Re: Licorice Root as an anti-inflammatory for CF

 Been following this (fantastic) thread for a couple of days. Picked up more nettle leaf at HFS today, along with fenugreek (seeds), licorice root (whole, as in "sticks") - but uncertain as to its specificity, i.e., G. uralensis or otherwise). Store did not carry any yucca root (is it a powder), only a tincture, which I declined - salesclerk suggested I just buy a yucca root. So I did.

Questions/concerns:

1) Are the fenugreek seeds, the licorice root (whole) what I want?

They will be harder to use, but they will work.

If it's not the Chinese herb, can any degree of benefit be had?

Yes, even the American licorice root has adaptogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

2) I'd like to make a tea, and aside from the nettle I'm lost in the dark.

For the licorice root you need to break up the licorice root some to increase the surface area. Do you have a way to grind or cut up the licorice root? If worse comes to worse you can smash it with a clean hammer. Once you break it up you would us 1 teaspoon per cup of water. Bring the water to a boil then add the root and boil covered for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow it to steep until cool enough to drink. Strain and drink.

3) What-abouts-eye just cook the yucca and try to eat it?

You can do that, but if boiled you will lose a lot of the steroidal saponins in the water.  You can bake it, but I have never done this so I don't know the cooking time or temp. The other option is to grate or grind it to make the tea. This root can be steeped in hot water, it does not require boiling like licorice root. Again much easier to start with powders.

4) Clerk told me many people chew the fenugreek. Whatchya' thinx?

I have never tried to chew the whole seeds, so I don't know if they are soft or hard. As long as they are soft enough to chew the this is fine. If not you can grind them with a coffee grinder.

I was too eager to wait. Heading home next week and once settled will order bulk herbs online. Is there a good one stop shop on the web? I've found some items on certain sites, and others on other sites. Would be great to get everything I want with one click.

I buy from Starwest Botanicals, which is the only wholesaler I buy from that sells retail as well.  San Francisco Herb has also been mentioned as well as Mountain Rose Herbs.