How to Make a Herbal Tincture
 Tinctures
are an excellent medium for preserving and concentrating
the healing qualities of herbs. Tinctures are effective
in small amounts because they are so concentrated.
Tinctures are usually the preferable way to take herbs
because they can enter your system in seconds. For
preserving herbs, tinctures are optimal because they can
last indefinitely.
Steps for making tinctures:
One: Gather your herbs
Obtain your herbs from
the purest source possible; organic or wild crafted are
excellent. Grown in your own yard are the best because
you have full control and the plant is under the same
influences that you are.
Two: The medium
Use alcohol as the
medium, I suggest vodka, gin or rum at 100 proof (100
proof means it is 50% water and 50% alcohol).
Note: Do not use
rubbing, isopropyl, methyl, or wood alcohol they are
poisonous.
Three: Blend the herbs and alcohol together.
(For best results do this step as a farmer would, on the
new moon)
Place the herbs in a blender and pour in enough alcohol
to cover. Turn on the blender at medium, then gradually
to high speed; add more alcohol as needed to keep the
herbs turning. Blend the herbs until they are liquefied
(looks like a sauce).
Four: Storage
Pour the herbs into a
canning jar, seal and store in a place where there is no
light (herbs are light sensitive) and take the herbs out
once a day and shake. Store the herbs this way for 3
weeks to 3 months.
Note:
If you need to take this
tincture now, do step five taking some of the tincture
to use immediately.
Five: Separate the herbs from the alcohol
(for best results do this step on the full moon)
Cover a bowel large enough to hold the herbs with
cheesecloth or clean cotton cloth. Pour your mix of
herbs and alcohol into the cloth, bag up and squeeze off
the tincture.
Six: Dropper bottles for use
I suggest you use tinted
glass, as the tincture is light sensitive. You can get
tinted dropper bottles in various sizes in health food
and drug stores.
Reference:
The Sam Biser Save Your Life User Manual: By Sam Biser and Dr. Richard Schulze, The University of Natural Healing, Inc.
Herbal Medicine-Makers Handbook, by James Green, Crossing Press, 2002
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