As I write articles in my Basic Herbalism series, I realized that many people do not have any idea of the ways that Herbs and Spices are used not just in Herbalism, but in our everyday lives. I also realize that I tend to use a sort of Herbal Vocabulary when I am writing these articles. Below I have included some clues to what I am talking about, these are part definition and part reasons to use different methods in herbalism (or Folk Medicine if you prefer).

These are some of the types of products we can (and often do) make for ourselves;

* Herbal Bath Salts

Bath salts are a healing and nourishing addition to any bath. They can be relaxing or invigorating depending on what herbs and oils you add to your salts.

* Herbal Compress

A Compress is made of a cloth soaked in an herbal tea then wrung out and laid on the affected area.

* Herbal Decoctions

A decoction is an herbal preparation made by simmering plant material in water until the water is reduced by half. Decoctions are most often made from Hard plant materials like bark, roots and seed. Decoctions are a very effective way for extracting nutrients and other constituents.

* Herbal Fomentation

A Fomentation is a compress applied to the body and kept warm.

* Herbal Glycerites

An herbal Glycerite is uses Glycerin as an alternative to alcohol for tincture making, for those who wish to make tinctures without alcohol.

* Herbal Infused Oils

Infusing herbs in oil extracts fats and fat soluble nutrients as well as volatile oils from the plants. Mostly we use these oils as a part of other remedies, however they can be massaged directly into the skin.

* Herbal Liniments

A liniment is an herbal preparation made by infusing herbs in rubbing or grain alcohol. The liniment is applied to the skin allowing the herbs to penetrate quickly and do things such as relieving sore muscles and increasing circulation.

* Herbal Lip Balms

What you may not know about commercial lip balms is that many of them actually damage the skin of your lips and make them dry and cracked. By using infused Oils and Bees Wax (and maybe flavoring oils) you can get an effective healing lip balm made just the way you want it.

* Herbal Lotions

Using a Herbal Infused Oil and an Herbal Decoction (or an Herbal tea) plus and Emulsifier (to keep it well mixed) we can make our own lotions which far exceed anything you can buy in the store!

* Herbal Lozenges

Herbal throat lozenges. Both simple dried Lozenges and Hard Candy Lozenges.

* Herbal Poultices

A poultice is mashed plant material applied directly to the body on the affected area or wrapped in thin cloth and then applied.

* Herbal Salves

Salves are great for small cuts, bug bites, fungal infections, itchy skin, recent tattoo’s and many more skin problems. By making your own Salve you can make exactly the right Salve for what you need. By making your own Salve you also have the advantage of using better ingredients than the commercial equivalent.

* Herbal Soaps

Herbal soaps combine the properties of the healing properties of the Oils and Herbs you choose into a topical cleaner for your body.

* Herbal Succus (juices)

Also know recently as a Nourishing Infusion (since the term succus is no longer in general use.) A succus is an herbal preparation where one ounce of a herb is allowed to steep in boiled water for at least 4 hours. These nourishing herbs are very much like food for our bodies. They are high in vitamins and minerals and are a great way to get nutrients. When we drink them, our bodies are much more able to use them than when they are taken in pill form.

* Herbal Syrups

A syrup is an preparation made by adding honey to an herbal decoction or infusion. The honey adds another healing component to the preparation as well as making it sweeter.

* Herbal Tea

Teas are a simple and effective herbal preparation. Teas are made by steeping dried herbs in boiled water for about 20 minutes, straining and drinking. Do not boil water with the Herbs in it!

* Herbal Tinctures

Tinctures are made by infusing herbs in alcohol. Making a tincture is a great way of preserving the medicinal constituents of herbs since tinctures have shelf life of several years. Tinctures are a very convenient way of getting herbs into our systems since tincture dosages tend to be measured by drops.

* Herbal Tooth Powder

Tooth powders can be used instead of toothpaste for brushing teeth.

* Herbal Vinegars

Herbal vinegars are made by infusing herbs in vinegar. The vinegar will extract the nutritive qualities from the plant herbs. We can use these vinegars as salad dressings or in our cooking to add these vitamins and minerals to our diet.

* Herbal Wash

An herbal wash is an herbal tea splashed on an affected area of the body.

My current plans are to write articles on all of the above subjects, watch for them here or at my website!

I see herbalism as a sort of self sufficiency project. When I putz around the house and there is a child with a cough, I need a multi vitamin, or I notice something wrong I just go and brew up a cure instead of running to the store and really not knowing what I will end up with. To be sure I always have 40 or 50 mason jars around the house with different herbs in them and I have many different oils, but I know that I save a lot of money and come out with a better product by making what I need myself.

As I write articles in my Basic Herbalism series, I realized that many people do not have any idea of the ways that Herbs and Spices are used not just in Herbalism, but in our everyday lives. I also realize that I tend to use a sort of Herbal Vocabulary when I am writing these articles. Below I have included some clues to what I am talking about, these are part definition and part reasons to use different methods in herbalism (or Folk Medicine if you prefer).

These are some of the types of products we can (and often do) make for ourselves;

* Herbal Bath Salts

Bath salts are a healing and nourishing addition to any bath. They can be relaxing or invigorating depending on what herbs and oils you add to your salts.

* Herbal Compress

A Compress is made of a cloth soaked in an herbal tea then wrung out and laid on the affected area.

* Herbal Decoctions

A decoction is an herbal preparation made by simmering plant material in water until the water is reduced by half. Decoctions are most often made from Hard plant materials like bark, roots and seed. Decoctions are a very effective way for extracting nutrients and other constituents.

* Herbal Fomentation

A Fomentation is a compress applied to the body and kept warm.

* Herbal Glycerites

An herbal Glycerite is uses Glycerin as an alternative to alcohol for tincture making, for those who wish to make tinctures without alcohol.

* Herbal Infused Oils

Infusing herbs in oil extracts fats and fat soluble nutrients as well as volatile oils from the plants. Mostly we use these oils as a part of other remedies, however they can be massaged directly into the skin.

* Herbal Liniments

A liniment is an herbal preparation made by infusing herbs in rubbing or grain alcohol. The liniment is applied to the skin allowing the herbs to penetrate quickly and do things such as relieving sore muscles and increasing circulation.

* Herbal Lip Balms

What you may not know about commercial lip balms is that many of them actually damage the skin of your lips and make them dry and cracked. By using infused Oils and Bees Wax (and maybe flavoring oils) you can get an effective healing lip balm made just the way you want it.

* Herbal Lotions

Using a Herbal Infused Oil and an Herbal Decoction (or an Herbal tea) plus and Emulsifier (to keep it well mixed) we can make our own lotions which far exceed anything you can buy in the store!

* Herbal Lozenges

Herbal throat lozenges. Both simple dried Lozenges and Hard Candy Lozenges.

* Herbal Poultices

A poultice is mashed plant material applied directly to the body on the affected area or wrapped in thin cloth and then applied.

* Herbal Salves

Salves are great for small cuts, bug bites, fungal infections, itchy skin, recent tattoo’s and many more skin problems. By making your own Salve you can make exactly the right Salve for what you need. By making your own Salve you also have the advantage of using better ingredients than the commercial equivalent.

* Herbal Soaps

Herbal soaps combine the properties of the healing properties of the Oils and Herbs you choose into a topical cleaner for your body.

* Herbal Succus (juices)

Also know recently as a Nourishing Infusion (since the term succus is no longer in general use.) A succus is an herbal preparation where one ounce of a herb is allowed to steep in boiled water for at least 4 hours. These nourishing herbs are very much like food for our bodies. They are high in vitamins and minerals and are a great way to get nutrients. When we drink them, our bodies are much more able to use them than when they are taken in pill form.

* Herbal Syrups

A syrup is an preparation made by adding honey to an herbal decoction or infusion. The honey adds another healing component to the preparation as well as making it sweeter.

* Herbal Tea

Teas are a simple and effective herbal preparation. Teas are made by steeping dried herbs in boiled water for about 20 minutes, straining and drinking. Do not boil water with the Herbs in it!

* Herbal Tinctures

Tinctures are made by infusing herbs in alcohol. Making a tincture is a great way of preserving the medicinal constituents of herbs since tinctures have shelf life of several years. Tinctures are a very convenient way of getting herbs into our systems since tincture dosages tend to be measured by drops.

* Herbal Tooth Powder

Tooth powders can be used instead of toothpaste for brushing teeth.

* Herbal Vinegars

Herbal vinegars are made by infusing herbs in vinegar. The vinegar will extract the nutritive qualities from the plant herbs. We can use these vinegars as salad dressings or in our cooking to add these vitamins and minerals to our diet.

* Herbal Wash

An herbal wash is an herbal tea splashed on an affected area of the body.

My current plans are to write articles on all of the above subjects, watch for them here or at my website!

Michael Dewayne Kelly is an Herbalist based in Missouri’s Ozarks and is putting together an Internet Community of regular folk who just happen to believe that herbs are a good addition to proper Nutrition and Exercise in living a healthy life. Come join “The Herb People” community at http://theherbpeople.com.

Tea tree oil, lavender essential oil, and peppermint essential oil are the three types of oils most recommended by herbalists for their ability to neutralize the toxicity of a bug bite, stave off itchiness, and reduce skin inflammation. An undiluted drop or two of any of these oils can be applied directly onto the skin or bug bite, or add a few drops into clay, honey, or baking soda mixtures first to increase their efficacy. If you want another essential oil to keep bugs away, choose one that has a spicy, pungent, or woodsy odor, such as cedar wood, citronella, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

The plantain plant makes its home along the roadways and in the backyards of American homes as an unassuming weed. Give it a closer look and learn about its “drawing” properties and you have another treatment for bug bites. Simply take the fresh herb (or you can dry it out), chop it finely, add water, and then apply this mixture to a sting or bite. You should feel the area begin to warm; this means that the toxins are being drawn from the skin. Continue adding more plantain to the bite until the swelling and pain has subsided.

Although harmful in other forms, tobacco as a topical herb possesses many medicinal properties. A small bunch of loose tobacco leaves, combined with water or apple cider and turned into a paste, can be applied topically to a bite to help ease pain and can remain on the skin until the swelling has subsided. However, if you notice the area becoming irritated, wash away the paste completely.

The next time you’re looking to find a way to stop the bugs from bugging you, look no further than at what nature has provided for you!

The most important parts of the garlic plant are its cloves. Garlic cloves are well known for treating infections, especially infections of the chest area. They are also known to be effective against digestive disorders and fungal infections, including yeast infections. Garlic cloves have also been successfully used to as a viable long-term treatment for cardiovascular problems. They have been shown to effectively reduce excessive cardiovascular levels, atherosclerosis, and they have been shown to reduce the risk of thrombosis. Garlic cloves have also been shown to dilate peripheral blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Garlic cloves have also been shown to regulate blood sugar levels, and may prove particularly effective in the treatment of adult-onset diabetes. Moreover, recent research shows that garlic may act as a preventative against cancer. Garlic cloves can also be applied topically to treat a variety of skin disorders and infections, including acne. As with most other herbs, garlic is best used fresh.

There are many popular applications for garlic that can be easily prepared at home. Several examples are:

• for the treatment of skin infections, corns, warts or acne, you can mash fresh garlic cloves and apply topically
• eating garlic cloves regularly is also recommended for protecting against any number of infections, as well as for the health benefits that include lower cholesterol levels, improved quality of the cardiovascular system, and lower blood sugar levels
• for the treatment of severe digestive disorders, including dysentery, worms, and gastroenteritis, the consumption of 3-6 crushed cloves daily is recommended.

For the treatment of intestinal parasites, a maceration is recommended. Simply seep 3-4 garlic cloves in water or milk overnight and drink the next day. Garlic can also be easily consumed in capsule form. Garlic powder is recommended. Recent clinical trials have shown that to prevent further heart attacks in individuals who have already suffered a heart attack, 2 g of garlic powder in capsules taken daily is recommended. An alternative to garlic powder capsules are the commercial ‘pearl’ capsules. However, be aware that these more deodorized versions are also apt to be less effective.

Be aware that garlic can irritate sensitive stomachs, and it is not recommended to take therapeutic doses during pregnancy or lactation.

- relief from asthma attacks
- promotion of restful sleep
- relief from the inflammation, and thus the pain, of arthritis.

British researchers tested feverfew on migraine sufferers and found that 7 out of 10 reported either fewer or less painful migraines. Some people reported that feverfew aided with depression as well. The leaves of the plant are usually consumed. The most frequent side effect was mouth ulcers, and use should be discontinued if this occurs.

There are commercial tinctures of feverfew available, or it can be grown at home.

Feverfew is easy to grow in the US and Europe, as it is a relative of the mint family. It grows as a tall (12-24″ or more) bushy plant, which displays a large number of small white flowers, reminiscent of small daisies. Once planted, it will spread by self seeding and sending out runners. It emerges in the spring, and will continue to grow and bloom all summer if flowers are pinched back.

To use medicinally, ingest 1 medium sized leaf per day. There are very few recipes for feverfew available. You may want to try putting it into a tossed salad, along with other fresh herbs. Another approach would be to sprinkle chopped feverfew leaves on top of marinara sauce. It could be made into pesto, using your favorite nuts.

In summary, the potential benefits of feverfew are many, and this important natural herbal remedy should not be overlooked as a treatment for many common health problems. If additional information about feverfew is desired, you may want to try “Googling” this term. There will be a wealth of information available on the internet.