Winter Cold & Flu Potions

Winter Cold & Flu Potions
I've been lucky. I rarely have any cold or flu-like symptoms, but when I get the proverbial sore throat or feel like I'm getting one, I really hate taking OTC meds. And prescriptions - forget it. I refuse to go to the doctor unless I am truly "dying". ;)

I prefer to take herbs when I begin feeling "off". Dandelion tea made from the entire plant is always a good one, as well as Echinacea, Yarrow & Goldenrod. Among others, depending on what I need and what my taste buds are in the mood for. (Let's face it sometimes those teas' flavors really do suck, regardless of how much honey you "add to taste"!)

Recently, I found some remedies that are OMG! good! In fact, I could eat them all day...and what's so cool is that, it would be OK to do so because it's all healthy and delicious too!

Lemon~Ginger, Orange~Cinnamon~Clove, Lemon

The pretty little goodies in these nice little canning jars are easy to make, taste awesome, and are very healthy for you! And the perfect remedy for when you feel that "something" coming on.

(OK, to do the CYA thing - this may not cure you of what ever you may have coming on, but it will help to some degree and it certainly won't hurt (unless you're allergic to some of the ingredients - which is on you to alter the recipe, if that's the case). IF you're truly ill and can't shake it, then DUH! go see your physician to get the appropriate care you need.)

Now for the recipes!

Lemon
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Lemons (2-4 depending on canning jar size)

Lemon ~ Ginger
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Lemons (2 - 4 depending on canning jar size)
Ginger (1/2 - 1 teaspoon depending on how spicy you want it & canning jar size)

Orange ~ Cinnamon ~ Clove
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Oranges (1/2 - 1 depending on canning jar size)
Cloves (12 - 16 depending on how much you like cloves & canning jar size)
Cinnamon (2 2" sticks or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground, depending on how spicy you want it & canning jar size)

Slice the lemons or oranges cross-ways, and then each slice in half if it's too large for the jar.
Place the fruit slices loosely in the jar.
Cover with the honey.
Stir to distribute the honey over the fruit.
Place the sealed jar in the refrigerator.
The honey draws the juice from the fruits so you will need to stir the fruit & honey mixture several times a day over the next few days to mix the liquids together.
Over the next few weeks the honey will break down the fruit slices, and as you keep stirring them each day the fruits will break up and the honey-fruit syrup will form.
You can take bites of the liquid or wait until the fruits break down more before starting to take any.
As the liquid is depleted you can add more honey and/or fruit slices as necessary.
Without use or refilling, this will store for 2-3 months.

So simple to make, and soooo good to eat! Now, before you get to feeling yucky, go make some of this to have on hand. Take a bite every day for prevention, or once you begin to feel something coming on, at the latest. Either way, you're going to love this stuff! :)

Granny Tackett's Arthritis Tea & Tincture

Granny Tackett's Arthritis Tea & Tincture

Arthritis Tea
Ingredients:

3 T Juniper Berries (dried)

1 ½ c Dandelion Leaves (dried)

6 t White Willow Bark

2 t Orange Rind (dried)

2 T Egg Shell (dried, roasted, crushed)

Combine all of the above ingredients and store in a tight lidded jar out of sunlight.

Add 1 heaping Tablespoon to the automatic coffee maker filter (or tie up in a coffee filter), add the amount of water that will fill your cup, and make the tea. You will need to put the water back through at least 3 times, just pour the pot of hot water back in and let it run through its cycle each time. Once the tea looks about as strong as its going to get, then it's ready. If you're only placing the bagged tea in a cup to steep, then let it steep for at least 5 minutes, preferably longer.

1 T Black Strap Molasses

1 T Honey

Add the above for flavor as well as extra nutrition for the arthritis remedy.

Drink the tea a couple of times a day until your arthritis pains go away.

This will not cure the arthritis, but it will improve, if not completely relieve the discomfort.

Arthritis Tincture

Place all of the herbs listed above in a tight lidded jar, then pour vodka over the herbs to completely cover. Place in a dark cabinet, removing daily to shake the mixture completely. After 4-6 weeks remove the jar and strain out the herbs, squeezing to get as much of the tincture out of them as possible.


To use, place four 4 oz droppersful (not drops) of tincture into a cup of warm (not hot) water, add the molasses and honey and drink slowly.
  

My New Tea Recipe

My New Tea Recipe
With this move going on, the packing, the running around town getting things we need, planning all of the logistics of it all, we've run ourselves down terribly. Or at least weakened our systems enough to allow our bodies to develop flu-like symptoms, and in general just feel like we'd like to just crawl into bed and stay there.

But as we must get moving, in every sense of the word, I decided to work up a tea to kill what ever bug it is that's affecting me....hubby wouldn't drink a tea at gun point, so he'll just have to deal with his health problem his own way. So far, his isn't working. Mine, on the other hand, has my symptoms gone! I'll be making more today. Maybe a couple of times today. I want to feel as good as possible for the 1000 mile trip on Tuesday. I may not be able to fix my head, back, neck & shoulders (due to packing & lifting things - which I really shouldn't but have no choice in the matter), but I can certainly fix the rest of it!

So, here's my recipe:

3 cups water (in a coffee maker)
Coffee filter filled with:
1 Tablespoon Basil (Ocimum basilicum), crushed
1/4 cup Goldenrod flowers (Solidago spp.)
1/4 cup Yarrow flowers (Achillea millefolium)
1/4 cup Joe-Pye Weed leaves (Eupotorium purpureum), crushed
1/8 cup Plantain leaves (Plantago major or lanceolata), crushed
1 Mullein leaf (Verbascum thapsus), crushed

This will make quite a bit of tea. Only 1/2 cup of the tea mix is necessary per person.

Run the water through the coffee maker as usual, but then pour it back through 3 more times, for a total of 4 times through the coffee maker. It will get stronger with each brewing. Note: The 3 cups of water (per person) will reduce down to 2 cups by the 4th time through the coffee maker.

Add:
3 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 Lemon, juice & pulp

I must admit I was afraid it would taste like shit. LOL However, I was greatly surprised, as it was really, really good! Nothing's worse than having to take sucky tasting medicine. But this "medicine" tastes great! (At least in my humble opinion, anyway!)

So, why these particular plants? Well, here's what they're good for (some I need now, some I don't):

Basil:

Bowel functions, Constipation, Colds, Digestion, Flu, Gas, Insect bites, Menstrual cramps, Nausea, Vomiting

Goldenrod flowers:

Aquaretic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Arthritis, Allergies, Asthma, Bladder infections, Blood pressure, Cancer, Colds, Depression, Diabetes, Eczema, Flu, Gout, Hemorrhoids, Inflammation, Internal bleeding, Kidney stones, Laryngitis, Liver (enlarged), Muscle spasm relief, Rheumatic disorders, Sore throat, Tuberculosis, Urinary tract health, Wounds

Yarrow flowers:

Amenorrhea, Anesthetic, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Astringent, Baldness, Bowels, Bleeding & clotting, Blood purifier, Catarrh, Chicken Pox, Circulation, Colds & flu’s, Coughs, Cystitis, Diabetes, Digestion aid, Dyspepsia, Eczema, Fever, Gastritis, Glandular system, Gum problems, Headache, Hemorrhoids, Incense, Insect repellant, Liver stimulator & regulator, Lowers blood pressure, Lungs, Measles, Menstrual suppression & regulation, Nipple soreness, Nose bleeds, Peri-menopause, Slows heartbeat, Smallpox, Toothache, Thrombosis, Ulcers, Uterine tightener, Varicose veins, Vision

Joe-Pye Weed leaves:

Arthritis, Constipation, Diuretic, Fever, Flu, Gall Stone, Kidney Stones, Typhus, Urinary infections, Wound wash

Plantain leaves:

Appetite suppressant, Anti-toxic, Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-histamine, Asthma, Astringent, Aversion to Tobacco, Bladder problems, Blisters, Blood sugar control, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Cholesterol, Coughs, Cuts, Cystitis, Demulcent, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Dysentery, Emphysema, Expectorant, Fever, Gastritis, Hay Fever, Headaches, Hemorrhage, Hemorrhoids, Hypertension, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Peptic ulcers, Poison neutralizer, Rheumatism, Riboflavin, Scratches, Sinusitis, Stings, Styptic, Ulcers, Vitamin B1, Weariness, Wounds 

Mullein leaf:

AIDS virus, Analgesic, Anodyne, Anti-cancer, Antihistaminic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Arthritis, Asthma, Astringent, Bacteristat, Boils, Bone/cartilage builder, Bronchitis, Carbuncles, Cardio-depressant, Catarrhs, Chilblains, Colic, Congestion, Coughs, Croup, Demulcent, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Earache, Emollient, Estrogenic, Eczema, Expectorant, Frostbite, Fungicide, Gum & mouth ulcers, Hay fever, Hemorrhoids, Hypnotic, Insecticide, Insulation, Lighting & tinder & wick, Narcotic, Nervine, Pain reliever, Panic attacks, Pesticide, Pneumonia, Respiratory system, Sedative, Sinus problems, Spasmodic coughing, Stomach cramps, Sunburn, Toothache, Tuberculosis, Tumors, Ulcers, VD, Vulnerary and spasmodic coughs, Warts

Honey:

Anemia, Anti-bacterial, Arthritis, Bed-wetting, Burns, Calcium, Cancer, Colds, Conjunctivitis, Copper, Coughs, Digestive aid, Facial cleanser, Fatigue, Flu, Food preservative, Hair conditioner, Headaches, High protein (35%), Hydroscopic, Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Iron, Longevity, Magnesium, Mead, Migraines, Nasal congestion, Niacin, Osteoporosis, Phosphorous, Potassium, Pyridoxine, Riboflavin, Sodium, Sore throat, Stress, Thiamin, Vitamins B, C, D, & E

Lemon:

Antiscorbutic, Astringent, Cellulite, Cleaning agent, Culinary, Diuretic, Febrifuge, Headaches, Insect bites, Warts

So, if I drink this a couple of times a day while packing, with all that good stuff going on, I should be doing quite well!

ESSIAC Tea - The Cancer Patient's Tea

ESSIAC Tea - The Cancer Patient's Tea

I've had this recipe for years. I cannot verify that it is the exact ESSIAC Tea recipe, but the source I found it at was a reputable one (although, I don't remember what it was as it is not listed in my files).

I keep this recipe, and will make it up one day when I have all of the ingredients that I've grown myself or wildcrafted from my property. I do not trust what I can buy off-the-shelf or from bulk bins in a "health food" store. Those herbs could've been harvested over a year prior to even getting on the shelf. No thanks.

My family history is filled with cancer. My mother passed from lung cancer in 1996 at the age of 56. She was one of 12 siblings, 10 of whom have, have had, or have passed from cancer. My dad has skin cancer, yes, it's controlled, but his having it is of his own doing due to spending lots of time outside most of his life, plus living on a sailboat for 20-something years and traveling around the Pacific Ocean. But, the fact is, he has cancer. My sister had breast cancer at the age of 46.

So, with all of this family history of cancer, I tend to keep recipes, notes, articles, etc. on everything that has to do with natural ways to combat cancer. (There's another big one I discovered recently, but I'll save that information for another post).

While making this tea, I would be praying and doing healing spell work over it to bring even more power & energy into the tea. Once completed I would do a healing ritual over the bottles as well.

So, for those interested in a cancer prevention/curing tea that many swear by, but I've never tried myself as of yet, here is the recipe and directions on how to make it.  

******

The ESSIAC formula :

6 1/2 cups of Burdock Root (cut)

16 ounces of Sheep Sorrel herb (powder)

1 ounce of Turkey Rhubarb Root (powder)

4 ounces of Slippery Elm Bark (powder)

Preparation of ESSIAC herbal tea:

1.   Measure out 8 ounces of the Essiac mix (the dry formula above)

2.   Place two gallons of distilled water in a stainless steel kettle.

3.   Bring the water to a brisk boiling point (about 30 minutes)

4.   Put ESSIAC dry mix into the boiling water, stir and boil hard for about 10 minutes

5.   Allow to sit and cool slowly for six hours.

6.   After six hours, stir it thoroughly with a wooden or stainless tool

7.   Let it sit for another six hours

8.   Return kettle to stove and bring to a boil

9.   When the boiling point is reached, turn off the heat and pour the contents through a stainless strainer into a second stainless kettle

10. Clean the first kettle thoroughly

11. Strain the contents a second time from pot two to pot one

12. Bottle the herbal tea immediately into dark amber bottles and seal it while still hot

13. Store in refrigerator

Directions for use of ESSIAC:

Heat two ounces (four tablespoons) distilled water, then mix it with two ounces of ESSIAC tea taken directly from the refrigerator. ESSIAC should be taken at bed time on an empty stomach, at least two hours after eating. It can be taken in the morning on an empty stomach. If taken in the morning, do not eat for at least two hours after taking the ESSIAC. Keep the ESSIAC refrigerated at all times. Shake well each time before pouring.