All Kinds of Glass

Glass Powder Jar

Homemade Herbal Oils

Making your own herbal-infused oils can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. Not only do you know exactly what your oil will contain and the quality of these ingredients (unlike many 'off-the-shelf' products) but you can choose what to put in your oil, depending on what you want to use it for - and create your own personal blends.

Herbal Oils can be used to condition and enrich hair; or as a luxurious bath oil; or as a fragrant and healing massage oil or natural moisturiser; or as an ingredient for balms and ointments. There are two main methods for producing your herbal oils - a cold method and a hot method. The hot method is mainly for tough herbs, bark, roots and seeds, whilst the cold method is a slower infused method suitable for delicate petals.

Herbal Oil - Cold Method

Place your chosen herb / petals (see below) into a clean glass jar and fill up with a suitable carrier oil (olive oil, almond oil or grapeseed oil for example). The oil level needs to be higher than the herb level so that the herb is completely covered (to help prevent the herbs from going mouldy). Place the lid on the jar, shake the mixture gently and place in a warm, sunny place to infuse for about a fortnight. Shake gently daily. Strain the oil and if you would like a stronger oil, fill the jar with a new batch of petals and re-use the infused oil. Leave for another fortnight, shaking daily and then re-strain and check the quality and strength of your oil. Pour into a clean glass bottle and store in a cool, dark place.

Herbal Oil - Hot Method

1/2 pint Olive Oil
2 - 3 oz dried Herb

Find a glass bowl which can be placed comfortably in a saucepan without touching the base of the pan. Pour enough water into the saucepan so that the water touches the glass bowl, but does not come over the sides of the bowl (you're creating a water-bath type of set up).
Place the olive oil and herbs into the glass bowl and place the saucepan (with bowl and oil and herbs) over a medium heat. The idea is to simmer the water in the saucepan so that this warms the oil. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, checking regularly to ensure that the water level is ok. Never allow the saucepan to boil dry! This may burn the oil and herb mixture (as well as ruin your saucepan!) and a burnt oil mixture is useless.
The oil will take on the fragrance of the herbs as they infuse and will change colour - if you do not find the resulting infusion strong enough after the first 2 - 3 hours you may strain and re-use the oil with a new batch of dried herbs, simmering for a further 2 - 3 hours as desired. I generally find that one infusion is sufficient.
To strain the oil use a muslin cloth or suitable fine mesh strainer, with a clean glass jug underneath to catch the strained oil. Ensure that all the plant material is removed from the oil and pour into a clean glass bottle.
If you use fresh herbs you may find that the resulting oil is layered - with a watery (possibly greenish) layer of oil at the bottom - this watery layer needs to be separated and discarded otherwise your oil will spoil quickly. For this reason it is more desirable to use dried herbs.
Olive Oil is my preferred choice for herbal infusions as it does not detereorate from being heated, has a long shelf-life, and is less likely to go rancid. Your infusions should last for about a year - stored in a clean, dark glass bottle or jar (and out of direct sunlight in a cool place).

Herb Choices : The Hot Herbal Oil method is best suited to tough herbs, such as rosemary, and roots, bark and seeds. That being said, more delicate materials, such as rose petals, could be used but I would suggest keeping the heat lower and checking the strength after an hour - it may be wise to then strain and re-use the oil with a new batch of dried petals. The condition of the petals after an hour will tell you - if they are still fairly colourful keep going, but if they are lacking colour then use a new batch. A few of my favourite herbs for oil infusions :
Calendula (Marigold) - useful for a hair oil for red hair, also makes a soothing oil for irritated skin - ideal for a nipple ointment for breastfeeding mothers (wipe nipple clean before breastfeeding though). Combines well with Chamomile - another skin caring herb, also good as a hair oil for blonde hair.
Comfrey - a soothing oil for stiff and aching joints - particularly good for helping to heal small fractures, damaged ligaments and tendons. Do not use on open wounds.
Lavender - the familiar, soothing fragrance of Lavender is ideal for a relaxing, calming oil. Ideal for a bedtime bath or massage oil.
Nettle - another herbal hair friend, good as a general hair oil, also makes for a soothing oil for irritated skin.
Parsley - Ideal addition to a herbal hair oil for remedying thin or falling hair.
Rose - a delicately fragranced oil, soothing for the emotions and good for dry or mature skin.
Rosemary - excellent choice for a hair oil (for dark hair) - will condition hair and nourish the scalp; Rosemary also makes a wonderfully soothing massage oil for muscular aches and pains and bruises. Also helps deter mosquitos.
Sage - another excellent choice for a hair oil - again dark hair, especially grey. Also useful for remedying dandruff.

A resin, such as Frankincense or Benzoin, or powdered Orris Root can be added with the herbs and oil - these will of course impart their medicinal and aromatic properties to the blend and will also act as a fixative for the fragrance and work as a natural preservative.

Your infused oil can be blended with other carrier oils once finished - you may find olive oil too heavy an oil for general skin use, for a smoother massage oil try half infused oil and half almond oil. For a hair oil you may like to add jojoba to the infused oil - then warm the oil (place the bottle in a cup containing boiled water and leave for about 5 minutes - always test a little of the oil on your hand before use to check the temperature!) and apply liberally from roots to tip. Wrap a warm towel around your hair to keep in the heat and relax for at least half an hour. Shampoo and wash out - oil can be stubborn to shift, but fresh lemon juice and water will shift it in no time, and will leave your hair smelling fresh and looking great! (Lemon also adds a shine to hair and enhances highlights).
Infused Oils can also be blended with essential oils (you will need to use less drops of essential oil in an infused oil than a plain carrier oil), or used as an ingredient for other preparations - such as an ointment :

Herbal Ointment

1/2 pint of Herbal Infused Oil
1oz Beeswax - grated*

Set up a water-bath with a glass bowl suspended in a saucepan of water and add the infused oil and beeswax to the glass bowl. Simmer until the wax is melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before pouring into sterile clean glass jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. As the ointment sets it will leave a dip in the middle. Reserve a little of the ointment to top up the jars - reheating to a pourable consitency.
If you wish to include essential oils add them just before you take the ointment off the heat and stir in well. You will only need a few drops.

*(Solid) Cocoa Butter could be used instead of the Beeswax. To produce different consistencies alter the ratio of oil to beeswax/cocoa butter - more oil and less beeswax/cocoa butter = a cream / moisturising lotion, and more beeswax/cocoa butter with less oil = balm / more solid ointment.

• For further herbal information, herb related articles, or to purchase organic herbs, spices and resins, quality oils, blended herbs and oils and much more, please visit Gaia's Garden : http://www.gaias-garden.co.uk/

About the Author

Gillie Whitewolf has an affinity with herbs and a passion for nature, along with an insatiable appetite for creating - from herbal remedies and wildcrafts to visual and aural arts.
...musician/artist/crafter/herbalist/author/muse/dreamer...email : whitewolf@gaias-garden.co.uk

Gillie also runs Gaia's Garden, a place to explore the world of herbs and the natural magic of mother earth. Visit the Gaia's Garden Shop for organic herbs, spices and resins, quality oils, the Gaia's Garden range of herbal and aromatherapeutic products, meditation music, art and crafts and much more... http://www.gaias-garden.co.uk

Make This Energy Packed, Healing Fruit Smoothie Your Everyday Morning Drink

Slows down aging process while helping you fight disease and lose weight

When I had cancer I made a very carefully thought out decision to put a strong effort into using natural healing before I turned myself over to modern medicine. I put in a great deal of time studying Chinese, Ayurvedic, European Herbal medicine, herbal healing and many other styles of natural healing. I finally decided to follow the advice of a Thompsonian Naturopathic Doctor. His was the first advice that made it real clear, how I got sick and how I would get well.

The very first thing he told me was "make a fruit smoothie every morning for breakfast for the rest of your life." That was twenty years ago and I have not varied from that advice and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

You might be asking yourself, like I did, "why do I need to make a fruit smoothie for breakfast, what good will that do me?" Here is why. In America, the average person eats a diet composed of mostly acid foods (meat, dairy, grains, legumes, etc.). Eating a diet composed mostly of these types of foods encourages an acid environment to exist in your body. The majority of American's ph runs at about 5.5, which is far too acidic. A healthy human body has a ph of between 6.5 to 7.5 ph. Allowing this acidic environment to exist in your body is one of the greatest threats known to the health of human beings. An acidic environment leads to heart disease, cancer, disease from viruses and germs, arthritis, allergies, metabolism problems, weight gains, psychological problems, hormone imbalances, etc. The fruit smoothie he suggested I use to help me fight the cancer is made up entirely of fruit and a few natural healing herbs which are alkaline (vegetables are also alkaline). This smoothie helped me to neutralize the acid environment in my body.

When I started making this drink I had been sick for some time. My energy was low; I had gained a lot of weight, I had digestion problems, acid reflux, felt bloated, a lot of gas, spastic bowel, blood in stool and no appetite. I also had low back pain, knee and ankle problems and stiffness all over. To sum it up I was a physical wreck, which was very depressing because I had a second degree black belt in Kempo Karate and only a few years before I was in peak physical condition.

So, I started making and drinking, The Morning Drink every morning. Right away I liked it because I could put in my favorite seasonal fruit and so the taste was great. It was not long before I noticed that my energy was coming back. Then my stomach problems started to go away and it was not long before my appetite came back and my weight went down. The weight change was dramatic. In about three months I was down to what my weight was when I earned my Black Belt, one hundred and seventy pounds. I was overjoyed about that and it has stayed the same ever since. But, just to let you know; I did a lot more than just The Morning Drink to beat the cancer I had.

Benefits of the Morning Drink

What did the morning drink bring to my body that encouraged a natural herbal healing effect? As we discussed at the beginning of this article The Morning Drink brings alkaline into the body to neutralize the ph and bring balance to the body’s environment. This alone increases oxygen, cleanses tissues and heals inflammation. It also helps to destroy cancer cells because cancer dies in an environment where there is oxygen. This new environment also encourages a stronger immune system. This drink has a cleansing and detoxing effect, removing toxins that can distract the immune system from its primary work, defending the body. Lastly The Morning Drink brings in vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein in a very easily digestible food form.

Next, because the drink is fresh and raw it brings with it lots of enzymes. Enzymes are the great mystery of nutrition. Without them we are dead, there is no digestion and absorption, no cleaning, no movement, no thoughts, no energy. This drink brings an abundance of enzymes with it to start your day. Enzymes are the ultimate anti-inflammatory, easing the inflammation and repairing the injury. You can take the best, most expensive multivitamin in the world and you will not get a thing from it without enzymes. They are the great catalyst for the body. Like spark plugs for your car, without them there is no energy, nothing.

The Morning Drink Rules

OK let’s get started! It is easy to make and you will love this natural healing remedy. There are some rules listed below but they are easy to follow.

Rule one:  I am going to tell you just exactly what I was told. You have this drink every morning for breakfast for the rest of your life!

The morning drink will help to quickly bring balance to your body’s ph (the acid alkaline balance); fruits and vegetables are alkaline everything else is acid. Balancing your body’s ph is one of the top keys to health and healing.

Rule two:  This is an alkali drink do not add any acid ingredients to it.

I do not see much protein in there; could I add some protein powder? DO NOT add protein powders or protein containing foods like eggs, dairy, yogurt or tofu to this drink! Some of them are good for you but they are acidic for one thing. For another it is a problem for your liver and gall bladder to process fruit that digests in one hour with protein that digests in two to three hours. But guess what; this drink with its mix of fruit contains all the basic building blocks of protein called amino acids. So your body can create protein from this drink if it needs to. One more time, fruit is a food that does not mix with any other foods.

But what about my regular breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and coffee? If you have a life threatening disease see my article "I am Sick, Where Do I Start". If you do not have a life threatening disease, have your regular breakfast one hour or more, later. But speaking from experience, I would drop that stuff and use the drink as your breakfast or have a modified high alkaline breakfast with a lot of vegetables an hour later. Whatever you eat later will be easier to digest because this drink is loaded with digestive enzymes.

The Morning Drink Recipe

Fifteen minutes before you make this drink, have at least 12 to 16 ounces of water (distilled is best) to start the cleansing process of this drink.

Ingredients: (make fresh every day and vary the amounts to suit your taste and appetite)

-8 ounces (plus or minus) of pure water (distilled is best) and 8 ounces of organic juice (apple, grape, etc.)

-1 banana.

-Pinch of cayenne pepper more or less to taste (a natural healing herb).

-A chunk of ginger; thumb size (a natural healing herb).

-Fresh seasonal fruit; pear, grapes, peach, (organic if you can get it).

-A quarter to a half a lemon, include a small amount of peel if you like, very good for both the liver and gallbladder.

-Add a tablespoon of coconut, olive or peanut oil (cold pressed) for your skin and joints.

-A scoop of super green foods (blast every cell in your body with nutrient-rich organic vitamins and minerals to give you more energy than ever before).

-Put the above in a blender, liquefy and drink.

*Adjust the above to suit your taste and the amount you make.

Questions You May Have About the Drink

What about the sugar content of this Drink? These are whole fruits that your digestive system and pancreas must process just like any other food. This is not like eating refined sugar or the refined fruit juices from the grocery store. If you are a diabetic, take a small amount, monitor your blood sugar and use accordingly. By all means check with your physician.

I had my blood sugar checked recently and the Doctor remarked that he was surprised at how balanced my blood sugar was considering my age which is sixty four. As I said before, I have been drinking this drink every morning for the last twenty years.

What about this drink feeding my Candida and making it worse? This drink will help heal your gastrointestinal track. Candida is a sign of a leaky gut. Take some intestinal flora via a probiotic supplement; this will bring you a lot of relief while your gastrointestinal tract heals. Take the probiotics on an empty stomach, when you eat, before you go to bed and every time you think of it until you feel the problem is solved. To learn about intestinal flora read my article on Acidophilus.

My bowels are loose sometimes; won’t this drink make that worse? Loose bowels are a sign of a lack of balance in the intestinal flora in your gut. Take some of this flora via a probiotic supplement; this will bring you a lot of relief while your gastrointestinal tract heals. Take the probiotics on an empty stomach, when you eat, before you go to bed and every time you think of it until you feel the problem is solved.

Can I make this drink in large amounts in advance and save in the refrigerator? It should be made fresh each day because to save it for the next day will lose you a lot of nutrition. You can do what I did to have more of the same batch of drink later in the day. When you make the breakfast drink make extra for the afternoon. To save that amount for the afternoon put a freshly cleaned wet glass or jar in the freezer so it is frosted. Pour the afternoon amount in that glass or jar and save in the refrigerator.

What about making ice cream out of the drink? Yes you can; during the summer I make plenty of ice cream using the Morning Drink. Add more bananas to change the texture. Another idea is to add mango as it will also change the texture. But do not expect it to be just like ice cream it will be more like an Italian Ice, which I love.

Super Green Foods for Energy, Fighting Cancer and Dieting:

If you want to add more nutrition to this drink to help you increase energy, slow aging process, lose weight or fight cancer I suggest super green foods. Super green foods are a combination of foods like wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, spinach, spirulina blue green algae, chlorella, kelp, etc. These super green foods boost the nutritional content and alkalinity of this drink, as it will any food you add them to. You will notice, as I did a very subtle strong energy as you add this super green combination to your diet. When I had cancer I was advised to consume as much as I could each day.

The Doctor said "Super green foods are like a high-octane fuel" that they would instantly bring nutrient-rich, organic, whole food vitamins and minerals to every cell in my body. The doctor also told me that they would protect and defend all my body's cells from free radical damage while I fought the cancer. Even now I still take 2 or more scoops depending on how I feel that day.

I have been drinking this Morning Drink for twenty years now; just recently I took a test called "Real Age" online. I suggest you try taking this test yourself. Based on questions about your health assembled by medical doctors such as diet, exercise, blood pressure and etc. you are assigned an age. I am sixty four years old my score based on the answers I gave said "I was forty seven years old". They suggested that I would have been given a score 2 years younger if I would take an over the counter medication every day (I wrote back and told them to keep their 2 years and their medication and I will keep my health). See the Nutrition section of my web site to learn how to change your nutritional life style.

Caution: Consult with your physician when starting any nutrition program, especially if you are on medications.

Note: Remember when it comes to your health, you are the boss, all final decisions are yours.

About the Author

Paul Blake is a doctor of herbal medicine and a master herbalist. He used naturopathic medicine to treat his own case of cancer eighteen years ago. Visit Paul's website on Herbal Remedies, Natural Healing Herbs for more interesting information on improving your health, or discover more information about super green foods.