How to Make Cold & Flu Tinctures

As long as humans have suffered with illness, we have sought means to cure and treat those illnesses. In the modern era, though we have all manner of pharmaceutical solutions at our disposal, some of our most common afflictions are yet to be cured. We can only treat their symptoms. A tincture, a solution of alcohol and natural oils, is among the oldest, most common and effective traditional medicines to treat cold and flu symptoms.

Things You'll Need

• Medicinal herbs
• Alcohol
• Chef knife
• Mortar and pestle
• Pint jar
• Fine-mesh metal strainer

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Instructions

• 1

  Choose which ingredients you will include. Different herbs are regarded to have different properties. For cold and flu treatment, consider garlic and ginger, two popular remedies. Other common ingredients include catnip, astragalus, echinacea, elder berries, goldenseal and lemon balm. See Resources for a link to tincture ingredient ideas.

• 2

  Decide whether you will use fresh or dried ingredients. Fresh ingredients have more valuable natural oils, vitamins and compounds, which give them their cold- and flu-fighting properties. Dried ingredients are often more readily available, but are not as potent as their fresh counterparts. Always use fresh ingredients when possible for maximum impact.

• 3

  Procure high-proof alcohol. Herbal oils are soluble in alcohol, so the liquid part of the tincture needs to be as rich in alcohol as possible. Neutral-tasting alcohol like vodka will work, but is commonly available only in lower potencies. Everclear is 190 proof and has little taste, but is illegal in some states. Choose an alcohol as close to 190 proof (95 percent alcohol) as possible.

• 4

  Process your ingredients. Chop fresh ingredients into smaller pieces no larger than an inch or so in size. Crush dried herbs into smaller pieces using a mortar and pestle, but do not powder. Make pieces as small as reasonably possible to maximize exposed surfaces.

• 5

  Combine your tincture ingredients in a 1-pint glass jar, as much as you can fit or care to include. Fill the jar with the alcohol, and seal. Store the tincture in a cool dry place for two to three weeks. Strain the mixture with a fine-mesh strainer, discard the solids and re-jar the liquid. Store in the refrigerator.