“It is more important to know what kind of person has a disease than to know what kind of disease a person has.” —Hippocrates
Drawing on her decades of clinical experience and her extensive research, Dr. Jill Stansbury offers an unparalleled range of herbal formulas in her five-volume set, Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals.
For each formula, she offers a brief explanation of how the selected herbs address the specific condition, and sidebars and user-friendly lists help readers quickly choose which herbs are best for specific presentations. The goal in offering such extensive and thorough listings of possible herbal therapies is to demonstrate and model how to craft herbal formulas that are precise for the patient, not for the diagnosis.
The following recipe for Fire Cider, a digestive aid, is from Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Volume 1. It has been adapted for the web.
Making Fire Cider
Vinegars macerated with hot spicy herbs are sometimes referred to as fire cider due to the hot fiery flavor and the apple cider vinegar base. Fire ciders may include ginger, horseradish, turmeric, garlic, onions, and hot peppers macerated in apple cider or other quality vinegar. This formula combines fire cider with the digestive bitter Artemisia and a small amount of sweetener such as honey. Use as an aperitif before meals.
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) cold water or hot herbal tea
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or herbal vinegar made with cayenne or a bitter herb)
- Maple syrup or honey, to taste
- 20 drops Artemisia tincture
- Dash fresh ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
This beverage can be prepared in water or tea as desired.
- Add the vinegar, maple syrup, and Artemisia to the chosen liquid and stir well.
- Add pepper if it can be tolerated. Sip over a span of 10 to 15 minutes prior to all meals.
