Here’s how to make a warming ginger pain salve for achy joints, sore muscles, and arthritis. Ginger is one of my top favorite herbs! It’s easily available in local stores and when taken internally, it helps ease nausea, indigestion, inflammation, motion sickness, colds/flu, and more! Here we’re using it externally as a warming agent that…
This tasty homemade ginger syrup is made with just two easy-to-find ingredients and is a snap to mix together! It’s excellent for: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is anti-viral, antibacterial, and antifungal – so it’s also great for taking as a preemptive measure if you’ve been exposed to a stomach flu or other particularly nasty bugs. Making…
A ginger tincture is super easy to make and is useful for treating: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is also antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. The best part is that you can usually buy fresh or dried ginger right from your local grocery store – so it’s a readily available and accessible remedy for most of us! More…
Here’s how to identify pine trees, plus some uses for pine needles, including infused oil and salve, pine needle tea, and a sore throat elixir. Pines (Pinus spp.) are evergreen, resinous trees that are found pretty much everywhere; there are almost 50 species growing in North America alone! Native North Americans used decoctions from pine…
Pine is a traditional herbal known to be warming and helpful for respiratory congestion. Today, we’re going to turn your locally gathered pine needles into a chest rub salve using pine-infused oil and (optional) essential oils. Pine needle infused oil has traditionally been used to help with congestion, and when optionally combined with essential oils,…
Here’s how to make a pine needle, honey, and brandy elixir – a natural remedy for coughs and sore throats that combines the respiratory benefits of pine with the throat-soothing and antimicrobial properties of honey. Pine trees (Pinus spp.) have long been used in traditional medicine, especially for respiratory conditions and immune support. The needles…
Here’s how to turn stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves into a tincture that may be useful for allergies and inflammation. You can also tincture different parts of nettle, for different effect. For example, the root can be tinctured for prostate problems, while nettle seed tincture may be helpful for kidney problems. Today though, we’re focusing…
Here’s a easy henbit salve recipe that I created for my sore knee – it can be used for other aches and pains too! I have a finicky knee from years of unknowingly hyperextending it, plus doing knee lunges incorrectly. Every so often, it flares up as an aching stabby pain. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is…
This homemade magnesium lotion features stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), an herb that fights inflammation, plus cypress essential oil which gently warms and stimulates circulation – making it useful for those with sore muscles, restless legs, leg cramps, or arthritis. Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click on one and make a…
Here’s how to make and use lavender tincture! You can use fresh or dried lavender flowers for this project. You’ll also need some 80 to 100 proof vodka, and a half pint or small jar with a lid. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a well-loved herb with anti-inflammatory and skin soothing properties. The flowers (and the…
How to make a multi-purpose homemade salve using: lavender flowers, oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil! Lavender salve is a handy remedy to keep around for: This salve is made in two parts. First you make a lavender infused oil, then you melt it with some beeswax to make the salve. Add a little essential…
How to make a gently calming rose glycerite – a natural remedy for nervousness, flushed/upset feelings, or PMS. It can also be used in natural skin care recipes! I’ve discussed various ways of preserving and using roses, but today, I want to highlight how to capture the physical and emotional benefits of the rose using…
Here’s a recipe for violet leaf salve, which is especially useful for eczema, dry skin, and swollen lymph nodes. While violet flowers are almost gone where I live, the leaves will still flourish in shady spots around my house for months to come. There are about 78 species of wild violets found in North America, plus…
This is a set of printable tincture labels that my husband made for me, and I thought you might like them too! Scroll below and pick any and all that suit you. (No signup required, feel free to share with friends!) This year, I’ve been busy making ALL the tinctures since I didn’t get a…
This delicious infused honey was inspired by a favorite recipe, Ginger Lemon Honey Tonic, that I originally shared on this site several years ago. One beautiful spring day when my lilacs were in full bloom, I wondered… what would happen if I used lilac flowers instead of ginger in the recipe? What happened was the…
In this recipe, fresh lilac and violet flowers combine with honey and brandy to make a tasty herbal elixir for sore throats and mild coughs. Why did I choose these two plants? Well, first of all, they’re two of my favorite springtime flowers and they look so pretty together! But mainly, because they also have…
Here are my best tips and natural remedies for dealing with spring allergies this year! As you might expect from someone who had the childhood nickname “Rudolph” (the Red Nosed Reindeer) and practically drank Benadryl as a beverage at mealtimes, I’ve experienced my fair share of dealing with allergies. Here’s what I’ve learned and utilized…
Have a toothache, but can’t be seen by your dentist right away? Try these natural toothache remedies while you wait! The best way to fix a sore tooth is to see your dentist and treat the underlying cause; however, there are sometimes long wait times for appointments, or other times that you just don’t have…
This Ginger Lemon Honey Tonic is one of the easiest, tastiest cold and flu remedies around! Raw honey helps fight infection and soothes inflamed tissue; fresh lemons are full of healthful vitamin C and antioxidants (plus, they taste great!); and fresh ginger root helps fight the sore throat, cough, lung congestion, chills and stomach-ache that…
Here’s how to make a tasty sweet and sour herbal remedy (oxymel) using rose petals, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Roses are not only edible, but are traditionally used for the following health benefits as well. They’re: In the past, I’ve written about how you can make Rose Glycerite and Whiskey Rose Cough Remedy, but…
