Making Herbal Tinctures

 Herbal Tinctures

Herbal Tinctures are a herbs in a concentrated form it is said at times to be at 12 times its normal strength.  This is because during the infusion process all the nutrients and vital enzymes are collected and all collectively and naturally infused as one nutrient. this nutrient can be in anti biotic form anti- septic form as a calmative or even all brought together in formulation for a multiple purpose solution. The purpose of the concentrated nutrient will directly address another nutrient that has been compromised through malnutrition illness or passed through by the food process. Example one of the Main symptoms of a Cold and flu is a week immune system. So how do we directly address the week immune system not only to make it strong again but the ability to maintain a all healthy nutrients levels this will build a good foundation for overall health and wellness. "NATURALLY" an example of this a few herbs to use would be echinacea and goldenseal as a combination/ formula  for a duration of initial wellness then Slippery elm bark is another powerhouse of a nutritional herb. So powerful if famine broke out you could literally live off this alone indefinitely. and is safe enough to give to an infant.  Also herbal tinctures are convenient to administer you an take it in a juice warm water or subliminally or on the tongue. 
There are various types of tinctures: 
Alcohol Tinctures These are the mother of the tinctures they have a long shelf life before they begin to loose their potency.
Glycerin Tincture These tinctures are great for diabetics and or children where alcohol would not be applicable in its administration particularly with children diabetics those with alcohol problems.
Acid Tinctures These are herbal tinctures extracted with an organic apple cider vinegar preferable raw. they are less potent and shelf life is short they are good for a common cold season or sporadically during the year.

Note when making a tincture it is said to press the infused/ Soaked herbs then discard them Why I am doing now is taking the press herbs in a coffee grinder and grinding the as much as possible and placing them back into the Pressed liquid then bottle it with all the natural plant materials it creates  an ongoing infusion process to maintain it true potencie(s) and achieve a deeper and greater extraction process. This was taught to me by a natural doctor. he said if the tincture liquid is particalless it is missed its true potential.

Also remember Roots and seed are the sternest pert of the herbal plant and are very potent for ttincure making. Think about it, The BEGINNING (root) and the end(when the herb goes to seed all nutrients concentrate up t the seed )this is goos not only for tincture potency but making your own essential oils.

When using Alchol tinctures sometime it is required to use a min strength of 100 proof for a good extraction Also the better grade alcohol the better the preservation of the tincture (longer shelf life before it begins to loose its potency) 

A good Alchohol Tincture recipe.
1 ounce echinacea plant antibiotic and antibacterial properties
1/2 ounce of echinacea Root plant antibiotic and antibacterial properties but much more potent
1/4 ounce Goldenseal  antiseptic properties
1/4 ounce of pure raw Bee pollen

directions:

Place all ingredients in a clan jar and initially fill it so that all combined herbs are now equal to one part so we need to add three pars of good 100 proof alcohol like grain or vodka and shoe it well let it sit for a day in a dark cool place like a (Shoebox in a cloud room or basement) then after the first day check the liquid levels and add more alcohol if needed(the hens will absorb the initial alcohol quickly then shake daily for two weeks but then let it sit for a total of a miminum of 6 weeks but a word of advise the longer the better.(better extraction more potent and better formulated).

A good Acid Ticture

Apple Cider Garlic this will hep get rid of the cold and even a strong virus due to the anti-viral properties of Garlic.

2 cloves of garlic pressed in a clean glass jar
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
4 ounces of Organic Raw unfiltered Apple cider vinegar 

directions:
Place all in a clean glass jar and shake daily for two weeks and then it is ready for use as needed.

A simple Glycerine Tincture 

Due to its limited extraction capabilities and preservation I would limit these to plant materials and not rely on them for a good root extraction.  You will se retail versions of glycerine tincture but they are exreacted through a process of forced distillation and during this process critical enzymes and molecular wall are damage making it not as potent as a homemade cold infused tincture.

2 ounces od dried dandelion greens
4 ounces of food grade vegetable glycerine
3 ounces of distilled water

directions:

First mix the distilled water and the glycerine until it becomes very clear.

place herbs in a clean glass jar and add 2 parts glycerine
mix well then add more glycerine until it is about 1 inch above the soaked herb shake well for 2 weeks let stand in a cool dark place for 4 weeks and use are needed it is said glycerine tincture begin to loose there potency after only one year.