One of the first questions Herbal students ask is for the clarification between teas, infusions and decoctions. I thought now might be a good time to go into each so there is a solid understanding in making Herbal preparations.

Teas

Everyone is familiar with teas that come in tea bags from the grocery store, these are premeasured and ready to use. Brewing loose tea is just as easy with tea spoons, balls and strainers. You can even fill your own disposable or reusable bags. These products are available at most health food stores or on the net. A variety of tea supplies can be found here http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/tea_tool/tea_tool.html as well as quality teas.

Teas are primarily for relaxation and enjoyment, there is little benefit from the properties found in the herbals used to make the tea because of the brewing time. Generally speaking, teas are made from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of leaves and flowers steeped in hot water for 3-5 minutes. Never boil the herb in the water for teas; pour the hot water over the herb.

That is not to say that a cup of ‘sleepy’ tea won’t work, teas do give to relaxing which helps promote a good night’s sleep. All teas give a small benefit, just not the benefit of a tea brewed for 20 minutes or an Infusion tea.

There are teas that do use roots, berries and barks which are usually brewed or steeped covered up to 20 minutes. These teas are used as boosters for the immune system or as cough suppressants or expectorants. Steeping covered for 20 minutes allows more of the volatile oils to be released into the tea.

Ginger is a good example of using roots in teas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3YSjw2Nw-w&feature=related

Infusions

Infusions are teas that are steeped from 4 hours to overnight. Infusions use leaves, flowers, berries, roots or bark. The longer brewing time allows the nutrition and healing properties to be released into the tea.

A general rule is to use an ounce of herb to a quart jar and add boiled water. Allow to set covered for several hours. Infusions can be used on a daily basis for a period of time depending on the ailment it is being used to treat.

Roots/barks: 1oz herb to a pint of boiled water for a minimum of 8 hours

Leaves: 1 oz herb to a quart of boiled water for a minimum of 4 hours

Flowers: 1oz herb to a quart of boiled eater for a minimum of 2 hours

Seeds/berries: 1 oz herb to a pint of boiled water for a minimum of 30 minutes

A good example in the difference in a tea and an infusion is seen in nettles. 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.

Infusions are very nourishing. Think of herbs not only as healing, but as a food. Herbs are chocked full of vitamins and minerals. Herbs should be in your daily diet and an infusion tea is a great way to get all the vitamins and minerals into your system. You can add infused teas to soups and stews as part of the broth or make the infusion using vinegar or honey in place of water.

I will add a caution here. You need to be familiar with the herbs used. Some herbs are very potent and should not be used on a continuously. Get to know the herbs and what they offer.

It is best to use one infused tea at a time. Using one herb at a time you will learn how that infused tea works. If you have a mixture of teas it is hard to tell what herb is doing the healing. Drink 2-4 cups a day of the infused tea, refrigerating the tea to slow spoilage

When my kidneys act up I will do a Dandelion infused tea for two weeks. On the third week I will use a Red Clover infused tea. The Red Clover helps clean the blood and aids in the healing process. On the forth week I will do another Dandelion infused tea.

Healing with herbs is not an overnight miracle cure. Most herbs do not work at destroying the ailment, but work at restoring the natural body functions so it can heal itself. Yes, various herbs kill bacteria and yeast. I can not stress enough the importance of knowing your herbs. When using one herb to kill bacteria be sure to alternate with an immune builder to rebuild the cells that have been attacked or coated with bacteria.

Infusions using alcohol such as Everclear or Vodka usually brew/steep for several weeks. The same rule is used when making an infused oil, vinegar or honey. Infusions made with alcohol are usually done for use as tinctures and infusion in oils for use in other preparations such as salves, creams and lotions. Herbs infused in vinegar and honey are usually used as food.

Decoctions

A decoction is an herbal preparation made by simmering plant material in water until the water is reduced by half. A general rule for making decoctions is to use 1 ounce of plant material for each pint of water. Decoctions have a very short life span. It is best to use the decoction right away although you can refrigerate it for a day.

A decoction can be used when you need immediate relief such as in a poultice. Often when I have a cold I will make a decoction with lots of honey to ease the coughing. You can also make a decoction and add it to your bath water.

Bring your herb and water to a boil and immediately reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes covered to retain all the volatile oils and salts. You do not want to continue boiling as it may kill off some of the beneficial nutrients. Remove from heat so boiling does not continue until heating element has cooled enough to give a very slow simmer.

Decoctions are generally made from the more woody type herbs and roots. I do use decoctions of leaves when making horehound drops for colds. I will have an infusion ready and add the decoction to it to give an added kick.

There is no hard fast rule in using decoctions, Just keep in mind decoctions are for immediate use. If ingesting, do not use continually as the oils and salts are much stronger than in an infusion. Decoctions are great for strains/ sprains using the decoction hot in a poultice.

Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle is a true ‘super food’. Nettles contain the highest plant source of iron, it builds energy, strengthens the adrenals, and is said to restore youthful flexibility to blood vessels. Stinging nettle root is used for urination problems related to an enlarged prostate.

A cup of nettle infusion contains 500 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of bone-building magnesium, potassium, silicon, boron, and zinc. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K.

To harvest, take only the nettle tops before flowers appear in early spring. It is best to wear gloves, long sleeves and long pants if you are harvesting from a good stand of nettles. As the name says, it does give a sting that you will remember! Also wear gloves when chopping and adding it to your cooking pot. As soon as it begins to cook, the sting goes away.

Add stinging nettle to any recipe that uses cooked greens. It can be added to soup, or any dish using spinach or kale. After cooking do not throw away the water – drink it, it is filled with all things good!

Chickweed

Chickweed is another of those weeds people strive to eradicate from the garden. Chickweed is a wonderful herb, way too under used for the variety of medicinal and wellness uses. It is an external as well as internal herb.

Chickweed is best known for its cooling, drawing, and dissolving abilities. It will bring a boil to a head in no time and stop infection by weakening bacteria cell walls. You can make a poultice using fresh bruised leaves, applying directly on the area. It is a good idea to cover with gauze to keep germs out. Once chickweed feels warm discard and reapply if necessary.

Chickweed has been called Mother’s Helper because it clears up diaper rash as well as conjunctivitis and pink eye. For pink eye use a poultice of fresh bruised herbs, apply, cover until warn, discard used herbs.

Susun Weed of the "Wise Woman Way" says, “I have seen chickweed dissolve ovarian cysts as large as an orange. One women used it to get rid of a dermoid cyst (which contains hair, bones, teeth, and fingernails); for that, she combined the chickweed with motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) and cronewort (Artemisia vulgaris) tinctures in equal parts. These three plants together are an ancient Chinese remedy for many "women's problems."

Chickweed is a powerful source of minerals, with high amounts of magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, aluminum, silicon, zinc, and a moderate amounts of calcium chlorophyll, potassium, chromium, B factors such as folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine, vitamin A, C, and fiber. It is said to help dissolve harmful plaque build-up in arteries, fatty material, and toxins.

Chickweed is a positive herb for weight loss as it helps the body dissolve and rid itself of excess fat cells. Make an infusion using one ounce of fresh chickweed to a quart jar of boiling water. Cover and allow to set for several hours. Strain and drink hot or cold adding honey to taste.

Chickweed combined with Plantain makes an unbeatable salve for burns and itch. They both have drawing and cooling properties.

Chickweed can be added to any green salad as well as chicken and tuna salad. It is a great addition to tabouli and hummus.

Tuna Poke with Chickweed Chimichurri – (fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com)

Chimichurri

1 packed cup chickweed, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp shallot, fine dice
3 tbsp sweet red pepper, fine dice
1 tbsp hot pepper, de-seeded, fine dice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Tuna Poke and Sushi Rice

1 lb sushi-grade tuna, cut into small (1/2 inch) cubes
2 cups sushi rice
rice vinegar to taste

Makes 4 servings.

Mix chimichurri ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour or so. Meanwhile make seasoned (i.e. add rice vinegar) sushi rice and cut up a bunch of sushi-grade tuna. Serve a dollop of the raw tuna over a bowl of rice; garnish with the chimichurri. The acidity of the chimichurri immediately begins to act on the tuna, changing the flavor in subtle ways as you eat.

chickweed pesto. (learningherbs.com)

To make this wonderful early spring treat combine:

2 cloves of garlic, 3 Tablespoons of pine nuts or sunflower seeds, ¼ tsp. salt, 2 packed cups chopped fresh chickweed, ½ cup olive oil, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese in a blender...

THEN...Blend well!

Broad Leaf Plantain

Narrow Leaf Plantain

Plantain

Native Americans called Plantain Englishman’s foot because it sprang up in the footsteps of white settlers. You will find plantain growing anywhere the ground has been compacted, along paths, in yards, on playgrounds. There are two types of plantain, broad leaf and narrow leaf and they grow everywhere.

Plantain is the weed to have around for stings, itch and general boo-boos. It grows everywhere making it easy to find when needed. It has been used for centuries as an all around drawing heal all.

The variety that grows in South America is cultivated for its seed husks and sold under the name of Metamucil. The seeds from the common broadleaf plantain can be used in the same way. The seeds can be cooked in cereal and breads to relieve constipation. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can be used in place of flax seed.

Plantain is well known for its drawing ability. It will draw infectious materials from a wound as well as stingers and venom from insects. I can personally attest to its drawing ability when used on an abscessed tooth. It is said to be helpful for bronchial infections and pneumonia because of its expectorant ability.

To use on bee stings, insect bites and minor cuts, scrapes and bruises simply chew the leaf well and spit on the wound. If you’d rather not chew you can pound it between stones to release the juices, but chewing, mixed with your spit gives it more staying power.

You can make an infused oil or salve using chopped fresh plantain leaves for later use but it isn’t as effective as fresh chewed leaves. The oil or salve does have an advantage, say, in the workplace when you don’t want a green glop of chewed leaves on your nose where a bee has just stung you! The oil or salve can also be used for sun burn to draw the burn from the area.

The young tender leaves can be used as another green in your salad. They contain both vitamin B and C. The seeds as stated above can be used in place of flax seed due to their rich content of omega-3 fatty acids.

Red Clover

Red Clover has estrogen like properties and should be avoided if you have had breast cancer.

Red clover is most often used as a blood purifier for cardiovascular blood flow. There is a possibility that red clover can slow down bone loss and encourage bone density because it contains isoflavones.

Generally red clover is used as a tea. It can be used alone or combined with other teas. Use only the red clover blossoms. You can make a weak tea by pouring hot water over the blossoms and allowing it to set for a few minutes, strain and add honey to taste.

I usually make more than a cup at a time as it is a refreshing cold beverage, especially if mixed with berries in season. For this it is better to gently simmer the blossoms for about ten minutes, add berries and honey and allow to set, covered overnight. Strain and pour over ice, set back and take a break while enjoying the soothing flavor.

The blossoms can also be eaten raw in your favorite green salad. I usually pull the flower heads apart using only the flowerets. The flowerets can be used with any vegetable or rice adding color and flavor.

Dandelion

The leaves are very nutritious and healthy. They are higher in beta-carotene than carrots. They are higher in iron and calcium than spinach. The leaves also contain vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, and D. with traces of biotin, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc.

Collect the leaf in early spring before the flower appears. They tend to become bitter once the flower stalk emerges. I wash mine in salt water but it is not necessary to use salt. You can add the leaves to salad or cook them which I personally prefer. I don’t actually cook them, I toss them around in a hot pan with olive oil where I’ve sautéed onions, garlic and a small amount of hot peppers. Once slightly wilted I remove from heat and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Dandelion leaves have been used for ages as a Spring tonic to aid the kidneys in cleansing the blood. It is a mild diuretic which does not remove potassium from the system as over the counter diuretics tend to do. In Spring tonics an infused tea is usually made and drank by the cupful. Some drink it straight which I have not been able to do so I add a small amount of honey to the infusion. Here in the mountains I have seen it used and sworn by to eliminate kidney stones.

Dandelion root is can be used as a decoction to strengthen the entire body. It is mainly used for the liver and gallbladder. It promotes the flow of bile, reduces inflammation of the bile duct, and has been known to help rid the body of gall stones. It is said to reduce liver swelling and jaundice.

The flowers can be dipped in a light batter and fried for a delicious treat.

Herbals as a Way of Life

Prepping for most of us has become a way of life. We stock up on food and goods to take us through any disaster that may be common to our particular area such as an earthquake, tornado and blizzard. We have gathered whatever tools necessary for the safety of our family to make it through these difficult times should we be caught in the midst of such storms.

With the precarious world situation we have advanced our prepping to cover the economic melt down and the possibility of war on a large scale as well as a Civil War within our own borders. The thoughts of an EMP attack sends chills down us because we know we will be thrown back into times long forgotten. These horrific possibilities, should they come to pass, could isolate us from the many modern day essentials we have become accustomed to.

If such times arise, what are we to do for medical treatment? We are so used to the convenience of the local medical center or the doc in the box waiting to clean and stitch our wounds and prescribe the newest medication. We may not, depending on the disaster, have the means to get the treatment in a reasonable amount of time, if at all.

Like the vegetable garden and fruit trees we have planted to sustain us, we should all have an herbal garden and learn the use of the planted herbs to maintain our health. Along with herbs we need to learn what grows wild in our immediate area, how to identify and use these ‘wild things’ as a source of vitamins and minerals to add to our daily diet.

We have grown up in a society where we turn up our noses at the prospect of eating such things as the common dandelion. Most of us at one point or another in our life have done battle against the dandelion because society has deemed it an undesirable weed. Yet, the dandelion contains more beta-carotene than carrots which helps lower the risk of heart disease.

God has been good to us by giving us what is needed to sustain us right in our own back yards. An Herbalist once told me all that you need, you will find within a mile radius of your kitchen door. Sadly, for the city dweller that is no longer true today.

Most people have a misconception of herbs and their uses. Popping opens a bottle and taking our daily dose of vitamins has become the norm, we trust the manufacturers to deliver what the bottle says. In truth, if we take the recommended dose we usually do not get beneficial amounts of the vitamin or mineral. Then there is the pesky little fact that a lot of vitamins on the market leave our body almost the same way we swallowed them.

Herbs on the other hand, especially if used as food or a daily infusion or decoction deposit the total vitamin and mineral content into our system. Most true Herbalists do not recommend tinctures and capsules on a regular basis. Infusions and decoctions are preferred because there is a message sent from the tongue to the intestinal track for the proper amount of gastric juices needed to do the job and get the properties into the blood system. Tinctures are usually used for a specific problem. Capsules, like pills have to dissolve in the stomach, sometimes too late to be taken into the blood stream and to the body part where they are needed. Some herbs, like St John’s Wort, in capsule form can have an adverse effect with some nasty side effects.

Tinctures are usually made by allowing the herb to set in vodka or brandy for several weeks while the alcohol extracts the vital medicinal elements. A tincture in an alcohol base will last for several years. A tincture is measured out in drops, sometimes taken directly under the tongue and other times in a glass of water.

Infusions are usually made by pouring hot water over leaves or flowers then steeping for a short time before drinking. Short brewing times are used to extract vitamins and volatile ingredients from leaves and flowers, such as you would a tea. A decoction is boiled for a short time and left to steep for several hours then sipping for a couple days. Infusions and decoctions are only good for two-three days.

Let’s first look at ‘wild things’ that grow in our back yards, the ones we’ve done battle with over the years only to find out they grow there for a reason. There will be only a brief explanation about each, their content and how to use them in our daily life.