How To Use Herbs
Let’s go through how to use herbs and preserve them.
Hey there, I’m Juliea and I’ve had a lifelong love affair with herbs, their uses and beauty.
My love of herbs started… who showed me the magic of using herbs in the kitchen and for well-being.
How To Use Herbs
There are many ways to use your herbs! After you harvest herbs, preserve them for future use. For example, preserve herbs by making tinctures, extracts, salves, or by drying them.
Make sure to store dried herbs in dark, air tight jars. (Because herbs potency is slowly destroyed with exposure to light.) After that, I’ll teach you what each herb is used for and where they can be grown!
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are the most common way to use herbs. As a matter of fact, herbal teas or the oldest form of medicine. That’s because dried herbs are easily stored, for long periods of time, then used in herbal teas.
When you make herbal tea, you first put your dry herbs in muslin sack and soak herbs in hot water, as a result herbs powerful compounds get diluted with water. Herbal teas are a delicious way to unwind and sip on some plant power!
This is my favorite way to use herbs… A warm cup of herbal tea can be a cozy pick-me-up!
Herbal Tea Bath!!!
I LOVE taking a nice warm bath… Especially if I’m cold, sore, or sick! Nothing makes a bath better than some relaxing herbs steeped in hot bathwater. The smell of lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile all make for a very relaxing bath. But that’s not all they are good for. Lavender is wonderful for the skin and the senses!
Looking for a relaxing soak? Try an herbal tea bath with lavender, calendula, aloe vera, or chamomile!
***Make sure to use a bag, so herbs don’t clog your drain! (I’ve done that and it’s not cool!)
TIP: Ramp up your tea bath even more with Epsom salts!
Herbal Extracts
Herbal extracts are one of the strongest form of herbs. Herbal extracts can be powerful allies. To make herbal extracts:
- First – Soak herbs in alcohol or water.
- Third – Extract producers let the excess alcohol or water evaporate, leaving the concentrated herbal extract.
- Fourth – Put liquid extract into dark dropper jars and then LABEL them!
- Fifth – Store jars in a cool dry place.
Herb Tinctures
To make an herbal tincture take fresh herbs and preserve them in alcohol or glycerin. Glycerin tinctures are alcohol and great free for kids! Tinctures are not as strong as extracts. Tinctures are a gentler way to experience the qualities of herbs.
Herbal Powders
To make herb powders: First dry fresh herbs well. Second, grind dried herbs to powder. Powdered herbs are put into empty veggie capsule like these for easy ingestion, or used in salves, ointments and cooking.
Store powdered herbs in dark air tight containers to help preserve their strength. I get these ones because they are dark amber to keep light out, and glass of course! (Because herbs potency is slowly destroyed with exposure to light.)
Herbal Vinegar (How To Make Herbal Vinegar Video)
First, add fresh herbs to raw vinegar. After that let herbs soak for two to six weeks!
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Herbal Compress
First, soak a loosely woven cloth in appropriate herbal tea. Second, apply the soaked cloth directly to injured area. Soothe minor skin woes like rashes and burns with a cool herbal compress.
Comfrey tea is great as a compress and wonderful for minor cuts and burns.
Herbal Ointments
To make herbal ointment: First, dry fresh herbs, then grind dry herbs into powders, or use herbal extracts. Add them to salves, and apply ointment to injured area.
Herbal Poultices
A poultice is a hot moist combination of fresh or dry herbs with four and mustard. Poultices help relax muscles, soothe inflamed tissue and draw out infection.
To make a poultice: Grind herbs Ingredients into a paste and spread onto a cloth. Apply poultices for 24 hours to sores and inflamed areas to increase blood flow and relieve pain.
Poultices are a traditional remedy used for various skin issues. They can help draw out impurities and soothe discomfort.
Poultices can be a comforting way to ease discomfort and support the body’s natural healing process.
Additionally, kids are soothed and feel cared for when you give them a nice warm poultice to make an owey better!
***If you are using an irritating herb, like mustard for instance, don’t place directly on skin; use a cloth in between skin and poultice.
Essential Oils
Essential oils have many uses.
- Steam distillation and cold pressing herbs produces essential oils.
- Essential oils are used in so many ways like: as mouthwash, ear wash, and as eye wash, inhalations, douches and teas.
- External uses include healing burns, cuts and scrapes.
- Dilute essential oils before using on skin, because they can hurt you. For instance, they can burn skin in their pure form.