From the Blog of Pure Wellness

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens)

Essential Oil: none

Uses: antiseptic, stimulant, diaphoretic, warming. Fresh or dried pods with seeds can be used in teas, tinctures, washes and infused oils.

Quick Tip: Add a teaspoon of powdered cayenne to a meal or tea at the beginning of a cold or with inflamed throats. If you do not consume Cayenne regularly, work up to a teaspoon slowly.

Herb of the week is to give you a brief overview of the many plants that grace our Earth. Please research further into herbs before using these on yourself and loved ones. Especially if you are pregnant.

There are many ways to invite herbs into your life. Sometimes it can get confusing reading about the different ways you can administer them. Here’s a run-down of major preparations and how they are made.

Herbal Teas/Infusion – A tea or infusion can be a mixture of herbs which include leaves, stems, and flowers. Steeping herbal teas for at least 10 minutes in boiling water allows for most benefits.

Decoction – This also is steeping plants in boiled water, but decoctions include bark, nuts, roots, and seeds steeping from 20 minutes to overnight.

Syrup – A syrup is infused herbs in boiling water mixed with honey and may or may not include alcohol. The end result is a thick, syrup.

Elixir/Tonic – An elixir is similar to how a syrup is made, but it is not heated  to make a thick syrup. Herbs are infused with an alcohol and honey and left to sit for several weeks similar to how a cordial might taste.

Poultice – Ground herbs mixed with a liquid to become a paste to spread on a cloth over wounds or infections.

Extract – Herbs are infused in 80% alcohol for a long period of time (usually 2 months and longer). Either fresh herbs are used in 1:2 ratio or dried herbs used 1:5 ratio.

Tincture – A tincture is taken by diluting an extract in boiling water or juice.

Capsule – Most herbal supplements are taken by a capsule form full of powdered herbs.

Liniment – Herbal extract used for exterior use. (i.e. sore muscles)

Lozenge/pastilles  – A paste of powdered herbs and honey are hardened into a lozenge.

Salve – Used on the skin, usually made with beeswax, infused oils, and sometimes essential oils. Ingredients are heated and then left to cool into a solid.

Cream/lotions – Also used on the skin made with beeswax, infused oils, a butter (like Shea) essential oils and distilled waters. Depending on ratios a cream can be thicker than a lotion.

Infused Oils – Carrier oils infused with herbs and set for at least a couple weeks in the sun (or in a double boiler for quicker infusions)

Diffusions – Using hot or cold steam to diffuse essential oils into the air.

Hydrosol – Steam condensation left over from infusing floral waters. Used mostly as toners.

Essential Oil – concentrated liquid containing volatile compounds from the plant. This is the true aroma essence from plants.