Make herbal remedies at home

Now you can make 10 different herbal remedies in your own kitchen, with the Blackford Centre's Herbal Remedies Kit.

- Got a cold or flu?

- Having difficulty sleeping?

- Has a child fallen over and bruised herself?

- Get an unsettled stomach?

With this Herbal Remedies Kit you can help your family and friends back to health with your own home-made potions. The kit provides you with all the ingredients to make 10 herbal remedies. It comes with full colour instructions, plus a list of herb suppliers for when you need to stock up again.

The Kit is available online at www.inst.org/herbal-remedies-kit

You can make the remedies in your kitchen with just your usual pans and equipment. If you can boil potatoes, you can make these remedies. It means never having to buy shop-bought chemical remedies ever again. You'll save a fortune, and you'll know exactly what has gone into each remedy.

The Herbal Remedies Kit lets you take control of your family's health, and gives you an insight into the wisdom of herbs. It's a fascinating study in its own right. You'll be joining the large numbers of people who are re-learning about the health giving properties of herbs, and re-connecting with our past. Instead of relying on pharmacists and big pharma, you'll be making your own remedies.

Imagine going for a walk and coming back with a rucksack full of dandelions, valerian or yarrow.

You might take on a role like the traditional healer, the person the village turned to when a child was feverish or someone has sprained their ankle.

Think how impressed people will be when their swelling subsides, their wound heals fast or their headache disappears.

Your kitchen will be like an old time apothecary, with drying herbs hanging from the ceiling and a home-made remedy bubbling on the hob. Perhaps you'll become a medical herbalist, using your skills and experience to earn a living?

What you'll make You'll make 10 remedies from the herbs we supply.

- A calming marigold ointment that you can apply to bruises, strains and burns. Its anti-fungal properties fight infection.

- A relaxing bath oil to sooth bronchitis and respiratory problems. You'll make it from the kit's eucalyptus and thyme leaves.

- A plantain poultice that you can apply to cuts and grazes.

- A dandelion decoction that eases inflammatory pains - and has many other benefits it's a diuretic, a tonic and it's anti-bilious.

- Three spice joint and muscle oil that's great for sore muscles and aching joints and promotes circulation.

- Anti-itch chickweed cream. It soothes the itch and breaks the itch-scratch cycle.

An echinacea and ginger infusion that many people say beats off colds and boosts your immune system.

- A wonderfully soothing chamomile tea that aids digestion, as well as reducing insomnia, easing anxiety and calming indigestion.

Bonus recipes As a bonus you'll also get the recipe for these wonderful remedies, each of which requires only simple ingredients.

- A healing balm that aids sprains and strains and is wonderful for bruises. It's made with comfrey, once known as bruisewort or knitbone which are clues to its properties.

- Marshmallow root sore throat soothers. Make these pastilles to sooth an irritated or inflamed throat.

- Refreshing aloe headache gel. You can apply it to the forehead, temples, neck and shoulders during headaches and migraines.