Monthly Archives: June 2015

Traveling with tinctures

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It’s easy to use herbs when you’re home, but traveling with them requires some extra thought. If you are happy with loose herbs, there are generally no issues. Put them in a bag and go. However, if you like to use tinctures then further consideration must be taken. Tinctures are normally stored in 1 oz. amber  glass bottles. For travel, some people choose to store their tinctures in plastic bottles. I am not a fan of plastic, so that’s not an option for our family. At first, I made a simple pouch out of bubble wrap, not very elegant but it did the trick. Then, I came across a simple homemade carrying case and decided to make one for Mike since he was traveling quite a bit. It was perfect ~ simple and easy to travel with tinctures. I finally made one for myself too.

materials

materials

All you need is a placemat, thread and ribbon. I sewed it by hand but if you have a sewing machine, it can be made within minutes. I am a big fan of reusing and found 5 placemats at a 2nd hand store for only $1.00.

  • Simply lay the placemat flat, fold the bottom up one third.

    mark each seam with a pin

    mark each seam with a pin

  • Mark off every 3 inches and sew each segment as well as the outside seams up vertically. Most placemats average 18” in length. So, this will create 6 pouches and allows for storage of 6 tincture bottles ranging from 1oz. to 4oz. in size. Exact measurements are unnecessary ~ this design is very forgiving.

    sew 6 pockets

    sew 6 pockets

  • Cut a 40 inch ribbon. Fold in half and sew folded part into one side of the pouch’s outside seam.fold
  • Insert tinctures, fold top over, roll and then tie with ribbon. That’s it ~ now go off and explore the world.all ready

I have never had any problems with breakage or the TSA when traveling with tinctures. I do put the pouch in a zip-lock bag with other 1st aid items for extra peace of mind.

How do you travel with your tinctures? Please share and I will continue to share.

Jewelweed is a great remedy for Poison Ivy

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With the advent of spring and the fairer weather, if you are anything like me the woods are calling you and asking you to explore. There are so many lovely things to see and experience on a walk in the woods. As with all things in life, there are some not so wonderful things as well. For instance, Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) creates an itchy rash or worse when most people touch it.

Why do those annoying plants make us break out in itchy rashes?  The culprit is urushiol, a chemical found in the leaves and stems of the plants. Urushiol is one of the most potent toxins; a mere one billionth of a gram is enough to affect a sensitive individual. Direct contact with urushiol causes skin irritation in about 90% of the population.

The first line of defense against poison ivy is to get to know what it looks like and never touch it. It is potent and has the ability to give you an allergic reaction all year round. Nevertheless, sometimes it is unavoidable. Therefore, the next best thing is get to know Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). Jewelweed’s blocking and healing properties are amazing.  The active ingredient in Jewelweed is a chemical called lawsone, which binds to the same molecular sites in the skin that the urushiol attacks.  If Jewelweed is applied quickly enough, it can beat the urushiol to those sites and lock it out.  If applied later, the lawsone works to block the action of the allergic resin in the skin and helps heal the rash.

Apparently, if you apply Jewelweed within three hours of contact with poison ivy you can block the allergic reaction. On a hike a couple of years ago, we tested this theory. I was hiking with Mike and Mathew around a lake in the National Forest, all of sudden we were surrounded by Poison Ivy. We had to make a decision, turn around and go back or go forward through large patches of Poison Ivy, which was high as our knees. It was a tough decision as we were ¾ of the way around the lake, it was very hot, we were running low on water and very tired. I noticed some Jewelweed and we decided to risk the walk through the Poison Ivy. After we got through all the Poison Ivy, we took the Jewelweed, mashed it up in our hands and rubbed it all over the exposed areas of our legs. Jewelweed makes a very moist pulp and is easy to spread.  I am overjoyed to tell you that it worked. None of us got a Poison Ivy rash.

Jewelweed blossom

Jewelweed is easier to identify when it’s flowering, then again aren’t most plants. No need to wait until late summer to identify Jewelweed, it’s growing now and will block the rash from contact with Poison Ivy. It’s stem is distinctively succulent, which is rather unusual. The delicate leaves are 1/4 to 1/2″ long-oval, long-stalked, with a few rounded teeth. The upper leaves are alternate, the lower ones opposite. They’re water-repellent, so they look like they’re covered with tiny jewels (raindrops) after it rains, hence the name Jewelweed. Another name for Jewelweed is “Touch-Me-Nots” which refers to its seeds. When the seeds are ripe and lightly touched, they burst apart as they have a spring mechanism inside. When I was a kid, I loved liberating the seeds in the fall.

jewelweed

Jewelweed

Luckily, Jewelweed and Poison Ivy tend to grow in the same habitat. So get to know what Poison Ivy and Jewelweed looks like. You may need to be saved someday.

jewelweed and poison ivy

Jewelweed surrounding Poison Ivy