HOREHOUND COUGH SYRUP
Make an old-time cough remedy by mixing horehound tea with honey. Make an
infusion by steeping 1 ounce of fresh or dried horehound
leaves in a pint of boiling water. Allow it to steep only 10 minutes.
Strain off the leaves, then measure the quantity of liquid remaining. Add
twice as much honey as liquid, mix well, and bottle.
To soothe a cough, take 1 teaspoon at a time, about 4 times a day!!
Taken from: Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Herbs
HOREHOUND DROPS
1 cup fresh horehound leaves
I cup water
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup or honey
Put the horehound in a small non reactive sauce pan and add the water.
Bring to a boil and simmer, covered,
for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the horehound and squeeze out all of
the liquid. Add the sugar and
corn syrup or honey to the pan, stir with a wooden spoon while bringing to a
boil, then turn the heat down to a
gentle simmer. If bubbles threaten to overflow the pan, reduce the heat slightly
and stir. Boil to the hard-crack stage. If you have a candy thermometer, this is in the
range of 330°F. Keep
a shallow cup of cold water nearby. Stir the liquid occasionally, and watch how
it falls from the spoon. When it forms a thread, begin testing for hardness by
allowing a drop of the mixmixture to fall into the cup
of cold water. Don't trust your fingers to examine the now
hardened drop in the cup: bite it. If it's at all
gooey or sticks to your teeth, keep cooking. When it's hard enough to crack when you bite it, remove the pan from
the heat immediately.
If the mixture crystallizes, just add a cup of water and an extra tablespoon of
corn syrup or honey to the pan, scrape all of the crystalline chunks into it,
and begin again.
Lightly butter a candy mold, cookie sheet, or other heatproof baking pan, and
pour in the hot mixture. If
you're using a flat-bottomed pan, score the surface of the candy after it has
cooled enough to become firm. This
will help in breaking it apart, which should be done as soon as the candy can be
handled. After individual "drops" are
formed, sift granulated or powdered sugar over them to keep them from sticking
together Store in a moisture-
proof container.
From the Herb Companion Magazine
LAVENDER OINTMENT
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons beeswax
3 tablespoons cocoa butter
1 vitamin e
400
15 drops lavender oil
Combine the olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and and heat in the top of a double
boiler. Remove from the heat. Add the vitamin e, lavender oil and beat well.
Pour into little jars and allow the mixture to cool before covering.
HEALING HERB SALVE
1 oz dried comfrey leaves
1 oz dried calendula flowers
2 cups olive oil
1 oz pure beeswax
4 drops tea tree
4 drops lavender essential oils
1 400 vitamin E
Heat herbs in olive oil over low heat for about 5 hours. Do not let the oil boil
or bubble. A Crock-Pot or the lowest temperature setting on a range should be
suitable for heating this mixture. (If the lowest setting is too hot, turn off
the heat once it has warmed the oil...it should keep warm for at least and
hour....then repeat the process twice.) After cooking, strain out the herbs
while oil is still warm. Place 1 1/4 cups of the herb oil in a pan, add beeswax
and heat just enough to melt the wax. Add essential oil and stir. Finally, pour
the salve into wide mouthed jars. Store at room temperature. Use for minor
scrapes and cuts, to protect and promote healing.
MORE SALVES
Source: The Herbal Home Remedy Book. Joyce Wardwell.
ALL PURPOSE SALVE
This multipurpose salve provides relief to sore muscles, reduces inflammation,
heals scrapes, relieves minor burns, and even provides a measure of protections
from biting insects. Excellent chest rub to break up congestion.
1 part plantain leaf (topically healing and soothing)
1 part lavender blossom (antiseptic, topically healing, pain relieving,
repels insects)
1 part peppermint leaf (cooling, anti-spasmodic, and pain relieving)
1 part thyme leaf (antiseptic and anti fungal, increases blood flow to the
area, healing and astringent)
GENTLE SALVE
This blend is suitable for all manner of sore or chapped skin that accompanies
having babies, including cracked nipples, chapped bottoms, perinea stitches,
stretch marks, and diaper rash. It can also bet used safely on delicate elderly
skin. It relieves inflammation, is mildly antimicrobial, and soothes irritated
tissues
2 parts plantain leaf (topically healing)
1 part violet flower (soothing, healing, and antimicrobial in action)
1 part mullein flowers (reduces swelling and inflammation)
FAST HEALING SALVE
This salve promotes rapid cell growth so wounds heal quickly with reduced
scarring. Do not use this salve over infected or dirty skin, as new tissue can
grown right over the infection, complicating the wound.
2 parts St.-John's-wort flower (stimulates nerve endings to heal)
1 part balsam poplar buds (anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and paints a thin
protective resin over cut to keep wound clean)
1 part crushed rose hips (or vitamin E oil 1 tablespoon vitamin E oil to
every 4 tablespoons herb oil) Optional ingredient: 1 part white pine pitch, for
salve effective against those cracks you get in the sides of your fingers from
working in the garden too much (chilblains) Follow typical salve making
instructions from above.
ANTIFUNGAL SALVE
These herbs may be made into a salve, to help heal broken
and cracked skin, or a vinegar to help relieve itching when the skin is not
broken. Dilute vinegar by two-thirds with water before applying to cracked or
open tissues. It stains the skin, as iodine does. This formula works well for
athlete's foot, ringworm, and entopic or eczematous skin conditions. Follow
typical salve making instructions from above.
1 part walnut husks (antifungal)
1 part thyme leaf (antiseptic)
1 part rose leaf (astringent)
1 part plantain leaf (soothing)
ST. JOHN'S WORT HEALING TEAS
In ancient times, the summer solstice was believed to be a magical day. St.
John's Wort was harvested on that day and used to ward off ghosts and evil
spirits. It is also known as the "witches' herb" - witches used it to ward off
the evil spirits, and Christians used it to ward off the witches!!!!!
Tea for nervous tension:
1 1/3 oz. St. John's Wort
1 oz. Lemon Balm Leaves
1 oz. Valerian
Use 1 tsp. of the herb mixture per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min.,
strain, sweeten if necessary. Drink a cup of this tea before going to bed each
night for several weeks to calm overwrought nerves, lift depression, and help
you fall asleep more easily.
Tea for coughing fits:
1 1/3 oz. St. John's Wort
2/3 oz. Thyme
2/3 oz. Linden Flowers
Use 1 tsp. of the herb mixture per cup of boiling water to soothe irritations of
the upper respiratory tract that cause coughing. Steep for 5-10 min., strain,
sweeten if necessary. This tea has proved helpful with bronchitis and whooping
cough.
Tea for migraines:
1 2/3 oz. St. John's Wort
1 oz Valerian
1 oz. Linden Flowers
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries
Use 1 tsp. of the mixture per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min, strain and
sweeten. This tea helps dilate blood vessels and improve circulation. If your
headaches are triggered by weather, drink the tea as the weather is changing
ST JOHN'S WORT OIL
Fill pint mason jar with freshly picked St. Johns Wort
Flowers. Add olive oil to cover. Shake daily for two weeks.
Strain out the flowers and add 1 vitamin e capsule to help preserve
the oil. Use on sore muscles.
TINCTURES (alcohol extraction)
Tincture are concentrated doses of herbal remedies used
in small doses. To make a tincture; place 4 oz of dried
herb in a tight fitting jar with a plastic lid. Add 2
1/2 cups of vodka, shake every day for two weeks, than
strain out the herbs. Label and store in a cool dark
place. Consult a herbal book for additional information
on what type of herbs to use for what ails you. Using
only a drop or two. Use a coffee filter to remove the
fine particles.
HERB
INFUSED OILS
Coarsely grind dried herbs in a blender, place them in a
wide mouth jar and add enough oil to cover. Keep in a
warm place and shake daily. After 2 weeks, strain the
oil, squeeze two vitamin E capsules (500 mg) into the
strained oil, and mix.
MARSHMALLOW ROOT COUGH SYRUP
3 T. chopped dried marsh mallow root
2 cups water
2 cups refined sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
Stir the marsh mallow root into the water and bring it
to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain the decoction into another saucepan; you should
have about a cup. Over low heat, gradually stir in the
sugar, so that a thick syrup forms. Simmer the mixture
for another 5 minutes. Make sure the grains are fully
dissolved. Stir in a small amount of water if the
mixture gets too thick. Let the mixture cool slightly;
then slowly mix in the orange juice. Pour the syrup into
a sealable container and cover it when it is cool.
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