Additional Remedies
and Applications
As in the previous chapter, these recipes include amounts for both dried and fresh herbs to help you use whichever you prefer. Some of the preparations covered in Chapter two serve as the base for several of the following remedies. Before storing, label your remedy with the date you prepared it, the herbs, and the other ingredients that you used to make it.
Gel
The base for a gel remedy comes from the aloe plant. Aloe vera is a familiar houseplant that is often kept in the kitchen for the first aid treatment of burns. Contained within the leaves, the gel is pale and translucent and has a slightly herby scent. Aloe vera boosts the power of herbs because it has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that work especially well for first-aid applications. It is also helpful for some other ailments.
While breaking off the tip of a leaf to treat a small burn is easy, you will need to cut up a large leaf to get enough gel to have an herbal remedy on hand. Having it ready-made is especially useful for taking along on day trips or summer vacation to treat sunburns, insect bites, and other minor mishaps.
An important thing to know about aloe leaves is that in addition to the translucent gel, a yellow juice called bitter aloe is exuded at the base of the leaves when they are cut. Bitter aloe is also found just under the skin of the leaves. Unlike the gel, it can be unpleasantly smelly and should not be used on the skin or ingested. Purchasing aloe gel is easier and more convenient. Refer to the aloe vera profile in Chapter fourteen for details on what to look for when buying gel.
Like salves and ointments, preparing an aloe gel remedy is the second step in a two-step process. The first is to make an infusion, decoction, or infused oil. The following recipe assumes that the first step is complete.
Basic Gel Recipe
3–4 tablespoons aloe vera gel
¼ cup infusion, decoction, or infused oil
Place the aloe gel in a bowl. With the infusion, decoction, or infused oil at room temperature, slowly combine with the gel until the mixture reaches a consistency you like. Gently stir until it is thoroughly mixed. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Tincture
Stronger than an infusion or decoction, a tincture is made with alcohol instead of water or oil. Vodka, gin, brandy, and rum work well as a tincture base. Rum is particularly good to mask the taste of herbs, especially if they are a little bitter. Methyl, isopropyl, and industrial alcohols should never be used to make a tincture.
Because a tincture is concentrated, it is administered in very small doses. It can be taken straight, or it can be used to make a medicinal syrup or tea. A tincture should not be used during pregnancy or by anyone with gastric inflammation.
Basic Tincture Recipe
¾ cup dried herb, crumbled or crushed
or 1 ½ cups fresh herb, chopped or crushed
2 cups 80 to 100 proof alcohol
Place the herbs and alcohol in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close and shake for 1 to 2 minutes, and then set aside. Shake the jar every other day for 2 to 4 weeks before straining out the herbs. Store in a dark glass bottle away from sunlight.
_____
A tincture will keep for up to two years. Another way to prepare it is to place enough dried herbs to fill ⅓ to ½ of a pint jar. When using fresh herbs, fill the jar to ¾ or slightly more. Pour in enough alcohol to cover the herbs and follow the directions as above.
A standard tincture dose is 1 teaspoon diluted in an ounce of water, tea, or fruit juice two or three times a day. If you don’t like the alcohol, add 1 teaspoon of tincture to a cup of boiling water, and then wait about five minutes for the alcohol to evaporate. Tinctures can also be used straight by putting 10 to 15 drops under the tongue.
While it is not as potent, apple cider and apple cider vinegar can be substituted as a tincture base for anyone who prefers to avoid using alcohol. Cider or vinegar tinctures should steep for six weeks before straining out the herbs. A cider or vinegar tincture will keep for six to eight months. In addition to the standard methods of dosing, this type of tincture can be administered by sprinkling it on a salad.
Liniment
Like a tincture, a liniment is made with alcohol; however, it is for topical application only and should never be taken internally. A liniment is used to relieve the pain of stiff joints, sore muscles, strains, and sprains. It also aids in healing bruises and disinfecting wounds. A warming liniment can be made with cayenne to relieve pain and stiffness; a cooling liniment can be made with peppermint to reduce swelling and inflammation. To apply a liniment, rub it onto the affected area, or saturate a washcloth to use as a compress.
Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is often recommended for a liniment base and is effective. However, alcohol can dry the skin, and for some people it can be a dermal irritant. Witch hazel serves as a good liniment base because it contains a low amount of alcohol—usually about 14 percent. Another alternative is to use witch hazel water and add a little isopropyl alcohol so you can control the amount of alcohol in the liniment. White vinegar can also be used as the base ingredient, although it is not as warming. When you label your liniment remedy, be sure to note that it is for external use only.
Basic Liniment Recipe
4 tablespoons dried herb, crumbled or crushed
2 cups isopropyl alcohol, witch hazel, or white vinegar
Place the herbs and alcohol or other base ingredient in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close and shake for 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside for 4 to 6 weeks, giving the jar a good shake every day. Strain out the herbs, and then store in a dark glass bottle away from sunlight.
Poultice
A poultice is an herbal paste that is applied to an affected area. It can be used to ease muscle or nerve pain, insect bites, beestings, burns, and swollen glands. A poultice draws impurities out of infected wounds and boils. Like other remedies, it can be prepared with fresh or dried herbs. When treating a bruise, a poultice can be made with dried herbs and witch hazel instead of water.
Basic Fresh Herb Poultice Recipe
½ cup fresh herb, chopped or crushed
1 cup water
Place the water in a saucepan. Mash the herbs as much as possible before adding them to the water. Stir and simmer on low heat for 1 to 3 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool to a comfortable temperature. Strain off the liquid.
Basic Dried Herb Poultice Recipe
1–2 tablespoons dried herb, crumbled or crushed
water, enough to moisten
Boil a little water and add just enough to moisten the herbs and make a thick paste.
_____
Whichever way you make it, when the poultice is cool enough to handle, cover the skin with gauze and spoon on a sufficient amount of herb paste to cover the affected area with a thick ¼- to ½-inch layer. Cover with another piece of gauze to keep the poultice in place. Cover the poultice with a towel to keep it warm for as long as possible. Remove it when it starts to cool. Apply a poultice one to three times a day, making a fresh one each time.
A poultice can be messy and depending on where you need to apply it, it can be a challenge. Following is an easier alternative using dried herbs to make and apply a poultice.
Basic Easy Poultice Recipe
1–2 tablespoons dried herb, crumbled or crushed
2–3 cups water
Place the herbs in a muslin bag and set aside. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, and then remove it from the heat. Place the bag of herbs in the water for 1 to 3 minutes to moisten and warm the plant material. Remove from the water and press out excess moisture.
_____
Check that the bag of herbs is not too hot, and then set it directly on the affected area. Cover the poultice with a towel to keep it warm for as long as possible, and then remove it when it starts to cool. As with the conventional method, apply a poultice one to three times a day, making a fresh one each time. If the area to treat is very small, use a tea filter bag to hold the herbs.
Powders and Capsules
Powdered herbs can be purchased, or you can make your own with dried herbs using a blender, food processor, or flour grinder. Store the powder in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid away from sunlight.
Powders can be mixed into other preparations or taken in capsules, which is easier if you do not like the taste of a particular herb. Valerian is one such plant that many prefer to take in capsule form because of its taste and odor.
Gelatin and vegetarian-based capsule cases are available in many health food stores and online. The amount that each capsule can hold depends on the density of the powdered herb. Less of a coarsely ground powder will fit than one that is finely ground. Capsule size “1” holds between 300 and 600 milligrams, size “2” between 200 and 400 milligrams. It is important to begin with a minimal amount to determine what works best for you.
The most important thing to remember when filling capsules is that your hands must be completely dry, otherwise they will stick to your fingers. Capsules have two different halves: one is longer and slightly narrower (the bottom); the other is shorter and slightly wider (the cap), which fits over the bottom half. To fill, sprinkle a small mound of powdered herb on a saucer, and then scoop as much powder as you can into the bottom half of the capsule. Another way to fill them is to use a small piece of paper to make a tiny funnel so you can pour the powder into the bottom half. Either way, when you get as much as you can into the capsule, slide the halves together. Store capsules in a dark glass container with a tight-fitting lid in a cool, dry place.
Bath Salts
When used in the bath, herbs help relieve pain and stiffness. Salts contain minerals that aid in the release of toxins from the muscles and joints, which is beneficial when dealing with infectious illnesses, arthritis, and sore muscles. Bath salts also promote relaxation, which can ease stress and relieve nervous tension.
Commonly used as a base for bath salts, Epsom salt is healing in its own right. Named for the town in England where it was discovered, Epsom salt is a mineral compound that is helpful in relieving arthritis, bruises, inflammation, sore muscles, psoriasis, sprains, and strains. It can be purchased in grocery stores and pharmacies. Check that it is United States Pharmaceutical (USP) grade as this is high quality and suitable for personal care. Technical grade, also known as agricultural and industrial grade, is not for use in the home or on the body. Instead of Epsom salt for the base of this remedy, coarse sea salt can be used because it also contains healing minerals.
Preparing bath salts is the second step in a two-step process. The first is to make an infusion, decoction, or infused oil. The following recipe assumes that the first step is complete.
Basic Bath Salts Recipe
2 cups Epsom or coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons baking soda (optional)
¾ cup infusion, decoction, or infused oil
Place the dry ingredients in a glass or porcelain bowl. Slowly add the infusion, decoction, or infused oil and stir until thoroughly mixed. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
_____
The optional baking soda in the recipe helps soothe any inflammation and soften the skin. To use the salts, add a cup or two under the running tap to dissolve them.
Foot Soak
Infusions, decoctions, and bath salts can be used for a foot soak, which is also known as a footbath. Add a cup of bath salts or a quart of infusion or decoction to water in a basin. A warm or hot foot soak increases circulation, aids in healing a cold or flu, and helps deal with insomnia. Odd as it may seem, a foot soak can help relieve headaches, too, by drawing blood down to the feet and relieving pressure in the head. A cool footbath is a good perk-up on hot summer days when feet can be sweaty, swollen, and sore.
Medicinal Honey
As Mary Poppins told us, taking medicine is easier with a teaspoon of sugar, and honey is a good way to administer herbs, especially to children. Quite simply, it is an infusion made with honey instead of water or oil. There are two ways to make medicinal honey. The herbs can be crushed or chopped and put directly into the honey, or they can be placed in a small muslin bag for easy removal. Dry herbs placed directly into the honey can be strained out before storage or they can be left in. Fresh herbs should be removed before storage because of their water content, which can foster the growth of bacteria or mold.
Basic Medicinal Honey Recipe
½ cup dried herb, crumbled or crushed
or ¾ cup fresh herb, chopped or crushed
1 cup honey
Pour the honey into a slightly larger jar, and then set it in a saucepan of water. Warm over low heat until the honey becomes less viscous. Add the herbs or place them in a muslin bag before adding to the honey. Use a butter knife to stir loose herbs throughout the honey or to push the bag of herbs down so it is completely covered. Continue warming for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and set aside until the honey is completely cool. Put the lid on the jar and store it out of direct light in a cupboard at room temperature for a week. To remove the herbs, heat the honey, and then strain it into another jar or remove the herb bag. Squeeze the herb bag to wring out as much honey as possible.
_____
Medicinal honey can be stored in a cupboard for up to eighteen months. A spoonful of honey can be taken straight, or it can be used to sweeten tea.
Things to Know When Buying Honey
When purchasing honey, there are a number of things to keep in mind, especially for medicinal purposes. The words pure and natural on the label may sound good, but they are meaningless. Unlike the term organic, there is no government agency or other set of standards for these designations.
Honey can range from a very light golden color to dark mahogany. A good quality honey should be cloudy, not clear. This is due to the pollen content, which gives honey its valuable enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The traditional filtering process catches wax, bee parts, and debris from the hive but leaves the pollen in the honey.
The best sources for good honey are local beekeepers or local farmers markets. If these are not available for you, try health food stores where you can often get locally sourced organic honey. You might also find it in a specialty section of a supermarket. As always, read labels carefully so you know exactly what you are getting.
Steam Inhalation
Along with steam, the antiseptic, antibacterial, and/or antiviral properties of some herbs help clear and soothe respiratory airways. Steam is a good way to treat congested sinuses, chest infections, colds, and the flu. In addition to relieving congestion, facial steams are good for the complexion because they deep clean the pores and add moisture to the skin.
5–8 tablespoons dried herb, crumbled or crushed
or 6–10 tablespoons fresh herb, chopped or crushed
1 quart water
Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the herbs, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove and place it on a table or countertop where you can easily access it.
_____
Place a bath towel over your head to create a tent above the steaming water. Close your eyes and hold your face a comfortable distance from the water so the steam will not be too hot. Stay under the tent for three to five minutes or until the water is no longer steaming. If it feels too hot, lift the towel to allow cool air into the tent.
The combination of steam and herbs is also a good way to clean the air of a sickroom and to humidify or freshen a room in the winter. Place a steaming saucepan in the room where it is needed. When it cools, the mixture can be reheated to generate more steam.
Syrup
Syrup is a soothing treatment for sore throats and coughs. A dose is usually 1 teaspoon as needed. A syrup can be made with dried herbs or a tincture.
Basic Syrup Recipe using Dried Herbs
8 tablespoons dried herbs, crumbled or crushed
1 quart water
1 cup honey
Combine the herbs and water in a saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to as low as possible and simmer at least 30 minutes or until the volume is reduced by half. Strain out the herbs, return 2 cups of liquid to the saucepan, and add the honey. Warm on low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat, allow the mixture to cool slightly, and then pour into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for several weeks.
Basic Syrup Recipe using a Tincture
2–4 tablespoons tincture
1 cup honey
½ cup water
Combine the honey and water in a saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until it has a smooth consistency. Add the tincture and mix thoroughly. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the mixture to cool completely before putting the lid on. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 6 months.