Question. I know that we can make herbal healing creams, such as a Calendula cream, using calendula-infused sesame oil, Shea Butter, Distilled Water or Hydrosol, emulsifying wax, vitamin E, and a natural preservative. However, I have seen Calendula creams on the market that use Calendula Tincture, so that for every 1g of cream, you're getting the equivalent of 20mg of dried Calendula flower. How much Calendula tincture would you need to add to a very thick base cream to get a therapeutic dose of 20mg/g equivalent of dry calendula flower? Asking, as there are times when I need Calendula cream, but I am out of it as well as the infused oil, but I always have the tincture in stock.

For anyone interested in Herbal Medicine, here are some books I highly recommend: 1. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine by Kerry Bone and Simon Mills 2. Functional Herbal Therapy: A Modern Paradigm for Clinicians by Kerry Bone 3. The Ultimate Herbal Compendium: A Desktop Guide for Herbal Prescribers by Kerry Bone 4. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety by Kerry Bone and Simon Mills 5. Healthy Children: Optimising Children's Health with Herbs by Kerry Bone 6. A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs: Herbal Formulations for the Individual Patient by Kerry Bone 7. Clinical Applications of Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbs: Monographs For the Western Herbal Practitioner by Michelle Morgan 8. How Can I Use Herbs in My Daily Life by Isabell Shippard 9. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman 10. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier 11. The Herbal Medicine Makers Handbook by James Green 12. The Green Pharmacy by James A Duke. 13. The Complete Herbs Sourcebook: An A-to-Z Guide by David Hoffmann 14. Materia Medica of Western Herbs by Carole Fisher 15. A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve 16. Culpeper's Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper and edited by Steven Foster. One Author I DO NOT RECOMMEND is Barbara O'Neill. She is a fraud with no actual Herbal/Nutritional or Naturopathic Certification or Training. Check out the attached PDF to read about the Investigation done on her.

I was wondering if anyone in this group knows anything about or has made herbal health wines? I am interested in making a Hawthorn Berry and Schishandra Berry Red Wine to help support my health by drinking a glass of it a day. Hawthorn Berries were chosen as they support heart health, improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, combat inflammation, aid in digestion, and are packed full of potent antioxidants like polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, and flavonoids. Schishandra Berries were chosen as they contribute to better blood flow, improve heart function, enhances oxygen exhangte in tissues, helps with insomnia and palpitations, protects against myocardial infarcation, lowers LDL cholesterol, increases indurance, stamina, and energy levels, help with cognitive function by improving mental clarity, focus, and concentration, are neuroprotective, support liver detoxification, is an adaptogen that reduces fatigue, stress, and prevents cortisol-induced burnout. **************** Why a wine and not an infusion (water decoction) or a tincture? Well, the answer is threefold. I am looking into making it into a wine, as not only would the decoction extract most of the water-soluble constituents of the berries, the alcohol during its fermentation process would draw out the alcoholic constituents as well. Also, Red Wine, when drunk as 1 cup per day, offers cardiovascular benefits due to its polyphenols, especially resveratrol, catechin, and epicatechin, which can help protect blood vessel linings, reduce LDL cholesterol, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, and prevent blood clots. So for me, it's about maximizing the beneficial aspects, specifically the polyphenols found within wine, hawthorn, and the schishandra. Also, I am using this as a health tonic/drink in addition to medicine to support heart health, especially. When I utilize tinctures, which I often do, they are more medicinal in nature and less nutritive/nourishing. It is this nutritive/nourishing aspect of wine that I am looking for.