how to use herbs 3 - savvy teas and herbs · have strong medicine on hand when you need it....

$: HOW TO USE HERBS 3 - Savvy Teas and Herbs · have strong medicine on hand when you need it. Tinctures can also be made at home at a fraction of the cost of store-bought. They are$
HOW TO USE HERBSHOW TO USE HERBSHOW TO USE HERBSHOW TO USE HERBS

~Your Guide to Using Medicinal Herbs for Your Health~

Last Updated: March 5, 2011

© Savvy Teas and Herbs, 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction to Herbs.......................................................3

Storing Your Herbs .........................................................4

How to Make Herbal Teas, Infusions, and Decoctions .............5

To Make an Herbal Tea.................................................................. 5 To Make an Herbal Infusion............................................................ 6 To Make an Herbal Decoction ........................................................ 6

How to Make Herbal Tinctures / Extracts ..............................9

To Make an Alcohol Tincture ........................................................ 10 To Make a Glycerin Tincture......................................................... 12

How to Make Herbal Syrups ............................................14

How to Make an Herbal Compress or Poultice .....................15

To Make a Compress ................................................................... 16 To Make a Poultice....................................................................... 17

How to Make an Herbal Oil and Salve ................................18

To Make an Infused Herbal Oil ..................................................... 18 To Make a Salve .......................................................................... 19

How to Make an Herbal Bath ...........................................21

Using Herbs in Capsules ................................................23

Using Herbs as Foods....................................................24

Recommended Resources to Learn about Herbs .................25

Savvy Teas and Herbs www.savvyteasandherbs.com Page 2

INTRODUCTION TO HERBS

Herbs have been used as medicine for centuries. Although

there are times when pharmaceuticals are necessary, most

of the time herbs can be used instead, and an added benefit

is that most of them have no side affects. Herbs work with your body to heal, instead of simply covering up the

symptoms.

Herbs can be taken as a tea, infusion or decoction,

extract/tincture, syrup, as a compress or poultice applied externally, as an oil or salve, in a bath, or used in capsules

and even as an addition to foods. Some herbs require

different methods, but most of the time you will want to

choose the method depending on the specific use you need

at that time. And sometimes convenience plays a role as well.

Herbs are to be respected so please see our website for

recommendations and cautions for each herb. Some herbs are to be avoided by children, or pregnant and nursing

Mamas, or those with specific health conditions.

Our information does not replace the advice or instruction of

a qualified health care professional. Our information is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or

treat any health conditions.

We hope you enjoy this How to Use Herbs herbal

companion. Our hope is that after reading this, you realize just how easy it is to incorporate herbs into your life! Be

watching your email inbox for our upcoming newsletters with

specific recipes and even more tips!

~~~~The Wells FamilyThe Wells FamilyThe Wells FamilyThe Wells Family~~~~


HOW TO STORE YOUR HERBS

Store your herbs in air tight glass jars or food grade plastic

containers. Clear ones are ideal so that you can quickly find

what you need. Label them well and keep out of reach of children.

Store them in a cool dark place for maximum shelf life.

Each herb has its own shelf life. Use the look, taste, and smell test. For some herbs you need to omit the taste part,

as some are for external use only. The look of the herb

should be as vibrant as when you bought it, in color. The

taste should be noticeable and strong, according to each

herbs properties. The smell, probably the most reliable method, should smell distinctive, strong although not always

pleasant. Valerian does not smell pleasant, but it is strong!

Some herbs, such as alfalfa, just smell “green”.

Replace any herbs that appear to have used up their shelf life. They are not worth keeping if they are no longer viable.

Please note in the instructions in this book, the

measurements are for dried herbs, as opposed to fresh.


HOW TO MAKE HERBAL TEAS, INFUSIONS, and

DECOCTIONS

Herbal teas are easy to make in a pinch when you need a

remedy right away for your specific condition. It is also one

of the simplest and least expensive ways to prepare herbs. This is a great method for first-timers to introduce oneself to

herbs. Infusions and decoctions are more potent teas.

Some remedies are indeed best taken as a tea, for example

fever reducing tea blends.

You can also create an herbal blend that is just right for you,

based on your body’s own need, and have the mix all ready

to drink a nice relaxing cup in the morning to start your day

and perhaps to drink throughout the day as well. Teas are a very enjoyable way to bring the world of herbs into your

routine.

Hot water must be used to help release the power of the

herbs when making herbal teas.

To make an Herbal Tea:

• Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1-4 teaspoons of dried

herb.

• Let steep covered for 3-5 minutes. Strain and enjoy.


To make an Herbal Infusion:

An infusion is a tea steeped for a longer period of time. This

is beneficial for acute situations or when you have the time,

so that more of the herbal constituents are released into the

tea. This makes for a much stronger tea.

• Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1-4 teaspoons of dried

herb.

• Let steep 10-20 minutes. Strain and enjoy.

To make an Herbal Decoction:

A decoction is similar to an infusion, except that it is made

from herbal roots and barks. Burdock Root, White Pine Bark, and Licorice Root are some examples. You will need

to extract the herbal properties of these herbs at a higher

temperature.

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add 1-4 teaspoons or herbs.

• Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15-30 minutes.

Strain and enjoy.


Additional Tips for Herbal Teas / Infusions / Decoctions:

� You can also use more herbs than these recipes

state. The smaller measurement is typically for

more dense herbs and the larger measurement for

lighter-weight herbs, like flowers. Just use the

amount you want to your taste and your desire for a weaker or stronger tea.

� Although some herbs are quite tasty, such as

Chamomile, Elder Berries, and Lemon Balm, many

herbs have a very bitter flavor. For this reason, Peppermint Leaf or Spearmint Leaf is often added

to smooth out the taste and make them palatable.

Ginger, Cinnamon Chips, and Orange Peel are also

tasty additions to mask the flavor of some herbs.

� Although you want to make the teas with hot

water, you can then chill them to drink cold, in

most cases. However, for fever-reducing teas,

those are best to drink hot.

� A dab of milk added to some herbal tea tends to

smooth out some bitter flavors.

� Add honey to taste if desired.

� Teas are best prepared as needed, although you

can refrigerate for a couple of days if needed.

� It is often more practical to make a few cups at a

time, so for the above recipes, just use the same

proportion of herbs and water for larger

quantities.


Dosage for Teas / Infusions / Decoctions:

Adults:

• For chronic problems, serve the tea three or four times

daily.

• For acute ailments such as colds, fevers, and headaches, take several small sips every 30 minutes

until the symptoms subside, up to 3-4 cups daily.

For children, we recommend Young’s Rule for determining

dosage:

• Add 12 to the child’s age

• Divide the child’s age by this total.

• For example, the dosage for a 4 year old would be: 4÷16= .25, or ¼ of the adult dosage.


HOW TO MAKE HERBAL TINCTURES /

EXTRACTS

Herbal tinctures, also known as extracts, are a highly

concentrated liquid form of herbal medicine that are easy to

assimilate. They are also more portable as they are preserved medicines. Tinctures remain potent for a long

period of time and require no refrigeration. We bring along

extracts when we travel, just in case we need them. They

have often been a lifesaver. Tinctures are a great way to

have strong medicine on hand when you need it.

Tinctures can also be made at home at a fraction of the cost

of store-bought. They are extremely easy to prepare.

Tinctures can be made with consumable alcohol or vegetable glycerin. Alcohol tinctures are the most common, as alcohol

is the most effective means of drawing out the important

properties of the herbs. They also have a longer shelf life.

However, if you seek to avoid alcohol consumption, a glycerin tincture is a viable and healthy alternative.


To make an Alcohol Tincture:

Making a tincture using just alcohol requires no heat, so

essential oils are retained. Alcohol has the added benefit of

extracting compounds that are not water soluble, which

means that a few herbs such as Goldenseal and Black Cohosh are actually stronger when made into a tincture.

Vodka is the method we use. It is the most affordable and

does the job well. Other options are whiskey, gin, or rum. Make sure the alcohol is 80 or 100 proof.

• Fill a glass jar 1/3 to 1/2 full of your herbs. For denser,

heavier herbs, fill just 1/3 full. Do not pack in the

herbs. We use a quart mason jar for tinctures we want to make in smaller amounts, and half gallon jars for

tinctures that we know we will need larger amounts.

• Fill jar to within 2 inches of the top with alcohol and

seal.

• Store for 3 weeks in a dry, cool place and shake daily.

• After 3 weeks, strain and discard herbs, bottle in a

glass container (we use amber bottles) and be sure and label. Keep out of reach of children.


Additional Tips for Alcohol Tinctures:

� You can add your dosage to hot water to make a tea,

or add it to already prepared tea, before consuming.

For those who wish to avoid alcohol consumption, this

also helps reduce the alcohol content of the dosage, as

this will help some of the alcohol evaporate.

� Adding your dosage to some juice is another way to

take your tincture.

� You can also use apple cider vinegar in place of the alcohol if desired, in the instructions above, raw apple

cider vinegar being the best choice. It does not draw

out the herbal properties quite as well as alcohol,

though. Be sure and warm the vinegar beforehand, as well.

Shelf life of an alcohol tincture is almost indefinite, although

using vinegar in place of alcohol shortens the shelf life

dramatically, to about a year or so, so please be aware of that if you want to substitute the alcohol.


To make a Glycerin Tincture:

Tinctures made with vegetable glycerin are syrupy and

sweet. They provide an alcohol-free alternative to the

alcohol tincture. Glycerin has a sweet taste but does not

affect blood sugar levels like honey and sugar would.

These extracts are often preferred by children, although our

children find them too sweet. A dosage of half glycerin

tincture and half alcohol tincture would be more palatable.

Make sure you buy FOOD GRADE vegetable glycerin. The

container must state this clearly. This is not the same

glycerin you would use in soap making, etc.

• Fill a glass jar 1/3 to 1/2 full of your herbs. For denser,

heavier herbs, fill just 1/3 full. Do not pack in the

herbs. We use a quart mason jar for tinctures we want

to make in smaller amounts, and half gallon jars for

tinctures that we know we will need larger amounts.

• Fill jar to within 2 inches of the top with a combination

of about 40% water and 60% glycerin and seal. The

easiest way to do this is pour in enough hot water to

cover and soak the herbs before adding your glycerin. Make sure it is just covering the herbs, no more, since

you need to add plenty of glycerin in order to avoid

mold growth in storage. Then add enough glycerin to

fill the jar within the 2 inches. Stir with a wooden spoon and add more glycerin if the liquid level settles some.

• After sealing, you will need to simmer the jar for 3 days

to extract the herbal properties. You can do this using

a stock pot or a crock pot.


• To simmer, fill your pot with enough water to cover the

jars halfway. Be sure to put a towel under the jar and

between jars if you have more than one in the pot. This will help prevent the jars from breaking.

• Add more water if needed as the water may evaporate

some over the three days time. Make sure you add

only HOT WATER or else your jars will shatter if you add cold water at this point.

• After 3 days, strain this sticky mixture. The easiest way

is to strainer over a thin cloth draped over a bowl, like a cloth napkin or a tea towel. Be sure and squeeze the

cloth afterward to extract all the herbal properties. You

don’t want any going to waste!

• Bottle in a glass container (we use amber bottles) and be sure and label. Keep out of reach of children.

Shelf life of glycerin tinctures is 2-3 years.

Dosage for Tinctures:

Adults:

• For chronic, long-term problems such as allergies, insomnia, arthritis, and back pain, take 1/2 - 1

teaspoon three times a day.

• For acute issues, sudden sickness such as migraines, cold, or flu, take 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon every 30-60

minutes until symptoms subside.

• Refer to Young’s Law as outlined above, for children.


HOW TO MAKE HERBAL SYRUPS

An herbal syrup is a delicious concentrated extract cooked

into a sweet medicine with the use of honey or fruit juice.

Maybe syrup and undiluted glycerin may also be substituted.

Syrups are ideal for soothing the throat and for cough

remedies.

Herbal syrups are not for those with blood sugar issues such

as diabetes, hypoglycemia, and the like.

To make an Herbal Syrup:

• Mix 1/2 - 1 cup herbs (use the smaller measurement

for heavier herbs such as roots and barks) with 1 quart

of warm water.

• Simmer the liquid down to 1 pint over low heat. This

will give you a very concentrated tea.

• Strain and pour the liquid back into the pot. Strain over a thin cloth such as a tea towel or cloth napkin,

so that you can squeeze all the tea out of the herbs, to

get the most benefit.

• To each pint of liquid, add 1 cup of honey (raw is best), maple syrup, or vegetable glycerin. DO NOT USE

HONEY IF ADMINISTERING TO A CHILD UNDER 1 YEAR

OLD.


• Warm the honey and liquid together only enough to be

able to mix the syrup well. Cooking longer will result in

a thicker syrup but it will also kill the enzymes in the honey if you are using raw honey.

• You may now add a bit of fruit concentrate if desired,

for flavor, or a couple drops of essential oil, such as

spearmint or peppermint.

• Remove from heat, bottle, and label. Refrigerate.

Shelf life of herbal syrups is several weeks to several months.

Dosage for Herbal Syrups:

• Dosage is roughly 1T. three times a day for an adult.

• Use Young’s Law above to calculate the dosage for

children.


HOW TO MAKE AN HERBAL COMPRESS or

POULTICE

An herbal compress or poultice is for external use. They are quickly assembled and very affective.

Use for swelling, pain, colds, flu, inflammation, hemorrhoids,

varicose veins, muscle cramps, headaches, chest

congestion, stings and bites, etc. In some cases, certain herbs will help full foreign matter from wounds, scrapes, etc.

To make an Herbal Compress:

• Dip a clean cloth into a warm herbal infusion or

decoction (see recipes above). Wring out and apply to affected area.

• A compress is best used when warm and allowed to

cool on the body.

• Reapply as needed. We like to dip the cloth in the

warm tea again each time it cools.

• Apply until you experience relief.


To make a Poultice:

A poultice differs in that the herbs are enveloped in a cloth

that is held on the affected area, or the herbs are directly

applied to the area.

• Chop or powder herbs that you want to use. Use

enough to cover the affected area with a thin layer of herb. Always err on the generous side.

• Pour a small amount of boiling water over the herbs, in

a small pot. Steep for a few minutes, making sure not

to burn the mixture. Note: Powdered herbs do not require this steeping. Just mix with enough hot water

to make a spreadable paste.

• Strain and reserve the herbs, not the tea, for the

poultice. Be sure and keep the herbs warm, for application.

• Add essential oils if desired, based on need.

• Apply directly affected area or spread the mixture between layers of gauze or thin cloth, and apply. If

applying directly, you may want to add a bit of castor

or olive oil to help spread the mixture on your skin.

• Covering the outer part of the poultice with plastic wrap

helps trap in the heat and keeps bedding, etc, from

being soiled.

• Apply until you experience relief. This may require repeated applications using more herbal preparations.


TO MAKE AN HERBAL OIL or SALVE

Herbal oils and salves work great for topical application for

bites, stings, bruises, muscle soreness, rashes, itching, and many other common ailments. We carry our Herbal Salve

that we sell in our store around with us everywhere we go,

and use it often. It is great to have a remedy on hand that

can be administered quickly and that will work immediately.

You can spread it on and let the herbs do their work while you go on with your day.

To make an Infused Herbal Oil:

• Fill a glass jar 2/3 full of your herbs.

• Fill the jar with oil. Olive oil, coconut oil, or other

preferred oil. We use olive oil. Fill within 2 inches of

the top of the jar. Mix well with a wooden spoon to

incorporate the oil into the dried herbs. Seal.

• Using either a crock pot or stock pot, place the jar on

a towel in the pot and fill with warm water halfway up

the jar. Simmer on low for 3 days. Add hot water as

needed as the water evaporates. Make sure you add

HOT water and not cold, or else the jar will bust.

• I like to take the jars out once a day and shake gently,

but this is not necessary.

• Strain over a thin towel, such as a tea towel or cloth

napkin, and be sure and wring the herbs in the cloth

thoroughly in order to squeeze every last drop of the

precious oil.


• You now have a wonderful dark oil. Store in a glass

container in a cool, dark location. You may add a bit

of vitamin E to help preserve the oil.

• You can make a healing oil with specific herbs to meet

your needs, or simply an aromatic oil with your

favorite herbs. Either way, an herbal infused oil

makes a fantastic massage oil!

Apply as needed to affected area. Shelf life of infused

oils varies from several months to years.

To make an Herbal Salve:

If you have made an infused oil, you are now just a

couple steps away from making a salve!

In addition to the oil providing a healing base, the

beeswax added in order to make a salve adds a soothing protective quality that also provides a firmness, which

makes it more portable and convenient than an oil.

• Prepare an infused oil as instructed above.

• While keeping the oil warm in a pot, on low heat,

add 1-2 oz. beeswax to each cup of oil. Beeswax

pellets or grated beeswax is ideal.

• Mix well until the wax is thoroughly melted and

incorporated in the oil. Start with the smaller

amount of wax and then test for consistency.


• To test for consistency, dip a metal spoon into the

mixture and stick it in the freezer on a plate. After

a couple minutes, take it out and check for consistency. If it is too soft, add more beeswax. If it

is too hard, add more oil. It just depends on the

consistency you desire.

• If you want to make more of an ointment, use much less beeswax, starting with 1/2 oz. per cup of oil.

• You can add vitamin E or grapefruit seed extract as

a preservative, approximately 1 drop for each ounce of oil.

• Cool slightly and add essential oils if desired.

• Pour in containers (a wide mouth small mason jar is ideal) and allow to cool completely before putting

the lid on. This will take a few hours.

• Salves stored properly will last months, and even

years.

• Keep away from extreme heat.

Apply liberally as needed to affected area.


HOW TO MAKE AN HERBAL BATH

Baths are a very soothing and luxurious way to help heal

your body with herbs. The aromatherapy created with this

method is simply divine. Take the time for an herbal bath routine, and your body will thank you. It is like immersing

yourself in a huge cup of herbal tea!

Baths help relieve stress which aids the body in healing.

Even if you are not treating a specific condition at the moment, an herbal bath to relax, a few times a week, is

good preventative medicine, as many illnesses are brought

on by stress.

The warm water of an herbal bath also helps open the pores of the skin, the largest organ of elimination and assimilation.

Using different herbs, you can create a bath that is relaxing,

stimulating, uplifting, decongesting, or otherwise curative.

We often use an herbal bath in conjunction with other

remedies, to speed healing of sickness.


To make an Herbal Bath:

• Use about 2 cups of herbs per bath.

• You can make an extra strong herbal tea, strain and add it to the tub, or bundle the herbs in a large cotton

handkerchief, or otherwise thin cloth (a sock will also

do), and tie it to the nozzle of the tub.

• Allow hot water to run through the herbs for a few

minutes, toss the bundle in the tub (make sure it is tied

well or else you will have quite a mess to clean up!),

and adjust the water temperature to fill up the

remainder of the tub.

• Soak in the tub for 20-30 minutes.

• Adding Epsom salts to the bath aids greatly in healing

and detoxifying.

• Alternately, you can do just a foot bath, for healing.

Adjust the proportion of herbs and water accordingly.


USING HERBS IN CAPSULES

Taking herbs in capsules is very convenient and portable.

Often this is the only way some people will take herbs so it

is nice to have this option available. Many herbs are also bitter so taking herbs through capsule form is usually met

with no complaints!

Capsuled herbs are generally less potent and slower-acting

then other forms, so be aware of that.

Be sure and keep the capsules dry and they will store for a

good year.

We prefer to take herbs such as Goldenseal, Cayenne, Garlic, Turmeric, and Activated Charcoal in capsulated form.

Capsules are also very handy to carry in your first aid kit.

It is very cost-effective to fill your own capsules, and once

you get the hang of it, it is truly a breeze. We sell two sizes

of capsules in our store and will be adding capsule machines

very soon, to help in filling your capsules.

To powder herbs, you can use a coffee grinder or blender.

We use our Vitamix.

Dosage:

• Adults: Typical dosage is 2 capsules a day for chronic,

ongoing issues and 1 capsule an hour for acute

symptoms, until you find relief.

• Follow Young’s Law as outlined above for children’s

dosages.


USING HERBS AS FOODS

Many herbs are wonderful added to foods. It is also an easy

way to implement herbs into your diet. We have several

small wide mouth mason jars stacked in our kitchen full of

different herbs we like to add to our foods. These actually look quite nice and colorful! This makes it easy for us to add

herbs to dishes. It reminds us that herbs are foods, too.

Most of the time, you will want to use the herbs in powdered

form.

Some examples of herbs used as foods:

• Ginger – hot cereals, stir fry, meats. • Turmeric – rice dishes, meats.

• Cinnamon – pancakes, oatmeal, smoothies, baking.

• Cloves – pancakes, baking, granola.

• Cayenne – rice dishes, meats, veggies, soups/stews,

omelets. • Alfalfa – meats, soups/stews, omelets, salads.

• Nettle – we add this to almost anything, lasagna,

soups, you name it. Adds a nutritious punch to foods.

• Beet Powder – smoothies. • Nutritional Yeast – excellent on popcorn and salads as

well as many other dishes. Adds a delicious cheesy

flavoring.

• Wheat Grass / Barley Grass / Spirulina – smoothies.

• Bee Pollen – sprinkled on oatmeal, yogurt, or berries. • Arrowroot powder – for thickening sauces and gravies.

• Calendula Flowers – add in soups.

• Chia Seed – excellent in smoothies, sprinkled over

eggs, or in baked goods. We add chia seeds to our

homemade bread regularly.


Recommended Books to Learn about Herbs:

• Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health – Rosemary Gladstar

• The ABC Herbal – Steven H. Horne

• The How to Herb Book – Velma J. Keith and Monteen

Gordon

• Herbs for Health and Healing – Kathi Keville

• The New Healing Herbs – Michael Castleman

• Herbal Antibiotics – Stephen Harrod Buhner

• Practical Herbalism – Philip Fritchey

• The Healing Power of Herbs – Terry Lemerond

• Herbal Prescriptions for Better Health – Donald J.

Brown

• Nutritional Herbology – Mark Pederson


how to use herbs 3 - savvy teas and herbs · have strong medicine on hand when you need it....

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