Time for PINE!

How to make the best of pine flowers?

It's time! Pine is blooming, today we went picking pine flowers, they where full of pollen. Our hands turned yellow from the blooming powder. This is a powerful remedy for spring allergy!

Pine has valuable aspects to make medicine from. In every stadia from his blooming, you could make tinctures, salves, essences, syrups, honey and or even vinegar to help you in your daily life.

HEALING PROPERTIES

Cultures around the globe have used the needles, inner bark, resin, sap, young needle tops, flowers and young green cones for similar ailments. Internally, pine is a traditional remedy for coughs, colds, allergies, and urinary tract and sinus infections. Topically, pine is used to address skin infections and to lessen joint inflammation in arthritic conditions.

NEEDLES/YOUNG NEEDLE TOPS

Pine needles contain a compound called alpha- or beta-pinene, which is a natural decongestant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anxiolytic. When ingested, pine can be used to treat colds and coughs, reducing phlegm and helping with sinus infections. The needles can be used because of his antibacterial properties to filter water in a survival situation.

INNER BARK

Pine bark extract is an herbal supplement rich in healthy polyphenols like procyanidins, catechins, and phenolic acids. These plant compounds appear to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. As such, pine bark extract shows great potential as a therapeutic herbal supplement.

RESIN

Pine resin extracts, such as turpentine oil, have traditionally been used internally as a treatment for chronic cough, bladder and kidney complaints, and rheumatism. They are also used externally as plasters and ointments for antiseptic actions in eczema and to stimulate topical circulation.

SAP

It is a natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent that treats and bandages wounds like a two-for-one. The softer sap can even be chewed like gum for colds and sore throats. Pine sap can also serve as a waterproofing for seams in boots, boats, and containers.

FLOWERS

It is extensively used for treating the common cold, sore throat, cough and flu symptoms. It also thins and loosens the rheum particles within the chest and nasal cavities and hence eases breathing and helps the body to get rid of mucus. It is also beneficial in treating bronchitis and asthmatic conditions. They are also used as remedies like the bachflower nr 24 that is specifally for guilty feelings.

YOUNG GREEN CONES

The phytoncides (the oils in the pine cones), have anti-inflammatory properties and make the body more resistant to infections and colds. Aids with stomach issues. Young pine cones are known for their ability to alleviate gastritis and ulcers pains.

HOW IT'S MADE Today we choose to use the pine flowers, for a healing honey remedy. Because of the place we live we choose the acacia honey from our own land, that has already healing properties. The honey will absorb all the healing elements of the flowers and pollen and will be a handy winter remedy for covid, flu and cough, but also for spring allergy or asthma.

When you experience that your normal treatment with elderberry syrup doesn't want to work and the cough or flu sounds dry and sharp. The weather is dry and warm, then this remedy is very helpful and can bring instant relief. The nice part of making this remedy is that it's quick and doesn't need so much preparation and it's very valuable to have in your herb pharmacy.

NECESSARY INGREDIENTS

You need flowers of the pine (blooming period is may). And a 'good quality' of raw honey, the fluid one, not the creamy one. A glass pot with lid a wooden spoon and plastic funnel, don't use any metal in combination with honey.

1. Collect the flowers of the pine.

2. Put them in a large pot, use a funnel, try to loose pollen as little as possible.

3. Heat the honey in some warm water, so the honey is easier to use (never cook your honey, it breaks down the valuable enzymes).

4. Cover the the flowers with honey try to have a layer of honey on top of the pine flowers, so they are under the honey.

5. Close your pot and put it in his head, do this regularly.

6. Keep in a warm but dark place, regularly turn your pot.

7. Keep 14 days at minimum in the honey, but the longer the better the result; and the stronger the medicine. The darker the honey, the better the absorption went from the herbs.

8. You can add some alcohol for preserving (less then 1%) OR you can make your honey more potent by adding DMSO (less then 1%) these tips are optional. Don't mix DMSO with alcohol.

9. After 14 days you can strain the honey in a cheesecloth, you can warm up the pot in hot water to make the honey more fluid.

10. Let this straining go overnight, be sure everything can drip out of the flowers. You can place a weight on the cheesecloth with the flowers in. Also don't use a metal mash or strainer.

11. The next day you can place the remedy in clean (sterilized bottles) and put name and date on it.

12. Don't trow your flowers away, they are still covered with honey even though everything is strained. They still have valuable properties. Put them underneath alcohol minimal 40% and let them stand on a warm dark place for minimal 14 days. You can use herbs and mixes 4 times. Every time the power of the herb become less but they can be used in different ways.

STORAGE

Place in your pantry in a dark and cool place. You can keep this cough honey for many years. Even if the honey become solid and creamy, you can place it for some hours in the sun and it become fluid again. Honey on itself, is shelf stable.

USAGE Use 3 thee spoons per day the best in raw form, because in thee it can break down the powerful properties and enzymes of the honey. This can be divided into several doses throughout the day. Higher doses are possible in severe cases and should be advised by your practitioner.

It's possible to make this honey combination with propolis, elderberries, thyme, sage and or with other herbs. You could make all these herbs separately and combine when you like. But a mix honey can be more in synergy, when combined while the honey works in the bottle. Both applications have their benefits.