DIY Herbal Honey

I've never been a big believer in using over the counter medicines. I've studied and worked with herbal medicine ever since my children were small. That said, for years I used to make a few batches of cold and flu tinctures to have on hand, especially during the cold winter season.

If your unfamiliar with what a tincture is, it's similar to extract. Basically you use alcohol to draw out the medicinal properties of the plants you use and that alcohol also works as a means to preserve it. You can also use vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol but going that route you have less shelf life. The tincture always worked GREAT, but the taste was HORRIBLE. I'm talking NASTY. But what medicine is suppose to leave a good taste in your mouth right? Even over the counter cherry or bubble gum flavored cold medicine tastes bad in my opinion. It's medicine!

I've tried to switch it up and use tincture in making gummies, little candies, or sometimes I would make popsicles with flavored with fruit etc. and add a dose of tincture to it so it would be easier for my kids to take when they were sick. The truth was, even though it helped them get better it was still HORRIBLE. Even if it was less bad going down- there was still the gross aftertaste.

One day I came across a post on Pinterest for making cold medicine with honey. I didn't end up saving it at the time and I don't remember the actual post, I wish I did because I'd love to give credit where credit is due. The pin was about using sage in honey. It was brilliant! Why hadn't I thought of that myself?! HONEY! It's sweet- it's natural- It has many medical benefits despite it being a natural sugar- AND it's a natural preservative! HELLO! So I tweaked the recipe with different herbs that I knew would pack more of a healing punch. The end results- you can still taste the herbs but it's SOOOO much easier to get down. I have a much easier time getting my kids to take a teaspoon of this when they're sick than I did other cold and flu medicines I made.

It's also super easy to make, and if you can't find the herbs growing nearby to harvest, you can find everything you need online.

What You'll Need:

• 1-2 lidded jars. I use mason jars.

• 1 80oz bottle of honey (usually makes 2 good sized jars)

• All Heal (3 tsp per jar)

• marshmallow Root (3tsp per jar)

• thyme (3 per jar tsp)

• chamomile (2tsp per jar)

• sage (2 tsp per jar)

• eucalyptus leaves (3 tsp per jar)

• boneset (3 tsp per jar)

• feverfew (2 tsp per jar)

• elderberries (2 tsp per jar)

• raspberry leaf (2 tsp per jar)

• a pinch of white willow bark

• cinnamon (4 tsp)

Add your herbs to the jar, and just cover them completely in the honey, lid it and label it! You'll need to let it sit for at least 4-8 weeks to let the herbs really infuse into the honey. I like to make this in the spring/summer before the cold and flu season hits.

After enough time has passed you should notice that your honey is a different color. It should be darker. That's good! It means that your honey has fused with the herbs soaking up all their natural chemicals needed to combat sore throats, stomach aches, fevers, runny noses, diarrhea etc. This is when you want to open up you jars and scoop out all the spent up plant matter. It can be messy and a bit tricky to get all the plant material out and leave as much of the honey as you can. Your jar will have gone down probably half at least. That's okay- a little of this goes a long way.

Once all your plant matter is removed and discarded you should just have a darker, richer looking honey left behind. Close the lid and store in a cool dry place until you need it. Your honey will have a shelf life of at least a year.

Dosing: Children 5 and up 1 tsp per day. (if you or your child are still sick after a week make sure to visit your doctor)

Children 2-4 1/2 tsp or check with your primary care physician first.

Here's a quick rundown of the herbs used to make this:

Honey:

Boosts your immune system

cough relief

sore throat relief

helps with digestive issues (constipation, diarrhea, boating, upset stomach)

Will naturally infuse and preserve other herbs.

All Heal (also known as self-heal/ Prunella Vulgaris):

treats sore throat

boosts immune system

helps digestive problems

Marshmallow Root:

treats coughs and colds

pain relief

helps treat stomach ache and digestive issues

Thyme:

Boosts immune system (full of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A too)

Treats coughs

Chamomile:

Mild sedative, soothing helps you rest

Sore throat

Sage:

Sore Throat

treats diarrhea

Eucalyptus Leaves:

treats cold symptoms

helps alleviate pain

sore throat

good for your respiratory system

boosts immune system

anti-inflammatory

reduces fever

Boneset:

treats cold symptoms

reduces fever

helps digestion problems

helps relieve constipation

Feverfew:

cough relief / treats cold symptoms

helps treat migraines and headaches

stomachs

nausea

helps reduce fever

helps treat bronchitis symptoms

helps relieve toothaches

Elderberries:

cold and flu relief

stomach

boosts immune system

sore throat

treats bacterial and viral infections

reduces fever

helps migraine and headache relief

constipation

helps alleviate muscle and joint pain

Raspberry Leaf:

Stomach relief

(Though it should be safe in such a small amount, take with precaution if pregnant where as this herb can sometimes induce early labor.)

White Willow Bark

Migraine and Headache relief

Pain relief

Cinnamon:

helps immune system and cold relief

Disclaimer: Do not use in the place of seeking medical care when needed. If you notice any reactions to taking this honey STOP immediately.