Honey: Honey is a demulcent, which means that it can be used to relieve inflammation or irritation. It can soothe a sore throat or mucosal membranes and help relieve redness, swelling, and other discomforts. As a carrier for your herb, honey should be in the purest and least processed form. Buy honey from beekeepers that are near to where you leave. This will ensure that your honey is of high quality and that it does not contain any pesticides or was not pasteurized. If you got honey from a place near where you live, there will be a smaller chance that honey will conflict with any allergies you may have with pollen. Just remember that children below one should not be given honey. (Related: Honey - A top survival food, wound healer and all-purpose health tonic.)
Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar can be used internally and externally with herbs. When choosing apple cider vinegar, make sure that it is organic and should not be clear to the eye. Instead, it should have sediment or precipitates that form on the bottom. The best apple cider vinegar should have the "mother" in it, which are bacteria that help to ferment and produce the vinegar. This indicates that the vinegar is organic and unprocessed.
Wine: Like apple cider vinegar, wine can also be used internally and externally with herbs. When buying wine, choose locally made and high-quality ones.
Infusing honey
Infusing honey does not take much time and effort. Follow these steps:
- First, boil some water, remove it from the stove, and let it sit for about one to two minutes.
- Then, put your herbs in the water and let it steep. Some of the herbs you can use include thyme, lavender, rose petals, lemon balm, tulsi, ginger, cinnamon, mint, sage, and garlic.
- After that, strain the water from the herb and let it cool.
- Once cooled, add the now-infused water to the honey.
- Letting the water sit for one to two minutes will prevent the boiling water from destroying the beneficial properties of the herb. You can also use different types of flowers to flavor the honey or you can add herbs like ginger for a tonic.
Infusing apple cider vinegar or wine
Infusing wine or apple cider vinegar is also simple and easy. To infuse wine or apple cider vinegar with herbs, follow these steps:
- Put your macerated or chopped herbs into a jar and cover them over the wine or apple cider vinegar. Seal the jar tightly and keep it in a cool, dark place. You would have to shake the jar vigorously at least 100 times per session, twice a day.
- After three weeks, strain off your wine or vinegar into a bottle. This can last between six months and one year.
- It is best to use wine and vinegar that is already made instead of making your own and infusing it in this way.
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