Infusions with Nourishing Herbs

Infusions are made in the same manner as you would make a cup of tea, with a few exceptions.

With a cup of tea you add your dried herb/herbs to hot water and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes, strain, find a comfy chair and enjoy those medicinal benefits right away.
 
With an infusion you are using a larger amount of your herb/herbs and the steeping time is anywhere from 2 to 10 hours. The purpose of drinking an herbal infusion is for the abundant amount of vitamins and minerals. (think of it as a liquid vitamin) 💪
 
Making an infusion is very easy. Place 1 ounce, by weight, of dried herb/herbs in a glass quart jar. Fill to the top with boiling water, cover and allow to steep at room temperature for 2-10 hours. Strain and drink by the cupful, warm or cold, throughout the day. Be sure to keep the remainder in the refrigerator and to use up within 36 hours. 

 
If you find the taste to be too strong you can try using 1/2 ounce of your herb and slowly increase up to that 1 ounce. You can add a touch of honey or maybe a slice of lemon. 

You can create a different infusion per week. You can use a single herb or add several together. I always recommend to become familiar with the different vitamin/mineral profile of each herb/herbs before deciding on what herbs to use to create your own infusion, based on;

your daily diet
how is your current health? What vitamins and minerals is your body telling you it needs?
any possible herb / drug interactions

Below is a list of some of my favorite nourishing herbs to use. There are of course more one could add to this. Be sure to keep in mind that pungent herbs are not as suitable for long infusions as the taste would be very strong and unpleasant. 

As with using any herbal, be sure to check for drug interactions and or cautions for pregnant and or nursing mothers.

chickweed - Stellaria media
dandelion leaves - Taraxacum officinale
hawthorn berries, leaves and flowers 
hibiscus
mullein - Verbascum thapsus
nettle leaf- Urtica dioica
oat straw
raspberry leaf 
red clover flowers -Trifolium pratense 
rose petal
rose of sharon - Hibiscus syriacus
violet leaves - Viola sororia

Herbal Body Powders

lavender, calendula, chamomile, body powders

Working on this site has been such an amazing journey. There is always a memory that comes back to me that has something to do with whatever it is I'm working on. Take this post for example. Body Powders. 

In my grandmother's bathroom, she kept several containers filled with body powders. Most of them were from Avon. My favorite was the one that looked liked an ice cream cone. Do any of you remember that particular one? I loved opening up those containers and smelling all the different fragrances. Feeling how soft the powder was between my fingers. Amazed at how it disappeared into my skin. ( Hahaha Hey, I was only 8.) I wondered how in the world did they make this soft as silk powdery goodness. I loved it and I wanted to figure out how to make my own. And I did, years later.    

It's true what they say you know, about how to figure out what to do in one's life. ( That is if one is searching for a direction.) Look back to your childhood. The things that intrigued you, that sparked your curiosity, that kept coming back to you time and time again. Look there and you will find what your true passion/s are. Then all you need to do is figure out how to bring that passion into your present day life.   😊  

Okay, lets get back to the body powders. These are the ingredients I used for my recipe.


1 cup of arrowroot powder
1/2 cup kaolin clay
2 tablespoons finely ground fragrant dried herbs, ie; lavender, chamomile, roses, calendula
Container

About the ingredients

Arrowroot is a starchy powder that comes from the rhizomes of Marantha arundinacea. The rhizomes are dried then ground up into a very fine powder. It can be used as a substitute for corn starch in your cooking recipes. You can also use it to make a face powder by adding cocoa powder and a little cinnamon until you get the shade that matches your skin. Also, a little beet root powder mixed with the arrowroot will give you an all natural blush. How cool is that! There are many more uses for arrowroot. Be sure to do some research and see what else you can come up with.        

Kaolin can be found all around the world. Here in the United States it's mined in Georgia and South Carolina. The clay is used in facial masks, body powders, soaps, body scrubs and deodorants. It's a mild clay. Naturally absorbent and good for sensitive skin types.

lavender body powder

The dried herbs, be sure to ground them up into a very fine powder before adding to your other ingredients. I used the milling blade on my NutriBullet. You can also use a coffee bean grinder. If you don't have access to either of those, I would omit the dried herbs. If you don't grind them into a fine powder they will be very rough on your skin! You can always substitute an essential oil for the herbs. In that case, add a few drops on a cotton ball then place in the bottom of your container before adding the powder. The powder will absorb the fragrance from the essential oil. Once my dried herbs were sufficiently pulverized, I added the rest of my ingredients and used the milling blade until well incorporated. 

You can order powder shaker containers online or even recycle a powder container or use a container with a powder puff. This really is a good alternative if you're looking for a natural body powder. It feels silky smooth, blends in quickly and smells amazing.