Healthy Living | 53 |
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Never made a tincture before? This Easy Immune Support Tincture is a great place to start! And your immune system will thank you…
This post is sponsored by Infinity Jars. All thoughts are my own, though.
The beginning.
Ever since my first pregnancy, when my hippie midwife gave me a tincture of red raspberry leave to take, I’ve been intrigued by the use of tinctures for health. When she told me she had made it herself, images of elaborate moonshine-esque chemistry sets popped up in my mind.
Those images stayed there for a few years, making me think that it either took a scientific nerd or someone really crazy to make their own tinctures.
But guess what, neither of those things matter.
Making tinctures might sound a little daunting, but it’s really quite simple. If you’ve ever made your own homemade vanilla extract, then you basically have all the knowledge you need! And if you haven’t tried DIY vanilla, don’t worry, you’ll be rockin’ and rollin’ in no time flat!
Getting started.
You need threebasic things to make a tincture:
- a dark glass jar or bottle with an air-tight lid
- some vodka, brandy, or vegetable glycerin
- herbs, roots, and/or berries of your choice
I like to use vodka to make my tinctures, because it’s cheap and easy to get my hands on. If you’re alcohol-free, you can go ahead and use vegetable glycerin instead. I’ve even heard that apple cider vinegar works, but I’ve not ever tried it.
For storage, it’s important to use a dark glass bottle, as the UVrays from the sun can damage the healing properties of the herbs. I’ve been loving theselight optimized, glass cosmetic bottlesfrom Infinity Jars. They’re made with a unique ultraviolet light filtering technology that makes them a great choice for tinctures, essential oil blends, and DIYcosmetic storage. Infinity Jars’ light-blocking and air/watertight jars have been shown to preserve herbsfor months, and even years, longerthanordinary jars!
Easy Immune Support Tincture
For this tinctureI chose herbs that are great atstimulating your immune system. Whether it’s that lovely time of year when everyone and their mom is coming down with something, or you just feel like your immune system could use a little boost, these herbs are a great option.
Thyme
Thyme leaves are packed with immune-boostingvitamins C, A, K & E, as well as calcium, magnesium, and selenium. Theyalso contain antioxidant-richflavonoids andantibacterial properties thatare said to fight off bacteria and fungi as strong asE-coli. Thyme also has arelaxing effecton muscles, making ithelpful for relieving asthma, whooping cough, laryngitis, bronchitis, and even regular ol’ dry coughs.
Echinacea
This pretty little flowerstimulates thecellsthat are responsible for fighting infections, helpingour immune system be more effective at attacking viruses and bacteria. Please note that, if you haveTh1 dominant Hashimoto’s, echinacea also stimulates the Th1 system, so use with care.
Elderberries
These have got to be one of my favorite berries of all time! Their bioflavonoids are so strong, they caneven destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell!They’re filled withamino acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins A & B and morevitamin Cthan oranges!Elderberries areananti-viral, antibacterial, immune-boostingpowerhouse.
Using your tincture.
One of the wonderful things about this immune-boosting tincture is that it will help you out whether you’re sick or not. If you’ve been hanging around someone with the sniffles or a cough, or you just want to make sure you’re keeping your immune system up, take the tincture.
If you’ve already come down with something, this tincture will still help you by building up your immune system and giving it ammunition against the virus or bacteria your’re battling.
Generally, if I’m just trying to fortify my family’s systems during the winter months, I give them 1 dropperful, or 1/4 teaspoon, of the tincture per day (half for littles). If they’ve already caught something, I’ll double the dosage, as well as give them a cupful of my Immune Boosting Sore Throat Tea or my Honey Ginger Allergy Relief Tea.
Pro tip.
Here’s a helpful tipfrom a registered herbalist,Carol Little: “At first sign of symptoms, or if you have been exposed to family/friend with sniffles and want to take precautions, adults should take 1 dropperful every 15-20 minutes for the first few hours. Cold virus replicates every 20 minutes, so the constant repeating of the dose is essential for the formula to kill the virus.”
Now that you knoweverything you need to make a tincture, what are you waiting for? Get going and make your own! Your immune system will thank you. 😉
Note on the herbs:I usually purchase my herbs from Frontier Herbs or Starwest Botanicals, both of which I buy through amazon.com. I also like Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store, as well.
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Easy Immune Support Tincture
Free from grain, gluten, eggs, dairy, and sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup dried elderberries
- 3 tablespoons dried echinacea
- 80 proof vodka
Instructions
Add the herbs and berries to a dark, 8 ounce jar.
Fill the rest of the jar with vodka.
Seal tightly and let sit for 1 month.
Strain out herbs and pour back into the jar, or pour into a bottle with a dropper lid.
Notes
SERVING: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon, or 1-2 dropperfuls, a day for adults, half serving for kids.
Please note, this is NOT supposed to taste good. It is ‘medicine,’ after all…
Raias Recipes - https://raiasrecipes.com
Pin thisEasy Immune Support Tincture for later!
Need more immune support? Try these…
- Honey Ginger Allergy Relief Tea
- Immune Boosting Sore Throat Tea
- Ginger Yellow Dock Digestive Bitters
- Natural Remedies for Healing Cold Sores (plus 2 recipes)
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53 Comments
Pooja@poojascookery.com on January 24, 2017 at 2:55 pm
Wow! Something new and innovative. I never made Tincture before , will definitely try.
Reply
Raia on January 24, 2017 at 3:02 pm
Thank you, Pooja! I hope you find it helpful! 🙂
Reply
Dani on January 24, 2017 at 4:19 pm
It is hard core winter here in Eastern Canada and anything that can help ward off a cold is much needed! Thank you!!
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Raia on January 24, 2017 at 4:23 pm
You’re so welcome, Dani! I hope you find it helpful. 🙂
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Sandhya Hariharan on January 24, 2017 at 5:13 pm
Extremely Handy!! Just what I need for the little kiddos. I still have got memories of using Tincture on on injuries as a child.. Eeks .. Its burns.
Reply
See AlsoBest-in-class: on why more than ever you should stick to Mazola® Corn Oil over anything else - CocinaSweet Potato And Ginger Jam Recipe: Afternoon Tea - Claire JustineRefrigerator Pickled Beets; Grandma's Pickled Beets Recipe – Health Starts in the Kitchen40 Nearly Forgotten Comfort Food DinnersRaia on January 24, 2017 at 5:26 pm
Yeah, it does burn. 😉 If you have access to vegetable glycerin, that might not burn so much! But it wouldn’t have the same sterilizing effects as the alcohol. 🙂
Reply
Lela Hightower on November 4, 2021 at 12:13 pm
I learned to dilute the drops in drinks. It doesn’t burn that way.
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Raia on November 4, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Yes! That’s a great tip! 🙂
Reply
Sushma on January 24, 2017 at 5:19 pm
hmmm.. learnt something new today. Thanks for sharing.. 🙂
Reply
Raia on January 24, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Glad to share, Sushma! I hope you find it useful! 🙂
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Willow | Will Cook For Friends on January 24, 2017 at 5:32 pm
This is such great information! I love making my own vanilla extract, but haven’t really ventured out into the world of tinctures yet. Thank you for putting the work in and sharing this post. I definitely think I need a dropperful of this right now!
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Raia on January 24, 2017 at 6:42 pm
So glad to share, Willow! It’s so easy to make, and it really boosts your immune system. I hope you get to give it a try, and get to feeling better.
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Anne Murphy on January 24, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Cool! Thanks!
How do you take your tinctures? Just drop right on the tongue, or in water or tea? Or something else? I’ve seen all those suggested, sometimes in different contexts, and I’m not sure which would be best.
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Raia on January 24, 2017 at 9:00 pm
I usually take mine under my tongue. My 9-year old likes hers mixed with a little water or kombucha. If you’re giving it to little kids, and you don’t want the alcohol to burn their throats, you can put the dosage in a little warm tea. The alcohol will evaporate from the heat, but the benefits of the tincture will remain the same.
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Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine on January 25, 2017 at 6:23 pm
O I think I need to try whipping some up!
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Raia on January 25, 2017 at 7:54 pm
Yes! Do it! 🙂
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Paula on January 26, 2017 at 10:26 am
Ebook please and thank you
I’m very excited about trying the tinctures!
Thank you so much!Reply
Raia on February 21, 2017 at 11:29 am
Thank you, Paula! I hope you find it helpful!
Reply
Carol Little R.H. on February 21, 2017 at 11:56 am
Simple but good tincture for immune support. I am not sure if you mentioned, so will just add:
At first sign of symptoms or if you have been exposed to family/friend with sniffles and want to take precautions; Adults.. Take 1 dropper ful every 15-20 minutes for the first few hours. Cold virus replicates every 20 minutes so the constant repeating of the dose is essential for the formula to kill the virus. Key to success. Hope it’s ok to jump in and add this.. in the spirit of healing that darn cold or flu!
IReply
Raia on February 21, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Thank you so much for sharing that info, Carol! I’m always open to learning more, in the spirit of healing. 😉
Reply
Roxanne Metz on September 4, 2023 at 8:54 pm
What part of the ECHINACEA do you use? I usually separate each part when I dry them.
ThanksReply
Raia on September 5, 2023 at 2:43 pm
I use the stems, leaves, and flower petals. I do not use the root for this tincture. If you have already separated yours, you could use equal thirds of each, or just half leaves and half flowers.
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Dena Norton on February 21, 2017 at 2:11 pm
I always just make elderberry syrup, but I should definitely experiment with adding other immune boosters. Thanks for the inspo! 🙂
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Raia on February 21, 2017 at 2:52 pm
You’re welcome, Dena! Glad to inspire. 😉
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linda spiker on February 21, 2017 at 2:26 pm
I still haven’t made a tincture. You make it sound super do-able!
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Raia on February 21, 2017 at 2:53 pm
It IS super do-able. 😉 You should give it a try!
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V on May 25, 2021 at 2:11 pm
Can one use this all year round?
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Raia on May 26, 2021 at 10:11 am
I usually only use it when the weather starts gets cooler. But you can use it whenever you feel like your immune system is struggling. I would probably not use it constantly, maybe for a few months at the most, then take a break.
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Sylvie on February 22, 2017 at 4:08 am
I need to keep some of this on hand!
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Raia on February 22, 2017 at 9:54 am
It is very helpful to have around!
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Emily @ Recipes to Nourish on February 22, 2017 at 12:16 pm
This is such a great idea for supporting the immune system! I love that you included thyme in the tincture.
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Raia on February 22, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Thank you, Emily! My family has been living off it this winter. So helpful. 🙂
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Megan Stevens on February 22, 2017 at 5:09 pm
I love the name, the simple ingredients, and the recipe. Thank you! I look forward to making this!
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Raia on February 22, 2017 at 6:45 pm
Thank you, Megan! Sometimes simple is the best. 😉 I hope you find the tincture helpful!
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Tina on September 3, 2018 at 10:47 pm
What size of bottle did you use? I’d like to make up some for a friend and some family members. 1batch makes how much? Also do you can it when done or just put the lid on and keep it in the fridge
Reply
Raia on September 5, 2018 at 12:09 pm
One batch makes about 1 cup of tincture. I store my in a dark glass jar, but if you don’t have that, a regular jar will work as long as you store it out of direct sunlight. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated. 🙂
Reply
Xinthia on December 17, 2018 at 3:41 am
Does alcohol destroy the medicinal properties of the herb? How does it work?
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Raia on December 17, 2018 at 12:23 pm
No, the alcohol acts as a preservative.
Reply
candi on March 5, 2019 at 11:07 am
Can I use fresh herbs, such as the thyme? Also, do you have any other suggestions on a berry other than elderberry, due to negative immune effects? Thank you.
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Raia on March 5, 2019 at 11:49 am
You can use fresh thyme, if you’d like, and if you don’t want the elderberries in there you can just leave them out. 🙂
Reply
Tatiana on August 23, 2019 at 11:19 am
It’s so great for health. I love that it can be done at home. And I definitely want to try. Thanks for this great idea.
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Raia on August 23, 2019 at 11:34 am
You’re so welcome, Tatiana!
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Tara on August 23, 2019 at 11:53 am
How interesting! I haven’t tried making a tincture before. Love all your tips. Definitely need this with the kids starting school soon.
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Raia on August 23, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Yes, it’s that time of year, unfortunately! I hope you get to make it!
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Pam on August 23, 2019 at 12:05 pm
What an interesting post, and I find your readers comments to be informative too. Thanks for this!
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Raia on August 23, 2019 at 1:16 pm
You’re so welcome, Pam!
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Ashley @ Sweetpea Lifestyle on August 23, 2019 at 1:05 pm
All my ingredients are in the bottle, waiting for summer to ride itself out and the sniffly autumn to come in! Thanks for this great, informative post!
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Raia on August 23, 2019 at 1:18 pm
You’re welcome, Ashley!
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Emily on August 23, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Elderberry makes such a difference for me, I can’t wait to make this tincture!
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Raia on August 23, 2019 at 2:32 pm
Yes! It’s so helpful!
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gary medina on August 19, 2022 at 11:21 pm
Is it true that you have to boil the elderberries before use? Can’t wait to get going on this.
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Raia on August 20, 2022 at 11:53 am
If your elderberries are dried, then you don’t have to boil them. If they are raw then you will need to dehydrated them first. Raw elderberries are poisonous.
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Emily on October 2, 2022 at 6:39 pm
I know this is an older post but do you have an ebook with multiple recipes?
Reply
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