Colleen Codekas - Healing Herbal Infusions: Simple and Effective Home Remedies for Colds, Muscle Pain, Upset Stomach, Stress, Skin Issues and More

Founder of Grow Forage Cook Ferment

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FOR JOEL AND SAWYER, MY TWO PARTNERS IN LIFE.

Before I delved into herbalism, much of it seemed difficult or beyond my capabilities. I didnt think that I had the knowledge or skills to make things such as tinctures and salves from scratch. But, when I finally set out to make my first infused oilafter putting it off for way too longI honestly couldnt believe how easy it was! It was definitely a light-bulb moment for me. I was making herbal medicine!

Putting dried herbs into jars, covering them with oil and then letting them sit for weeks is something that anyone can do. Beyond that, its merely a matter of choosing the right herbs and the infusing medium that will work best for your particular needsand this book can help you with that. All that you really need for these recipes are herbs, an infusing liquid and time.

Time. We could all use a little more of it, right? Thankfully, these recipes take very little time to put together. This is the real beauty of herbal infusions and why I love them so much. They do take time to sit and infuse and gather all of their herbal goodness into whatever medium they are infusing intooil, vinegar, honey, alcohol, water or glycerine. But the best part is that this is unattended time. This is time that the herbs are doing the work for you while you go about your business, waiting patiently for the outcome. What you end up with is an herbal remedy that you can either use as is, like a tincture, tea or infused vinegar, or you can transform it into something else, such as turning an infused oil into a healing salve, body butter or lip balm.

This book is meant to be a guide to help you choose the best herbal remedy for you and your loved ones. I have specially chosen these recipes to cover a wide range of common ailments and issues. Whether you or someone in your family is suffering from a common cold or flu, muscle or body aches, migraines or earaches, upset stomach or heartburn, anxious nerves or insomnia, dry skin or flaky scalp or even has a baby with diaper rash, this book has an herbal treatment for it, plus many more!

The recipes and remedies in this book are all quite simple to make and use herbs that are generally considered to be very safe for the entire family. There are a few exceptions for young children or those who are pregnant or who have specific medical conditions, and they have been noted as such. The formulas that Ive included make it easy for someone who is new to herbalism to have confidence in a recipe that is made for a certain ailment. Feel free to adjust the recipes if youd like, paying attention to the actions of the herbs so that you can find a suitable alternative for your particular needs. The herb profiles at the end of the book () and the herb profiles to come up with your own specific remedies.

When I took that very first infused oil that I madea mix of calendula, lavender and plantainand I turned it into a salve, I knew that I was embarking on the beginning of a long herbal journey. It felt right, like what I was meant to be doing. So, during the years, Ive expanded on that knowledge, using mostly foraged or homegrown herbs, flowers, roots, berries, bark and leaves. And now Im so pleased to be sharing all of that knowledge with you in this book. I hope that it will become a part of your herbal journey to natural wellness!

Before we begin, I have a few tips and tricks for you on how and where to acquire your herbs and flowers. I also explain whether you should use fresh or dried plantsand how to dry them yourself. And Ill give you some basics about the types of infusions that are covered in this book, how to make them and how to use and store them. Refer back to this section whenever you need help or reminders on how to begin or prepare for the recipes to follow. The reference section will tell you more about where to purchase some of the ingredients and equipment listed here.

Many of the herbs and flowers in this book can be grown in your garden or yard, or they can be wildcrafted (foraged) out in nature. I recommend using both of these methods as much as possible. I always say that the first step in the healing journey is to be out in nature with sunlight on your skin or raindrops on your face, along with getting the blood pumping through our veins by foraging or growing our own medicine.

It is imperative to use a wild plant guidebook or to go with an experienced forager to ensure that you are gathering the right plant. It is also of upmost importance to forage in areas that are free of toxins such as herbicides, pesticides and road runoff. Last, be sure to check where it is legal to collect plants in your area before you go. The following are some herbs used in this book that can be easily wildcrafted in many locations.

Birch bark (take only from dead or dying trees)

Burdock root

Chicory root

Chickweed

Dandelion root

Elderflowers & elderberries

Hawthorn berries

Horehound

Juniper berries

Lemon balm

Mullein

Nettle

Pine needles

Plantain

Red clover

Rose petals & hips

Skullcap

Saint Johns wort

Sunflower

Uva ursi

Violet leaf

White willow bark

Yarrow

This next group of herbs and flowers is great to have growing in a medicinal herb garden. For the most part, these herbs are easy to grow and require very little maintenance. Some of these herbs are perennial or self-seeding annuals, meaning they come back year after year!

Arnica (perennial)

Basil (annual, sometimes self-seeding)

Calendula (annual, self-seeding)

Cannabis (annual; make sure it is legal in your area before growing)

Catnip (perennial)

Cayenne pepper (annual, sometimes perennial in warmer climates)

Chamomile (annual, self-seeding)

Comfrey (perennial)

Echinacea (perennial)

Fennel (perennial)

Feverfew (perennial)

Garlic (annual)

Hibiscus (perennial in warmer climates)

Holy basil (perennial in warmer climates)

Horehound (perennial)

Lavender (perennial)

Lemon balm (perennial)

Marshmallow root (perennial)

Onion (annual)

Oregano (perennial)

Passionflower (perennial)