Making and Using Herbal Tinctures: DIY // Wormwood, Lemongrass, Catnip and Common Yarrow

Last year I made a little essential  oil bottle of wormwood tincture. This year, I'm moving forwards :)

On a windowsill I grew lemongrass and catnip, so I thought why not making a few drops of tincture out of these two? Basically, I wanted to make tinctures because I love the scent of these two herbs. And then I added the 4th hero - common yarrow that was already dried for tea and getting bored in the kitchen sideboard. I still have a plan to make also Valerian root tincture this year, but the time to dig out those roots hasn't arrived yet. Patience, nature always teaches us patience. Making tinctures does the same thing as you need to wait until they are ready.

So, the only herbal tincture I've made so far is wormwood tincture. The other 3 -  Lemongrass, Catnip and Common Yarrow tinctures are my first-time projects.  To be honest, I still don't really know how I'll use them and how well they are going to work, but so far after 2 weeks of sitting covered in alcohol, they smell nicely, and I even hope I might use them later for aromatic purposes as well. Ok, let's see, how it goes. 

DIY: Make Your Own Tinctures

Old witches usually have kitchen shelves full of herbs sinking in liquids of different colors. Of course, mean witches have not just herbs but also animals like snakes and frogs stuffed in jars and bottles. Yeah, all witches are making tinctures out of everything that can be found in nature. Aaand you don't have to be an old witch from fairy-tale book or horror movie to make your own herbal tinctures. It's actually easy. 

You need:

• Fresh or dried herbs
• Jar with a tight fitting lid
• 40% / 80 proof alcohol (vodka, brandy, whiskey or rum). You can also use stronger alcohol.

Internet resources tell that those who avoid any kind and doses of alcohol can substitute it with apple cider vinegar.

To make a herbal extract called tincture stuff finely chopped, broken or shred fresh or dried herbs into a jar, pour over it strong alcohol, cover with a lid, shake and leave the jar in a dark, cool place where herbs can soak into alcohol for about 4 weeks to 3 months, shaking the jar once a day to mix and coat herbs and alcohol. When the time comes, strain the liquid through a cheese cloth (most likely in more than just one layer) and it's done!

As alcohol is a natural preservative, tinctures can be stored even for 3-5 years without losing their properties, but if you are substituting alcohol with apple cider vinegar those tinctures might last just a few months, oh, and they should also be called extracts. The name "tincture" is earned for extracts made with alcohol.

While I'm waiting when my tinctures will be ready and I'll be able to check these tinctures on myself, I'm trying to collect ways of using tinctures or understanding their medicinal properties, usage and healing powers. 

Wormwood tincture

+ Stimulates digestion (helps to deal with overeating)

+ Relieves constipation

+ Expels intestinal worms

+ Calms down nerves, alleviates stress, tension and anxiety, mild sedative

+ Helps to relieve gastric pain

+ Helps to treat common cold and fever
+ Relieves menstrual pain

+Applied externally relieves arthritis and rheumatism pain

+ Improves appetite

+ Insect and moth repellent 

- Long-term use can cause nausea and insomnia

- Restricted for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women

- Overdosing can cause poisoning

Lemongrass tincture

+ Mild sedative that treats insomnia and helps to calm down nerves

+Anti-fungal and antibacterial treatment

+ Relieves stomach ache and spasms 

+ Treats upset stomach, stomach flu, diarrhea and vomiting

+ Analgesic that relieves headache

+ Aids digestive system

+ Digestive tract and liver cleanser with diuretic properties

+ Helps to fight free radicals

+ Immune system supporter

+ Skin tissue and muscle toner

+ Diluted can be applied to the skin externally to treat acne and Athlete's foot

+ Diluted can be massaged into skin to remove lower back pain, rheumatism and sprains

+ Massage oil with lemongrass tincture can improve blood circulation

+ Mixed with shampoo treats oily hair

Catnip tincture

+ Mild sedative that helps to relieve stress and anxiety

+ Eases stress related health issues like headache, migraines

+ Alleviates mental disorders

+ Sleep inducer that treats insomnia

+ It is anti-spasmodic muscle relaxant 

+ Reduces menstrual cramps

+ Helps to treat colds, flu and fever

+ Improves appetite, digestive system stimulant

+ Some sources claim that it protects from having nightmares while sleeping

+ Can be used topically to remove arthritis pain and repel mosquitoes

- Not advised for pregnant women, as it might cause uterus contractions

Common Yarrow tincture

+ Treats cold, flu and reduces fever

+ Stops bleeding nose, ulcers and hemorrhoids

+ Reduces menstrual cramps and heavy menstrual bleeding

+ Helps to treat varicose veins and protruding blood vessels

+ Removes swelling 

+ Helps to heal bruises and wounds, and prevents infections

+ Topically used as skin toner to treat acne, eczema, wrinkles and oily skin

+ Strengthens hair, but usable only for treating oily hair

- Not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women

How to Use Herbal Tinctures?

Many tinctures are not suitable for children, and if using, do it with a caution and in small doses like a few drops added to a cup of tea or juice. Adults can use from a few drops to a teaspoon of a tincture for up to 3 times a day. They can be ingested pure or mixed into hot tea. Tinctures definitely are not suitable for everyday use, for example, like vitamins, but they surely make a great home medicine chest. Treating any specific health condition don't use any tincture for more than 9 days in a row. 

Herbal tinctures can be used topically as well - applied neat or diluted with a carrier oil and massaged into skin on specific condition affected area. Take in account that all commercially produced and also self-made products containing alcohol can dry out your skin, so don't use on face, hair and large body areas if you already have dry skin. Using tinctures on small body areas shouldn't cause any problems. You can also add tinctures to bath water, feet bath, compresses, self-made healing balms and salves.

Please, be aware that individual results might not be the same for two different people  - yes, we  are all humans, but not that similar as it looks from apart as we have individual body characteristics and health conditions.

So, what are your experiences with self-made tinctures? What are your favorite tinctures? Share your knowledge and experience - it might be useful for other readers (and I'm curious as well)!

Read also here:
Herbal Tinctures II: Pine Needles and Valerian Root

Sedative Herbal Teas for Restful Sleep

Did you sleep well the last night? Have you ever thought how important sleep is? Do you know what happens to your brain and body when you sleep? Are you mesmerized by all that magic around dreaming? Since childhood I've been experimenting with my own sleep. Of course, firstly I cared about dreams - explaining them, understanding them, learning to master them - that's all because I had some dream interpretation dictionaries and vivid dreams. Basically, I was literally a sleeping psychonaut without really knowing what I'm doing. Later I got into dream periods that started to disturb me and didn't allow me to get restful sleep, so I had to find the way to master my sleep and understand  what happens to my brain and body when I'm asleep and how I could improve my sleep quality.  Sure, I had the answer in my hands even before I turned 20 - sedative, sleep inducing herbs! Herbal tea became my passion. Now I know that there is a lot more to do to improve my sleep quality and herbal tea is just a little piece of the entire puzzle, although a truly helpful and important piece. Sleep truly is a puzzle even when you ask about it to a scientist. 

When it comes to the science of sleep it's clear that sleep has a cyclic form that is related to brainwave activity and your entire body goes through different stages of relaxation. We also know that it's important to get quality sleep to let our brain and body grow, develop, rest and charge for functioning properly and working productively. Basically, that's all what the science actually tells us. Honestly, going through researches and studies conducted by people who are professionally educated in this field I've just found that sleep still is a pretty big mystery - a really charming mystery.

This time - sedative herbs that will help you to sleep better! Nope, that's not about herbs that induce dreams (and remembering them) - we will talk about it some other time. Right now - let's get to peaceful sleep with a cup of herbal tea!

• Meadowsweet - the smell of Meadowsweets alone can take you into relaxed state of mind - it's really sweet and calming, especially if you get into the meadow full of these precious flowers. Meadowsweet tea is a natural  painkiller that soothes your mind as well, helps to calm down, alleviate stress and fall asleep easier. Here is a short, informative article about Meadowsweet I've previously shared on this blog:  Calming and Sweet Scented Meadowsweet

• Chamomile - this little flower is the silent queen and probably the most popular  sedative tea that can be used by each and every one, including very sensitive people and children. It also has pain reliving properties, for example strong chamomile infusion will definitely help women to ease menstrual pain. Muscle spasms, rheumatic pain,  inflammation and insomnia can be treated by help of chamomile. I have never heard of anyone overdosing chamomile or getting sick of it. It really is mild and gentle, and helpful as well. It can be easily combined with other herbs to prepare tasty sedative herbal tea blends.

• Catnip - yes, the same herb that makes our little fellows cats to "get high". It doesn't get people "high" although some people who have tried to smoke it report pretty interesting effects of catnip on their mind. Now we are talking about tea made of catnip - tasty, sedative herb that alleviates headache and migraines, helps to fight cold and flu, reduces stress, anxiety and helps to beat insomnia. You can drink catnip tea or make tasty herbal blend combining catnip with chamomile. Little warning here: catnip also can have diuretic effects on your body. It means - if you are sensitive to diuretic herbs it might disturb your sleeping time as it will make you to wake up to go to the bathroom, but catnip definitely is not on the list of strongest diuretic herbs. It's definitely on the list of best sedative teas. 

• Hops - the same magic ingredient that's used to make beer, but it doesn't mean that beer would help you to get better night's sleep. Alcohol can make you to fall asleep faster, but it doesn't help your body to rest fully and peacefully while you are sleeping, not even that famous glass of wine right before bedtime. Beer won't help, while hops will do! Muscle spasms and cramps, anxiety and insomnia - hops tea can deal with them all. 

• St. John's Wort - effective (and scientifically recognized) natural anti-depressant that helps to fight appetite loss, tiredness, migraines, mood swings, muscle and nerve pains. This is interesting how one herb can be sedative and uplifting at the same time, but nature knows what it does. St. John's wort is balancing herb, but lack of  inner balance is the biggest trouble nowadays that cause insomnia and other sleeping disorders for people around the world. 

• Lemon Balm/Melissa - another calming, anxiety reducing and sleep quality improving herb. You can also combine lemon balm with other sleep improving herbs mentioned here. Besides helping you to sleep better, lemon balm improves digestion, decreases anxiety and, accordingly to scientific studies, helps to treat Alzheimer's disease.

• Valerian root - very strong natural sedative. So strong that it's not advised to use it too often. Stress, anxiety, insomnia - they really should get taken away by help of Valerian root tea as it works on your central nervous system. Basically if you are looking for sleep aid because you can't calm down your mind, stop worrying about past or future or have gone through very strong emotional experiences during the day etc. - reach our for Valerian root. I just wouldn't advice to make it a part of your daily before-sleep ritual - for that you have other herbs that are sedative, but not that strong that this one. If you are very sensitive  to different natural remedies, try it using a really small dose. Valerian root provides deep and restful sleep, although many users also report pretty crazy, vivid dreams after using it before bedtime. 

Any other tea? 

If you have some other natural, herbal tea at home and you are not sure if that wouldn't disturb your night's sleep there are some questions to ask (ask your tea and if it doesn't answer - probably Google search might help): 

1) Is it diuretic? If yes, don't drink before bedtime or you will have to wake up to run to the toilet. For example, dandelion and stinging nettle are well know diuretic herbs.

2) Does it contain caffeine? For example, green tea contains it. Caffeine is stimulant that can increase blood pressure and heart rate - such stimulants are good for your mornings, but definitely not an option for bedtime - they make it hard to fall asleep, not to mention that they might make you to wake up during the night.

That's my catnip and lemon balm growing indoors :)

Sleep is important. Take care of quality of your sleep, and your sleep will take care of reduced stress levels, increased energy, better health and productive brain! 

If you want to share your stories about these or some other herbal teas that you have tried for improving sleep, feel free to comment below the article!