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MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES "A herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks" Emperor Charlemagne Most herbal remedies are easy to make using equipment that is already in your kitchen. Use enamel, stainless steel, glass, pottery, or cast-iron utensils. Never use aluminum. Storage is best in glass jars or bottles. When fresh herbs are not available, use one-third to one-half as much of dried herbs. Achieve Natural Health today!!
INFUSION An infusion is a tea made from fresh or dried leaves, flowers or soft stems. To make, warm a teapot with hot water, drain and add 1 ounce dried or 3 ounces fresh herbs. Pour in 2 ¼ cups water that has just begun to boil. Cover and let steep for ten minutes. Strain. Take up to three 6 ounce doses daily, hot or cold. Add honey if desired. Store unused infusion in the refrigerator for up to two days. DECOCTION Decoction is a tea made from fresh or dried bark, berries, seeds or roots. Bark or berries should be crushed and roots washed, scraped and chopped or grated. Combine one ounce dried or two ounces fresh herbs with 3 cups cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 to 40 minutes. Strain. Take up to three 6-ounce doses daily, hot or cold adding honey if desired. Store unused portion in the refrigerator for up to two days. SYRUP Syrup is a double-strength infusion or decoction of fresh or dried herbs, sweetened with honey or sugar, then cooked to a syrupy consistency. Syrup is taken internally, most often for coughs. To make a syrup, follow the direction for an infusion or decoction, using half as much water. In a saucepan combine 1 cup of the strained liquid with 1/3 cup of honey or 1/2 cup of sugar. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Cool, pour into sterilized, dark glass bottles. Insert a cork stopper and store in refrigerator up to three months. Take 1 to 2 teaspoons no more than three times a day. TINCTURE Tincture is a solution made by steeping any part of the herb in a mixture of alcohol and water. A general guideline is to use 2 ounces dried or 6 ounces fresh herbs with one cup of 75-proof vodka and 1/2 cup water. Place herbs, vodka, and water in a glass jar, cap tightly, and store for three weeks, shaking vigorously every other day. Strain and pour into sterilized dark glass bottles. Cap tightly, label, date and store up to two years. Take up to three doses daily, diluting one teaspoon in a little warm water. OIL An oil is an extraction of herbs in a vegetable oil, such as safflower or sunflower, for external use as massage oils, creams, and ointment. Herbal oils made from flowers are usually cold infused, while those from leaves are best prepared by hot infusion. To make a cold infused oil, pack a quart glass with the fresh or dried herbs. Cover with the oil. Cap tightly and place on a warm, sunny windowsill for two weeks, shaking each day. Strain through a jelly bag, squeezing hard, and then repeat with more herbs. After two weeks, strain again and pour into sterilized, dark glass bottles. Cap tightly, label and refrigerate for up to a year. To make a hot infused oil, combine 8 ounces dried herbs with 2 cups oil in the top of a double boiler. Set over simmering water and heat gently for three hours, careful to not let the lower pan boil dry. Cool. Strain through a jelly bag, squeezing hard. Pour into sterilized, dark glass bottles. Cap tightly, label and store in a dark, cool place for up to a year. OINTMENT An ointment is an extraction of fresh or dried herbs in white petroleum jelly used externally for bruises or skin conditions. To make, slowly heat 1 cup of petroleum jelly in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. When melted, stir in 1 ounce dried or 3 ounces fresh herbs. Heat gently for two hours, careful to not boil dry. Strain through a jelly bag, pressing against the bag with a wooden spoon. Quickly pour into a sterilized, dark glass jar. Cap tightly, label and refrigerate or store in a dark, cool place for up to four months. POULTICE Poultice uses fresh or dried herbs that are applied directly to the affected external part of the body. To make, pour boiling water over crushed or chopped herbs. When cool enough to handle, remove herbs from liquid, squeezing out excess water. Spread herbs on the affected area and wrap with gauze to hold the poultice in place. COMPRESS Compress is a cloth soaked in an herb infusion or decoction, then applied to the affected part of the body. Soak a clean piece of soft cotton fabric in the liquid. Squeeze out the excess, fold into a pad, and place on the area, repeating until relief is felt. Cold compresses are best for headaches, black eyes or bruising.
Don't be afraid to try these completely safe and gentle remedies. This is all the information I need when I am treating a malady. It is so much better to let nature's medicine treat your needs than to run out to the drug store for a bottle of chemicals that are only going to mask your symptoms. Natural health is depending on nature to correct and balance your body systems. They work gently and quickly when used properly and yet you haven't invaded your body with foreign additives. Your grandmother used them, her grandmother, and peoples from the known beginning of man. The plants were put here by our creator to allow us to "Heal Thyself Naturally", to become more dependant on ourself and nature instead of the so-called medical world. I'm sure you know by now that the medical world (including doctors, pharmacists, and insurance companies) WANT YOUR MONEY!!! Why give it to them if it is a problem you can take care of yourself, the natural way? Enjoy learning about herbs and make them a part of your NATURAL HEALTH!!!. Visit the sponsor below to purchase your herbal need. Buy in quantities small or large! You will also find other natural products to help you take care of your body NATURALLY!!!
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