Okay, in the season of colds and flus, there are a few things I’d never be without if I can help it. Some of them I keep for the other member of my family more than myself ‘cause I have pain in the hinny allergies. Now I admit, some of these we are a wee bit low on currently, budget issues and the reality of having to replace many herbs yearly, but this is what I recommend to have if you can manage it.
If the symptoms are really bad, or last for several days, don’t screw around, see a doctor! Your heath is not something to play with. Also be careful to check with your doc before messing with any sort of treatment especially if you are already on meds.
Echinacea Tincture – Immune Booster for infection
This is kinda obvious. It kicks up your immune system when used every one in awhile, like an antibiotic. Now this is not something you can use everyday, but if you have a major bacterial infection, this’ll help a lot.
You can buy it premade at a health food store or make your own. To make your own clean and chop up fresh Echinacea root, enough to fill ¾ of a jar, then add 100 proof alcohol to fill the jar the rest of the way. Label! Shake daily for about six weeks at least (if you use dried roots make that 6 months), but you do it longer if you want it really strong. Then strain the liquid from the used root. Store it in a dark colored glad container away from light.
If your tincture is store bought follow the instruction on the bottle. If homemade, I normally use 40-50 drops for myself, up to 5 times daily to fight an infection. I never use the homemade stuff on my kids. There’s a glycerin version you can get for the little ones, but I’d much rather they eat more garlic or something. This stuff can be too strong.
Fever
Echinacea and Yarrow Tincture
Susan Weed suggests the use of Echinacea or Yarrow Tincture for fevers. The dose is 1 drop Echinacea for every 2 pounds of body weight; taken every two hours to begin, decreasing as symptoms remiss, or a dropper of Yarrow tincture every four hours.
Incase you want to make a yarrow tincture, here’s what you do. For yarrow you use the flower tops of the white flowers only. You cut them up (after shaking off any bugs) and fill a jar (do NOT stuff) with the herb. Fill the jar to the top with 100 proof alcohol and cap. Label! Important part. Should be ready in 6 weeks.
Sore Throats
Gargle with a Yarrow tincture; see above for instructions how to make the tincture.
Other Immune Boosters – Preventive
If you want something daily, Susan Weed suggests Yarrow tincture (she says to prevent colds she uses Yarrow tincture 5-10 drops daily; to treat them, she suggests still using Yarrow, but in larger quantity, say a dropperful every 3-4 hours at the worst of the cold and tapering off over time.) , or adding more seaweed and garlic to your diet. I don’t think I can take Yarrow because of allergies, so be careful with that one if you have plant based allergies too. She also suggests daily does of astragalus, but I’m not as familiar with that. Have any of you used this before?
Colds
Peppermint and Elder Flower Infusion
I swear by this for a cold. I use equal parts of each herb and store it away from the light. This is not the same thing as a tea. To make my infusions I take and ounce of hero to a quart of boiled water and steep for 6-10 hours. You can keep it in the fridge after it’s done to keep fresh for up to 36 hours, but I normally use a quart in a day. My fav way is to make it before I go to bed so it’s ready for the next day. This you use dried herb for instead of fresh.
St. Joan's Wort tincture
This is easy to make. You use the yellow flowers fresh, best picked in the heat of the day, and fill the jar with the blossoms and leaves. Shake free bugs first and do not stuff the jar. Fill the jar to the top with 100 proof alcohol and cap tightly. Label! The tincture will turned a really cool looking red. Let this set for 6 weeks.
To use St. Joan's Wort tincture, the dose is 25 drops of every two hours to treat a cold or a viral infection.
Coughs
Wild Cherry and Slippery Elm Bark Cough Syrup
To make this, place an ounce of cherry bark and slippery elm in a quart jar and fill it with boiling water. Close the lid and let it steep for 8-10 hours. Using cheesecloth, stain out the liquid, squeezing the cloth to get all you can. Measure what liquid you now have and then add it to a glass saucepan (metal is no good for this, though ceramic is okay). Bring this too a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
Cook it for several hours, until the volume of the infusion is reduced by half (should be about 2 cups). Do not let it burn, or boil hard, or it will be ruined. Add 1 ½ cups honey to the infusion and bring to a rolling boil. Pour into jar (Sterilize the jar by boiling it in plain water for a few minutes just before filling it.) while it is still hot. You can add a bit of vodka to preserve the syrup longer if you want, but I never do. Once the syrup is room temp, label it and cap for storage (in cool place or fridge is best).
To use, take 1-3 teaspoonfuls as needed, as often as every hour. This syrup is bitter so take right before eating food.
Diarrhea/Indigestion
Wormwood Tincture
To make a Wormwood tincture you cut up the fresh leaves gathered in the late summer or early fall (they are mature then), and fill a jar (remember don’t stuff). Cover the herb with 100 proof alcohol up to the top of the jar and cap. Always label your jars once they are clean and free of moisture.
For diarrhea take 3 drops Wormwood hourly for up to four hours. You can use this also for acid indigestion, 5-10 drops in that case every ten minutes until the discomfort passes. Same thing for gut cramping in general.
Dandelion Tincture and Peppermint Infusion
If you want to prevent heartburn, Dandelion tincture is great. Take a dose right before meals. I also swear by drinking peppermint Infusion with meals. I have intestinal sensitivities, and the peppermint has always done the trick. If you prefer the taste, ginger works well too, as does dill, but personally give me my peppermint.
Low Energy
Dandelion Tincture or Ginseng Tincture
Chop the fresh dandelion or Ginseng root into small pieces and fill a jar to the top with the chopped root. With 100 proof alcohol, fill jar to the top and cap tightly. Label. Ready to use in six weeks.
To use: 10 drops of Dandelion or Ginseng tincture in the morning.
Headache
Skullcap and St Johns Wort Tincture
To make the skullcap (the St John instruction are above), pick the flowering tops when there are seeds as well as flowers. Fill, don't stuff, a jar with the blossoms and leaves. Fill jar to the top with alcohol. Cap tightly. Label. Ready to use in six weeks.
To use, take 25 drops St Joan's plus 3-5 drops Skullcap every 10-15 minutes for up to two hours. 5 drops of Skullcap may prevent some headaches.
***
If you are really serious about this work get as many of Susan Weed’s books as you can. I cannot stress this enough. She has many, and all are a GREAT resource. Here are my favs.
Books
Books
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year: Simple, safe remedies for pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and newborns. Includes herbs for fertility and birth control.
Healing Wise: Superb herbal in the feminine-intuitive mode. Complete instructions for using common plants for food, beauty, medicine, and longevity.
Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way: The best book on menopause is now better. Completely revised with 100 new pages. All the remedies women know and trust plus hundreds of new ones. New sections on thyroid health, fibromyalgia, hairy problems, male menopause, and herbs for women taking hormones. Recommended by Susan Love MD and Christiane Northrup MD. 
Breast Cancer? Breast Health!: Foods, exercises, and attitudes to keep your breasts healthy. Supportive complimentary medicines to ease side-effects of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or tamoxifen. Foreword by Christiane Northrup, M.D. ***
If you want to order herbs, the best place I’ve found is Mountain Rose Herbs. They are women owned and have great ethic business practices, not to mention their prices are fair.
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