My First Herbal Tincture!

I'm so excited! Saturday I got a glycerite started in the Crock-pot using three herbs: echinacea, yarrow, and red clover. A glycerite is another way of making a concentrated herbal extract called a tincture. Instead of using an alcohol base to extract the properties of your chosen herbs, with a glycerite you use vegetable glycerine and slow, steady heat for three days.

Note to self: Do not stuff your jar FULL with herbs ever again! You will be sorry. 

Yes, silly me, I crammed too much dried herbs in my jar, not thinking that they would expand as they soaked up the liquid. Yesterday afternoon I was devastated to discover that my jar had leaked most of its rich liquid into the water in the Crock-pot. I was determined to make it work though, so I scooped out some of the herbs and added more glycerine and water, praying my final product wouldn't be too weak. We live and learn. =)

This morning my tincture was finished. If the smell is any indication (whew!), I'm pretty sure it's strong enough medicinally despite the mishap. Using cheesecloth, I squeezed the nutrient-rich liquid off of the herbs. I was so surprised: it gave me a whole cup, filling three tincture bottles!

It has a deep brown color... and a STRONG smell. (gag)

Three bottles full, ready and waiting for my family's next bout with the flu. Bring it on! =D

I chose my three herbs (echinacea, yarrow and red clover) for their antibiotic, alterative, tonic, stimulative, and diaphoresistic properties. Echinacea is one of the most powerful antibiotics on earth, it fights bacterial infection, strengthens the immune system, stimulates the lymphatic system, and purifies the blood of toxins. Yarrow helps with stomach complaints and muscles cramps,  reduces diarrhea, cleanses organs, tonifies (builds up) the blood and kidneys, opens skin pores, induces sweating, soothes mucous membranes, and helps abundantly with respiratory ailments. Red clover stimulates the liver and excretory system, fights infection, boosts the immune system, tonifies the blood, liver and kidneys, expectorates phlegm, reduces inflammation of the lungs, relaxes the body and relieves pains. 

All of that, packed into herbs the LORD God made! Isn't He so gracious to us? I've thought about that many times. God created all of the plants on day three, each possessing all of their spectacular, marvelous properties, and then created man on day six. Later, Adam and Eve sinned against God and the penalties and consequences of that sin was placed upon us all. Terrible disease was a part of that curse. Yet, we see that God designed a plan for man's healing, His marvelous herbs, long before that curse came about, even before man was created! In His wisdom and love, He made provision for the curse of sin. He did not place a curse on us that He had not already provided the healing for. That is one reason why I love working with herbs: they remind me of God's amazing mercy to a wicked rebel like me!

However, disease and physical suffering is not the only result of sin. The ultimate wages of sin is death in Hell and eternal separation from God. But God also mercifully provide the healing for the sin-sickness of man's never-dying soul. He made provision for us through "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," our Savior Jesus Christ. God, in His mercy, did not place a curse on us that He could not heal through the wondrous plan of salvation. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

In the background of the above picture is my mortar and pestle which I use to crush and grind herbs. Isn't it pretty? (The window, however, is not. I'm dying for warmer weather to arrive so I can scrub the grime from the outside of that glass!)

I hear there's a flu bug being passed around in the village. I'm kind of hoping someone in my family catches it  so I can try out my mighty tincture on them. (I know, I'm merciless. =D) I have great expectations for that smelly brown liquid. I'll try to let you all know how it works when the opportunity does present itself.