If you want to extract plant medicines into a liquid that does not contain alcohol, then one good option is to make a glycerite. This is very similar to making a 'tincture', except that a tincture is made with alcohol.
Sure, you can easily buy an Echinacea Glycerite at Whole Foods, but they are also easy and so fun to make! Glycerin is a vegetable sugar and does not contain alcohol. I currently buy my glycerin in 16oz bottles form Lhasa Karnak in Berkeley, CA. After sufficient soaking (2-4 weeks) the liquid (called the 'menstruum') is separated from the plant dregs (called the 'marc') and the medicine is filtered.
Here are two methods for making non-alcoholic plant glycerites:
June 26, 2012
Making Non-Alcohol ‘Glycerites’ with Vegetable Glycerin & Fresh Plant Material
If you want to extract plant medicines into a liquid that does not contain alcohol, then one good option is to make a glycerite. This is very similar to making a 'tincture', except that a tincture is made with alcohol.
Sure, you can easily buy an Echinacea Glycerite at Whole Foods, but they are also easy and so fun to make! Glycerin is a vegetable sugar and does not contain alcohol. I currently buy my glycerin in 16oz bottles form Lhasa Karnak in Berkeley, CA. After sufficient soaking (2-4 weeks) the liquid (called the 'menstruum') is separated from the plant dregs (called the 'marc') and the medicine is filtered.
Here are two methods for making non-alcoholic plant glycerites:
January 15, 2012
Clay Herb Pot – Directions for Use
Due to the nature of the Clay Herb Pot, it requires special care.
Please follow these simple steps to ensure the life of your Clay Herb Pot:
1) Before first use, immerse the entire pot in cold water for 30 minutes to over night. This will allow the pot to absorb moisture before it is set on the flame or burner and will help avoid cracking (only required for first time use).
August 8, 2011
Remove Warts with Brucea Fruit (Ya Dan Zi 苦參子) Herbal Plaster & Acupuncture
The slightly toxic Brucea Fruit/Seed (Ya Dan Zi 苦參子) seed can be used externally to treat a variety of warts and corns.
For one application, take 5-8 seeds and carefully remove the black seed coating. This can be done with a mortar & pestle - just be careful not to crack the seed with too much force or the inner medicine will become smashed intermingling with the black seed coat.
Once you have obtained enough of only the white inner portion, mash for a few minutes to forms a paste. If you are using particularly oily seeds, the mixture may seem slightly sticky and ready to apply to the skin. If the paste seems a little dry, mix in a few drops of sesame oil.
