Herbal Preparations for Your Kitchen "Pharmacy"

[calendula]

Following are some recipes that I have collected for use in my kitchen "pharmacy." It's a good feeling to be more in charge of my own healthcare, and to not rely as much on store-bought medicines or medical institutions. I have used Calendula officinalis as the example herb in these recipes, but you can substitute different herbs depending on what your ailment is.

Calendula Salve:

Calendula salve is wonderful for skin health, and can be used for dry skin, cuts, scrapes, burns, eczema, blisters, and rashes.

To make Calendula Salve, you will first need to make Calendula Infused Oil. The oil is simple to make, and you can make extra for other uses besides the salve. The infused oil is a nice moisturizer for the skin right after showering, and can also be used for skin irritations much like the salve.

Calendula Infused Oil

Ingredients and Equipment:

1/3 Cup dried Calendula flowers
Olive Oil
Pint Jar

Clean and thoroughly dry the pint jar. Be sure there is no moisture present, since the least bit of moisture can cause mold to form. Add the dried flowers to the jar, and cover with olive oil to about an inch under rim to allow for expansion of the herbs. Cover the jar with a clean piece of cheese cloth, cotton cloth, or nylon and secure with a rubber band or string. Do not put the actual jar lid on yet, as some herbs release gasses while infusing that could cause the jar to break. Let the oil infuse in a sunny window for at least 10 days.

Strain out the plant material and compost it. The remaining oil can be returned to the jar for storage, with the lid on, for up to a year. You can top the jar off with some extra olive oil if you would like to fill it the rest of the way; this also helps to avoid mold growth, since there will be less air space in the jar.

Once you've got the infused oil made, you can move on to making the actual salve.

Calendula Salve

Ingredients

1 Cup Calendula Infused Oil
1/2 Ounce beeswax, cocoa butter, or emulsifying wax

In a saucepan, warm (but don't boil) the infused oil.

In a separate saucepan, heat the beeswax just until melted. Pour the melted wax into the warmed oil, and gently stir until combined. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before pouring into jars or tins. Then, allow the salve to cool completely before covering. Store in a dark, cool place for up to one year.

If you would like a thicker or thinner salve, try adjusting the amount of beeswax. The more beeswax you add, the thicker it will be.

 

[calendula]

Herbal Tinctures
A tincture is an alcohol extract that can be taken internally when added to tea or water, or applied externally. IMO, they are one of the best herbal preperations to have, since they have such a long shelf life. Stored in a cool, dark place they last for years.

Ingredients and Supplies:

1/4 cup dried herbs or plant matter (1/2 cup if using fresh)
1 cup 80-100 proof vodka, brandy, or rum
Jar

Place the herbs into the jar, and pour the alcohol on top. Tightly close the jar and shake it well. Set the jar in a cool dark place to steep. You will want to shake the jar every few days to help it along. I will generally leave my jar to steep for at least two weeks, but sometimes I will leave them for as long as a month or two. There really isn't much danger in leaving it for too long, since alcohol functions well to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and viruses--which makes it a good antiseptic.

Once it has steeped long enough, you will need to strain the herbs out. I like to use nylon from old (but clean!) pantyhose, but cheesecloth or muslin will work just fine. Squeeze the herbs to get as much of the tincture out as possible. You can then carefully pour your tincture back into the cleaned jar, or into another container that you would like to store it in.

Standard internal dosage is generally 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day, but it will depend on which herb you are using.

 

[calendula]

Herbal Syrup

Herbal syrups are excellent for children, and an excellent addition to herbal teas. You will need to have some tincture made before-hand for this recipe.

Ingredients and Supplies

1 Cup honey
1 Ounce herbal tincture
Bottle or Jar

Warm one cup of honey in a pan over low heat, and then add the tincture. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes; this allows the alcohol in the tincture to dissipate. While you are simmering, be sure to keep a close eye on it! Honey can boil over quickly (trust me, I know this from experience ). Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature, then bottle and date. Keep refrigerated for up to 6 months.

Standard internal dosage is 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day.

 

[Lesa]

Oh, great! Thanks so much for posting those calendula! I can't wait to get started! My flowers are just beginning to have a few blossoms on them!

 

[savingdogs]

Thank you for posting these. I have a book of herbal remedies, would you like me to type some off on here? Some look pretty good. I haven't had a chance to use them.

I have, however, used a calendula salve similar to what you described and it was extremely soothing on mosquito bites.

 

[calendula]

Yeah, I think it would be great if others posted their recipes here too! I'm always looking for new ones.

I gave the calendula salve to people as Christmas gifts last year, and I have had 2 relatives tell me how great it is for eczema. The salve cleared it right up (along with using my homemade honey & oats soap).

 

[savingdogs]

This seems to be the best one:

Rose Hip Syrup

(from Herbs, a Connoisseurs Guide)

Rose hips were used in medieval times as a filling for tarts. During World War II they were highly valued for their vitamin cC content.

1 lb/450 g rose hips, washed, trimmed and ground/minced
1/2 lb 225 g sugar

1. Bring 5 cuts/1 litre of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Put in the ground/minced hips and bring back to the boil. Immediately draw the pan off the heat and leave for 20 minutes.

2. Pour the contents of the pan through a scalded jelly bag. When it stops dripping, return the pulp to the pan.

3. Pour in a scant 2 cups /450 ml of water and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, draw the pan off the heat and leave for 10 minutes. Pour through the jelly bag.

4. When the dripping has stopped, pour all the juice into a clean pan and bring to a boil. Boil briskly until the liquid measures about 2 cups/ 500 ml.

5. Reduce the heat and stir in the sugar. when dissolved, boil for 5 minutes.

6. Pour the syrup into clean bottles. If you make large quantities, then you will have to seal and sterilize the bottles. A small quantity only can be safely kept in the refrigerator for a week or two.

 

[BarredBuff]

 

[Dawn419]

Great posts calendula and savingdogs!

I haven't had much luck with starting herbs from seeds this year due to the weather.

I direct sowed German chamomile seed only for it to rain for weeks and I'm fairly certain that they washed away, even though I had row cover over them. The same with my Hyssop and Feverfew.

Now it's sooo dry that my Yarrow, Echinacea and Comfrey are all pouting, even though I've been hand watering them and have them mulched.


Dawn

 

[savingdogs]

It hasn't been a good year for crops. I found my radishes growing where the rain washed all the seeds away, so I have them after all!