About Me

We moved out to Portugal to live a frugal but better , simpler and peaceful life, our house is a very basic, semi ruin, up in the hills outside Figueiro Dos Vinhos, where we work our land, enjoy life with each other and our dogs, and hope to make the smallest carbon footprint we can,

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Herbal Remedies Preparing for Winter


Mullien Leaves

Today I have been cutting and preparing some of the many herbs we use a lot during the winter, and also some Ive never used before but want to keep in store just in case. The first one, and very important one to us is Mullein. A wonderfull plant and one rik would find hard to manage without during the damp days of winter. I cut and dry the large furry leaves and use them for an ingredient in the herbal mixture I give him as a tea for his chest and  sinisitus that gives him so much trouble. Mullein is a great non narcotic pain relief, a mild sedative, as well as being wonderfull for all things bronchial... use as standard brew.


Mullein drying
Cornsilk.
Cornsilk is something Ive never tried before but always wanted to, and as we had a good crop of corn this year I remembered to save the silk and dry it, it took a while to get it completely dry but it finally is.
Cornsilk is an excellent remedy for all things to do with the urinary tract, cystitis, bladder infection, water retention...  for infections, double strength brew.


Raspberry leaf.
Again a popular one, we use it for sore throats and mouth ulcers, but for all 'womens problems' it can be wonderfull. It strengthens the muscles of the womb and helps during labour, and can often help mentrual pains if taken reguarly a few days beforehand. Can also be useful for constipation...