Witches Brew for the Fall

I have come to LOVE herbal remedies.  They work for us and I've enjoyed learning about the healing nature of herbs that God gave to us and I think it's fun making the concoctions....call me crazy...it's o.k....you won't be the first.

So with cold season fast approaching, I'm getting prepared to make some herbal remedies.  My son, years ago, teased me and called my herbs Witches Brew.  My Man liked the term and it's tossed around in the house regularly.  I'm not sure if I should laugh, pout or make them the most bitter concoction I can and make them drink it! 

My friend said that Nettle Leaf Glycerite works well for seasonal allergies.  My Man has such a rough time with allergies that I was interested in trying that.  I have run out of the amazing, homemade vanilla extract and made up another quart of that.  I decided to make a healing, first-aid salve and sell it in small jars to help with our adoption fundraising.  I call it Boo Boo Better.  It's great for cuts, bruises, bites, stings - all things first-aid.  Each jar is $5 and I have only sold half of my stock, so let me know if you want some.  It's great to keep in your purse, your kitchen, your bathroom and pass out to friends and family.  And last I am making an immune boosting tincture.  At the first onset of symptoms, I give it to all the kids.  It helps knock out the symptoms and prevent it from spreading to everyone.

My 4 jars of Witches Brew

For my Boo Boo Better Salve, I had to heat the oil-infused herbs in my crock pot for several days until the oil was pretty and dark green.  Smelled so nice!...at least to this Herbal Girl.

Tea for the Yuckies

So we seem to be passing the Yuckies around.  Last night at our last football game, 3rd Fish Stick had stomach cramps, aches and chills.  By the time we got home, Mama had the same and worse.  This morning, school called and firstborn Fish Stick needed to come home.  Same song, 3rd verse.

So what do you do with some undiagnosed yuckiness that invades your home?  It's hard when symptoms are many yet not exclusive enough to find the right OTC meds.

I just brew up a cup of Cold & Flu Tea.  Many of these items you are prone to have on hand already.

In your coffee pot, put in the filter:

** 2 heaping TB sage leaves (less if using ground sage)
** pinch of cayenne
** pinch of shredded ginger OR slice of fresh ginger OR tsp. of ground ginger

Squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon into the coffee pot and then brew your 12 cup pot.  If you don't have fresh lemon (like me today), pour 2 TB. into pot.

To your mug, add a heaping TB of raw honey to sweeten and sip.

SAGE:  antiseptic, antibacterial, tonic, expectorant
CAYENNE: high in vitamin C, best stimulant, improves circulation, regulates blood flow, normalizes blood pressure
GINGER: relieves pain, expectorant, immune boosting, reduces inflammation, stimulates sweating, anti-coughing, anti-cramping, reduces diarrhea, anti-nausea, prevents chills
LEMON:  soothes stomach, rich in vitamin C, effective in fighting colds and flu
RAW HONEY:  antibiotic, expectorant, immune stimulator, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, cell regenerator

Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup

 Here's another recipe for a herbal remedy with things you probably keep on hand.

Cold season is fast upon us and if you or your family members have not gotten the crud yet, you probably will.

We've had a few runny noses and coughs making its rounds in the Fish House, so I have been busy brewing up some herbal remedies to help with symptoms and boost immune systems.

Chop or slice 4 cups of onions.

Add to crockpot with 4 cups of water and 2 cups of raw honey.

Set on low for 24 hours and warm for another 24 hours.

 Strain off the onions from the syrup.

Store the syrup in a jar in a cool, dry place.  

It lasts 1 month in the cabinet or 3 months in the fridge.

Note:

I've never had any complaints from my Fish Sticks about the taste.

Herbal Order

I've been a bit out of pocket with posting because I have been working on fund raising for our adoption.  This past week I opened my first Etsy shop, co-hosted a 2 day garage sale and participated in a children's consignment store.  Did I mentioned I also started filling out applications for grants?  So in the midst of all that, I didn't shop with coupons last week or even look at ads.

I did order from Bulk Herb Store though and wanted to show you what I got.  About once a year I place an order and try to place it with a friend to help with shipping costs.

Nettle Leaf - most of my herbal remedies call for Nettle, so it is always good to have around with cold season fast approaching.  Nettle has been proven to help with diarrhea, hemorrhoids, colon health, eczema and much more, plus it's full of rich vitamins!

Cinnamon - We use lots of cinnamon whether it be for cooking, baking or herbal remedies;  cinnamon is a good thing to have on hand. We add it to smoothies also.  It can be a tonic to the entire body.  It helps fight colds, chills and can kill a variety of illness-causing bacteria.

Ginger Root - I love Ginger Tea most of all.  Ginger is great for upset stomachs, digestive and circulatory problems.  It is great for nausea and motion sickness too.

Activated Charcoal - This is the first time I have purchased this.  It has been an anti-poison remedy for centuries.  It works as an absorbent of toxins in the digestive system, relieves gasses, eliminates fungi, viruses and bacteria and promotes recovery from food poisoning.  My kiddos have had a skin virus called Mulluscum.  It's harmless but makes small bumps on your skin that can irritate and form heads like acne.  Our pediatrician says there is no remedy and usually they go away within a couple of years!  YUCK!  That's a long time.  I read recently that a paste of activated charcoal mixed with raw honey can rid your body of this irritating virus.  I'm game to try it.

Jasmine Green Tea - I tried this a few years ago before I really got hooked on unsweet, herbal tea.  It tasted like flowers to me and I passed on future orders of this tea.  I've decided to give it another try.  Certainly I can get used to drinking flowers when it's so good for me??  It's rich in fluoride, can combat stomach and skin cancers and is a great way to boost your immune system.  An increase in consumption significantly improved the odds of survival of breast and ovarian cancer in patients also.  Sounds like a smart thing to me.

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Tea - I bought this last winter and absolutely loved it.  I added a few drops of stevia and some cream to the hot tea and it was like drinking yummy pumpkin pie.  It was perfect for cold, winter mornings.  It's made with red rooibos tea, cinnamon chips, orange peel, ginger root and cloves.  YUM!

If you want to learn more about herbs or order some, click on my family blog on the right and order from my button there.  You can search their site for all kinds of good articles and home remedies.  It's a great place to start and this company is what got me started on my herbal remedy adventure 9 years ago!