‘tis the season for making tinctures…herbal tinctures!
At Purely Living Wellness, we grow the majority our own herbs on land that was once part of my grandparents rural Wisconsin homestead. I have exchanged plants with like-minded friends and woodland medicinal plants such as Bloodroot and Soloman’s Seal are very happy and thriving. That said, I leave my woodland species alone if tinctures require roots, and primarily tincture herbs and plants that some consider weeds, whereas I consider them “God medicine”.
As needed, we forage for berries and plants nearby, ensuring chemical free growth. The elder berries will soon be ready, and fortunately I have found a local organic farmer who grows aronia berries – also known as choke cherries, as the anti-oxidant benefits of aronia far outweigh the popular Niger sambucus. I am combinging the two berries along with herbs known for their anti-viral properties, to create a powerful immune boosting tincture. The reason I choose tincturing over making syrup is that once opened, a bottle of elderberry syrup needs to remain refrigerated. The alcohol used in tincturing draws out the polyphenols and medicinal benefits of the plant material, to make a powerful remedy that requires no refrigeration, plus – alcohol based tinctures will keep 20 years or more if stored properly. Renowned herbalist Susan Weed refers to these tinctures as ‘generational medicine’ as tinctures can be handed down through the years.
Monarda didyma, the cardinal red bee balm, thrives in my wooded backyard. It has wonderful medicinal benefits. That said, one of my clients who is a Lyme’s patient, was told by her medical medium that she needed wild bergamot, or Monarda fistulosa, to treat her candida. I happened to have some bottled tincture left from a 2018 batch. She tried it and it worked very well for her. She insists that my garden variety would not be as potent, although it is listed as an anti-fungal herb. Happily, I came across a large stand of wild bergamot this past weekend and currently have 8 quart jars filled with the flowers and 80-proof vodka to make a powerful anti-fungal tincture. I have a number of plants growing that have anti-fungal properties. I prayed, and asked for God’s energetic guidance as to whether or not I should combine some of these like-property plants together and I received an affirmation to do so. I have a bit more foraging to do to collect seeds from a plant that I was guided to include, but I have a half-gallon jar ‘brewing’ of this combination formula and am eager to see how clients who deal with on-going candida issues fare with use of this divinely orchestrated combo of plants.
As a holistic wellness practitioner I have always firmly believed that God provides healing energies through the creation of plants. All plants are sustainably harvested with gratitude and tinctures are handcrafted with love. I have been passionate about making tinctures for my own family, and soon, I will be offering these wonderful remedies to others.
May you recognize God's love for you through the plants He surrounds you with,
Rita S.
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