10/03/2026
Autumn Respiratory Elixir ๐
Elixir = Herbs + Alcohol + Honey (essentially a tincture with honey)
This is an example of herbal medicine you can make with the herbs in your garden and the ones that grow commonly in wild spaces. You can make a batch of this to help support your family during the cold and flu season.
Goldenrod- helps alleviate common allergy symptoms and respiratory irritations
New England Aster- helps relax the lungs (think spasmodic coughs)
Mullien- helps clear lungs- expectorant for stuck mucous
Thyme & Sage- both antibacterial, help dry up excess mucous, and sooth sore throats
Reishi & Turkey Tail Mushroom- both immune system modulators helping your body fight infections and viruses
Rose hips- high in vitamin C and antioxidants to help your body fight infection or virus
(There are more in depth benefits to all of these herbs and I always encourage people to look deeper into them!)
-add fresh or dried ingredients to your jar, measure with your heart, about 3/4 of the way up. You can use all of these herbs but if you have other herbs in your garden or need to leave out some, thatโs okay!
- cover almost all the way up alcohol 80-100 proof. I prefer brandy because it has a smoother taste
- top off with honey
- shake and let infuse for 4-6 weeks
- strain and rebottle
- take 1-3 dropperfulls to help support your body when you have a cold or flu!
Seasonal, kitchen herbalism does not have to be complicated. You can support your body with herbs without distilling them down to specific measurements and extraction methods (of course you can do that too! especially if you want the MOST potent extraction for treatment of a specific illness. Itโs important to know basic properties of herbs and having a knowledge herbal energetics is wonderfully helpful, and of course if youโre are foraging your own herbs itโs essential to identify the plant correctly. But if you want to start using herbs to help support your overall health and vitality, so many people overthink it and then ultimately avoid it all together! My advice is to start with one simple plant or recipe, donโt overthink it. You will likely be surprised how effective it is! ๐ซถ๐ป