The herbs in my home apothecary
Contents:
1. Dried herbs I keep on hand
2. Tinctures
3. Infused oils
4. Formulas
5. Things I don’t have that other people probably would want.
6. Elderberry elixir recipe
1. Dried herbs I keep on hand
Elderberry— make infusions when fighting something, for elderberry elixir (recipe below), to add to broths, and for my favorite preparation: elderberry shrub. Serious and profound immune system support. Seriously, every time I’ve approached flu season without elderberry I’ve ended up sick, and when I take elderberry every day, I stay healthy. I highly recommend making a giant batch of elderberry elixir (see below for recipe) and giving some to everyone you know (but keep enough on hand for yourself).
Mullein leaf— Mullein leaf is both soothing to the respiratory tract and expectorant (helping you expel mucous). It is also antispasmodic which helps soothe and calm a cough that just won’t stop. When it comes to herbs that work magic on the system, mullein is that to me. Not only that but its uses for the musculoskeletal system are incredible: it helps to lubricate and soothe inflamed joints, and it has been an amazing ally for my husband in his struggles with sciatica. It also has a stimulating effect on the lymphatic system.
Violet leaf— Cooling, soothing, moistening lymphatic, violet is gentle and calming, and tastes SO good. Where other lymphatics can be overly drying, violet is moist, which makes it really useful when you live in a hot, dry climate like Southern California.
Prickly pear cactus— I keep a little dried, powdered prickly pear cactus for hot, inflamed conditions, be it on the skin (sunburn) or in the gut (I don’t have a name for it but it’s usually the result of eating something that makes my guts feel like they’ve been hit with a scouring brush). Prickly pear is moistening, soothing, and INSANELY healing to the skin— be it the skin on the outside of our bodies, or the skin on our insides. It also grows everywhere around where I live so I don’t need to keep very much on hand, because it’s easy to find year-round. All I have is a little pouch of it, because I only need it for when I travel.
Calendula flower— a powerful (but gentle) lymphatic and tissue healer, I keep calendula on hand to drink in infusions with prickly pear for aforementioned irritated gut feelings. It’s also really useful in bone broths when fighting off any bugs going around— I’ll throw a handful of calendula flowers in, with some astragalus and medicinal mushrooms. Also useful for first aid— make a strong calendula tea for soaking wounds, burns, cat scratches, etc.
Astragalus root— gentle but powerful immune support— meant more as a food-like substance taken over long periods of time than as a band-aid in times of acute distress. I add dried astragalus to most of my bone broths during flu season, or when I know I’m going to be around my nieces who are smol, cute, and give me the sniffles every time. Keep it on hand if: flu season always gets you. You have low/ weak immunity/ you’re a school teacher, or around tiny adorable germ factories.
Plantain leaf— Insanely soothing tissue healer for inner and outer skin affected by inflammation, irritation, or slow healing. Also great for bug bites. If my belly is whacked out (ie. Irritated and raw feeling), then a handful of plantain leaf in a giant batch of bone broth helps immensely. Also useful for bug bites, wounds, sunburn, etc.
Rose petal (DUH!)— Maybe my favourite plant medicine ever? Wild roses grow in the meadow near my house and I gather a bunch for tincture, then dry the rest to have in teas throughout the year. Softening, calming, inflammation-reducing, tension-easing, heart-opening big sigh of relief when the world feels imposing. Rose reminds me to relax into it and remember my own strength. I’m pretty sure everyone needs their own wild rose meadow nearby.
Burdock root— Deeply nutritive, gut supporting (high in inulin), bitter + oily + sweet liver and skin support. Used as a food in most countries where its use is traditional and delicious pickled (fresh root), sauteed (fresh root), and added to broths (dried or fresh). I go through phases of adding burdock to my daily marshmallow + shatavari infusion so have a big jar of it on hand.
Shatavari root— I still mentally thank Thomas Easley when I drink my daily shatavari + marshmallow infusion. The clever man, knowing that consistency was an issue for me but knowing I have a competitive streak a mile wide, made me a bet that I couldn’t possibly do it every day for 2 weeks. 3 years later, and I’m more consistent than not! Deeply moistening, nourishing, lubricating, and energy-supporting (without giving you a big energy rush that makes you want to burn through it). Taking shatavari has changed my life and taught me so much about softness and receptivity. It’s actually the first herb we study in The Wonder Sessions for this very reason— I think what it has to teach our bodies about receiving is of the utmost importance to all of us in a modern society obsessed with pushing…
Marshmallow root— Sweet, mild, veryvery moistening, marshmallow is perfect for when your mucous membranes are dried out and irritated. Middle of winter with the wood stove going and even your eyeballs feel dried out? MARSHMALLOW! Late summer and the monsoons haven’t hit yet and everything in your vacinity is fried to a crisp including your skin and nasal passages? MARSHMALLOW! I drink it daily, the relief is immediate, and glorious. If you tend to run dry, irritated and prone to nervous anxiety, see if marshmallow actually helps to ease the anxiousness too— it can often be a result of the dryness.
Solomon’s seal root— Moistening, nourishing joint-support. Utterly amazing for injuries, especially in the joints or the back. It’s quite delicious, too, which makes it easy to drink. I don’t want to say that I injure myself often because who likes labels, but I do find use for it often, after I’ve done something stupid like jumping off a rock that’s too high or hiking for 10 miles on a sore knee, etc.
Bee balm flower and leaf— I happened to have some that a friend in Michigan sent me last year. I LOVE bee balm in steams for acute respiratory issues. But the main thing I use bee balm in is cooking.
Cardamom seed pod— makes everything more delicious. Also carminative :).
Lemon verbena— a lovely gentle soothing tisane that smells like summer in my mum’s garden (er, because I got it from my mum’s garden).
Passionflower— Do you ever lie in bed at night overthinking? Worrying? Planning? Replaying conversations? Passionflower does this magical thing where your thoughts wind down as if the faucet has been switched off at the mains, and then you wake up hours later. It’s especially useful for when all this overthinking is the result of the nervous system being under slightly more ‘activation’ than normal, which keeps you on alert, which makes it harder to stop thinking or sleep deeply. Passiflora takes it down a notch, so that your brain can shut up, and you can sleep. Combine with ashwagandha if it’s stress levels making you more agitated and unable to relax. Combine with California poppy if you want to PTFO :).
It’s tasty, so I’ll just make a tea before bed and usually don’t even get all the way through before I’m out…
Kava kava— I keep dried kava on hand mostly for making kava kava baths, which is my FAVOURITE way to relax at the end of a long day.
Dried medicinal mushrooms:
Reishi
Turkey tail
Lion’s mane
Chaga
I’ll add all of them to bone broths.
(This is not including a list of basic first aid/ acute condition-helping plants that I don’t have dried on hand because they grow in my garden, or around my house: Manzanita, artemisia, Eriodictyon, Abies, Salvia apiana, Encelia, Chilopsis, Alnus, Larrea, to name a few…)
2. Tinctures
Ocotillo— You can read my ocotillo monograph HERE. It’s a gentle lymphatic with a focus on the blood/ energy in the pelvis. Gently and safely dredges up the old muck :).
Mullein— As above. Favourite cough remedy. But also for my husband’s spine when he gets sciatica flare-ups. Mullein has an absolutely remarkable effect on his musculoskeletal system, softening tension and making his spine feel great.
Shatavari— I love shatavari enough to add shatavari tincture to my shatavari and mallow infusions :). The tincture is delicious, but more importantly, easier for me to travel with than a big bag of dried herbs…
Kava kava— Relaxing, creativity-stimulating, social, fun, sexy. I freaking LOVE kava kava and the way it makes me feel.
Pedicularis— Muscle and mind-relaxing, pedicularis is so helpful for long days when you don’t notice that your shoulders are making love to your earlobes until you realise you have a headache and are grumpy AF. I have, like, 4 different species of pedicularis, between my desk, bathroom, and kitchen.
Scutellaria— During stressful times, taking skullcap throughout the day really helps me to stay calm and even-keeled and not veer off into getting too energized. ‘Too energized’ when highly stressed usually means in a baseline state of alert/ fight or flight that isn’t super healthy, especially when it makes it hard to sleep deeply.
Oplopanax— I have a friend in Washington who sends me some of her wildcrafted Oplopanax and it feels like the most magnificent gift. I’ve still never met this plant in the wild but it’s effect is so deeply profound to me, grounding, deeply connected to the earth, and slightly mind-altering. I take it when I want to stay expansive, but focused and connected to my heart’s purpose.
Echinacea— If all of my other immune-boosting mechanisms aren’t working enough during flu season, and I SIMPLY CANNOT get sick, I’ll add echinacea to the mix. I started taking it at the end of this year’s BRUTAL HORRIBLE WORST FLU SEASON EVER because I was so sick of getting sick over and over again. To be completely frank, I don’t have a strong enough connection with this plant to tell you about it’s deeper energy or magics. But I can tell you that I’m grateful to it, for helping me get back to feeling clear-headed and strong again, after 2 months of sluggish/ sniffly/ swollen lymph nodes/ run down/ grossness.
3. Infused oils
Kava kava— Muscle-relaxing, mind-altering, super mellow-making, and the beeeest massage oil for couples massage :).
Oplopanax— Also mind-altering and muscle-relaxing but in a different way to kava. Slightly more pain-relief than kava, and is less sexy, and more otherworldly, IMO.
Cottonwood— ULTIMATE pain relief oil, and smells utterly divine.
Goldenrod— Also pain-relieving but more for muscle aches, strains, and overuse. Works magic on sore feet at the end of a long day.
4. Formulas
Elderberry elixir.
Every time I’ve tried to go through a flu season without this, I’ve gotten sick. This year, I think due to stress levels, I got sick every time I was in contact with anyone who’d been sick. Then, my husband got really ill, I found one remaining bottle of Elder elixir, and I didn’t get sick once, while nursing him. I’m a total fan and try to have it on hand always (stupidly sold out before taking my own home, so am now quickly brewing a fresh batch!). Find the recipe below— we can make a big batch as a group in Wonderkin in the next couple of weeks, so order all yer bits now.
Reishi-Cordyceps Hot chocolate
Full disclosure: every time I’ve made a good formula, it’s been because I was trying to find a way to take herbs consistently. I am NOT a disciplined person: the ability to do something every day because I’ve decided I’m doing it every day is hard for me. HOWEVER, I am ridiculously consistent with the things that give me pleasure, simply because I want to do them as often as possible. So making the herbs I wanted to take into a formula that was delicious that I wanted to drink every night was a logical step. And that’s where this recipe came about: Cacao, cocoa, ashwagandha, reishi, cordyceps, astragalus, marshmallow. Immune-boosting, moistening, energy-supporting, deliciousness. I have 1 jar left, and when I go to make a new batch I will, of course, share the recipe and we can all make it together :).
Acorn Roots morning brew
This formula came about for the same reason as the hot chocolate: I wanted some liver support, and wanted it to be delicious. Plus, I think I’d decided to quit caffeine and was looking for a morning drink that could replace coffee or tea. Have since renewed my love affair with the caffeine, but the love affair with Acorn + Roots has stayed, too. I drink a mug of this every afternoon, usually incorporating the medicinal mushroom tinctures I take, and Milky oat + ashwagandha (below), and a bit of collagen, in a hot smoothie-type beverage.
Milky oat + Ashwagandha Elixir
This blend is 1 part fresh milky oat seed tincture, 1 part fresh ashwagandha root tincture, and 1/2 part wild rose tincture.
I take it consistently for periods of time when I’m feeling worn out, over-stressed, and a bit frazzled. It’s a long-term formula, in that you won’t get much out of taking it one time, but over a few weeks, or a few months, you’ll see massive changes in your energy levels, sleep, and ability to handle stress.
This is not meant as a band-aid for lifestyle modifications that will eventually reduce the stressors themselves, to the point of being manageable, but, let’s be real: plenty of us don’t have the option to reduce the stressors that are about survival, or raising families, or stressful jobs, and there’s nothing wrong with supplementing with adaptogens to make life easier for ourselves. I’m alllll about anything that makes life easier.
BITTERS FORMULAS:
Sophia Rose’s damiana elixir (I use it as a digestive, but also as an ‘I’m too stressed out to feel pleasure right now’ aid.
Mettle & Loam’s entire range of bitters.
All of my old bitters formulas (I kept, like, 4 bottles of each).
Basically, I make sure to have digestive bitters around always :).
5. Things I don’t have that other people probably would want.
Fire cider. Personally, my mucous membranes are dry AF, and I just hate ingesting anything that’s hot in the way fire cider is (think, dry mucous membranes do not have the slimy layer of protection that buffers them from the tissue-burning effects of things like garlic, cayenne, onion, horseradish, etc). So its a big NOPE from me. But, if *you* are not prone to sahara-like-sinuses then it’s a great thing to have around in your home. Even better news, thanks to our herb-world super heroes, you can now call it Fire Cider again :).
There are tons of recipes for it on the interwebs. Here are some of my favourites:
https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fire-cider-recipes-from-the-kitchn-199972
https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/fire-cider
6. Elderberry elixir recipe
Below you'll find my basic recipe, that I sold in the shop for years. Here's also a list of other things that you can include based on your own constitution, and what you need and like. The recipe is super flexible-- the elderberry is the most important part, and everything outside of that can be played around with. I think I'm out of elderflowers, for example, so when I make it online, I'll be leaving that out, but will probably add rosehips :).
Possible herbs you can use/ include in playing around with the recipe:
Elderberry- The life of the party, seriously.
Elderflower- Elderberry's partner. Some say the flowers are even more effective than the berries. If you're ordering berries then place an order for the flowers too and use both.
Astragalus- really helps to boost immune function.
Cinnamon- Warming, nourishing, boosts digestion, great flavour. Ginger- warming, dries mucus, tastes good.
Cardamom- as with the other spices, its warming, good for the phlegmmy stuff and tastes good.
Echinacea- stimulates immune function
Aralia racemosa (or Californica)- supports lung function in worn out chronic overtired conditions. Beautiful little plant.
Mullein- personal favourite for dried out chronic coughs. I always put this in my elder elixir because there's always dried out lung stuff here. Boneset- another one that stimulates immune function. Better fresh, so use it if it grows in your area. Or if you're like me, go visit friends in Kentucky in the early summer so you can gather it and bring it home on the plane (much to the astonishment of TSA).
Orange peel- Warming and energy moving.
Lemon peel- Cooling and energy-moving.
Rosehips- Great source of vitamin C
Thyme- A favourite lung grunge herb.
Reishi- helps to boost immunity/ great for lung health.
Bee balm or oregano- Antimicrobial, bloody delicious, slightly zingy and spicy.
Here is my specific recipe:
Quantities are for a quart jar, and using dried ingredients. If you use fresh, reduce the volume by half please.
1 cup dried elderberries or 2 cups fresh elderberries.
1/2 cup dried elderflowers.
1/4 cup dried mullein leaf
1/4 cup dried astragalus
1 tsp dried ginger (optional)
2 cardamom pods
1/4 orange peel (fresh)
Alcohol of your choice- I love brandy, but you can use vodka, whisky, tequila, everclear or gin too.
Honey. Raw and local if possible, but whatever you have works.
Method:
Ok, this is the easy part. Once you have all your ingredients, put them all in the jar, then fill the jar 3/4 of the way with alcohol. Now fill the jar the rest of the way with honey. This might take a while, as the honey is thick and needs to drizzle down in between all of the bits of plant matter. Be patient, and wait till the jar is topped up, then screw on the lid, shake it insanely well, and this is the most important part: LABEL IT: "Elderberry elixir, <date>, and what its for if you're forgetful." Give it a good shake, and leave it somewhere prominent that you can shake it once a day or so. After six weeks, its ready. Strain it out and pour it into a pretty bottle. Its shelf-stable for a couple of years.
Dosage: upon first sign of getting sick, start taking about a quarter teaspoon every couple of hours. Take it until all signs of sickness are gone. If you do actually get sick, keep taking it. As often as you can muster.