Home Remedies from a Cape Cod Herbalist

Local herbalist launches new business and shares a few recipes for fall.

When Amy Neill was a young girl, her grandmother grew nettle. “We were told to stay away from her garden because there was stinging nettle in there,” she says. Later in life, when Neill became interested in herbalism, she learned that nettle, which is covered in stiff hairs, can be made into teas, tinctures, and powders. The plant is marketed to have health benefits that can help with arthritis, among other things. Neill has studied herbal remedies for over 20 years. She has an online certificate from the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, and she has also taken courses at the Herbal Academy in Bedford, Massachusetts. “I’ve always been under the umbrella of wellness,” says Neill, who is also a certified reiki master educator and yoga teacher. After a misdiagnosis sent her through a series of treatments, Neill decided to look for herbal alternatives. She started to mix ingredients in her kitchen, beginning with adaptogens, which are non-toxic plants that are believed to help the body manage stressors. “I’ve had anxiety since I was a kid, and I felt a shift after taking adaptogens,” she says. “I felt more stable, balanced, and secure inside.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY JULIA CUMES

Elderberry Tincture INGREDIENTS • Dried elderberries (Sambucus nigra) • Solvent (either 100-proof vodka or vegetable glycerin) • Mason jar with lid • Amber glass bottle with a poly seal cap • Glass dropper bottle with dropper • Two labels, one for jar and one for amber storage bottle • Mesh strainer or a potato ricer • Cheesecloth

DIRECTIONS 1 In a mason jar, cover the elderberries (Sambucus nigra) with solvent of choice, leaving about one inch of liquid over the herbs. Place the lid on the jar and label tincture with the common name, scientific name, date, and solvent. (Elderberries, Sambucas nigra, November 2020, vegetable glycerin) 2 Keep your tincture in a cool, dark cabinet for six weeks, shaking the jar daily. 3 After six weeks, strain the tincture using the cheesecloth and strainer (or potato ricer). 4 Once your tincture is strained, store it in an amber glass bottle in a cabinet along with a label (with the same information as above). 5 Pour some of the tincture into a glass dropper bottle with a dropper, and use it as an everyday method of extraction. One dropper dosage equals one squeeze.

Neill continued to research and experiment with different combinations. Like a chef, she would play with ingredients, test each one, tweak, and repeat before landing on a recipe. Years later, she had a variety of teas and powders that she created for herself as well as family and friends. “For the artist in me, it was fun to formulate potions and teas,” she says. “I dreamed of creating a company where I could share the formulations that I was having so much fun creating.” Last winter that dream came true when Neill launched TWILAH Botanicals, her online company that sells herbal teas and powders. While she receives most of her ingredients from purveyors, Neill creates and blends each product. Some of her amalgams include KARMA, a combination of milk thistle seed, white willow bark, and ginger to help with detoxification, and THRIVE, which is a mix of burdock, dandelion, and licorice to aid digestion. In addition to selling her products online, Neill teaches an introductory herbalism class at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod where she works as the director of education. She enjoys connecting with students who are also drawn to herbal teas and powders. “I’ve learned that everyone has some kind of connection to herbalism, like my memory of nettle,” she says. “Every person I taught had a story about a grandparent or someone growing something.” Neill’s courses are hands-on, and she almost always covers elderberry (Sambucus nigra). The herb is marketed as being able to supply the body with antioxidants and therefore boost its natural immune response. “Rich in flavonoids, the berries are packed with antioxidants and are capable of preventing cell damage,” says Neill. “These flavonoids also have immune boosting, balancing, and antiviral effects.” With fall and winter ahead, Neill shared a few recipes for making an elderberry tincture and honey at home.

For more information on TWILAH, visit www.twilah.love.com

IMPORTANT: While American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) grows throughout the region—sprouting white flowers in spring and bearing dark berries into the late summer and early fall, Neill uses Sambucus nigra, which is native to Europe and Asia. Still, Neill says that according to ancient lore, it is also considered good luck to have any sort of elderberry shrub on the edge of your garden. However, American elderberry can’t be used in these

recipes.

capecodandtheislandsmag.com PHOTOGRAPH BY JULIA CUMES

Elderberry Honey INGREDIENTS • One mason jar with lid • Local honey • Elderberries (Sambucus nigra) • Cheesecloth

DIRECTIONS 1 Use equal parts elderberries and honey. For example, if you have four ounces of elderberries use four ounces of honey. Add more honey if necessary; the herb should be completely covered. 2 Infuse the honey between four and six weeks in a dark cabinet, shaking the jar occasionally. 3 After the infusion period is over, heat the honey in a double boiler and bring the honey to a temperature of 110 to 115 degrees. 4 Using a cheesecloth, strain the honey while it is still warm. 5 Store in honey in a glass jar. When stored in a cool, dry place in a tightly sealed jar, this herbal-infused honey can last up to ten years.