Here is some simple information on using herbs for physical comfort.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed medical professional in the USA. I cannot dispense medical advice. I cannot and will not diagnose or prescribe. All I can do is tell you how to make some herbal preparations that might make life a little more pleasant. If you have a health condition, even if it's just a sore throat, please seek proper medical advice from a licensed MD. If you have allergies or are taking prescription medicines, please consult with your doctor before even thinking about trying any of the following concoctions.
Now that we understand that I will not talk with you about existing medical conditions, offer any kind of medical advice, or attempt to diagnose or treat your symptoms, we can move along.
I can tell you how to make various herbal preparations: tisanes, decoctions, salves, syrups, poultices, lozenges, lotions, inhalants, cordials, and baths. I can tell you what they've traditionally been used for and what modern medicine and research has to say about them, and cite sources for you. Take this information to your doctor if you want to actually try any of them.
If you have allergies, do not take any herbal medicines without your doctor's knowledge and supervision. Yes, herbs are natural, but herbs also include such poisonous plants as deadly nightshade, monkshood, castor beans, hemlock, buttercups, and mistletoe. If you are allergic to ragweed, for example, you want to avoid herbal remedies containing ragweed, plantain, nettles, mugwort, sorrel, docks, artemisias (no absinthe for you!), and white goosefoot.
Herbal preparations may be all natural, but they are not all safe.
Take care when trying herbal preparations.
Ready?
Here we go, then.
Definitions
Tisane: A hot water extract of tender herbs or the tender parts of herbs, usually leaves and flowers. In general, for drinking pleasure a tisane is made with 1 teaspoon of tender herbs to 8 ounces of hot (190ºF) water poured over the herbs then steeped 3 - 5 minutes. The tisane is then strained, the herbs discarded, and the remaining liquid consumed, usually still hot and possibly sweetened. For medicinal purposes, a tisane is made with 2 - 4 teaspoons of tender herbs to 8 ounces of hot (190ºF) water poured over the herbs, steeped 5 - 7 minutes. The herbs are strained out and discarded, and the liquid consumed, usually hot. It is sweetened for palatability.
Decoction: A boiling water extract of roots, barks, and woody stems. For beverage purposes, 1 teaspoon of the plant materials is placed into 8 ounces of boiling water and then boiled for 5 - 8 minutes. The plant material is strained out and discarded and the liquid may be consumed hot or cold, and may be sweetened. For medicinal purposes, 1 or 2 tablespoons of the plant materials are placed in 8ounces of boiling water and boiled 10- 25 minutes, then strained and the plant materials discarded. The decoction is then consumed hot or cold and may be sweetened.
For the rest of the herbal preparations, the quantities and length of time varies according to the combination of herbs used, so these are general definitions without specific instructions. A few of those follow.
Bath: Herbs in a bag and hung in the bathwater like a giant teabag.
Extract: These are made using various types of stills. Since owning a still is illegal without a license in the USA, you'll have to buy your extracts.
Inhalant: Herbs steeped in hot water or in a humidifier.
Lotion: Herbal oils that are turned into thin creams with emulsifiers.
Lozenge: a hard candy made from a tisane or decoction of herbs
Oil: Herbs macerated in oils.
Poultice: Whole herbs crushed with a small amount of hot water and applied directly to the skin or wrapped in a heated cloth and applied to the skin.
Salve: Herbal oils that are turned into thick creams with emulsifiers
Syrup: A tisane or decoction of herbs boiled down with sweetener (usually sugar, but honey is also commonly used)
Tincture/Cordial/Elixir: A maceration (soaked) of herbs in spirits: vodka, rum, grappa, brandy, whiskey.
Vinegar: Herbs macerated in vinegar.
Wine: A maceration of herbs in wine.
Various recipes:
Canker Sores - Tisane
1 quart water
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
Bring the water to a hard boil. Pour it over the sage eaves and steep for 15 minutes, strain, cool, and gargle with the sage water 3 times a day for relief from the pain of canker sores in the mouth and throat.
Stuffy Nose - Inhalant
2 quarts water
3 tablespoons chamomile
1 tablespoon peppermint
2 teaspoons sea salt
Tissues
Bring the water to a hard boil. Pour into a basin, add the chamomile and mint and salt. Tent a large towel over your head and the basin, and remove the lid. Breathe in the steam until it cools. Use the tissues as needed if your nose runs during this.
You can drain out the herbs and reheat the tea up to 3 times before discarding.
Cough, Cold, and Car Sickness - syrup
1 pint water
1 inch of freshly grated ginger root
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup honey
Bring the water to a hard boil. Place the ginger, lemon, and honey into a pre-heated teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the tea into a second pre-heated teapot or thermos. Take a tablespoon as needed.
Variations: You can add 2 - 3 cloves of crushed garlic, or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1 tablespoon seaweed.
Flatulence - "extract"
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
Chew the seeds after a gas-inducing meal. Or eat a couple of caraway seed crackers (you can buy these in most grocery stores) or a slice of rye bread with caraway seeds.
Also, you can chew a 1/4 inch thick slice of fresh ginger that's been soaked for 20 minutes in lime juice after meals if you don't like caraway.
Lost Filling - poultice
Dentists don't tell you that fillings aren't forever. Chances are, if you have fillings, you'll probably lose them at some point. It may take 20 or 30 years. If you lose a filling and can't get to a dentist right away, try this:
1/4 teaspoon slipper elm bark
enough water to make a thick paste.
Make a thick paste of the slippery elm bark and put it in where the lost filling was. It should keep any irritating foods out of the cavity and protect your tooth root from pain until you can get to a dentist. It will not hold up to hot beverages or soups or excessive chewing. Try to chew on the other side of your mouth if possible and get to the dentist as quickly as you can. This paste is easy for the dentist to remove.
Toothache - oil, extract
Clove oil
Gentian Violet Drops
Hydrogen peroxide
You can buy Red Cross Kits at the drugstore (WalGreen's, for example) that contain dental grade clove oil and teeny little cotton balls and a small pair of tongs. Pick up a teeny cotton ball with the tongs, dip one and in the clove oil and press against the broken or aching tooth. Hold it against the aching tooth for a count of 90, then discard the cotton ball. It will taste terrible, but it will also numb the tooth for a while.
If it's a Friday night and you can't get to your dentist until Monday, make a mixture of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water and rinse your mouth with it every 2 hours. After you rinse, apply one or drops of gentian violet.
This should keep the pain bearable until you get to the dentist, but don't do this for mare than 2 - 3 days. If it abcesses or an infection sets in, this will only ease the pain, it will not cure the problem. You will need prescription antibiotics and professional dental care. This is just a temporary aid until you can get to the dentist.
Canine HotSpots - poultice, oil
Cucumber slice
Tea Tree Oil
Place a fresh slice of cucumber over the itchy spot, then rub on some tea tree oil. The cucumber cools and prepares the skin to absorb the tea tree oil. The tea tree oil has the dual benefit of being bitter enough that most dogs won't lick it and that allows the hot spot time to heal and it moistens the dry skin. Aloe can also be used, but dogs will lick it and it gives some dogs the runs.
Tiger Balm - salve
1 oz cayenne infused oil
3 oz goldenrod or arnica infused oil
3/4 oz beeswax
Essential oils:
20 drops white camphor
20 drops cinnamon leaf
20 drops rosemary
30 drops clary sage
10 drops sweet birch
Melt beeswax in the top of a double boiler, add the cayenne and arnica infused oils and stir well. Let cool a bit before stirring in the essential oils. Mix well and pour into clean, sterilized container, like a baby food jar.
Be careful not to use near body orifices or on open skin, like raw scrapes or nicks. Also this stuff can stain clothes and linens, so if you need to protect your clothes, secure a gauze pad over it.
Use it for mild muscle aches and strains.
Itchy Skin Bath - bath
Muslin bag large enough to hold 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup 3 minute oats or steel cut oats
1/4 cup lavender buds
1/4 cup calendula flowers
slivers of oatmeal soap or goat milk soap
Mix the herbs and oats and place in the bag. Hang the bag over the faucet and let the bath water run through the bag. Use warm to hot water (depends on preference). Soak in the bath water and use the bag to wash the skin.
The muslin bag can be emptied, washed, and refilled.
Foot Butter - lotion
2 Tablespoons shea butter
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon grated cocoa butter
1 Tablespoon plus 1 tsp grated beeswax
4 Tablespoons jojoba oil
30 drops lavender essential oil (or rose geranium or fragrance of your choice)
Melt the beeswax in the top of a double boiler, slowly add in the shea butter, coconut oil cocoa butter, and jojoba oil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the fragrance oil of your choice, then pour into a sterilized wide mouth jar. Cool completely.
Use a popsicle stick to remove a small amount to rub into your heels in the morning and at night to prevent fissures and cracks in your heels.
Cold and Flu Vinegar - vinegar
Makes 2 cups
1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed
3 quarter-size slices gingerroot
1 small hot red pepper, fresh or dried
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups red wine vinegar
Repeat if needed
Put the cilantro, gingerroot, red pepper, and garlic in a sterile quart jar. Cover with the vinegar and attach the lid. Place the container in a cool, dark place,like a cabinet. Shake it well every other day.
Taste after a week. If it doesn't taste strong enough, strain out the plant materials. Put fresh plant materials in a fresh sterile quart jar and pour the steeped vinegar over it. Attach the lid and place it back in the cool, dark place. Shake it well ever other day for another week. Strain out the plant materials. Pour into sterilized bottles, cap tightly, seal if desired, and label.
Mix with a little oil to make a salad dressing - eat on salad greens when you think you might be getting sick or if you've been exposed to the cold or flu. If you're already sick, add a tablespoon to 8 ounces of hot water and sip as needed.
Massage Oil - oil
1 ounce calendula petals (2 ounces if using fresh)
1 ounce of either chamomile flowers or lavender buds (2 ounces if using fresh)
4 ounces olive oil
10 drops Peppermint essential oil
10 drops Rosemary essential oil
5 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops Juniper Berry essential oil
If you're using fresh herbs, then wilt them first for at least 12 hours to remove most of the moisture (too much moisture will cause the oil to go rancid), chop into small pieces, then crush them with a mortar and pestle before adding to the jar. For dried herbs, just crush them lightly in a mortar. Pour the herbs into a sterile quart jar. Pour the olive oil over the herbs, making sure to cover herbs by at least 1 inch of oil so they will have space to expand. Stir well and cap the jar tightly. Place the jar in a sunny windowsill and shake once or twice a day. After 4-6 weeks, strain the herbs out of the oil using cheesecloth, squeezing out as much oil as possible. Pour the oil into a sterile pint sized mason jar (or pretty jars of your choice).
Add the essential oils to the homemade oil, cap it tightly, and roll it between your palms to distribute the oils evenly. Roll it before each application to make sure all the oils are distributed. Massage into sore muscles.
Honey Lemon Lozenges - hard lozenge
3/4 cup tapioca syrup
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
10 drops of lemon essential oil
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Put the syrup, honey, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring only until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once it's boiling, do not stir again. Let it reach 300ºF on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon oil.
Prepare small lozenge shaped candy molds by spraying the clean molds with a pump spray of neutral cooking oil. Pour the mixture into the molds and let harden. It can take an hour. Remove the candies and toss in a bag with the powdered sugar to coat the candies so they don't stick together. Store them in a sealed container. Use as needed for a dry or sore throat.
Marshmallow Lozenges - soft lozenges
1/2 cup herbs (peppermint, spearmint, costmary, violet petals, rose petals, powdered ginger...)
1 teaspoon dried and powdered marshmallow root (may use slippery elm bark instead)
Honey
Grind the herbs to a fine powder. Work in enough honey to make a thick paste. Work in the marshmallow or slippery elm. Pinch off pieces to shape into cough drop sized balls. Place on waxed paper or parchment paper and let dry 24 hours. Wrap each piece in waxed paper, put in a sealed container and refrigerate. These will keep for 8 weeks. Use as needed for a dry or sore throat.