159. Navigating the Herbal Landscape: How You Consume Herbs Matters as Much as What You Consume.

The world of herbal remedies offers incredible potential for wellness, yet with a booming market, it's increasingly vital for consumers to understand how these remedies are prepared and consumed. ​Not all herbal products are created equal, and the form an herb takes significantly impacts its effectiveness.​ At Spiral Herbal Remedies, our commitment stems from a deep understanding of herbal science, ensuring you receive the maximum benefit from nature's pharmacy. Our Herbalist, Donna Cleary, worked as a Registered Nurse at Harvard's Teaching Hospital for 13 years, trained as a Clinical Herbalist for 3 years, and has owned and run her own Herbalism shop for almost 9 years. She creates all of our products.

Understanding Bioavailability: Why Powders and Pills Might Fall Short

Many herbal supplements are sold as powdered herbs in capsules or as loose powders. While convenient, this form often presents significant challenges for absorption and efficacy. When you consume an herb as a dried, ground powder, your body has to do all the work of breaking it down and extracting its beneficial compounds. This process can be inefficient, as many of these compounds are locked within tough plant fibers or are not readily soluble in your digestive system. Consequently, a large portion of the herb's medicinal constituents might pass through your body unabsorbed, leading to less potent effects and wasted investment.

The Power of Extraction: Unlocking Nature's Full Potential

This is where the art and science of herbal extraction become paramount. Extraction methods, whether using water, alcohol, or other solvents, are designed to isolate and concentrate the specific medicinal compounds from the plant material. This process breaks down cell walls, making the beneficial constituents (like alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, and polysaccharides) more available and easily absorbed by your body. When an herb is properly extracted, you're getting a concentrated dose of the active compounds, which means greater bioavailability and a more potent therapeutic effect. This is especially critical for medicinal mushrooms, which are often consumed as simple powders. The beneficial beta-glucans in mushrooms are trapped within chitin, a tough cell wall material that the human digestive system struggles to break down. Therefore, mushrooms require specific hot water or dual extraction methods to make their medicinal compounds accessible and effective. Without proper extraction, consuming powdered mushrooms might offer little more than fiber.

Choosing Wisely: What to Look for in Quality Herbal Remedies

To ensure you're getting the most from your herbal remedies, empower yourself with knowledge and look for products that prioritize quality and effective preparation.

Prioritize Extracts: Choose liquid extracts as tinctures rather than simple powders. Some herbs are more beneficial as a tea. Reputable brands will know the best extraction method.

Understand Sourcing and Purity: Seek out brands that are transparent about their sourcing, ideally utilizing organic, sustainably harvested herbs. For example, look for visible, accessible, third-party testing of your CBD products for purity and potency, ensuring the product is free from contaminants and contains the stated active ingredients. If it's not there, ask yourself, why? Each of our CBD products includes the test results in each listing. Our CBD is made from an Organic, THC-free isolate.

Research Specific Herbs: Different herbs require different extraction methods for optimal efficacy. A knowledgeable herbalist or a reputable brand will understand these nuances and apply the appropriate techniques to maximize the herb's benefits. For instance, knowing that medicinal mushrooms need specific extractions is key to getting their full value.

At Spiral Herbal Remedies, our foundation as a Clinical Herbalist and Registered Nurse drives our commitment to these principles. We meticulously select the finest organic ingredients and employ precise extraction techniques to ensure that every product delivers its full therapeutic potential. We believe that informed choices lead to better health outcomes, and we're here to guide you through the herbal landscape with products you can trust. Visit our shop for information about our Herbalist, our Classes, Consultations, our exceptional Reviews, and of course our Products.