SIMPLE DIRECTIONS FOR USING HERBS TO MAKE
INFUSIONS, DECOCTIONS AND OINTMENTS

It seems that many  health conscious people these days are
turning away from prescription drugs and turning to making their
own medicines.  Healing with herbs and other natural remedies is
becoming popular and making your own medicines is quite an art.

Some popular methods of natural healing involve the use of
making infusions, steeping to extract various properties,
decoctions, the extraction of an essence by boiling and
ointments.

Always remember when you are creating your own herbal remedies
to use an enamel or nonmetal pot.

HERBAL TEAS

To make a cup of herbal tea, for drinking or as a face wash,
boil 10 ounces of water.  Prewarm your teapot, put in 1 tbsp. or
less of dried herbs or a large pinch of fresh herbs and pour the
boiling water over them.  Add honey, if you like.  cover and
steep to taste, 3 to 5 minutes.  Strain and drink.

INFUSIONS

To make an infusion, fill a teapot with one quart of boiling
water.  Then throw in a large handful of fresh herbs or an ounce
or more of dried herbs.  Add some honey, if desired, and let the
mixture steep for ten to twenty minutes.  Now strain and drink.

DECOCTIONS

Making a decoction involves boiling your mixture.  It is usually
made from the tougher parts of a plant, the roots, seeds or the
bark.  Put one ounce or more of the herb parts in a quart of
water and cover the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer
for about twenty minutes.  Steep and strain the mixture.  Drink
or apply externally.

OINTMENTS

An ointment, unguent or salve is made by combining the decoction
of a herb with olive oil and simmering it until the water has
completely evaporated.  A little beeswax is then added to get a
firm consistency.  Some gum benzoin or a drop of tincture of
benzoin per ounce of fat will help preserve the ointment.