Making Your Own Herbal Remedies

Making your own herbal remedies can be a simple and effective way to treat common ailments at home. There are many ways to prepare herbs and create effective herbal remedies. The most popular ways to prepare herbal remedies include infusion, decoction, tincture, and syrup. Here is a brief overview of the most popular methods of preparing herbal remedies.

Infusion is perhaps the most popular way to prepare herbs into herbal remedies that can be consumed quickly and easily. Most of the time, infusion is made in much the same way as hot tea. To create a healing herbal infusion, simply put the herb (or herbs) that you are working with in a pot with a closed, tight-fitting lid, and then pour hot water over the herbs you are working with. Infuse the herbs for at least ten minutes. To strain your tea, simply pour the infusion through a nylon sieve or a strainer into a teacup or mug. You can store any leftover of the infusion in a cool place and then heat it up again later, but avoid drinking any infusions that are not fresh or almost fresh.

A decoction is a method that has to do with extracting a plant's active ingredients in a more vigorous manner than an infusion. Most decoctions are made from the twigs, barks, roots and berries of plants. To make a decoction, simply heat herb you are working with in cold water. Simmer it for about an hour. Then strain the bark, twigs, roots or berries with a strainer. You can take a decoction either hot or cold, but you should always make sure that it should be consumed fresh.

Making an herbal tincture can be a little more complicated. To make an herbal tincture requires a little planning. First, put the herb that you are working with in a large jar and cover the herb with a mixture of vodka (rum can also be used, although vodka is ideal) and water. The mixture should contain at least 25 percent alcohol. Then you can seal the jar and store it in a cool dry place. The tincture should be stored for up to two weeks, and you should make sure to shake the jar occasionally. After the two week waiting period, you should press the mixture through a wine press and collect the tincture in a jug, Then use a funnel to strain the liquid into a dark bottle.

Many herbs can be prepared into palatable and effective healing syrups. First, simply heat about two cups of a standard herbal infusion in a medium-sized saucepan. Then add roughly 500 grams of honey or sugar and stir until the sweetener has dissolved completely. After the ingredients have been combined, allow the mixture to sit and cool. Then simply pour the syrup into a dark bottle and store in a dry and cool location. Make certain to seal the bottle with a cork stopper. Syrups ferment quickly enough, so it is particularly important to seal the bottle with a cork stopper.