Herbal Preparations

Below you will find basic instructions on how to make the following internal and external herbal preparations: teas, infusions, decoctions, sprays, syrups, tinctures, extracts, capsules, pills, chewable tablets, herbal vinegars, herbal oils, compresses, plasters, poultices, salves, ointments, creams, lotions and essential oils. (Soon, we will also be adding some basic herbal recipes).

HARVESTING

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* Oils: Wherever oil is called for in the herbal preparations below, use either Almond, Apricot Kernel, Flax seed, Olive, Primrose, Soybean or Sunflower seed or oils. Many other oils will go rancid after some time, unless alcohol is added as a preservative.

INTERNAL HERBAL PREPARATIONS

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HERBAL TEAS
Steep 1-2 Tbs dried herb (leaves and/or flowers) in 1 cup boiling water for five minutes or more (the longer the herbs steep, the stronger the tea will be). Strain, add honey or other sugar substitute to taste and drink 1 cup every four hours or three times daily.

INFUSIONS
Steep 2 Tbs dried herb (bark, roots and/or stems) in 2 cups boiling water for 15 minutes to several hours. Strain, add honey or other sugar substitute to taste and drink 1 cup every four hours or three times daily.

DECOCTIONS
Simmer 2 Tbs fresh, packed herb (bark, roots and/or stems) in 2 cups water for 30 minutes. Strain, add honey or other sugar substitute to taste and drink 1/2 to 1 cup every four hours or three times daily.

SPRAYS
Sprays are really easy to make. Simply combine 1 tsp extract per cup water (for internal use) or *Oil (for external use) in dark colored, glass spray bottles. Sprays can be used in many ways, such as for sun tanning, or to soothe sore, irritated throats. Sprays can also be used in the form of a nutritional supplement. For example, one could make Nutrino extract using the five Nutrino Foods, make and use it as a spray. Nutrients are absorbed through the skin within a few minutes, then hit the blood stream and are circulated throughout the body within 20 seconds. This is also an effective way to get nutrients to your skin, hair and nails, as by the time nutrients have been circulated throughout the inside of your body (from diet, supplements, etc.), there are little nutrients left for the outside of the body (i.e., skin, hair and nails). Spray this on your hair and brush, spray it on your skin and let it soak in, or spray it on the back/base of the neck, within the first two inches of the hairline (the most effective location for nutritional supplementation). Nutrino made into a spray is also a perfect tanning formula, because it is so high in the nutrients needed to make melanin production and tanning possible, prevent sunburn and promote healthy skin, and is especially effective with the addition of Brier Rose hip extract.

SYRUPS
Syrups are made by combining 1 tsp extract per 1/4 cup Malt Honey or Fruit Syrup and is usually simmered over medium-high heat for at least a few minutes prior to bottling. Take 1-2 tsp syrup every four hours or three times per day. Note that extracts used in syrups should still contain alcohol to eliminate the possibility of syrups going rancid, so cover when heating to prevent the alcohol from evaporating out of the syrup.

TINCTURES
Combine 1 cup dried, ground herb with 2 cups Vodka in sterilized glass bottles. Allow to steep for several weeks, shaking vigorously three times daily. Strain and store in a dark, cool place. Take several drops every four hours. To remove any alcohol from the tincture, simply freeze it; the alcohol will be the only thing left unfrozen and can then be poured off and used again.

EXTRACTS & ESSENTIAL OILS
Combine ten parts fresh herb with one part Vodka and one part chosen oil (flax seed, sunflower seed, soybean, olive, etc.) in a blender; blend on high for a minute or two, then bottle and steep, shaking vigorously a few times daily for up to three weeks, or until herbs begin to wilt. Strain completely and store in dark colored glass bottles, in a cool dark place. The oils will separate from the water and alcohol (Vodka) portions of the extract if allowed to set for a few days (more or less), but this is ok. Either shake whole extract daily and before use, or allow it to separate and the oils will slowly float to the top. Siphon off oils until there are none left floating to the top of the extract; bottle oils separately from water and alcohol (Vodka) portions of the extract.

Strain well between changing plant matter and before bottling!

If you bottle after the first straining, your extract will be at 5:1 potency, meaning one part whole extract is equal (in nutritional and medicinal value) to five parts fresh herb. When the process is repeated using extract (at 5:1) as solvent, the potency goes up by a factor of five. At 50:1 potency, 1 tbsp is equal to 10 tbsp (5 oz) fresh herb.

[To remove alcohol from an extract, leave it in the freezer overnight; the water portion of the extract will be frozen, and the alcohol can be poured off and reused.]

CAPSULES
Empty capsules can be found at almost any health food store and are made simply by filling the chosen size capsules with dried, powdered herbs.

PILLS & CHEWABLE TABLETS
Natural pills and chewable tablets consist of such ingredients as dried, finely ground herbs (cellulose), lecithin (from Soybean skins - Choline and Inositol), and may or may not contain natural sweeteners such as sugar cane extract (sucrose), barley malt (maltose), corn syrup (glucose), honey (glucose and/or fructose), malt honey (maltose), and/or fruit sugar (fructose). Aside from ingredients, most important in the making of pills and chewable tablets is consistency; after ingredients have been combined to the consistency of bread dough, they can be pressed into forms to make certain sized tablets or simply rolled into little balls with your fingers. Once tablets have been formed, they need to dry completely; then bottle and store in a cool place.

If you want to make pills or chewable tablets for nutritional purposes, know that Lecithin (Choline and Inositol) prevents your body from absorbing Calcium if taken at or near the same time -- so in the case of nutritional supplements, Lecithin is needed too, but should be taken separate from other nutrients (and can be excluded from the mixture used to make pills and chewable tablets, or made into its own tablets). In the case of chewable tablets, they don't always have a coating, and if you eliminate the Lecithin, replace it with dried, powdered Barley Malt (which can also be mixed with enough water to make a thin, clear glaze for coating the tablets if desired).

HERBAL VINEGARS
Pack 1-2 cups washed, fresh herbs in hot, sterilized glass jars with a wooden spoon. Fill jars with vinegar, leaving about 1" headspace at the top. Lightly bruise the herbs by pushing them down with the wooden spoon. Cover the tops of the jars with plastic (to prevent vinegar from reacting with a metal lid), then cover the jars with lids. Place the jars in a warm, dark place for about 3-6 weeks (depending on how strong you want the herbal vinegar to be), then strain out the herbs. Pour the herbal vinegar into hot, sterilized glass bottles; add a few fresh sprigs of herb, cap and seal. Store in a dark, cool place.

EXTERNAL HERBAL PREPARATIONS

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HERBAL OILS
Pack 1/4 cup washed, chopped fresh herbs into hot, sterilized jars. Heat oil just until warm, and pour into jars with herbs. Let cool, then cover, strain (optional), seal and refrigerate. Use within three days! Herbal oils can be used in the bath tub, in cooking recipes, incense, perfume, lotion, soaps, sachets, potpourri, non-toxic moth balls, etc.

NOTE: Stored oils (used internally) containing any parts of any food or herb can cause botulism if not refrigerated and used within three days, unless vinegar or alcohol is also present!

COMPRESSES
Heat up previously prepared infusion or decoction (leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, roots and/or stems) if it isn't already warm. Soak towel or cloth in the warmed liquid, wring it out and apply to afflicted areas. When the cloth cools, soak and wring it out again. Repeat the process for about 30 minutes, or until skin is flushed.

PLASTERS & POULTICES
Mix powdered herb with just enough water to make a thick paste. Smear paste about 1/4" thick on a piece of thin cloth, and apply to afflicted areas (cloth-side down), covering with plastic. When the poultice cools off, immediately remove the cloth and wash thoroughly areas where it was applied.

SALVES & OINTMENTS
Combine 1 1/2 cups *Oil with 1/2 cup Brier Rose Water, 1/2 cup Aloe Vera Gel and 1 Tbs chosen herbal extract/s. Whip mixture with a fork or beat with a beater, slowly adding Corn or Potatoe Starch until the mixture is too thick to stir. Pack the salve/ointment into small jars, screw on the lids and store.

CREAMS & LOTIONS
Heat salve/ointment on low heat until melted, then combine one part melted Salve/Ointment with one part Aloe Vera Gel, two parts barley milk, a few drops Brier Rose (hip) extract and a few more drops chosen extract per ounce lotion. Mix well or blend with a beater and store in empty, sterilized lotion jars or bottles.