Permaculture, Homesteading, and Community Building // How to Make a Chamomile Tincture for Stress Relief & Insomnia

Hi friends! Today I want to share how I make my chamomille tinctures. It's that time of year...chamomile harvesting time! I planted around 100 chamomile plants with my friend Monty a few months ago, little did we know how big and joyful those plants would get.

What is a tincture?

A tincture is an herbal extract that uses alcohol as the solvent. A solvent is a liquid substance that is used to dissolve another substance. Some people use vegetable glycerine as a substitute for alcohol, though technically this would no longer be a tincture. The alcohol draws out the medicinal properties of a plant. The properties can include alkaloids, volatile oils, and resins.

How do you make a chamomile tincture?

1. Harvest fresh chamomile from your garden or buy dried flowers from a good source. Be careful about wild-harvesting chamomile from the side of the road, as the plants can pick up toxins from the passing cars. If you have ever harvested chamomile from your garden, you know how time-consuming it can be. If you want to save time and have some extra cash to spend, invest in a chamomile rake.
2. Chop or grind up your flowers with a knife or grinder (optional)
3. Fill a mason jar 3/4 full of fresh flowers or 1/2 full of dried flowers
4. Pour alcohol over the flowers. Use at least 80 proof alcohol. I use 80 proof vodka. Some people say stronger proof is better - that is not necessarily the case. Stronger proof (ex. using everclear) is better when extracting roots, berries, or high moisture herbs.
5. Make sure the mason jar is completely full of alcohol and the flowers are covered in the alcohol. Close the jar and shake.
6. Store the jar in a cool, dark place and gently shake daily. If the alcohol starts to evaporate and the flowers are no longer completely submerged, open the jar and add more alcohol. If the flowers are exposed to air this heightens the risk of mold.
7. After 6 weeks, open the mason jar and strain out the flowers from the liquid using a cheesecloth. Pour the tincture into tinted glass bottles with droppers.
8. Label the glass bottles with the herb (chamomile), date, part of plant used (flower), whether you used dried or fresh flowers, and the type of alcohol used & proof of alcohol
9. Keep your beautiful tinctures in a cool, dark place. They have a shelf life of a couple of years.

What are the health benefits of a chamomile tincture?

1. Stress relieving
2. Relaxes nerves
3. Reduces pain
4. Aid in falling asleep
5. Soothes headaches
6. Improves digestion
7. "People use German chamomile to treat irritation from chest colds, slow-healing wounds, abscesses, gum inflammation, and skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash." (WebMD)

What is the common dosage?

1 teaspoon 1-3 times daily as needed. 1 teaspoon is roughly equivalent to 100 drops. Every body is different, so I invite you to do more research on dosage and what works for your body.

Sources

http://wishgardenherbs.com/blog/40/general-dosage-guidelines-for-herbal-tinctures-2/
http://www.healing-from-home-remedies.com/making-tinctures.html
https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/guide-tinctures-extracts
http://wishgardenherbs.com/blog/40/general-dosage-guidelines-for-herbal-tinctures-2/
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/chamomile-topic-overview
http://store.newwayherbs.com/chamomile-flower-maticara-recutita-p126.aspx

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.