Make your own herbal remedies

Learn how to make your own herbal remedies. Choose a remedy from the list below.



Compresses

Compresses are put directly on the skin.
For the preparation of a compress one use the liquid of the herb mixture instead of the herb by wound mash. Use a cool compress by warm inflammations and a warm compress to light strains and pain in cold, painful regions.


Method for the making of compresses.
A compress can just as a wound mash be made of fresh herbs, dried herbs or herbs in powder form.
When the liquid is ready, take a clean cloth, wet it in the liquid and wring it out.
Firstly put a little vegetable oil (sunflower oil) on the skin before you bring the cloth on the spot to prevent sticking of the cloth. To keep the cloth damp, you can cover it with a piece of plastic and then a bandage.
When necessary, you can replace the compress.


Example: Cooling compress.
2 dl lavender infusion
A lavender compress can be put on the forehead or in the neck to light tensions and headache.


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Creams

Skin creams contain ingredients on oil and on water basis to feed and to enrich the skin.
Thick creams offer protection against the influences of the weather and fluid creams can be used to clean and moisturize the skin. Creams especially have been arranged for the softening of a part of the skin that is irritated or dry.
For use, you must always do an allergy test.


Preparation.
The preparation of a cream is more difficult than of an ointment.
This is because the oil and the water must be mixed carefully.
If this is not done well, the ingredients separate again from each other.
To simplify the mixing, is made use of an agent, mostly this is an emulsifying wax. An example of an emulsifying wax is Cera Cetomagrogol, this is available by the pharmacy.


Quantity and durability.
Because water is in the cream, the durability is short. Make because of that always small quantities. To improve the durability and the quality of the cream, you can add ethereal oil. Keep creams always on a cool place, for instance in the refrigerator.


Method.
Requisites
7 parts infusion/ decoction
2 parts oil
1 part emulsifying wax
ethereal oil

Method
This proportion remains equal, in spite of the quantities that you use.
Bring a pan with water to boil and put the fire lower.
Place in this a smaller pan or scale and pour in that the oil and the infusion, so that this are heated bain marie.
Join the wax all moving to the mixture, until these have been melted totally.
Take now the scale from the pan and place these in a scale with cold water.
It is to be remained stir cools down considerably meanwhile the mixture, separate otherwise the ingredients self of each other. During the cooling down the cream gets thicker.
Join the ethereal oil and stir everything good through each other (join 3 drops ethereal oil to 30 g cream).
Spoon the mixture in glass pots, close it well finished and jot down the name of the cream and the date of preparation. Keep the pots on a cool place.


Example: Soothing cream.
- 7 teaspoons Chickweed infusion
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon emulsifying wax
- 3 drops ethereal chamomile oil

Chickweed works cooling and calms by itch. Ethereal Chamomile oil works as an anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and sees to there moreover for that the cream longer maintainable remains and smells well.

Decoctions

To prepare decoctions the strong parts of the plant are used (like bark, roots, stems and berries) because of their medicinal working. Decoction must be cooked at least for 10 minutes.


Method.
Materials.
- 20 grams of fresh herbs or 40 grams dried herbs
- 8 dl water

Method.
Cut the root or bark of the plant as fine as possible, so that the boiling water can take up as much compounds from the plant as possible.
Put the chopped pieces in a pan with cold water and heat the water until it cooks.
Close the pan and lets the decoction cook for a number of minutes (at least 10 minutes) on low fire.
Let the decoction cool down and filtrate the fluid (through a cotton cloth). Let as much fluid as possible to lose a minimum of the medicinal functioning.

When you want to combine several parts of two different herbs, for example roots and leaves, put the leaves in, just at the end of the boiling period.
Decoctions can be kept longer than infusion, because the fluid is sterilised by cooking.


Example: Drink against stress and nervousness.
- One third decoction of Valerian root
- One third tea of skullcap
- One third of borage tea

This drink (for adults) is useful in periods of stress.
It will decrease nervousness and reinforce the nerve system.

Herb tea, Infusions or Tisane

By infusions the soft parts of the plant (leaf, flowers and seeds) are used, of which the active compounds are released in water. A herbal tea is also named infusion or tisane and is a traditional method to prepare herbs.


Make a herbal tea.
Use for the making of a herb tea not the pot in which you usually make tea, because the tannic acid can outstrip the working of the ingredients from the herb tea.
If you make your tea in a cup, cover these then equal off. Particular ingredients of the tea contain namely volatile oils that evaporate easy through which the therapeutic working of the tea is less. The tea can be drunk hot or are cooled in the refrigerator for later use. Keep the tea at most for 24 hour.


Method.
Requisites for a teapot (3 until 4 cups of tea)
6 dl boiling water
20 grams dried or 30 grams fresh herbs

Requisites for a cup
2 grams (1 until 2 teaspoons) dried or 3 grams (2 until 3 teaspoons) fresh herbs

Method
Use for your tea 1 herb or a combination of 2 or 3 different herbs (equal portions), that form together the above mentioned quantity.
Before making of a pot of tea firstly heat the pot, then put the herbs in the pot and pours the boiling water on it. Cover the pot and let the tea infuse for 10 minutes.
Pours the tea through a tea sieve in a cup and add possible honey to the tea to sweeten.

Do for the making of 1 cup of tea the herbs in a tea sieve and place this above the cup.
Pours there then hot water on, cover the cup and let the tea infuse for 10 minutes.
Possibly add some honey. Drink 2 or 3 times a day one cup, depending on the for you valid quantity.

Example: Tea against cold and flu.
A half of quantity Yarrow
A half of quantity elder
A snuff peppermint

This means (for adults) decreased the fever lowers the cold and stimulates the sweating through which the body is cleaned and can heal.





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Medical Oils

Medicinal oil is different than ethereal oil and it is simple and cheap to prepare at home. The oil can be used for massages and can serve as an oil basis for ethereal oils.
Medicinal oil can also be used as an oil basis for creams and ointment.


What oil you can use.
For the making of medicinal oil vegetable oil (sunflower or soy oil) is most suitable. Use olive oil only for cold herb oil.


Durability.
The oil is approximately 1 year maintainable.


Warning.
Be careful with hot oil.
Do never use the oil internal and do not let it come in contact with sensitive membranes, as the eyes.


Cold and warm oil.
There are two ways to make medicinal oil: a cold preparation, by which the oil is heated by the sun, and a warm preparation by which the oil is heated softly on the stove.


Method for Cold oil.
The preparation is simple, but time-consuming.
Begin with the filling of a clean, dry pot with the by you chosen herb.
Pours after that the oil carefully in the pot, so that the herbs are totally covered.
Close the pot well and put this on a warm, sunny spot, for instance on the windowsill or outside in the sun, and let it stand for 2 weeks.
Shake and turn the pot each day.
Sieve the oil then, with help of a cotton cloth (for instance a dishtowel), above a bowl. Take care for it that you already remove the vegetable material. Press the last drops of oil from the herbs, so that these are used as much as possible.
Keep the oil preferably in dark bottles and on a dark place.
Put the name and date of preparation on the bottles.


Method for Warm oil.
Requisites.
100 grams dried herbs or 200 grams fresh herbs
4 dl vegetable oil

Method.
The preparation is something more complicated but ready faster.
First bring a pan with water to boil and put the fire layer.
Place up here a smaller pan or scale.
Do that the vegetable oil and the herbs in and close everything good off with a lid.
The oil and herbs are thus bain marie heated. The oil do never comes in direct contact with the heat source.
After the oil and herbs are well heated, the mixture must minimally 2 hour remain stand so that it can cool down. Then the oil is filtered in a clean bowl by a cloth or filter.
Remove now the used herb and repeat the whole process with fresh herbs, so that the oil is two times as powerful.
Put the oil preferably in a dark, glass pots and keep these on a dark place.
Put the name of the oil and the date of preparation on the bottles.


Example: Calming oil.
- Saint John's Wort flowers.
- Vegetable oil.

The flowers of Saint John's wort are yellow, but when the oil from the plant is filtered with the vegetable oil, the colour changed into deep red.
This oil is suitable for massaging of tensed or painful parts of the body, for instance by strained muscles or neuralgia (nerve pain).


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Medical wines

Wine is used from way back as a medicine. The easiest way to make medicinal wine is to buy wine (by preference biological), to which you add your herbs.
For red wine is said that it has a salutary effect on the heart, while white grapes would be good for the immune system, because these clear unwanted harmful compounds.


Method.
Requisites.
100 g dried herbs
1 litre red or white wine

Method.
Put the herbs in a glass pot and add the wine to it. Close the pot well and let it stand for minimal 2 weeks. After that the liquid can be filtered and bottled. You can use the herbal wine to your need.


Example I: Means for a being stuck cough.
100 g dried Greek elecampane root (or 200 g fresh Greek elecampane root)
1 litre white wine
This tonic wine helps by continuous, being stuck cough, because it works slime dissolving and it calms inflamed tissue.


Example II: Iron rich recipe.
50 g dried stinging nettle
50 g chopped apricots
1 litre red wine
This wine can be used as a tonic by anaemia, when languor and tiredness is present and also by dry eczema.


Ointments

Ointments are preparations on oil basis that not only stimulate the recovery process, but also form a protection layer on the skin. They are then also well arranged for use on those parts of the skin that are exposed to weather influences.
Home made ointment form a soft alternative for the products that are for sale in the store.
They can bring the skin relief when it has been affected by the sun, ageing, food or soap.


Allergy test for a sensitive skin.
Home made herb cream and ointments are well arranged for people with a sensitive or allergic skin.
You can select the ingredients yourself and the use of additions or preservatives that can cause irritations can be limited to a minimum.
Only before you will use a means on the skin, you must first do an allergy test:
Spread a little bit ointment or cream on a piece of skin (for instance at the inside of the elbow) and let this sit for 24 hour. If a reaction occurs, then do not use the ointment or cream.
Ask for medical advice if the irritation does not stop.


Method for the making of a ointment.
Requisites
2 dl medical oil
25 g beeswax
2-5 drops ethereal oil (when wanted)

Method
Put a pan with water to boil and put the fire lower.
Place up here a smaller pan or scale and pour in that the oil, so that this is heated bain marie.
Grate the beeswax and join the wax all moving to the oil until these are totally melted.
Drop possibly the ethereal oil in the mixture.
Remove now the scale from the heat source and pour the yet warm ointment in a clean, dark, glass pot to get stiff. Close the pot well and write down the name of the ointment and the date of preparation.

Example: Ointment for cuts and excoriations.
2 dl medicinal Marigold oil
(for method see medicinal oil)
25 g beeswax
2 drops ethereal lavender oil

This ointment combines the anti-bacterial properties of Marigold with the astringent and anti-inflammatory properties of lavender.
Syrups

Syrups are soothing, viscous drinks.
You can make from a tea, a decoction or a tincture a syrup by adding sugar or honey. Because of this also the taste of less delicious herbs gets more pleasant.


Syrup on tea basis.
Requisites
2 dl tea
200 g sugar or honey

Method
For this type of syrup, you need equal quantities of tea and sugar or honey.
Make the tea on the customary way ready, but let it now infuse for 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes.
Sieve the tea and press as much as possible liquid from the herbs.
Heat the liquid softly in a pan and add the sugar or honey.
Go on to stir until everything has been mixed well. Do not let the mixture boil or burn.
Let the syrup cool down and pours these in bottles.
Closes the bottles and write down the name and the date of preparation.
(Let the cap by the closing a little bit loose; too tight closed bottles can explode).
Store the bottles on a cool, dark place.


Syrup on decoction basis.
This method is the same as that for syrup on tea basis, see up here.
Let a decoction however always cook for 30 minutes.


Syrup on tincture basis.
Requisites.
1 dl water
200 grams sugar or honey
1 dl tincture

Method.
Begin with boiling the water.
Pour the boiled water in a pan with the sugar or honey.
Heat the mixture on moderate fire.
Stir until all sugar or honey is dissolved and take the pan from the fire.
Let the syrup cool down and add the tincture all moving to.
Pour the syrup in bottles. Closes them and write down the name and date of the preparation.

Example: Recipe syrup against cough (on tea basis).
2 dl thyme infusion
200 g rough sugar

Thyme works antiseptic and slime dissolving and helps about that quite good by cough and throat pain.
This means is also well arranged for children.

Tinctures

Tinctures can be used to prepare roots or leaves.
They contain next to water also alcohol to get the ingredients from the herbs that otherwise would not come free. The alcohol can possibly be replaced by glycerin or vinegar.
Known tinctures for professional use are among others the tinctures of A. Vogel.


Preservation and quantity.
If you want to use a herb for a long time, a tincture is the best preparations method.
Tinctures are approximately 2 year maintainable.
A tincture is much stronger than a tea or a decoction and is because of that also taken in millilitres (ml) or teaspoons (ts).
In general the following is valid: 20 drops = 1 ml and 5 ml = 1 teaspoon.
The average quantity will vary from 3 times daily 1 ml until 5 ml, dependent on the herb.
Check for that always the individual herb quantities.


Method for tinctures.
Requisites
200 grams dried herbs or possibly 400 grams fresh herbs
2.5 dl alcohol*
7.5 dl water
*The alcohol percentage must be at least 30 per cent to get the active compounds from the herbs and to conserve it.
Use for instance vodka or gin. Never use industrial alcohol.

Method
Chop the herbs fine and do them in a glass bowl or pot.
Mix the alcohol with the water and add the liquid and close the pot.
Put the pot on a warm, dark place and let it stand for 14 days.
Shake the pot each 2 or 3 days.
Sieve the mixture after the 14 days in a clean pot by which the remains of the wet herbs are held separately. These can than be squeezed with for instance a wine press or to wrap them in a piece of cotton and to wring them though.
Keep the tincture in a coloured, glass pot or bottle and store them on a dark place.
Write the name and date of the preparation on the bottles.

Example: Tincture against insomnia.
100 g real chamomile.
2.5 dl vodka.
7.5 dl water.

This tincture is very arranged as a means against insomnia.
Approximately 20 minutes before you go to bed take in 5 ml (1 teaspoon).
If this does not work, then take in again 5 ml.
You may take in at most 15 ml per night.
The next evening you can begin with for instance 10 ml, until you find the ideal quantity for you.


Vinegars

Vinegar can be used in exact the same way as tinctures and can be an alternative if people dislike alcohol - or glycerin preparations. Vinegar contains acetic acid that helps to extract and conserve the herbal essential ingredients


Method.
Use a pot or a bottle with a broad opening.
Choose a herb and take care that it is as dry possible.
Put the herb in the pot and fill the pot with vinegar.
Put the pot at least for 2 weeks in a dark place (some describe 1 or 2 months) and shake it each day.
Filtrate the fluid and put it in a clean bottle.
The vinegar must be placed in the bottle for another 2 weeks before use.



Dosage and use.
Herbal vinegar can be taken in the same way as tinctures: with a tea spoon, processed in a salad or in a soup or as an ingredient of pickles.
Vinegar can also be added to a bath or can be used as a lotion and even as hair rinse.


Example I: Lotion against itching skin.
Elder blossom.
Vinegar.

The flowers of the elder tree are known because of their anti-inflammatory function. They are especially suitable for internal use with allergies, but it can also be processed in a lotion to decrease an itching skin (especially for allergic responses).
It is also useful to keep close in case of a bite of an insect. This will ease the pain rapidly.



Example II: Rinse to ease a dry skin on the head.
Tops of stinging nettles
White-wine vinegar.

The astringent properties of stinging nettle combined with the soothing properties of vinegar make mat hair shining again and stimulates the blood circulation to a dry skin on the head.
Add also a little bit of vinegar to the last spool water.


Example III: Salad dressing.
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped.
2 dl white wine vinegar.

Garlic is known for its healing properties, but the penetrating smell can sometimes be a problem. As garlic is processes in a salad dressing, the result is however quite pleasant. Garlic has an antibiotic effect, works cholesterol lowering and helps also well by inflammations of the airways.



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Wound pastes

Wound pastes are used from way back to remove harmful compounds from the body, to stimulate the blood circulation and to promote the healing.
A wound mash is a herb that is put externally on a painful spot on the skin.
You can use fresh herbs or dried herbs or herbs in powder form.
Use a cool wound mash by warm inflammations and a warm wound mash to light strains and pain in cold, painful regions.


Method for: wound mash of fresh herbs.
First bring a little bit of sunflower or another vegetable oil on the skin to prevent sticking.
Bruise the plant and place these immediately on the spot to treat.
Keep the wound mash in place by a bandage.


Method for: wound mash of dried herbs.
Cook the dried herbs approximately 5 minutes in a pan with sufficient water.
Let the mixture cool down. Press the liquid from the herbs and keep the pressed herbs.
Scattered the herbs evenly on a bandage and put these on the skin.


Method for: wound mash of herbs in powder form
First mix the powder with a cold liquid: water, infusion or tincture.
Stir until a fine paste arises and cover the bandage with this as is described.


Example: Recipe for "drawing" paste.
Use equal parts:
Mallow root powder
Red-elm powder
Water

This recipe, that the drawing properties of mallow combines and the soothing, cramp stopping properties of red-elm, is used to pull out splinters and insects angels. It can be used also by itch, caused by insect bites.

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Literature


[1]. Britton, Jade & Kircher, Tamara; - Herbal Remedies - First edition; Marshall Editions (1998). ISBN 1840280719


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