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.