By Joan L. McDaniel April 15, 2018
In my last article, “Fungus Among Us”, I discussed several Natural Treatments for Skin fungal infections. I covered the several forms that natural herbs are available from today’s markets and one method was Making Your own Capsules.
I make a lot of my own capsules, and decided my next article I’ll discuss and illustrate how to Use the Capsule Machine.
I First Got Started making capsules
I started using dried herbal remedies with a bag of dryer Peppermint Leaves from my local farmer. I had found natural real Peppermint help with the bloating and belching of indigestion caused by Candida Yeast overgrowth.
Slowly I began to regain my energy and strength from what I ate. Naturally my body started to detox on its own. Detoxing (getting rid of toxins) sound great but you start experiencing some of the aches and pains you thought you had lost years ago.
I was committed to finding pain relieve from natural remedies and found a long list of herbs and remedies to try. I wrote the article Putting the Fire Out With Natural Pain Relief
Herbs like Willow Bark which is natural Aspirin, Turmeric, or Devil’s Claw and others were very effective. I didn’t always have the time to make tea every time I was in pain nor did I trust the ingredients of the ready-made capsules available on the market.
I decided I’d try to learn how to make my own. Looking around on the Internet and my herbal supplier I found and ordered the Capsule Machine. Before we get our fingers crossed and our noses full of powder, lets talk a little about what I have learned about ordering Herbs
The Capsule Machine
Benefits of making your own Capsules
Making your own capsules isn’t really that hard. Once you get the hang of it and anticipated your dealing with fine powder it is kind of fun.
Your more in control of things like;
Costs
The freshness and quality of ingredients
Personal need mix and match your own herb selection
Avoid costly additives or fillers
Typical Plant Anatomy
To most Grass loving Americans the Dandelion is considered a weed. To a herbalist and a groundhog the Dandelion is considered a food. Herbs are normally recommend not just by the plants name but from the different sections of the plant;
Flower, Leaves, Roots, Stems and Seeds.
Ordering Herbs
Our early American indians Medicine man Medicine man wandered the land, in search for herbs. They gathered what herbs they could find. In our modern commercial world we search the on-line internet and get it delivered to our front door. We are lacking the knowledge and experience of the Medicine man, but the world of herbals is just getting organized.
When ordering dried herbs, you can order by:
- bulk, from 1 oz to several pounds.
- whole leaves, seeds
- or pieces of leaves, hulled and pieces of roots
- Powdered leaves, seeds and/or roots
These different forms allow to herb to be taken in different forms. You can also order the herb mixed with oil where it becomes oil of ——. This form is normally very concentrated.
Powdered vs Pieces.
You can’t gain any benefit from a powdered herb that has been mixed with water, It becomes useless goo called mud. I learned the powdered form of the herb is used to make capsules and the chopped herb or pieces is used to make tea by infusing it in hot water.
What is a typical additive
In the article Vitamin Supplements Are They Hazardous to Your Health? , I list all the additives put in Supplement. One of them is called Magnesium Stearate It is a form of hydrogenated fat. I am of the school Magnesium Stearate is not good but there are several manufactures who swear by them and say they are harmless. Magnesium stearate is a lubricant which makes Pill making much easier. Whenever I test a pill that contains Magnesium Stearate it does not dissolve in water and is not absorbed by the body. You make your own choice. There are other additives like glue, sand and nail polish to name a few.
How to Make Capsules
I have provided illustrations in 3 forms.
A Video
Hardcopy Pictures
and Hard Copy
It took me some time to get the hang of it. Now I can do it in about 20 minutes or less. At the end of the article I provide a recommended list of supplies
First the Video
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo92dGCt1Rc
Capsule Machine for Making Herbal Capsules
Pictures How to Make Capsules
Get 100% of the Real Herb by making your own Capsules. This Capsule Machine helps you fill 24 capsules at a time and includes tamper & stand.
One size “0” capsule holds about 500 mg. One teaspoon will fill about 7 “0” capsules. One size “00” capsule holds about 1,000 mg. Two teaspoons will fill about 7 “00” capsules. Both machines can be used for all types of herb and vitamin powders.
Verbal
- Capsule machine and capsules have to be the same size. Purchase the size and type gelatin or vegetarian of your choice.
- Gather your equipment, the herb the capsules, the machine parts, a mask, a brush, and pour tray.
- Gather or Mix your herbs according to your recipe for your chosen supplement.
- Separate each capsules, then insert the top in the smaller section of the machine and the bottom in the larger half. Only one size will fit.
- Pour the herb slowly, and spread over the capsules with the green card.
- Pack down the herb using the presser and repeat until capsule is full.
- Complete the capsules putting the top on the filled bottom
- Remove the bottom piece allow the machine to slide
- Press down
- Remove the finished capsules and place in glass jars.
- Place a Silica Gel Packets Desiccant bag in jar and seal with a lid and keep in away from heat, light and moisture.
- Add another Silica Gel Desiccant bag to the bag containing the dry herb. Seal tightly I double seal using another plastic bag and a rubber band. Place in a cool dry storage area.
Capsules come in different sizes
As the capsules come in different sizes, so does the capsule making machine. I have become comfortable using the two sizes “00” and the “0”. I use the “00” because it is bigger and easier to work with.
Size “00” holds about 750 mg. Size “0” holds 500 mg. The smaller sizes “1” holds 400 mg, 2 holds 350 mg, and size 3 holds 200 mg. You would use these smaller sizes for children or small adults.
Some other measurements
One teaspoon will fill about 7 “00” capsules, about 5 “0”. The weight depends on the density and fineness of the powder you are using.
One teaspoon will fill about 7 “0” capsules and about 5 “00” capsules. The only way to make is to check the final weight on a scale accurate to within one-tenth of a gram
There is a Weight scale available
Smart Weigh SWS100 Elite Series Digital Pocket Scale, 100g by 0.01g, Black
The world of medicine and pills can get complicated and if you are dealing with something other than a general herb I’d turn it over to the experts. A Weight Scale is available. You would never know from the price of this scale is used to measure diamonds for it cost only $15.00 It is called a jewelers scale and will measure down to 0.01 or 1/10 of a gram and that is small. Too small for my home spun ideas. Herbalist never took their art that serious
Detailed Capsule Size Data:
Size 000 00 0 1 2 3 4
- Weight
- Average weight in m 163 118 95 75 60 47 38
Note I use my Capsule Machines only for powder not liquid I do not use oils of any kind.
Standard size and price
Empty capsules come in bulk. I have seen some at 250 capsules up to 5,000. I am a single user and it takes a long while to finish a bag of capsules. The capsules all seem to be priced at “.01” @ capsule. Therefore 5,000 would be $5.00.
Capsules are Made either from Gelatin or Cellulose
Due to increased popular demand, capsules are now made from different sources. Cellulose or Gelatin
I learned about Gelatin by Feeding the Birds
Cellulose capsules are made from popular trees and contain vegetable cellulose. Gelatin is the same thing the popular dessert Jello is made from. I learned about gelatin while trying to make seed cakes to feed my backyard birds. Seed cakes that won’t melt in the summer sun, yet will let me sit and watch them dance and peck at their dinner.
The ingredients in the seed cakes contain bird seed, of course, peanut butter brown sugar, and other special treats, but you need something to glue it together. Normally gelatin and suet are used. The gelatin and suet come from beef. Suet is the fat and gelatin is what holds it all together.
I am meat eater. I don’t have hangups about God’s purpose for the Cow. My problem with gelatin is how the cow has been raised. I discussed this with my local Grass Feed Cow farmer and even asked her for Suet. The condition of the gelatin and/or the Suet reflect how the animal was fed.
Most beef that is sold in the grocery store is factory fed on corn.
According to Joel Salatin “… A Cow was made to eat Grass not corn.. First God made Grass then he made the Cow to eat it” Corn puts fat on the cow. The steak may be juicy greasy but the cow is bloated, fat and un-healthy. The animals in a factory farm exist in horrible conditions. This includes cows, hogs, and chickens. Something must be done. I do my part by buying and eating grass-fed beef and cage free chicken including my back yard birds.
Grass fed cows are just that Fed only with grass summer and winter. You can’t get suet or gelatin from a grass-fed cow they simply don’t have the fat. My farmer sold me suet from pork bellies or the area of the pig also sold for bacon.
That is why I chose the Vegetarian capsule. The choice is yours.
Empty Capsules Standard size and price
Empty capsules come in bulk. I have seen some at 250 capsules up to 5,000. I am a single user and it takes a long while to finish a bag of capsules. The capsules all seem to be priced at “.01” @ capsule. Therefore 5,000 would be $5.00.
Recommended Supplies
- Plastic Bags to hold loose herbal powder
- Extra pick up containers to handle the left over powder and any spillage
- Small soft bristle paint brushes 1/2 inch to 3 inch
- Desiccant Bag – “Dry & Dry” Premium Pure & Safe Silica Gel Packets Desiccant 1 bag each for capsules, the stored powder, the finished capsules, the capsule machine, everything
- Face mask to cover nose and mouth from the fine dust
- Small funnels
- Marking Labels for jar that hold the capsules
- Marking Pens
- Trays to work on
Now you can get the herb powder and capsule machine
The Herb or herb mixture already combined.
The different size capsules and capsule machine
Fill the machine with the capsules first then add the herbal powder. Believe it or not I can get so organized and have the capsule machine filled only to suddenly realize I forgot to put in the empty capsules. Talk about a dumb look on my face.
I over time have established a standard routine and have gathered a supply of brushes, pill jars and special utensils that help me make these capsules. I also get Capsules vegetable
CLEANING The Machine
The Capsule Machine is made of heavy-duty plastic which will melt at 180 degrees and beyond. Dishwashers get hot I don’t know how hot but I don’t use dishwashers nor do I use microwaves ovens.
I find is best to wash the Capsule machine in hot soapy water. Some powders like turmeric or red beet will stain the machines surface. That is also a good sign for the herb.
The machine must be completely dry to function properly. After I wash the machine, I let it Air Dry until the next day before re-using it again.
Good Luck, with a little or a lot of patience and some organization you should be able to get the hang of it after the first few tries.
I can now trust what I’m taking. Knowing what I’m taking, I can see if it is helping. With Herbal remedies what works for me, may not work for you. It isn’t a one size fits all. That’s why there are thousands and thousands of plants each adapting to the harsh nature around them in their own unique way. Certain things ring true when using herbs, Not one herb will cause any significant side effect. It either will or not help. Your bodies reaction will tell you within a few days. Enjoy Mother Nature.
Till next time.
Sources
https://www.naturalnews.com/039271_vitamins_supplements_magnesium_stearate.html