There are some tried and true remedies that worked effectively and efficiently years and years ago. Somehow, these got lost in the myriad of drugs and medications flooding the market to help people get a quick fix on their condition. Unfortunately, these so called quick fixes do not have a long lasting effect and could even make the problem worse or create new ones. I realize we live in a hurry up and wait society. But sometimes you have to do what is more beneficial for your body if you want it to continue functioning for you at a good speed.

Before the days of Tylenol and Viagra, people made their own concoctions to treat everything from acne to indigestion.

Old Time Remedies made from herbs and native plants are
commonly used by mountain folk. People live off the land and utilize
plants for food and medicinal purposes. Some plants are safe to eat
but others are dangerous or can be fatal.

Herbs were used for food and medicine long before records were
kept documenting their use. The first documented account of herb
use was in about 2000 B.C. in Babylon. From these remote times
myths and legends grew and were passed down, generation by
generation, about the powerful affects of herbs and other native
plants. Over the years, discovering which plants were useful was
much a matter of trial and error.

It seems that with the development of modern medicine much of the
knowledge relating to herbal treatments has been lost. Although
formulations of many herbs and plants are used in modern day
medicines, often times there are no documented studies confirming
or denying the medicinal properties of others. Many health
conscious people these days are turning away from prescription
drugs and growing their own herb gardens and turning to making
their own remedies. Healing with herbs and other natural remedies
is becoming popular again but making your own medicines is quite
an art.

Remember! Herbal remedies are not one-shot wonder cures. Their
effectiveness is based largely on a gradual cure. If you have medical
issues always consult your physician.

How to Make and Use Herb Preparations
Making your own herbal concoctions is really not that difficult. And since
the best herbal preparations are those made when the plants are fresh,
the better off you are to grow your own herbs and make your own
preparations. They made a beautiful addition to any garden.

Even your best plants can be ruined if you use the wrong process in
preparing your remedies. Your choice depends on the parts of the plant
to be used, the form in which the remedy will be taken, and the desired
result.

The following ways of preparing your fresh herbs are those most
commonly used in herbal medicine. Always use an enamel or non-
metallic pot.

Herbal Teas: To make a cup of herbal tea, for drinking or as a
face wash, boil 10 ounces of water. Pre-warm 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

Infusion: This is a beverage made like tea, combining boiled water
with the plants and steeping it to extract the active ingredients. The
normal amounts are about 1/2 to 1 ounce of the plant per pint of
boiled water. You should let the mixture steep for 5 to 10 minutes,
covered, then strain the infusion into a cup. Add honey, if desired.

Cold Extract: Preparing herbs with cold water preserves the most
volatile ingredients, while extracting only minor amounts of mineral
salts and bitter principles. Add about double the plant matter used
for an infusion to cold water and let sit for about 8 to 12 hours,
strain and drink.

Decoction: This method of preparation allows you to extract
primarily the mineral salts and bitter principles, rather than
vitamins and volatile ingredients. Boil about half an ounce of plant
parts usually made from the tougher parts of the plant: the roots,
seeds or bark per cup of water for up to 4 minutes. Steep the
mixture with the cover on the pot for a few minutes.

Juice: Chop and press fresh plant parts to make juice, then add
water and press again. This is excellent for getting vitamins and
minerals from the plant. Drink the juice right away for the best
results.

Syrup: Make a basic syrup to which you will add medicinal
ingredients by boiling 3 pounds of raw brown sugar in a pint of
water until it reaches the right consistency.

Powder: Grind your dried plant parts until you have a powder. The
powder can be taken with water, milk, soup, or swallowed in
gelatin capsules.

Ointment: Quick method - combine well one part of your powdered
remedy with four parts of hot petroleum jelly or lard. For purists -
add the decoction of the desired herb to olive oil and simmer until
the water has completely evaporated. Add beeswax as needed to
get a firm consistency. Some gum benzoin or a drop of tincture of
benzoin per ounce of fat will help preserve the ointment.

Essence: Dissolve one ounce of the herb's essential oil in a pint of
alcohol. This method preserves the volatile oils of many plants
which are not water soluble.

Poultice: To make a poultice, you just crush the medicinal parts of
the plant to a sticky mass and heat. Mix with a hot, sticky
substance such as moist flour or corn meal. Apply the pasty
mixture directly to the skin. Wrap a hot towel around and moisten
the towel periodically. A poultice will draw impurities from the body.

Herb Bath: Herbal baths include the use of various herbal
additives to enhance the natural healing power of the water. They
are baths to which plant decoctions or infusions have been added.
There are full and partial herbal baths. For a full bath some of the
medicinal plant parts should be sewn into a cloth bag and boiled
in a quart of water. The strained mixture is then added to the bath.
Sometimes you can put the bag right into the tub for a more
thorough extraction of the herbal properties.