Can I Tincture That?

Can I Tincture That?

I remember the first time I heard about making your own herbal tinctures. A young coworker came in one wintry morning sharing that she'd made some tinctures with common garlic and ginger. Say what? She then announced that taking them at the onset of colds or flu would likely lessen the duration and severity of the virus. From that moment, I was hooked on the idea of making medicine in my own kitchen, and by that weekend, I had a couple of jars of shredded ginger and freshly minced garlic sitting all pretty on my counter. Six weeks later, I was straining and bottling my first potions.

Since then, my fascination with herbal medicine has been elevated to new heights- huge credit goes to The Herbal Academy's Introductory Course that I completed during the world shutdown. I mean, what else could a person do but go out foraging in fields, along riverbanks, and even in one's own backyard? Learning about local herbs opened my eyes to a whole new world that caused me to love God even more. To see how He'd put healing in the plants, especially the common weeds that we so quickly yank up and toss, deeply confirmed that His heart has always been to heal. You don't have to look far to find a medicinal plant. My heavily stocked apothecary gives proof of that fact. Once the ancient gate to plant medicine swung open, the question on my mind was always, "Can I tincture that?"

Many different plants can be tinctured, but when first beginning, it's best to work with simple herbs such as garlic, ginger, elderflower, mullein, or lemon balm. Ensure that you source your herbs from pesticide-free locations and far from the road where pollution can taint their purity. There is a precise tincture method using measurements, and there's the folk method that I use. With the folk method, you fill a sterilized jar about 1/2 to 3/4 full with herbs and top it off with good quality alcohol such as EverClear Vodka. (use at least 80 proof) Cover the jar with parchment paper before screwing on a metal lid to prevent rust. Shake the jar daily, and add a bit more vodka if the plant material isn't fully covered to help prevent mold from forming. Store your concoction in a warm, dark place for 4-6 weeks to extract the plant's medicinal properties.

When you are ready to bottle the tincture, prepare a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large glass measuring cup. Pour the contents of the jar into a strainer, then gently squeeze the gathered cheesecloth until you've collected as much liquid as you can. It's best to use sterilized amber or cobalt-colored tincture bottles to store tinctures to prevent light from degrading their efficacy. Herbal tinctures will last a long time and require no refrigeration; however, storing them in a dark place is optimal. Be sure to label and date your bottles.

Tinctures are highly concentrated plant medicine and should be treated with the same caution you would with a pharmaceutical. If you take prescription medications, please do your research. Make sure that your choice of herbal medicines isn't contraindicated, which means it may cancel out the medication's effect or create an adverse reaction. When adding tinctures to your natural health routines, begin slowly by adding 3-5 drops to a cup of water or tea to see how it affects you. You can take a dose 3 times a day and work up your dosage as needed. There's something very fulfilling in gathering, preparing, shaking, waiting, straining, bottling, and taking a remedy that you've had a hand in from start to finish.