Make Some Herbal Vapor Balm

With Autumn's arrival, and the start of a new school year there will naturally follow a new host of cold & flu bugs and exposure to all sorts of other germs. Of course our best course of action is to keep our immune systems strong by eating well, decreasing stress, washing our hands and getting plenty of rest.
During the coming winter months when our bodies are vulnerable to colds and flu, herbs can help keep us healthy.
Today I'm making one of my favorite natural cold remedies to have on hand this winter:

Herbal Vapor Balm
I got this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs and I just LOVE it!

Interestingly enough, two of the common active ingredients in commercially-made vapor rubs are Eucalyptus essential oil and Menthol. But, the classic ointments also contain things like Petroleum and Turpentine oil. Luckily, we can make a homemade version utilizing all-natural elements and botanicals!

- 1/2 cup organic Olive Oil
- 1/2 – 1 tsp organic Menthol Crystals
- 1 oz Beeswax, coarsely chopped or use pastilles
- 15 drops organic Eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops organic Peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops organic Rosemary essential oil

- 2 drops organic Tea Tree essential oil
- 2 drops organic Thyme essential oil

Heat the Olive oil and beeswax in a double boiler until the beeswax has melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Add Menthol crystals (1/2 tsp for a gentler balm, 1 tsp for a stronger product) and essential oils, stir, and quickly pour into jars. Immediately place lids loosely over the jars so that the oils do not escape. Note: The menthol crystals may be irritating when inhaled so use in a well ventilated area or wear a mask if needed.

Fire Cider Recipe

Fire Cider is an inexpensive, effective way to treat or stave off colds & flus, and to break up congestion.

Ingredients

1 quart Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup Horseradish root grated

1/8 cup of Garlic chopped

1/2 cup of Onion chopped

1/2 cup of Ginger grated

1 tsp Cayenne

Directions

Place all ingredients in a quart jar and cover with Apple Cider Vinegar.

Cover tightly.

Steep for 8 weeks.

Strain into clean jar.

How to Use Your Fire Cider?

~ Rub into sore muscles and aching joints.

~ Soak a clean cloth in Fire Cider to place on a congested chest.

~ Drink it straight or diluted in a bit of water or tomato juice.Start out with a tsp or so to test your tolerance level.
~ Mix with a bit of honey to ease a cough.

Making Herbal Tinctures

Make Your Own Herbal Tinctures & Syrups

While paying for the convenience of a manufactured herbal extract or syrup can be nice, we have found that the best medicines are those we make ourselves. In addition, for those of us that incorporate herbal medicine into our daily diet, the costs really begins to add up. Making your own extracts and syrups will save you hundreds of dollars. In addition, you can make extracts that meet the specific needs for yourself and your loved ones.

Herbal Tinctures

This recipe is the simplest way to make your own liquid herbal extracts in your own home.

1. Start with a clean jar that has a tight fitting lid and the herbs of your choice. If you can use fresh herbs, then fabulous! Fresh material is always preferred but availability is determined by your local bioregion, climate, etc and many quality herbs may not be available. If you cannot locate fresh materials, be sure to get good quality, organic herbs from a reputable supplier. Note: Try not to use powdered herbs; they will be difficult to filter out in the end and the debris will settle in your final product.

2. Chop the herbs finely – a blender or coffee grinder works well. Then place the materials in the glass jar with a tight fitting lid, such as a canning jar.

3. Pour a good and strong grain alcohol, brandy, or vodka over the herbs. Completely cover the herbal material, and leave 2-3 inches of alcohol above the herbs. 100 proof alcohol is recommended, but you can also use grain alcohol. When using grain alcohol, mix it with equal parts of purified water to create 50% alcohol to 50% water ratio. If you wish to avoid alcohol, then vegetable glycerin or vinegar may be used. When using vegetable glycerin, dilute it with equal parts of water. Although glycerin and vinegar are not as effective or strong as alcohol, they do create milder extracts that are suitable for children or those sensitive to alcohol. If using dried herbs you will need to add more alcohol over the next day or two as the dried herbs absorb and expand. A good ratio for dried material is about 1 part herb to 5 parts alcohol, and with fresh material 1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol.

4. Cover with a tight fitting lid, shake well, and place the jar in a dark place. Allow the mixture to soak and macerate for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake every few days to help the alcohol extract the active constituents from the herbs.

5. After 4 to 6 weeks strain the herbs. Use a large strainer lined with fine mesh cloth or cheesecloth. Make sure to tightly squeeze the material to extract every precious drop from the cloth. Funnel the material from your larger container into smaller bottles, preferably amber bottles and store your tinctures in a cool dark place. Your herbal tinctures will stay good for at least 3-5 years, if not indefinitely.

Herbal Syrups

Syrups are the tastiest and sweetest types of herbal medicine available, and they are loved by children and adults alike. Here are instructions for creating your own yummy syrups at home:

1. Simmer 2 ounces of herb in 1 quart of water over low heat until the mixture reduces down to 1 pint of liquid.

2. Strain the herbs from the liquid, and place the liquid back into the pot.

3. Add one cup of sweetener and warm over low heat until the sweetener and herbal liquid are completely mixed. Sweeteners used can be: honey, vegetable glycerin, agave nectar, maple syrup, or sugar. If using raw honey, be careful not to simmer or boil the syrup, as this will destroy some of the beneficial properties of the honey. In order to better preserve your syrup, 2 pints of honey may be used in place of the one cup of honey.

4. At this point, you may add a flavoring extract or fruit concentrate if you wish to flavor it. Lemon juice may be added for sore or tickly throats, or brandy can be added as a relaxant and preservative.

5. Remove from heat, bottle (preferably in amber glass bottles), and place in refrigerator. Your herbal syrup will last for several weeks to months within the refrigerator.

Voila! You have now made your own remarkable medicinal herbal medicines for a fraction of the price you would have paid at the store. Enjoy!

Article written by Mountain Rose Herbs



How to Make Herbal Vinegars

Making Herbal Vinegars

Spring is coming and soon there will be a big burst of nourishing "weeds" to gather.
Preserving fresh herbs and roots in vinegar is an easy way to capture their nourishing goodness. It's easy too.

I first learned to put herbal vinegars from herbalist, Susun Weed:

Why Vinegar is a Great Way to Preserve Herbs

Water does a poor job of extracting calcium from plants, but calcium and all minerals dissolve into vinegar very easily. You can see this for yourself. Submerge a bone in vinegar for six weeks. What happens~ The bone becomes pliable and rubbery. Why~ The vinegar extracted the minerals from the bone. (And now the vinegar is loaded with calcium and other bone-building minerals!)

After observing this trick it’s not unusual to fear that if you consume vinegar your bones will dissolve. But you'd have to take off your skin and sit in vinegar for weeks in order for that to happen! Adding vinegar to your food actually helps build bones because it frees up minerals from the vegetables you eat. Adding a splash of vinegar to cooked greens is a classic trick of old ladies who want to be spry and flexible when they're ancient old ladies. (Maybe your granny already taught you this~) In fact, a spoonful of vinegar on your broccoli or kale or dandelion greens increases the calcium you get by one-third.

All by itself, vinegar helps build bones; and when it's combined with mineral-rich herbs, vinegar is better than calcium pills.

Some people worry that eating vinegar will contribute to an overgrowth of candida yeast in the intestines. My experience has led me to believe that herbal vinegars do just the opposite, perhaps because they're so mineral rich. Herbal vinegars are especially useful for anyone who can't (or doesn't want to) drink milk. A tablespoon of infused herbal vinegar has the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk.

Apple cider vinegar has been used as a health-giving agent for centuries. Hippocrates, father of medicine, is said to have used only two remedies: honey and vinegar. A small book on Vermont folk remedies—primary among them being apple cider vinegar—has sold over 5 million copies since its publication in the ‘50s. A current ad in a national health magazine states that vinegar can give me a longer, healthier, happier life.

Vinegar has many powers: it lowers cholesterol, improves skin tone, moderates high blood pressure, prevents/counters osteoporosis, and improves metabolic functioning.

Herbal vinegars are an unstoppable combination: the healing and nutritional properties of vinegar married to the aromatic and health-protective effects of green herbs (and a few wild roots).
Herbal vinegars don't taste like medicine. In fact, they taste so good I use them frequently. I pour a spoonful or more on beans and grains at dinner; I use them in salad dressings; I season stir-fry and soups with them. This regular use boosts the nutrient-level of my diet with very little effort and virtually no expense. Sometimes I drink my herbal vinegar in a glass of water in the morning, remembering the many older women who've told me that apple cider vinegar prevents and eases their arthritic pains. I aim to ingest a tablespoon or more of mineral-rich herbal vinegar daily. Not just because herbal vinegars taste great (they do!), but because they offer an easy way to keep my calcium levels high (and that's a real concern for a menopausal woman of fifty).


BASIC HERBAL VINEGAR
Takes 5 minutes plus 6 weeks to prepare

You will need the following:

~ glass or plastic jar of any size up to one quart/liter
~ plastic lid for jar or
~ waxed paper and a rubber band
~ fresh herbs, roots, weeds
~ one quart/liter apple cider vinegar

Fill any size jar with fresh-cut aromatic herbs. (See accompanying list for suggestions of herbs that extract particularly well in vinegar.) For best results and highest mineral content, be sure the jar is well filled with your chosen herb, not just a few sprigs, and be sure to cut the herbs or roots up into small pieces.

Pour room-temperature apple cider vinegar into the jar until it is full. Cover jar with a plastic screw-on lid, several layers of plastic or wax paper held on with a rubber band, or a cork. Vinegar disintegrates metal lids.

Label the jar with the name of the herb and the date. Put it in some place away from direct sunlight, though it doesn't have to be in the dark, and some place that isn't too hot, but not too cold either. A kitchen cupboard is fine, but choose one that you open a lot so you remember to use your vinegar, which will be ready in six weeks.

For more excellent herbal info visit Susun Weed at www.susunweed.com