Homemade herbal vitamin tincture for children

  I really enjoy making herbal tinctures for specific requirements.  For example, I make a dandelion tincture to strengthen and detox the liver, and take it for a few weeks at the change of each season.  We could all use a little detox when going into a different phase of nature's year.
  I used to make my kid's tinctures by using apple cider vinegar, but they never wanted to take them because of the taste.  Once I started making them with glycerin however, they didn't have a problem because it is soooo sweet.
  Now, I am one who loves to save money; yes, I am quite frugal, and always have been.  In today's world, not only do we need to save money, but we also need to learn to return to the old ways of self-sufficiency!  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been making topical, herbal creations for over 20 years.  I only started ingesting them about 10 years ago, after I studied the various herbs and learned what I hoped they could do for me and my family.
  I focused on making one herb at a time, until I read WellnessMama, and she suggested the multi-vitamin.  Here is my interpretation on her suggestions.  I hope you will research what herbs you may want to use, or feel free to give mine a try.  Let me know if you do, I would love to hear about it.  (remember, I am not a doctor, so take care and investigate each herb for your own health before you use it).

I love @mountainroseherbs for organic ingredients, unless of course you have your own home gown herbs

  I always boil my glass jars, using Ball mason jars usually.  This time I used a pickle jar.  Some say you can simply run them through your dishwasher to sanitize, so do whatever you feel comfortable with.

              Multi-vitamin glycerin tincture for children (or those who prefer not to use alcohol).

  

Fill the jar using the following dried herbs

1/4 cup alfalfa leaf

1/4 cup dandelion leaf

1/4 cup raspberry leaf

1 Tbl. burdock root

2 Tbl. catnip leaf and flower

2 Tbl. oatstraw

1/2 Tbl. rosehips

1 cup boiling water

2/3 cup glycerin, food grade

1. scoop all the herbs in the jar
2. add the boiling water and let steep 3-5 minutes
3. add the glycerin
4. cap tightly, label and store
5. make sure all herbs are submerged and shake every few days for 4-6 weeks

I enjoy this process so much, that I make smaller batches like this every few months.  You can of course double or triple this to make a larger batch.  You can follow the heating method for glycerin tinctures if you don't want to wait the 4-6 weeks.  I prefer this old-fashioned way of letting the herbs release slowly.  Put them somewhere that you will remember to shake every few days.  

when it's time to decant, use a cheesecloth to strain into a new, sanitized jar

  I usually have enough cheesecloth to triple filter, and cover the whole strainer.  This picture is of the straining of my adult multi when I was low on cheesecloth.  (I forgot to take a picture of the kids vit process).

  I recommend 1-2 droppers full from a glass dropper bottle once or twice daily for the benefits of vitamins A, B, C, E, K, magnesium, calcium and iron.  The oatstraw is an excellent source of calcium.  I omit it from my adult vitamin because of the possibility of gluten.  *see my post on adult vitamins to read up on the properties of these particular herbs*


What tinctures do you enjoy making?  Here is the link to making vitamins for adults.  Have a blessed day!

http://newbeginningsglutenfreeherbal.blogspot.com/2013/06/herbal-tincture-for-homemade-multi.html

Joanna