DIY Quick Guide: Tinctures, Infusions, Decoctions, and Ointments

While I use essential oils for most of our family's health needs, being Crunchy means being open to using all kinds of natural methothods to keep our bodies strong and in the most balanced states. The Crunchy Skeptic bought me a book for Christmas called The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies. As I have finally cracked it open and begun to read, I'm learning all kinds of new and fun things! So today I'll share with you about the differences between - and how to make - four types of home remedies: Tinctures, Decoctions, Infusions and Ointments. 

It is important to try to learn about natural healing methods before you need them, because the ingredients are not always readily available, and the method might sometimes need more than an hour or two to make up. Unlike being able to keep a pill-form in the cabinet, these are the sorts of things we need to plan ahead to use. Slick and Spinster Beth can tell you that this is generally not my forte, but I am learning to plan ahead a bit more. As our family has seen with essential oils, natural healing methods can work as quickly as the stuff that is currently in the cabinet of many homes but sometimes a natural method is better at working with the body to give the body leeway to heal itself, vs. doing the healing on behalf of the body. To that end, these methods can take a bit more time, but you'll be stronger on the other side of the journey.

Natural Remedies for the Cold and Flu

You're trucking along in your work out schedule, hitting the gym regularly, extra rest at night... and then one of the kids comes down sick. You're in the clear - so far! - and want to stay that way. What can a body try using to keep the fuzzy head, queazy stomach, fevers, etc away even while taking care of the sick kid(s)? And what might help the children recover a little faster? 

Well, in our house, we use natural means over chemicals whenever we can. Late in 2012, we discovered Young Living Essential Oils to help us overhaul our medicine cabinet. My "Crunchy Skeptic" husband was not so sure of their use or that they would really work at first. So we kept the cold medicines, "sniff-sprays", cough drops, Theraflu, Vapo-Rub, and so on in our cabinet for the first couple of months.

To Your Good (Crunchy, Holistic) Health: Honey!

I know that my two hard-charging, runner buddies Slick and Spinster Beth are pretty serious about their workout schedules, and both have 9-5 jobs they hold every day as well. I have a job too, but it is certainly not 9-5 and my "bosses" can make things difficult to get to the gym. Getting a good workout in, unfortunately, rarely means getting an elevated heart rate. I can get a bit of a weight-lifting workout in with the "Grow With Me" weight system (aka: 5 kids), but try taking a "fast" walk with kids all around!

So to counterbalance the lack of steady exercise, I pay closer attention to keeping my immune system strong. I am a pretty Crunchy person. I don't like going to the doctor, don't like immunizations (a whole 'nother story), I don't like pills - whether prescription or over the counter - you get the idea! So I tend towards holistic methods for health care, for me and the children!