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What is an Elixir and How do I Make One?

10/22/2016

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According to Merriam Webster:


 The Word "Elixir" has roots in the practice of alchemy; it was used in the Middle Ages as the word for a substance believed able to alter base metals into gold. Its later use for a drug purported to prolong one’s life led to its use in the names of medicines of mostly questionable effectiveness. Today, it is often used generally for anything thought capable of remedying all ills or difficulties, be they physical or otherwise. The word came to us via Middle English and Medieval Latin from Arabic al-iksīr; it probably ultimately derives from a Greek word meaning "desiccative powder."
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Interestingly you can see that from a history of the word, it does have its roots in some crazy ideas, some might even argue that the roots of the word are a bit dark and foreboding.  Live forever, turn metals to gold and love potion elixirs were all very popular beliefs associated with the term during Medieval times.


Just as we have come a long way in our understanding of medicine since those times we have also cast of ideas of turning random metals to gold and attempting to live forever.  In modern times the word “Elixir” refers to a medicinal concoction or a sweetened liquid usually containing some form of alcohol that is used in medication as a flavoring or for its medicinal compounds.

Typically today one can find elixirs in the cough and cold section of your local pharmacy and interestingly enough if you take a stroll down the beauty aisle you will still see the word thrown about on a variety of anti-aging lotions and serums marketed to the woman who wants to look forever youthful.

I do want to stick a warning in here, I am a Christian and therefore careful where I source my information, I say this because there are many in the realm of witchcraft who also practice the use of homeopathic medicine and herbalism.  I do not give any credence to earth worship or potion power but do recognize that God created everything on this earth, some plants he created with medicinal properties for humans to use.  That being said often when you search the internet for recipes of herbal elixirs, the sites that come up have an undertone, if not outright declaration of association to some realm of earth worship or witchcraft.  Just be careful is the warning, I only share information as it relates to keeping you and your family healthy in a natural manner and I choose to avoid sites like the ones I have mentioned.

So, how do you make an elixir as it relates to homeopathic medicine?  If you read my previous post on Tinctures you have a base idea already.  A tincture is made by extracting the medicinal properties of a plant or herb through the use of alcohol distillation.  A basic elixir is similar to a tincture but with the addition of a sweetener, in herbal medicine most often honey.  Many Elixir recipes also add water (distilled) to do a bit of dilution to the mix.  The honey can often act as a stabilizer in your elixir and can sweeten things up a bit making an elixir a bit easier for children to stomach. I think of Mary Poppin’s song here..,”Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down...”  
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​Do know that some Elixirs can cross over into cordials, I often think of the scene from Anne of Green Gables where Ann and her friend, Diana were to be drinking a non-alcoholic version of Raspberry Cordial but mistakenly consumed Mariella’s currant wine.  
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A true cordial is however made with berries, sugar and alcohol...little medicinal value really but you can see that a natural substance (berry), an alcohol preservative, and a sweetener (sugar) are similar to an elixir.  There are also modern versions popping up as elixir recipes and many of these are just honey infused combinations of herbs with medicinal properties, though useful they do not seem to stay true to the definition of an elixir but rather rely more heavily on the idea that elixirs are mixtures of anything beneficial or seemingly healing agents.

Back to Elixirs.  One can make an elixir with a simple syrup recipe by adding alcohol as a stabilizer or one can make an elixir by adding honey to a tincture.  (Typical ratio of tincture to honey is 2:1 in favor of honey. Either is fine really as long as you are not heating the alcohol as that destroys some of its components that make it a good preservative for your herbs.  I could easily adapt my Echinacea Elderberry Cold & Cough Syrup into an elixir simply through the addition of alcohol to stabilize the mixture.  (I would then not have to keep it in the refrigerator and could instead keep it in the cabinet) However, I choose to make mine a syrup more often than not as I use it with my very young children.
On to how to make an elixir...


Mountain Rose shares with us a Sweet Peach Leaf Elixir said to be good for nausea, and vomiting from sun exposure or being overheated as well as stomach upset.
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​Naturally simple shares some recipes for everyday elixirs which include using apple spice, burdock root, spicy chocolate and chocolate orange.
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​Here is one for a winter immunity booster elixir



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A medicinal variety of meadowsweet pain relief.


Here is a list of medicinal syrups and elixirs.

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And of course, what elixir information would be complete without a recipe for a rose elixir?
Now that you know about the basics, alcohol as a preservative, honey as a sweetener
​and a variety of herbs or flowers selected for their medicinal purposes, have at it!  Leave a comment and let me know which you intend to try making first, or if you have a tried and true recipe, leave that as well.
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NOTE: I am not a doctor.  I am not suggesting medical advice for any of your specific ailments so please use common sense and research whatever you choose to make for yourself or your family.



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Related Posts:  What is a Tincture? Elderberry & Echinacea Syrup Recipe
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What is a Tincture and How Do I Make One?

10/18/2016

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​In the world of Herbalism and natural medicine there are a number of terms that you need to learn if you want to really understand how natural medicine works.  I know I was often confused by terms like “Tincture, Elixer, Extract and Infusion.”  They all sounded a bit daunting to me but as I have been interested in making some of our own backyard medicine, I have done quite a bit of research so that I can understand it all a bit better. This will be a weekly series for a bit here, so that you too can learn some of this great terminology as well as how to make your own medicinal products at home. 

 Let’s remove some of the mystery and get down to business, herbalist style.

What is a Tincture?

                A tincture is an herbal preparation made by using some form of consumable alcohol as a solvent and preservative. In the modern world think of things like cough syrups that have a base of alcohol to stabalize and preserve the synthetic drug for a longer shelf life in your local pharmacy.

  In our homes however, a tincture would be made by finely chopping up a dried or fresh organic herb and steeping it in alcohol (only consumable alcohol).  A tincture is generally recognized as 1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol when the preparation is made.  The alcohol percentage used for most tinctures should be between 40% to 70%.  There is a great table from Mountain Rose Herbs Blog that shows us how this should best be used:

Alcohol Percentages
40% – 50% (80-90 proof vodka)
• "Standard" percentage range for tinctures.
• Good for most
 dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not super juicy.
• Good for extraction of water soluble properties.


67.5% – 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol)
• Extracts the most volatile aromatic properties.
• Good for fresh high-moisture herbs like lemon balm, berries, and aromatic roots.
• The higher alcohol percentage will draw out more of the plant juices.


85% – 95% (190 proof grain alcohol)
• Good for dissolving gums and
 resins – but not necessary for most plant material.  
• Extracts the aromatics and essential oils bound in a plant that do not dissipate easily.
• The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not easy to take. Stronger is not always better!
• Often used for drop dosage medicines.
• Will totally dehydrate herbs.


The process of making a tincture is not one to be completed in an afternoon on a whim, you need to steep your herb in the alcohol for 6-8 weeks and remember to shake often and check for evaporation (you don’t want your herbs exposed to air, they need to remain submerged).  At the end of the process you need to use a cheesecloth to strain the herbal bits out and the colored liqud you are left with is your tincture.

Keep in mind that the medicinal herbs that you have extracted with the alcohol are now in a very strong base.  I do not consume alcohol at all, with the exception of in a medicinal dose, so I must share that the doses of tinctures are not meant to be consumed as cordials, they are often used in dropper or teaspoon form strictly for their medicinal value.  Think about it like this, the vanilla you use in your kitchen is actually a tincture, it is made by steeping vanilla beans in alcohol and is used to add the flavor of vanilla to your food, you wouldn’t drink this straight up though.

What kind of tinctures would you want to make and what can you treat with tinctures?

Here is a recipe for Chamomile Tincture  that can be helpful for headaches, toothaches, stomach upset and colic symptoms as well as teething.

​Valerian Tincture recipe for restful sleep and calming.

Echinacea Tincture for boosting immunity during the winter months when cold and flu season is in full swing.

Hawthorne Berry tincture to promote healthy blood pressure.

Migrane tincture made with feverfew, lemonbalm and peppermint.

Have you made a tincture and want to share the recipe?  Leave it in the comment section and come back next week for part two (Elixers).

Update: Related post What is an Elixer and How Do I Make One? and Best Ever Elderberry Syrup Recipe (with Echinacea & Slippery Elm)

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Best Herbal Remedy Recipes Roundup

9/14/2016

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I really like to make my own products, whether it be skin care, cleaning products, soaps, whatever there is some serious gratification in self sufficiency.  That being said I also really like to be in control over what I am putting either on or in my body when it comes to products and medicines.  I prefer to "go au natural" with my remedies for the common illnesses and to do the same for my family.  

That being said I have a few favorite recipes from older blog posts I have done as well as a round up from the web to share with you all today.  It's time to get busy before winter is upon us, that way we are all stocked and ready for cold and flu season as well as that dry itchy skin that is a product of being indoors with a furnace running full blast or out doing farm chores in the bitter chill of winter.


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​Mullein Flower Oil Earache Relief
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Comfrey Salve

EczemaBuster Salve
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Homemade natural Sunburn Spray
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Elderberry& Echinacea Syrup 

Mallow Root Cold Infusion

Homemade Echinacea Tincture


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Lemon Ginger Tea
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Homemade Garlic Salve 


Hyssop Oxymel Herbal Expectorant 


Old Time Mustard Plaster
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Natural Homemade Pedialyte
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Fire Cider Recipe
Please let me know if you too have a great herbal remedy that you use and make at home, maybe even one your learned from your grandmother...I know mine has talked alot about the old mustard plasters she had to endure as a child.
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    Wife to a wonderful husband, Daughter of the King, Mother of 6 (one with an xtra chromosome), and an incidental farm girl.

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