.
How long do the products store? A dry packet will store for 3-5 years before loosing potency, glycerite for 3 years in the fridge, tincture for 20+ years, when you make a tea/infusion use as quickly as possible, salves store for 1 year in cool, dry conditions (if it is hot and humid where you live, we suggest putting salves in a fridge to keep them fresh. We do not add any chemicals to our salves).
How do I make the herbs in the packets so I can actually use it? The applications we suggest for any dry herbal packet are teas, infusions, glycerites and tinctures. We include a handbook of instructions - simple instructions - so you can know exactly how to make and use the dry herbal packets. The BEST way to start using herbs for medicine is by making a simple tea. Steep 1-3 tsp of dry herb in 8-12oz warm water for 10+ minutes, add some honey, and enjoy the benefit!
Why use teas, glycerites or tinctures instead of just buying capsules? This is also a question that we get all the time. If the best way for you to start herbs is by using capsules... then please do so. We still use capsules every once in a while because of their convenience. However, we have 98% of the time converted over to tea, infusions, glycerites and tinctures mainly because of the ABSORPTION benefits. We also like to use herbs in these applications because of FRESHNESS. Capsules sit on the shelves in stores for a very long time. We would rather know exactly our sources for what is going in our bodies and how old they really are. Read this blog post for the best information about absorption.
What is the difference between a tea and infusion? An herbal infusion, simply put, is simply an herbal tea that has steeped for a MUCH longer period of time, allowing more medicinal benefits from the plant to be steeped into the water.
Is it better to grow my own herbs or order them from you? We promote self reliance! Yes, please grow your own herbs whenever and wherever possible! That way is always the best.