Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Homemade Chamomile Tincture Recipe

Remember the organic, whole flower Chamomile I told you about HERE
(I made tea with it)  It's even better with Vodka!
Organic, whole-flower Chamomile
Let me explain.  I haven't lost my mind or gone off the deep end.  I'm talking about herbal tinctures!  I won't get into the WHY of using alcohol because this guy explains it very well.

The most simple explanation is that the alcohol will extract the good stuff from the herbs and preserve it indefinitely (if stored properly).  The actual alcohol content is minor considering you will only consume 2-10 drops at a time.

As I said yesterday...Making herbal tinctures  for the first time may seem like a daunting task.  Or maybe you think herbal remedies are for granola-eating, tree-hugging dirty hippies.  (I happened to like hippies)

What do you think people did before they had an over-flowing medicine full of junk for that "nightime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever"???  (Blah...That stuff gives me nightmares!)

They made their own medicine!  And it worked!

I have posted about the health benefits of Chamomile before...
Chamomile can be used topically or orally to treat a number of everyday ailments, such as:
Insomnia and other sleep disorders
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Muscle twitches
Wounds, burns, and scrapes
Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash
Stomach problems such as menstrual cramps, stomach flu, and ulcers


To make your tincture you'll need:
Glass jar *Re-use a pasta sauce jar*
1 cup Dried whole-flower Chamomile
2 cups Vodka
1 cup boiling water

I chose to use dried herbs because I have them on hand.  Because I am using dried herbs I do not need to use 100 proof alcohol and I skipped the water.  There are tons of recipes out there.  When I use fresh herbs I'll use Everclear instead of vodka.
I used organic, whole-flower Chamomile from Mary's Tincture Shop in the Mary's Tincture Shop section.

Directions:
Make sure your jar is clean.  Place the herbs in the jar and Add vodka (and water). Cover tightly with a lid.

Shake or agitate once a week.  Tincture is ready in 4-6 weeks.
Strain out herbs and place in a clean jar.
Dosage for Adults: approx 1 teaspoon 1-3 times per day as needed.  Not for long-term use.

I thought I might share another recipe from Wellness mama:
Ingredients:


1/2 to 1 cup of fresh or freshly dried Chamomile flowers

approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups boiling water

approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups vodka or rum

Quart size glass jar with airtight lid



Directions:


1. Put fresh or dried Chamomile flowers in clean quart size glass jar
2. Pour boiling water over flowers to just cover them (may have to stir)
3. Fill the rest of the jar with vodka or rum (do not use rubbing alcohol or non-consumable alcohol!) and tightly cover with airtight lid.
4. Store in a cool, dark place and shake daily for 4-6 weeks. This will make a strong tincture!
5. After 4-6 weeks, remove from cabinet, and pour through a cheesecloth or strainer. Store in a jar or in tincture vials for easy use.
6. Normal dose for adults is up to 1 tsp 1-3 times a day as needed. For infants, only a few drops are needed, and often it can be rubbed on the gums or stomach for teething or colic pain. For toddlers and older children 1/4 to 1/2 tsp can be taken 1-3 times a day while needed. It is especially useful for babies and young children who are having difficulty sleeping. A dose right before bedtime can help relax and sooth them for more peaceful sleep.

Disclaimer: Chamomile is contraindicated during pregnancy. Not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

23 comments:

Bonnie said...

A friend gave me jars and jars of dried herbs. Now I know what to do with them. Thank you!!

Bonnie
www.HungryChickenHomestead.com

Mary Smith said...

Wonderful! I'm working on basil next. Thanks for stopping by Bonnie!

Heavenly Bodies said...

This is great, pinning it thanks.

Lisa Lynn said...

Thanks for the info on making a chamomile tincture :) I am getting a Frontier Herbs order ready and just might have to put chamomile on the order.
Thanks so much for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/01/the-homeacre-hop-4.html

i am mama lola said...

i will definitely be trying this! thanks so much for sharing! stopping in from weekend wonders link party.

Turnips 2 Tangerines said...

Stopping by from Aloha Blog Hop!! Wonderful and informative blog!! Lynn H @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

Ladies Holiday said...

This is so cool! I love home remedies-back to basics! Thanks for sharing on photo Friday- it's also cool to see what my favorite kind of tea looked like au natural.

Happy weekend!

Katherines Corner said...

awesome! Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things hop xo

Kelly Blackwell @ Heres My Take On It said...

Wonderful information. I had no idea of all the things that chamomile could help. Thank you for sharing.

http://heresmytakeonit.blogspot.com/

TabbyAnn said...

Very nice! Tabby from http://www.shoppingwives.com

Debra Howard said...

Great posts on making tinctures. I enjoy herbs and essential oils. I think I may need to add tinctures to that list. You gained a new follower today!
Blessings to you
Debra

Unknown said...

This is awesome. What an opportunity to learn how to make a tincture. Thanks so much for sharing!

Your follower blogging @ Lipoid Pneumonia, Breast Cancer & Petroleum Jelly

Becca said...

I love that there are so many natural remedies to health issues!
Thanks for sharing at A Humble Bumble :)

Unknown said...

What a great idea. I dislike having to use mass produced prescriptions because I usually have strange reactions to them! I love hearing about how you made it as I have noticed recipes before but I was always sure they would be very time consuming and hard- boy was I wrong!

Thanks for linking up to the Healthy Tuesdays Blog Hop.

DontSayHurry said...

Ha.... I remember seeing jars on top of my great-grandmas kitchen cabinets and thought they were just for decoration, guess not!

We don't have alcohol in the house, but now I know what to do if we ever get some.

-Cinella @ The Mami Blog
http://cjrthemamiblog.blogspot.com

Michelle O said...

With modern medicine it's easy to forget to get back to nature... Thank you so much for sharing this at The Purple Pumpkin Blog! Hope to see you again at the next party

Have a wonderful week
Michelle xx

Anonymous said...

Tincturing is so easy and just such a great way to make medicine. Love the great, easing to follow instructions!!
Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!

Unknown said...

The Chamomile is Historic plant , the most popular and the best for health is Hungarian chamomile and german , It is said that Use Before The era of the Pharaohs , The ancient Egyptians revere this herb because They help them in healing many Diseases ...

Chamomile benefits - Historical herb with helpful benefits >>>>>> http://bestnaturalife.blogspot.com/2013/09/chamomile-benefits-historical-herb-with.html

Unknown said...

hi thankyou for your post.. so this is safe to put on a babys gums .. chamomile.. i read alot how essential oils are not good for babies under a certain age.. my daughter is teething and thinking of mixing this up for her
also how would you use this recipe for adults....

OwlLovingApril said...

Dosage for Adults: approx 1 teaspoon 1-3 times per day as needed. Not for long-term use.

Why couldn't this be used long term? I drink chamomile tea nearly every day, what would the difference be? The alcohol?

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