Second Wind

About this tincture

Mullein and marshmallow root are both mucilaginous, which is a real plant property rather than a marketing word. Mucilage is a soluble fiber that swells in water and turns slippery, and it is the whole reason those two plants have been used the way they have for as long as they have. Put a little marshmallow root in cold water and leave it an hour and you can see it happen.

Thyme and eucalyptus work the other way. Both are aromatic, and thyme's best-studied compound is thymol, one of the sharper volatile oils in the herb world. So the formula has a slippery half and an aromatic half, which is a common shape for a blend like this and is not an accident.

Catnip is in the mint family, square stems and all, and has a long traditional record as an evening herb. Elderberry rounds it out. Six plants, and every one of them is doing something specific rather than padding the list.

How to use it

Serving size 1 mL. Can be taken directly or stirred into a little water or juice. Shake before use.

What's in it

Mullein leaf, Catnip leaf, Thyme leaf, Elderberry, Marshmallow root, Eucalyptus leaf, in 40% alcohol.

Keeping it

Made in small batches in Kansas City. Store out of direct light. The alcohol is doing the preserving here, so it keeps far longer than a salve does.

Worth knowing: this is a 40% alcohol extract, which is on the gentler end for a tincture. Alcohol percentage changes what comes out of a plant and how much, so a lower-proof extract is a different thing from a high-proof one rather than a weaker version of the same thing.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.