Page 38 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Decoctions contain four times more medicine than a concentration. Adults should only take 1 TB of a double
tea. Adults in good health can take up to 1 cup of a de- decoction and children up to ½ tsp for most herbs.
coction, three times per day, depending on the herb. Double decoctions are especially useful when decoct-
Children’s dosages should be cut, based upon their ing shredded bark and dried roots, where the useful
weight.
compounds come out of the herbs slowly. When work-
Double Decoctions: Double Decoctions are the ing with these herbs, allow them to soak for 12 hours in
same as decoctions, with the exception that they are cold water before bringing it to a boil and simmering.
simmered until the final volume equals ¼ of the origi-
nal volume of liquid, increasing your final medicinal

Oil Infusions

The hot and cold infusion methods outlined below are 3. Store your jar for 6 to 8 weeks. Make sure you don’t
used to infuse herbs into oil. For cold extractions in oil, go longer than 8 to 10 weeks or your oil may go ran-
cold actually means at room temperature. This method cid (cottonwood buds are an exception to this). I
takes time. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to infuse herbs into a often kickstart certain herbs with a little heat by
carrier oil using only time. The “hot” method is actually placing my glass jars in a water bath on low (see
a “warm” method of extracting herbs into a carrier oil. warm infusions below) for a day or two and then
Some herbs need the heat to extract and this method storing for 6 to 8 weeks.
also shortens the amount of time needed if you need 4. After 6 to 8 weeks strain out the herbs using
the remedy sooner. Be careful not to boil or overheat
the oil, as this alters the chemical compounds of the cheesecloth or a tincture press. Squeeze the
herbal properties you are extracting. cheesecloth to get all of the herbal oil out. Pour into
a clean, sterile bottle or jar. This oil can be used di-
Carrier Oils and “Cold” & “Hot” Infusions: rectly for medicine or for making salves. Lasts

To cold-infuse oil use only dried herbs to start (with a about 1 to 2 years.
few exceptions), as moisture can make your oil turn “Hot” Oil Infusion: To infuse oils using heat use
rancid or mold. Many carrier oils will work. I prefer a crock pot that has a "warm" or very low setting or use
organic olive oil as it is temperature stable, well-priced, a water bath on low on the stovetop. This works well
and works well for salve-making. It is important to for infusing several oils at once.
purchase organic oils from somewhere with strict la-
beling laws (like California). Other good carrier oils are
sweet almond oil, coconut oil (although it changes con-
sistency with temperature), jojoba oil, baobab oil, ta-
manu oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil, avocado
oil, apricot kernel oil, emu oil, and many more. Ren-
dered fat or tallow, like bear fat, can also be used.

“Cold” Oil Infusion:
1. Tear or crush the dried herbs then lightly pack into
rd
a clean, sterilized glass jar. Fill a glass jar 1/3 full
with dried herb (for some herbs, like cottonwood
buds, I fill it well over half-full).
2. Pour your high-quality organic olive oil (or other Photo taken by Nicole Apelian
natural plant oil) over the herbs. Fill to within ½
inch (1.25 cm) of the top with your carrier oil. Mix
well, removing all air bubbles. Cap and label with 1. Tear or crush the dried herbs then lightly pack into
herb and date. a clean, sterilized glass jar. Fill a glass jar 1/3 full
rd
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