Raise your hand if you ever get stressed! {Me!!} Stress is nearly impossible to avoid. Though I am a firm believer that we should strive to find rest in God in times of trouble, we are human, and stress seems inevitable at times.
I like to keep a nerve tincture on hand. This nerve tincture contains an amazing group of herbs that relax, calm and bring rest. This tincture is safe for babies as well as adults.
It can be used for:
- Sleeplessness
- Seizures
- Stomach Cramps
- Relax a Mother’s Muscles Threatening to Miscarry
- Relax a person going through great mental or physical stress
- Calm a person that is high-strung
- Help a baby with colic or that has trouble relaxing
What are the herbs and how can they help?
{I buy my dried herbs from Bulk Herb Store.}
Alfalfa ~ extremely rich in vitamins and minerals. When our bodies are under any kind of stress, it depletes our nutrients. Alfalfa is perfect for replacing what is lost
Chamomile ~ soothing and relaxing to the nerves.
Catnip ~ helps induce sleep {But will not make you feel drugged like prescription medication. It helps you sleep if that is what you’re trying to achieve.}
Hops ~ a relaxing nerve tonic. Relieves tension, anxiety, restlessness, agitation. Helps insomnia.
Hops ~ a relaxing nerve tonic. Relieves tension, anxiety, restlessness, agitation. Helps insomnia.
Oatstraw ~ high in nutrients that are vital to a healthy nervous system.
Passionflower ~ a great sleep-aid. Helps control seizures.
Peppermint ~ helps colic and relaxes digestive system.
Valerian ~ relieves anxiety and hypertension.
 |
| {photo credit} |
Instructions for making a glycerin tincture
{Recipe used with permission from the Bulk Herb Store. These amounts are for dried herbs. Double the amount of each herb if using fresh}:
1/2 cup Alfalfa
1/4 cup Chamomile
1/4 cup Peppermint
1/4 cup Passionflower
1/4 cup Catnip
1/4 cup Oatstraw
1 tbsp. Hops
1 tbsp. Valerian {If making this for a baby or child, it is recommended to leave this herb out. Valerian is not recommended for children.}
Place dried herbs in a quart jar. Pour 2/3 cup boiling water over herbs and soak for a few minutes. Fill the jar to the top with glycerin. Put a lid on the jar and place in a crockpot full of water. Place a towel first in the bottom of the crockpot under the jar. Turn the crockpot on low and leave for 3 days, stirring the tincture once a day. After 3 days, strain the herbs from the liquid and bottle the tincture! You can do a cold glycerin tincture without using heat, but the heat helps extract the properties.
Recommended Dosage:
For a small baby ~ 5 drops
Older Child ~ 1/2 tsp.
Adult ~ up to 2 tsp. or more
Have you ever made a tincture to help nerves or sleeplessness?
Not a DIY person? Consider Dr. Christopher’s Nerve Formula!
This post is linked to:
Feminine Adventures
I just bought Dr. Schulze’s Nerve Formula, it was expensive, but it is supposed to heal the nerves. How do you think your formula compares to the healing part.
p.s. I just started following you on pinterest
Thank you for following, Jane! 🙂 Dr. Schulze’s formula looks good {I believe his products are awesome}, but I don’t see why it would work better than the one I use. The formula above contains important herbs that would heal the herbs. I have noticed a great difference when I take my formula at stressful or uptight times. One thing I do like about the recipe I use is that it is safe for babies and children, whereas the other formula has a few herbs that would not be a good idea for small children. It’s also a big money saver to make your own, but if you prefer to buy, Dr. Schulze would be one of the best!
Thanks for the question! 🙂
will have to make. Since you like growinghomeblog giveaway I thought you would like mine. Each Saturday there is a new giveaway!
I enjoy entering giveaways – I’ve won some great things. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
As you said about Valerian, I’d be careful giving it to a baby, even in that small a dose. Valerian is a natural tranquilizer; it works like the anti-anxiety medications on the market like Xanax and it can be just as addictive if abused.
Jill, I have added your button to my blog because I love your posts! Happy blogging 🙂
Well, I just went to check my blog to make sure your blogger button was still showing up properly, and it’s giving me a photobucket error message.
The link works if you click on the photobucket icon, but your image isn’t showing up 🙁
I do apologize that my button is doing this – I have no idea why! I’ll do my very best to figure it out soon. Thanks for letting me know!
Thanks for sharing your nerve tincture at Thrifty Thursday last week–it’s one of the featured posts over at The Purposeful Mom! (Anna & I have different features this week.) I knew nothing about tinctures so thank you so much for teaching me about it 🙂 We hope you’ll continue to link up. Have a great day! http://www.thepurposefulmom.com/2012/08/thrifty-thursday-26.html
Thank you so much! 🙂
Love this! I have a question though- I have passion flowers growing wild in my yard (and I know they’re organic!) Do you use the flowers, fruit, or leaves to make the tincture?
Came over from The Purposeful Mom thrifty Thursday and had to pin this!
That’s awesome that you have passionflower growing wild! The flowers, leaves and stems of this flower are used. Thanks for the question!
Hi Jill! I looked up the definition of tincture to make sure I understood what you were making. It says a tincture is, “A medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol.” I’ve read other places that a tincture had to have an alcohol base in it — that’s why I have steered away from them. I LOVE HOW YOU MAKE YOURS & can’t wait to try it! Quick question: I understand St. John’s Wart is great for stress, depression, etc. Would you advise adding that? Why or why not? If so, how much?
This is a recipe put together by Shoshanna’s mom {with the Bulk Herb Store}. I’m not sure why they didn’t put St. John’s Wort in this tincture, but you could add it. St. John’s Wort is one of those herbs that can be used as often as you’d like and in any way you choose, so just throw in a handful of your choosing. 🙂
The traditional way of making tinctures is in alcohol, but glycerin is another option. Glycerin does not do the best job of extracting hard herbs, but I use it for a lot of my tincture-making. I definitely prefer glycerin for tinctures my girls will take.
Good to hear from you! 🙂
Dear Jill,
if i don’t have the a Crockpot what do i use?
Maria, the only thing I can think of is a warm part of a wood-cooking stove. Or you can do a cold glycerin tincture by just setting the jar on the counter for a few weeks, shaking it 3-7 times a week. Thanks for the question!
your recipe sounds great! just what i’m looking for. i am so over this insomnia!
if making this for adults,would one be able to use alcohol instead of the glycerin in your crockpot recipe?
Yes you can use something like vodka to make a tincture. Hope you have the insomnia beat soon!
And would you still use a crockpot, even with the vodka? Thank you!
Kathryn, I would not use a crockpot with vodka. It does a great job by itself in extracting the medicinal properties without the heat.