April 18, 2007

Herbal recipes

Herbs according to herbalists are defined broadly as medicinal and cosmetic plants. Any plant that has medicinal properties is considered as herbs this include trees, shrubs, mushrooms, lichens, fruits and vegetables that has medicinal properties. There are a number of herbal recipes that are used for health and healing purposes. But the most powerful herbs can be worthless if the proper herbal recipes are not followed.

The herbal recipes or combinations can change the dried or fresh herbs into a medicine that can be ingested or used in topical applications such as skin salve or massage oil. Herbal recipes for tinctures and body oils can be made from fresh or dried herbs. The best herbal recipes to extract the herb's properties differ from herb to herb. For instance, St. John's wort, oat berries and feverfew will lose their effect when dried. Essential oils in fragrant herbs such as peppermint and chamomile are lost if such herbs are dried. Some herbs require herbal recipes that involve drying such as comfrey and calendula flowers because they contain a great deal of water and the final product might come out too diluted if not dried. Some herbal recipes are better than the other preparations when it comes to treating a particular illness. For instance, aloe vera lotion might be better than aloe vera salve in treating burn. Most herbal recipes or preparations are available from natural food stores. Or you can prepare your own herbal recipes. In choosing the herbal recipes, you should consider availability, cost, convenience and effectiveness. In a number of herbal recipes you would find out that the necessary ingredient is not herbs but the essential oils that are derived from herbs. These essential oils contain a host of medicinal properties of the herbs where they were extracted. Moderation in using herbal recipes should be observed in order to prevent overdose. Herbal recipes are oftentimes used externally. Some herbal recipes are to be used internally.

The following are samples of herbal recipes:

HERBAL ICED TEA
Boil water and pour into a pitcher. Add a handful or so of the tea blend and allow to steep in the refrigerator for about two hours. Strain off the tea material and pour into another pitcher. Sweeten with honey and add lemon slices if you like. Serve with ice.

Tea for nervous tension:
1 1/3 oz. St. John's Wort
1 oz. Lemon Balm Leaves
1 oz. Valerian
Use 1 tsp. of the herb mixture per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min., strain, sweeten if necessary. Drink a cup of this tea before going to bed each night for several weeks to calm overwrought nerves, lift depression, and help you fall asleep more easily.
Tea for coughing fits:
1 1/3 oz. St. John's Wort
2/3 oz. Thyme
2/3 oz. Linden Flowers
Use 1 tsp. of the herb mixture per cup of boiling water to soothe irritations of the upper respiratory tract that cause coughing. Steep for 5-10 min., strain, sweeten if necessary. This tea is helpful with bronchitis and whooping cough.
Tea for migraines:
1 2/3 oz. St. John's Wort
1 oz Valerian
1 oz. Linden Flowers
1/4 oz. Juniper Berries
Use 1 tsp. of the mixture per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min, strain and sweeten. This tea helps dilate blood vessels and improve circulation. If your headaches are triggered by weather, drink the tea as the weather is changing