Every good apothecary has a variety of herbal preparations. There are many different preparations and they all have their place. Determining what preparation to use means understanding each herb and its properties. However, there are some general guidelines you can use to determine what type of preparation is right for achieving your wellness goals.
Let’s go over what types of preparations are available to you and what they’re used for…
Types of Herbal Preparations
Infusions
An herbal infusion is the process of making tea. Typically herbs are blended and steeped into boiled water for 10-15 minutes, then strained before consuming. They can be made warm (standard infusions) or cold depending on what the herb calls for.
Decoctions
An herbal decoction is the process of gently boiling your herb to release the herbal properties. It requires boiling water, reducing it to a simmer, adding your herb, and allowing it to simmer for up to 45 minutes depending on the herb. From there the decoction can be drank as an infusion would be, or it can be used in another preparation like a syrup.
Tinctures
Herbal tinctures are concentrated liquid extracts made by steeping herbs in alcohol preparations that require infusing either fresh or dried herbs into an alcohol. There is rarely a need to use a very high-proof alcohol such as Everclear. Most of the time, you’ll need an alcohol at 40-50%. Vodka, gin, and brandy are the best choices for tincturing. Tincturing times vary based on the herb you’re using, but as a general rule of thumb, dense, woody herbs and roots will require 6-8 weeks to fully tincture, whereas the leaves, flowers, and more delicate parts of a plant only require a 4-6 week tincture.
Infused Oils
Herbal-infused oils are made by mixing 1 part of the dried herb with 5 parts of oil. I prefer olive oil, but you can use jojoba, castor, grapeseed, etc. They require a 2-4 weeks infusion time depending on the herb’s requirement. Herbal-infused oils are the base for many different preparations.
Salves
Herbal salves are made by gently heating a mixture of herbal-infused oil and beeswax together. Any additives (like EOs or clays) you want can then be added. Pour the mixture into containers and allow it to cool and solidify before use.
Proper Storage
You’ve probably heard me talk quite a bit about storage. That’s because the wrong storage setup can destroy the medicinal properties in all of those wonderful herbal preparations you worked so hard to create. The good news though…storage is super simple. Here are some quick storage tips:
Also…. Be sure to peek at the printable for a list of helpful supplies when building your apothecary.
- When you’re storing your tea blends, or any dry herbs, a glass jar with an air and water-tight lid is all you need.
- Liquid preparations should be stored in glass jars with airtight lids.
- Salves should be stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
- ALL herbal preparations should be stored in a cool dark place out of direct sunlight.
Herbal Remedies To Stock
There’s really no one-size-fits-all list that will give everyone a fully stocked prepared apothecary. That’s because everyone has different needs. What works for me, may leave holes for you, and vice versa.
The best way to determine what exactly you should keep stocked is by taking an inventory of your current medicine cabinet.
If you keep a lot of gut medications for heartburn, diarrhea, etc, gut supportive herbs would be beneficial. You can learn more about those herbs in this Gut Supportive Herbs blog post.
If you want general supportive care for your immune system, herbs like echinacea, elderberry, and astragalus may be more what you need. Learn more about those herbs HERE.
Generally speaking, there are some herbs I believe are beneficial for just about everyone’s apothecary, and they could be helpful to have on hand. For everything from everyday support, to the stomach flu, to bruises and sprains…there’s an herb for it.
Download my apothecary supply checklist to get started!
