Short little blog that I wanted to make regarding one of my favorite things in the world – milk baths!!
A milk bath is exactly what it sounds like, a bath in milk. Now, it’s of course not a bath entirely in milk, that would be expensive. It is a warm bath with milk in lieu of bubbles or salts. I usually will take one if I’ve got milk that’s about to go bad, or that needs used up. You want to take a bath in whole milk as it’s got the most milk fats to benefit your skin. I usually add about 1/4 to 1/2 gallon (give or take) to my bath water. You really can add as much or as little as you’d like.
You do not need to rinse your skin with plain water before exiting you bath, and when you get out, you skin will feel silky and smooth. I like to take a milk bath if my skin is particularly dry or if I have sunburn or another ailment (bug bites, poison, etc.). I have also noticed that milk has helped with dry scalp and damaged hair. Really, it’s just another reason to pour a glass of wine and have a bath.
Poison has been the bane of my existence for a few years now. As a child, I would be the only one of my friends who didn’t get poison after a day playing in the woods. Now, I feel like if I even breathe around the stuff, I’ll get it. I am so very careful, I have vast knowledge of all of the forms that the plant takes (as it is seldom uniform in shape and size). Sometimes, you just aren’t careful enough I guess.
My face after a particularly bad spout of poison I obtained from a work site
The purpose of this post is to accomplish 3 things:
1. Identify the many forms of poison (ivy, oak, sumac, & the poisonwood tree)
2. Talk about successful and unsuccessful remedies
3. Call out any myths or wives tales about poison
Identification
You need to know what you’re looking to stay away from before you can actually stayread more
I frequently keep an Amazon wishlist so that when people feel the need to get me something (ie. grandparents on Christmas), I have an easy link so that they can see things I may want/need. Two Christmases ago, I received the amber dropper bottles and 00 gel capsules that I had been wanting; what I did not think about was the awkward situation that arouse when I opened these gifts. My uncle was convinced I was manufacturing meth, or some sort of other drug. My grandparents became slightly worried. My mother rolled her eyes. I am the “special” kind of person in my family, however I had a plan for these gifts that I received.
Now, I have finally started to use my unusual Christmas gifts; I have started my own small home apothecary. The purpose of my apothecary is to attempt to get away from commercial and over the counter drugs for more natural solutions to common ailments. I primarily create tinctures and capsules, however I have also started things like herbal scrubs, salves, and a “master tonic.”
A quick overview:
– Tinctures are solutions of herbs left to age in either alcohol (my preferred method), or glycerin, usually for a period of 2-4 weeks. I’m going to speak about alcohol, since it is the method I am familiar with.
– Capsules are ground herbs and spices placed into gelatin capsules for ease of consumption; usually used as supplements.
– Scrubs are either sugar or salt based, and are meant to either ease ailments (such as dry skin or pain from arthritis) or exfoliate dead skin. They can also provide relief from breathing issues such as asthma via the oils used in them.
– My “master tonic” is a concoction of many things, I will post the recipe below.
Tinctures
Tinctures are herbal solutions soaked in alcohol (or glycerin). I use everclear as my alcohol of choice, although whiskey can also be used. The higher the proof the better, hence why I use everclear. A higher proof allows the chemicals in the herbs to bind to the alcohol solution. I soak my tinctures for around 3 weeks, kept in a dark cabinet or closet and shaken once a day for the first 5 days and then weekly after that. Regardless of the size of your mason jar, you should fill it 3/4 full of herbs ground as finely as you can, then cover the herbs in alcohol. Once your tincture has set for at least 2 weeks, filter out the herbs from the alcohol and divide into amber or blue jars for use (light can damage or degrade the healing properties). To use, simply take 2-5 drops of whatever tincture, as often as hourly (or as needed, use your best judgement).
Tinctures that I currently have in my medicine cabinet and use frequently include:
Garlic – antifungal/antiviral/antibiotic; good to keep bugs away; immune system support
Ginger – eases stomach pains, indigestion, nausea, motion sickness; can help ease allergies; may help minor headaches
Parsley – metabolism regulation & weight loss; bad breath aid; good for digestive system and urinary tract
Rosemary – “heal all:” enhance memory; relieve stress or anxiety; headaches; muscle spasms; anti-inflammatory; improves circulation (I take my rosemary everywhere with me)
Capsules
Capsules are simply finely ground herbs/spices that have been divided into gelatin capsules so that they can be easily consumed. This can be done with nearly any herb or spice. They should be used supplementally or preventively as you see fit. Many herbs can do many different things and have many benefits. Taking a capsule daily is a good way to prevent multiple ailments, as opposed to a tincture which are generally taken as needed. I have a CapMQuick device that allows me to easily fill my 00 gelatin caps. With capsules, make sure that you are using good quality herbs or spices. Slightly more expensive will offer greater benefits in the long run.
I typically create scrubs and give them as gifts. I use scrubs to exfoliate and also for aromatherapy. My general recipe calls for 75% sugar (or coarse salt) to 25% oil (I use high quality coconut oil for my gifts and quality olive oil for personally used scrubs – some people don’t like how very oily the olive oil is). Once you have this base, you can add any essential oils or herbs that you like. I also usually add a few drops of food coloring, to make them a bit more appealing, but it’s certainly not necessary.
Scrubs that I have made or keep around the house include:Lavender sugar (+6 drops lavender essential oil) – promotes relaxation; relaxes muscles and skin; stress relief
Eucalyptus sugar (+5 drops eucalyptus essential oil) – opens airways; improves breathing; using on the bottom of your feet can help a lot if you have a cold
Rosemary salt (+finely ground rosemary – allow to sit for at least a week) – anti-inflammatory; helps headaches; stress relief
Peppermint salt (+finely ground mint leaves PLUS 2 drops peppermint essential oil) – helps breathing; gets rid of nausea; good for skin and sore muscles
“Master Tonic”
The master tonic that I make uses a variety of ingredients to create an anti-fungal/anti-viral/anti-bacterial tonic that can be taken a dropper full every hour or two as needed for ailments such as the common cold. I caution you to take it in steps, as it may not sit well with people who have sensitive stomachs. This tonic is no joke! The original recipe is here. I modified it slightly to fit my own preferences, see below.
Fill one, 1/2 gallon milk jug (or other similar sized glass bottle) with equal parts of the following:
Hot peppers (I used a mix of jalapenos and cayenne)
Onions (the hotter/spicier the better)
Ginger
Horseradish (the real stuff, nothing prepared in a jar)
Lemons (I squeezed out the juice then added juice & lemon)
Garlic
Make sure all ingredients are chopped as finely as possible; this will increase the surface area and allow for maximum nutrient/chemical absorption into the tonic.
Once all ingredients are added, cover them in apple cider vinegar (make sure you’re using a brand with “the mother,” like Bragg’s)
Allow to sit for 3-4 weeks in the dark. Shake/invert once daily. Then divide into amber/blue bottles and store for use.
See that layer of “sediment” at the bottom? That’s the good stuff!
Building a home apothecary has proven to be a fun endeavor for me, and I continue to learn aboutread more
