Herbal
medicine is the medicine of the people. It is simple, safe, effective, and
free. Our ancestors knew how to use an enormous variety of plants for health
and well-being. Our neighbors around the world continue to use local plants for
healing and health maintenance, and you can too.

In your first lesson, you learned
how to “listen” to the messages of plant’s tastes. And you discovered
that using plants in water bases (teas, infusions, vinegars, soups) - and as
simples - allows you to experiment with and explore herbal medicine safely.

In this lesson, we will learn how
to make effective water-based herbal remedies and talk more about using
simples.

Tea for
You?

Teas are a favorite way to consume
herbs. Made by brewing a small amount of herbs (typically a teaspoonful to a
cup of water) for a short time (generally 1-2 minutes), teas are flavorful,
colorful drinks.

Herbs rich in coloring compounds -
such as hibiscus, rose hips, calendula, and black tea - make enticing and tasty
teas. They may also contain polyphenols, phytochemicals known to help prevent
cancer. Since coloring compounds and polyphenols are fairly stable, dried herbs
are considered best for teas rich in these.

Herbs rich in volatile oils - such
as ginger, chamomile, cinnamon, catnip, mint, lemon balm, lemon grass,
lavender, bergamot, and fennel, anise, and cumin seeds - make lovely teas,
which are effective in easing spasms, stimulating digestion, eliminating pain,
and inducing sleep. Since much of the volatile oils are lost when herbs are
dried, fresh herbs are considered best for teas rich in these, but dried herbs
can be used with good results.

I enjoy a cup of hot tea with
honey. But teas fail to deliver the mineral richness locked into many common
herbs. A cup of nettle tea, for instance, contains only 5-10 mg of calcium,
while a cup of nettle infusion contains up to 500 mg of calcium. For optimum
nutrition, I drink nourishing herbal infusions every day.

Infusion for Me!

An infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, one
ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar,
which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowed
to steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and the
remainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since the
minerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessible
by drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions. (See experiment 2.)

I make my infusions at night
before I go to bed and they are ready in the morning. I put my herb in my jar
and my water in the pot, and the pot on the fire, then brush my teeth (or sweep
the floor) until the kettle whistles. I pour the boiling water up to the rim of
the jar, screw on a tight lid, turn off the stove and the light, and go to bed.
In the morning, I strain the plant material out, squeezing it well, and drink
the liquid. I prefer it iced, unless the morning is frosty. I drink the quart
of infusion within 36 hours or until it spoils. Then I use it to water my
houseplants, or pour it over my hair after washing as a final rinse, which can
be left on.

My favorite herbs for infusion are
nettle, oatstraw, red clover, and comfrey leaf, but only one at a time. The
tannins in red clover and comfrey make me pucker my lips, so I add a little
mint, or bergamot, when I infuse them, just enough to flavor the brew slightly.
A little salt in your infusion may make it taste better than honey will.

Having trouble finding herbs in
bulk at your local health food store? Try ordering online: