Should You Make Alcohol-Based Medicine? ~ Home Pharmacy Series

"Well, this story will be a nice handle for those folks who are so down on me for making currant wine, although I haven't made any for three years ever since I found out that the minister didn't approve. I just kept that bottle for sickness."

~ L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

{Note: Please don't be upset about this post. It is not meant to argue whether or not Jesus drank fermented wine and if it is acceptable for you to. This is meant to discuss the potential dangers of alcoholism and drunkedness, both of which the Almighty disapproves of. This article is also meant to share the pros and cons of alcohol-based medicine and to offer the concerned homemaker some solutions.}

Before we begin our Home Pharmacy Series, I have the need to discuss alcohol. It is often used in long-term preservation herbal recipes (such as the "tincture", "elixir" or "liniment"). And to be honest, I did not like the idea of using alcohol based medicine in our home. We are rather conservative when it comes to alcohol. We don't partake in any of it. The Scriptures share so many warnings against drunkedness (at least 5 verses in Proverbs) that it seemed best for our household to avoid it all together.

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging:

and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

~ Proverbs 20:1

However, the Bible does share a time when the use of alcohol may be appropriate and that is when it comes to illness. With this in mind, we decided that Paul's advice to the young Timothy did apply to our medicinal needs and thus was acceptable under those circumstances for our family as well (especially in light of the information I am about to share below).

"No longer drink only water,

but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments."

~ 1 Timothy 5:23 (ESV)

The reason that alcohol (namely 80-100 proof vodka, rum, gin or brandy) is often used for herbal remedies is because it is an excellent medium for extracting most of the beneficial properties from your herbs. Infusing the two together for a certain amount of time creates a highly concentrated extract and keeps it safe and sound in liquid form for many years. While a dried herb will lost strength anywhere from 6 months to 2 years (depending on the specific one), an alcohol based tincture made with an herb will last up to 5 - 6 years (if not more)! When you are spending money on some of your herbs (like myself), it does make cents sense! Also, when you are spending the time to make them, you want them to last and be readily available as soon as a need arises. Think of alcohol based tinctures as the most powerful, effective and long-lasting way to preserve your medicine for your pantry.

How to Make An Alcohol-Based Medicine "Safe": 

The good news is that if your herbal medicine is added to a hot tea or water, most of the alcohol will evaporate off which will leave you with a "safe" herbal remedy (Keep in mind also that these doses are very small such as a few teaspoons a day!). This has been confirmed by many herbalists and is the reason most of us feel comfortable using vanilla and lemon extract in baked goods (which is also alcohol based). 

"Adding a small amount of almost boiling water to the tincture dose in a cup and allowing it to cool effectively evaporates most of the alcohol, making it safe."

~ Excerpt from Home Herbal by Penelope Ody

Alternative Choices:

"Though the actual amount of alcohol you’ll consume when taking a tincture is quite small (approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons per day), some people prefer not to use alcohol, and use vegetable glycerin or apple cider vinegar instead."

~ Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide 

However, if alcohol is a weakness to you or someone in your family and having it on-hand or nearby might jeopardize a sober soul, I would omit the use of it altogether. The alternative is to make your herbal medicines with either apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. Though neither of these make as strong or long lasting as an extract, they do boast many other benefits (visit here for the tutorial).

• The vinegar based tinctures will last up to one year in your pantry and raw apple cider vinegar has its own medicinal goodness. It is also easy to slip these healthy herbal vinegars into salad dressings and other areas of your food preparation.

• The glycerin based tincture (also called a "glycerite" and not as strong as the vinegar based extracts) will last from 2 - 3 years in your pantry. It is a very sweet liquid making it a great choice of herbal medicine for children.

I just wanted to share these options and words with you all before we proceed. I don't take "talking" (or "typing" rather) about adding vodka into our recipes very lightly. I have loved one's who gave up family, friends and most importantly God due to drunkedness and addiction. I saw first-hand how it can wreck lives and hurt the hearts of those they once held dear.  In our household, it is a herbal preservation tool and perhaps it can (or can not) be in yours too. However, your soul is more important than any herbal medicine because unlike your physical health, your spiritual health, dear reader, is eternal!

"Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

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