Making herbal tea

Even though making tea is easy and everybody knows it I wanted to write something about it because there are some rules which maybe important but they don't need to be strictly followed.

Proper way to make tea

Proper way to make a tea would be to heat the water (in tea pot, some other pot, etc.) until it boiles. Meanwhile put the herbs in something made from china or glass. When the water boiles, pour it over the herbs, stir with a spoon and cover. Water can be heated in metal pots, but tea shouldn't be made in it. I don't know way.

This is good but doing so you'll have a lot of dishes to wash and that can be irritating if you often make tea.

My way of making tea

I put water to boil in a small metal pot. When  it boiles I remove it from fire, add herbs in it, stir it and cover with small plate. I don't wash my tea making equipment every time I make tea, I just rinse it with water and leave it for next time.

Sometimes I think that I should make tea in ceramic pot, but I never do.

Cover and strain

How ever you make your tea, it is important to cover it.

I strain my tea after 2 min if the herb is dry and if it's fresh after 30 seconds. That is a recepie from Maria Treben. Some people leave it for 5, 10 or 15 minutes. That is also good. Hip tea and lime have better taste if they are strained after 10-15 min.

Latin names of herbs

To know latin name of the herb helps in finding the herb you are looking for. Herbs have many different names so that sometimes can be confusing to find the right herb, buy it or read about it.

         For example you are looking for birdweed and can't find it because in the book you are looking in birdweed isn't mentioned or it is mentioned as one of the names of Common Knotgrass. But if you are looking for birdweed (Polygonum aviculare) this will narrow down your search and help you find just the herb you are looking for.

         It is not necessary to learn this names by heart, just compare them on packages, books or web. That way you can be sure you are reading about or buying the right herb.

         If you are not familiar with latin names they are the ones after the name of the herb in brackets for example:

Camomile (Matricaria chamomilla),

Nettle (Urtica dioica),

Marigold (Calendula officinalis),

Mistletoe (Viscum album),

St.John's Wort (Hypericium perforatum),

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Making tincture

About ingrediens

Making the tincture is really easy. All you need is a little bit of alcohol and herbs. Making it can actually be fun, specially if you drink some of that alcohol (ha-ha).

Alcohol should be about 40%. It can be made from grain or fruit. I use alcohol made from plums, called šljivovica or rakija. Taste is fenomenal with the lovely burning sensation.

Finding herbs

Finding fresh herbs can be a little bit harder. Some of them like rosemary, thyme, marigold, etc. can be bought fresh. A lot of people have them in their garden or in pots. But some less known herbs you need to find it yourself. There are lot's of informations in the books or on the internet about herbs. My advice is to study them if you want to pick herbs. Study their characteristics and photos or ask someone who knows them, see my post Rules for gathering herbs.

When I begin with gathering herbs they all looked a like, I was afraid that I will make mistake and pick the wrong one, after a while I've learned to differentiate. It is not  mistake to picke the wrong herb, but it is a mistake to use it. Always check twice if you are not sure.

My mom thought me how to picke them and what they look like. She learned almost everything from books.

This is the beauty of working with herbs, you can do it yourself. All you need is some patience and a bit of courage.

Making  tincture

To make the tincture first cut herbs into smaller pieces, then put them in a glass jar or bottle (or something else). I prefer jars because it is easier to put herbs in it and to get them out.

You need plain jar one that has maybe left from mayonnaise or jam (that is recycleing on the spot). It is only important that the jar has a good lid.

While you are puting herbs in a jar don't press them. Then pour alcohol over so that it covers the herbs. Close the lid and put the jar on the place where it is sunny most of the day, or near some heat source. Shake it from time to time. Strain it after 14 days or more (see for each herb).

Tincture can be strained with the strainer or the strainer and some cloth (like linen). Squeeze herbs with hands to get all the alcohol out. Pour the liquid in to bottles. Ideal would be dark glass bottles, if you don't have them plain will do or even plastic (it is better to avoid plastic). I use dark bottles that have left from bought tinctures.

Final touch

Final touch is to write names of the tinctures on the bottles or put some labels on it. This is important because it will be easier to see the difference, so you don't need to open each bottle and smell it to find the one you need. I know this from personal experience.

It is best to keep the tinctures in a dark place.

Useing the tinctures

Some tinctures are only used externally for compress or massage and some can also be used for drinking, usually disolved in water or tea.

See my posts about tinctures of Marigold, Comfrey, Shepherd's purse, St. John's Wort, Common Speedwell, Walnut, Nettle and remedy for rheumatism.

Common Wood Sorrel

Description

Common Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) has light green leaves and white flowers. Grows in deciduous and coniferous forests.

Tea

Common Wood Sorrel is only used fresh. As a tea it helps with: heartburn, liver and digestive disorders, hepatitis B, kidney inflammation, skin rash and worms.

In case of heartburn, liver and digestive disorders drink  2 cups of cooled tea a day.

In case of hepatitis B, kidney inflammation, skin rash and worms drink 2 cups of tea a day.

Making Common Wood Sorrel tea

Pour ½ l of boiled water on 1 tablespoon of fresh leaves, stir and cover. Strain after 30 seconds.

Fresh juice

Folk medicine recommends fresh  Common Wood Sorrel juice for early stages of stomach cancer, cancerous internal and external ulcers and swellings. Wash the leaves and squeeze them or put in a juicer.

Drink every hour 3-5 drops of fresh juice diluted in water or herbal tea. For cancerous external ulcers apply juice directly on ulcers.

Fresh juice also helps with Parkinson's disease, in that case drink every hour 3-5 drops of fresh juice diluted in yarrow tea (Achillea millefolium). For the exteral use massage the spine.

Follow the rules for dosages and dilutions strictly.

Marigold tincture

Marigold (Calendula officinalis) tincture is very good for: wounds, contusions, hematoma, strained muscles, purulent and cancerous ulcers, wounds from long-lying, swellings and acnes.

Tincture needs to be diluted with boiled water and then  put on affected area in form of a compress.

     Making tincture

To make marigold tincture put handful of marigold flowers in a glass jar. Pour alcohol (40%) over it, close it and leave in the sun or near heat source for 14 days. Shake it from time to time. Strain and pour in dark bottles or keep it in a dark place.

Common mallow

Common mallow tea helps with inflammations of the mucus membranes, like: gastritis, inflammation of the bladder mucus, stomach and intestinal canal, oral cavity, gastric ulcer, intestinal ulcer (duodenal ulcer).

It is also recommended for pulmonary and bronchial catarrh, cough, hoarseness, throat inflammation, tonsillitis, dry mouth, pulmonary emphysema, malignant diseases of the throat.

Tea is made from leaves, stems and flowers (it is best to use fresh herb, but dry is also good).

Put 1 teaspoon of herbs in 1 cup of cold water. Leave during the night. In the morning warm it a bit and strain.

In case of malignant diseases of the throat drink 4 cups of tea, sip by sip during the day. Make another 6-8 cups of tea and use it for gargling. Tea used for drinking and gargling can be made and warmed together and put in aThermos bottle. During the night put warm compress on the affected area. Take dregs of tea warm it with little bit of water, add barley flour, mix it together. Put it on a linen cloth and while it's still warm on a the affected area.

Common mallow can be used externally for dry eyes (bath and compress with warm common mallow tea), face allergies (washing with warm tea), for curing wounds and ulcers on the swollen hands and feet when they are consequence of the broken or inflammed veins (bath for hands and feet), broken ankle (bath for feet).

Bath for hands and feet

Put 2 handfuls of common mallow in 5 l of cold water, leave over night. Next day heat it together. Temperature should be hot but not to hot, one thet you can stand.

Bath should last for 20 min, and it can be used again for 2 more times (warm it before use).

For swollen sore feet with wounds  with bath for feet use also fresh plantain (Plantago lanceolata) leaves. Wash the plantain and still wet leaves put on the wound.

Small flowered willow – herb

Small flowered willow – herb (Epilobium parviflorum) is used for diseases and inflammations of the prostate, inflammation and pain in the bladder and kidneys, prostate and bladder cancer.

It is recommended to drink 2 cups of small flowered willow – herb a day, in the morning on empty stomach and in the evening half an hour before diner. Longer  time is necessary if the condition is serious.

To make tea pour 1 cup of boiled water over one teaspoon of tea, stir and cover. After 2 minutes strain it.

Nettle tincture

Nettle tincture is used for better hair growth. It is said that hair grows ticker, softer, without dandruff and with a nice glow. Tincture is massaged into the skin of the head, everyday or often.

Tincture is made from nettle (Urtica dioica) roots put in a glass jar and covered with alcohol (about 40%). Jar is left in a warm place for 14 place, then strained with a strainer or a cloth. Squeeze the roots a bit when straining.

It is made in the spring or automn when the roots are dug out, cleaned and chopped before puting in alcohol.

Shepherd's purse tincture

Take fresh leaves, stems and flowers of shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa – pastoris), cut them into small pieces and put in a glass jar or a bottle. Pour alcohol (about 40%) over to cover the herbs. Close it and leave on the sun or near heat source for 14 days. Shake it from time to time. Strain it and pour into dark bottles.

Shepherd's purse  tincture is used for atrophy of limbs and the muscles, weakness of the anal sphincter muscle, desended uterus, inguinal hernia.         

Use tincture for external massage of painful areas, and drink 4 cups of lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) tea a day.

In case of weakness of the anal sphincter muscle  with the massage and lady's mantle tea, also drink 3 times a day 10 drops of tincture in lady's mantle tea.

It is important to make tincture from fresh herb.

Fresh marigold

Fresh marigold (Calendula officinalis) is used for moles and warts. As a juice or a paste made by squeezing fresh marigold (stems, leaves, flower) and put on  troubled area.

 Another way is to put fresh leaves or flowers or both on the area and wrap it with a bandage or something and leave it over night.

Fresh plantain leaves for wounds

Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) is very good for curing all kinds of wounds (even old), scratches, cutes, wasp stings.

Picke fresh plantain leaves, wash them (if you can), crush and put on the wound. If it is necessary wound can be wraped with bandage, so that the leaves don't fall off.

You can also see post Plantain for blisters.

Marigold

Marigold tea is used as a remedy for troubles with stomach and bowels; like gastric ulcer, cramps, colon inflammation, etc.

It purifies blood, enhances circulation, heals wounds, is used for liver diseases, diarrhoea. Helps with bacterial infection and virus diseases.

To make tea put one teaspoon of dry marigold (Calendula officinalis) in a cup of boiled water, stir and cover. After 2 minutes strain it, half a minute if the herb is fresh.

Marigold can also be used as a cream, tincture, fresh herb, bath, etc. Cream made from marigold is very useful to have in the house for what ever is necessary (more is said in post Excellent herbal remedy for skin).

Vitamin C and Hip

Hip tea is a very good source of vitamin C. In some cases heat destroys this vitamin, for example if you put lemon in very hot tea. With hip is different because the high temperature of the water doesn't destroy vitamin C.

To make tea put 1 teaspoon of hip (dry, chopped) in a cup of boiled water, stir it and cover. After 10 minutes strain it. You can sweeten it with honey, when the tea is warm, not too hot.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol („bad one“), because of this it is recommended for clogged arteries and cardiovascular diseases (angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, etc). It is good in combination with vitamin E.

Vitamin C is also recommended for asthma, bronchitis, infertility in men, cancer, etc. Some studies show that vitamin C prevents the growth of HIV virus.

Paprikas, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, coliflower, strawberries, spinach and citrus fruits are also recommended as a source of vitamin C.