Everyday, someone enters into the store or local market, picks up some herbs thinking that they will use them for cooking, medicine, or incense, take them home, and watch them rot on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. The intentions are good, but the knowledge of what to do with the herbs is not present in order to follow through with the intentions. Before you go to the store or local market, or start your spring herb garden, it is necessary to understand how to process herbs in order to use them in the manner desired.
The majority of medications on the market today are made from some sort of herb, flower, tree, or root derivative. Natural food stores sell ready made herbal medications, but it can be cheaper to make your own. Remedies made from home grown herbs can be more effective than those bought in natural food stores. They can also be tailor made to your personal needs. Purity of the herbs can be ascertained when they come directly from your own garden. Other places to obtain herbs include neighborhood parks, roadways, and the woods, but keep in mind that you can not be certain if such herbs have not been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, or other toxic substances.
All herbs have toxic qualities. Many are poisonous; some in small doses and others in large doses. Black nightshade, when taken in large doses, can kill. There are many online sources that provide photographs of the various herbs as well as their positive and negative effects. It is suggested that, before you utilize any herb, you become knowledgeable about how to prepare it, store it, and use it.
Picking and Storing Herbs
Herbs are freshest when picked in the morning after the sun has been up. Picking herbs later in the day means that the herb has dried out in the sun and will not be crisp. Picking prior to the morning sun having risen will mean that there will be moisture present on the herb which can cause the buildup of molds and mildews. Thus it is that you will want to pick your herbs after the morning sun has risen and after all dew has evaporated from the plants.
Treatment of herbs varies with the particular part that you will be storing. Drying is the most common method of treating herbs but is only useful for the stems and leaves. Roots and the stems of succulents, like cacti, are not conducive to drying because of their high moisture content.
To dry herbs, it is preferential to hang them upside-down in an airy area that is well shaded. Bleaching can occur if placed in sunlight. Additionally, direct sunlight will remove any volatile oils that you may wish to remove later. The temperature of the drying area should be 90-100 degrees and the area should be free from insects, spiders, and vermin. Leaves and stems are ready for storage when they are dry enough to crackle between your fingers.
The handling of roots and stems requires a dehydrator. Food dehydrators are ideal for this job but other methods of drying roots include using a small screen indoors near a heat source or placing the oven on warm and putting the roots or stems on a screen inside the oven to dry them. Roots and stems are ready for storage when they snap or chip easily.
Use opaque glass, wood, hard plastic, or other non-metallic containers for storage. Canning jars can be used as long as they are stored in a cupboard which is dark and dry. Herbs should be kept in a cool, dark, dry space. Store the dried herbs in the containers without further processing. Grinding herbs before storage releases their oils which will make them weaker when used for medicine. Many of the herbs that you purchase online or in natural food stores that are dried are sold ground. Although grinding herbs saves space, if means that more of the herb needs to be used in the production of medicine.
When it is time to use the herbs, you may rub the herbs in between your fingers or hands in order to create a powder. Use of a mortar and pestle will be necessary for grinding roots and dried succulents.
Making TeasMany people are familiar with the teas found in the stores for coughs and colds, for a good night's sleep, etc. Many of those teas can be produced in your home with your own dried herbs at a lower costs. Additionally, the ingredients you use will be fresher and more potent because they have been freshly ground rather than having sat on a store shelve for an undisclosed amount of time prior to purchase.
Traditional medicinal teas are more potent than store bought teas because of the amount of herbs and freshness of the herbs used. Although your home herbs will be fresher, traditional teas are made from approximately one ounce of the herb in comparison to pre-packaged teabags which contain one-seventh of that amount. For this reason, traditional medicinal teas are often bitter and unpleasant tasting. Mainly, it is the oils contained in the herbs that carry the medicine. When you store the whole herb rather than crush the herbs, as pre-packaged teabags do, you are obtaining more oil in your tea. Thus, the whole dried herb is preferable to store bought teabags which loose their volatile oils over a short period of time.
Fresh herbs can be used for teas but are less potent in comparison to dried herbs. If using fresh herbs, double the quantities called for in the recipe. In converse, if the recipe calls for fresh herbs and you will use dried herbs, decrease the quantity used by half.
Medicinal teas come in two types: infusions and tisanes. Infusions are produced when herbs are brewed for fifteen minutes to several hours. When you brew your common cup of tea by heating water and steeping the teabag for a few minutes, you are creating a tisane. Tisanes will, subsequently, require more of the herb in order to obtain medicinal benefit.
When brewing teas, use a glass or ceramic container with a lid because metal containers allow leaching of the metal into the tea. Use pure water, such as fresh spring water or distilled water. Water should not be boiling hot. Boiling hot water can be thought of as burnt water. Heat the water until it just starts to bubble, remove it from the heat, then add the herb. Cover the pot securely with the lid.
The proper portion of herb to water is three ounces to ever two cups of water. In such proportions, an infusion should be made by steeping the herb for at least fifteen minutes. Depending on how potent you want the tea, you may need to steep the herb for several hours. The herbs will soak up water as it steeps and will usually leave you about 1 1/2 cups of tea for use. Once the infusion is completed, strain the mixture using cheesecloth or a coffee filter, pour it into a clean, sterile container, label the infusion with the contents and date made, and store in a cool, dark place.
DecoctionsThe most effective way of making medicine is through a decoction. Decoctions are used for making medicine from roots, bark, and heavy stems and leaves. It involves simmering the herb in water over a period of thirty minutes to an hour. To make a decoction, measure one ounce of the dried herb into two cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, add the herbs, then turn the heat source down to where the water is keep just below boiling. Simmer the mixture for thirty minutes to an hour, dependent upon how heavy the herb is. Heavier herbs require a longer simmering time. Cool the mixture, pour into a clean, sterile container, label the decoction with the contents and date made, and store in a cool, dark place.
Syrups
When we think of syrups, we often associate them with sore throats and coughs. Many syrups are honey based and are simple to make. Combine two ounces of the dried herb with one quart of water in a large pot. Boil until only two cups of the mixture is left. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a coffee filter in order to remove the solid content then add one to two tablespoons of honey to the liquid. Pour the mixture into a clean, sterile container, label the syrup with the contents and date made, and store in the refrigerator up to one month.
Brown sugar can also be used in making syrups. If using a syrup for a young child, brown sugar is preferred over honey. Prepare the decoction by combining two ounces of the dried herb with one quart of water in a large pot. Boil until only two cups of the mixture is left. Strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter then add 3 1/4 cups of brown sugar to the mixture. Heat the solution gently until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the syrup into a clean, sterile container, label the syrup with the contents and date made, and store up to one month.
Tinctures
Many of the pills that are taken today were originally made as tinctures. Tinctures are concentrated herbal medicines and should not be confused with fluid extracts that are sold in stores which are even more potent than tinctures. When using tinctures, several drops to one tablespoon is all that is needed to gain medicinal effects. Caution should be used when taking tinctures as they are very potent.
To make a tincture, combine four ounces of powdered or finely cut herb with one pint of brandy, vodka, or gin. Place the mixture in a large jar with a secure-fitting lid. Shake the mixture several times a day over a period of two weeks. During this time, the herb will release its oils to the alcohol. Strain the mixture, pour the liquid into a clean, sterile container, label the tincture with the contents and date made, and store in a dark, cool place.
Oil InfusionsOils infusions can be made at home by macerating two ounces of the dried herb and mixing it with one pint of olive, safflower, or other pure vegetable oil. Place in a clean, glass container in a warm place for several days or up to six to eight weeks depending on the strength of the oil desired. Strain the mixture through a coffee filter or cheesecloth and pour the liquid into a clean, brown container, label the oil with the contents and date made, and store in a dark place. You can repeat the process with the strained oil and fresh herbs if you wish to make the infusion stronger.
Oil mixtures can be made in less time by heating the mixture over heat. Combine the herbs and oil in a large pot and heat it gently over low heat for an hour, uncovered. Do not allow the oil to exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Strain the oil and place it in a clean, brown container when cool.
OintmentsOintments are made by adding 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of melted beeswax to any herb oil. Ointments can be made from lard by simmering one ounce of crushed herbs in 3/4 of a pound of lard for an hour. Do not allow the mixture to exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Strain the mixture and allow it to set. To make a firmer ointment, melted beeswax may be added while the mixture is still warm.
An alternative method of making an ointment uses petroleum jelly. Melt a jar of jelly in a double boiler and add approximately four tablespoons of herbs. Make certain that the jelly covers all the herbs. Simmer the mixture until the herbs are crisp. More herbs can be added as desired to make the mixture stronger. Strain the jelly into jars while it is still hot.
CompressesA compress is made by soaking a towel in hot herb tea and applying it to the affected area. The decoction (see directions above) should be no hotter than 180 degree Fahrenheit. Wring out the excess liquid and apply to area, covering the compress with a dry towel. Maintain the compress until it becomes cool, re-soak in warm tea, and reapply for up to 30 minutes. Stop the compress if the skin becomes flushed, if a tingling sensation is felt, or if relief is achieved.
PoulticePoultices are used for drawing out infection and foreign bodies, such as splinters, or for muscle spasms and pain. By mixing dried, powdered, or macerated herbs with hot water or herb tea, you can make a poultice. Thickening of poultices can be achieved by adding flour or oatmeal to the mixture to make a paste. Two ounces of herbs should be used with twenty ounces of oatmeal. Place the poultice directly on the affected area and cover with a warm cloth then wrap with a bandage. Plasters are a form of poultice and are made by placing the mixture in between two layers of cheesecloth or muslin then applying this to the affected area. Plasters are often used with herbs that may be irritating to the skin when applied directly to the skin, such as cayenne and mustard.
Herbal WineTo make herbal wines, use a sweet, red wine with an alcohol content of at least 12%. Cover approximately four ounces of herb with three cups of the wine and allow the mixture to sit for three weeks. Strain, using a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Take four teaspoons of the herbal wine once or twice a day for good health. The wine will last for one month when stored in the refrigerator.
Inhalants and SteamMany people use inhalants and steam to improve their skin tone, decrease acne, and for respiratory problems. To make an inhalant or steam solution, either add 1/4 cup of strong decoction, one or two drops of essential oils, or two teaspoons of a tincture to boiling water or to the bowl of a inhaling diffuser and breath the aromas in. If using for skin problems, you may wish to drape a towel over your head and hold your face no closer than two feet from the steam.
CapsulesEmpty capsules can be purchased through your local health food store or through mail-order. To make capsules of your dried herbs, grind the herbs into a powder and scoop the powder into the capsules. Close capsules, place them in a brown jar, and store in a cool, dry area.
Herbal BathsGentle healing and relaxation can be achieved with healing baths. Using cheesecloth, cut a 6 x 6 inch piece and lay it on a flat surface. Place approximately 1/2 cup of the desired herbs in the center of the cloth, pull together the sides, and tie them together with a piece of string or ribbon. Tie the herbal bag onto the spout of the bath tub so that the running water flows over it and releases its oils and scent. A tea ball can be used instead of the cloth bag.
Strong infusions or herbal decoctions can be made of chosen herbs and added to the bath water. Remember that decoctions are stronger than infusions, so less of the solution is needed in the bath water. The temperature of the bath water should be between 96-98 degrees Fahrenheit for a relaxing bath and around 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit for a refreshing bath that will give you more energy.