teach me how to make Gou Teng tincture or powder

Powdered form is the least expensive way to ingest herbs you buy.

You can either ingest the powder directly, encapsulate it or use it in infusions.

To ingest directly, just add water/juice to the powder, mix thoroughly and chug it down.

Making capsules is easy....and so are tinctures once you get the basics down. I make both.

Tinctures are the most expensive preparations to make mostly due to the cost of the grain alcohol - especially if you use organic grain alcohol as I do.

Some make tinctures using the folk method and others such as myself follow "recipes" such as those found in the Materia Medica sections of Buhner's book which are pretty much the same as those printed on the tincture bottles we buy. (an example is 1:5 50% alcohol)

LOL! My coffee grinder blades broke from processing so many herbs over the last few years! I have gone to a grain mill like this one: [url]https://www.amazon.com/VICTORIO-VKP1012-Hand-Operated-Grain/dp/B0018P54TS[/url\] that I've had for years. I grind white peony roots in it for one formula that I use and those things are like little rocks!! I also use it for other herbs too, as I can adjust it well.

Buhner recommends a Vitamix - I remember the recommendation and *think* it might have been in his "Herbal Antibiotics" book.

How long the powder lasts depends on how much and how frequently you take the product ;)

Since I'm now making Japanese Knotweed capsules, I did a little math. 1 lb. of Japanese Knotweed results in 75 "servings" for me. (I take 4 capsules 4 times per day)

I only took Gou Teng tincture because that's what Buhner recommends in his book.

When I consulted with Tim Scott, one of Buhner's recommended herbalists, he shared his opinion that powder has more "staying power" and can provide more "consistent coverage".

Yet, he still recommended I take Gou Teng tincture when I switched to the Japanese Knotweed powder he recommended.

He also recommended Cordyceps tincture but I continued with the capsules I've been taking all along and now make.

"Fast" isn't a word that fits well with Lyme ;)

Tinctures are the most potent form of plant medicine. Buhner has preferences for powders in certain instances depending on the herb's attributes.

He recommends Japanese Knotweed powder for Lyme....yet lists tincture in his Bartonella protocol.

I think the takeaway is that we each need to find what works best for us.

Just as with any of Buhner's recommendations, start low and go slow.

Continue to increase the dose until herxing and then go back to the dose that didn't cause the herx.

We wanted Gou Teng/Unicaria rhynchopylla for neuro lyme symptoms. Should I send it back and buy the powder?

Traveler said...
The Tian Ma Gou Teng is an herbal blend - not just Gou Teng (cat's claw). It contains Gastrodia (Tian Ma) as well.

Just want you to know what you purchased!

Glad you noticed this, Trav!!

I've decided to buy either the powder or tincture instead.

If anyone has time could you look at this powder on Amazon to make sure I am ordering the correct one?

Gou Teng - Uncaria Rhynchophylla stem, branch & hook, 100 grams
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040MPSEW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ANWPNFPWRQRSQ