Peppermint is a hybrid between spearmint (M. spicata) and water mint (M. aquatica). Two varieties: Black peppermint (purple-tinged) and White peppermint (green). Height 30–90cm (12–36"). Key identifier: square stems + strong cooling minty aroma. Leaves are pointed, oval-lance shaped with serrated edges. Flowers are lilac-pink or white on a conical terminal spike, blooming late summer to mid-autumn. Grows in sun or part-shade in rich, damp soils.

The volatile oil (1–3% of dried plant) provides ALL primary therapeutic effects — this is why proper preparation is absolutely critical.
Volatile oil contains: Menthol and neo-menthol (main compounds) · Cineole · Limonene · Caffeic, chlorogenic, and rosmarinic acids · Flavonoids including luteolin and hesperidin · Carotenoids · Choline · Minerals
These volatile oils are what you smell when you open a fresh jar. If that smell is faint, the medicine is largely gone.

Standard adult dose: approximately 2.3g dried herb per dose.

Children: use proportionally smaller doses based on age and weight. Frequency varies by condition — see formulas in the Formula Classes section.

To prepare: Place herb in a pot. Add cold water. Cover. Heat gently to a simmer — tiny bubbles only. Turn off heat immediately. Steep covered 15–20 minutes without lifting the lid. Strain into cup. Keep covered while drinking.

Dried herb: Airtight glass jar away from light and heat. Shelf life 1–2 years maximum. The smell test is critical — open the jar and you should be hit immediately with a strong minty smell. If you have to sniff for it, replace the herb.
Prepared tea: Drink same day. Refrigerate covered maximum 48 hours. Reheat gently — never boil.
Tincture: Amber glass, cool dark place. Lasts 5–7 years.

Generally safe for most people including children when used appropriately.
GERD / acid reflux: Peppermint can relax the lower esophageal sphincter — potentially worsening reflux in some individuals. Use with caution if this applies to you.
Gallstones: Peppermint stimulates bile flow. Use cautiously if gallstones are present.
Infants under 2 years: Seek professional guidance. Menthol applied near the nose or face can cause breathing difficulties in very young infants. The tea itself is generally fine in small doses but use carefully.
Pregnancy: Safe in food and tea amounts. Traditional use includes morning sickness. Some sources suggest avoiding large therapeutic doses in the first trimester as a precaution.

Height 40–100cm (about 2–3 feet). Key identifier: square stems (mint family) + aromatic minty-but-distinct smell. Leaves are heart-shaped (cordate), oblong, coarsely serrated, covered with soft down — undersides are paler in color. Flowers are white or purplish in whorled spikes, blooming mid-summer to mid-autumn. The calyx has 15 ribs — a distinctive identification feature. Native to Europe and Asia, naturalized widely. Grows in moist, well-drained alkaline soils — roadsides, open places.

Fun fact: Cats are strongly attracted to this plant due to nepetalactones in its volatile oil — the same compound that makes it medicinally active.

Volatile oil (up to 0.3%) — primary medicine: Alpha and beta-nepetalactone (up to 42% of the oil) · Carvacrol · Citronellal · Nerol · Geraniol · Pulegone · Thymol · Nepetalic acid
Iridoids: Epideoxyloganic acid, 7-deoxyloganic acid
Tannins: Provide mild astringent effect
Minerals: Iron, selenium, potassium, manganese, chromium, plus moderate amounts of other minerals and vitamins

Standard adult dose: approximately 2.3g dried herb per dose.

Do not boil — always keep covered: Like peppermint, catnip's medicine is in its volatile oils. These evaporate with heat and escape as steam if uncovered. Use the same steeping method — bring just to a simmer, turn off heat, keep covered 15–20 minutes.
Hot for perspiration: When the goal is promoting sweating to break a fever, the tea must be taken warm. The warmth enhances the circulatory and diaphoretic action.
Sweeten for children: Catnip tea can be sweetened with honey or sugar to make it pleasant. Children will then accept it readily and willingly.
As enema: For convulsions or to expel worms, catnip infusion is administered as a warm enema. This works through direct action on the sacral plexus (the nerve complex at the base of the spine) and produces rapid, reliable results.

Dried herb: Airtight glass jar away from light and heat — and away from cats. Seriously. They will find it and get into it without fail. Shelf life 1–2 years. Should have a characteristic aromatic scent. Replace if aroma fades.
Prepared tea: Drink same day. Refrigerate covered maximum 48 hours.
Tincture: Amber glass, cool dark place. Lasts 5–7 years.

Catnip is one of the safest herbs in herbal practice. No specific contraindications are documented in traditional use. It is appropriate for frequent use in children and has centuries of documented safe use including for infants.
Pregnancy: Generally considered safe. Long history of use during pregnancy for relaxation. The emmenagogue properties (promotes menstrual flow) are very mild.
Long-term use: Safe for ongoing use as needed.
Infants: Particularly well-suited for pediatric use. Give as sweetened warm tea in small doses as needed.

A biennial or perennial plant, 3–4 feet tall (90–120cm). The whole herb is smooth and deep blue-green (glaucous). Stems are erect, solid, round, and striated. Leaves are alternate and triply pinnate with thread-like leaflets. Flowers are large, flat, pale yellow umbels. Key identifier: oblong, nearly cylindrical seeds 4–8mm long, brownish or greenish-brown with a strong anise/licorice aroma. Each seed readily splits into two halves (mericarps), each with 5 light brown ribs and the oil tubes that contain the medicine. Native to Europe, grows wild on sandy and chalky ground. Three commercial varieties: Sweet/Roman fennel (most common, palest green, longest seeds), German/Saxon fennel (brown), and Bitter/Wild fennel.

Volatile oil — primary medicine: Aromatic compounds responsible for the characteristic anise-like flavor and smell. Extracted more thoroughly by alcohol than water — this is why tincture is preferred for maximum extraction from fennel seed.
Fixed oil: Approximately 12% of seed weight
Oil tubes: 4 on the back face, 2–4 on the flat face of each seed half — these contain the aromatic medicinal compounds. Cracking the seed opens access to these tubes.
Sugar and ash: Approximately 7% ash content

Fennel's medicine lives inside the seed in structures called oil tubes. A whole seed is essentially a sealed container — water has difficulty reaching the medicine inside. Cracking the seed breaks it open and exposes the oil tubes to the water or alcohol, dramatically improving extraction.

You do not need to grind it to powder — just crack it open. Use the back of a spoon pressed firmly against the seeds, a mortar and pestle, or a few pulses in a blender. Do this immediately before making your preparation.

Standard adult dose: approximately 2.3g dried seed per dose.

Children's doses: Ages 6–12: half adult dose (1 tbsp tea or 1 tsp tincture) · Ages 2–6: quarter adult dose · Infants: a dropperful (about 1ml) of tea as needed for colic and gas

Crack your seeds first using any of the methods above. To make 1 cup: 1 teaspoon cracked fennel seed per cup.

1. Place cracked seeds in pot with 1 cup cold water
2. Cover with tight lid
3. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — small steady bubbles, not a rolling boil
4. Simmer covered for 15–20 minutes
5. Remove from heat, strain through fine mesh
6. Keep covered while drinking

Why simmer and not steep? Fennel is a seed — a hard plant part. Unlike peppermint leaves, it does not have volatile oils that evaporate with heat. It needs sustained heat to break down its tough outer coating and allow water access to the oil tubes inside. Steeping alone extracts very little from fennel seed.

Dried whole seeds: Airtight glass jar away from light and heat. Shelf life 2–3 years — seeds store longer than leaves when kept whole. Smell test: should smell strongly of anise/licorice immediately upon opening.
Freshly cracked seeds: Use immediately. Do not store cracked seeds.
Prepared tea: Drink same day. Refrigerate covered maximum 48 hours.
Tincture: Amber glass, cool dark place. Lasts 5–7 years.

Very safe with a long, well-documented history of use including for infants.
Infants: Safe and classically used for colic. One of the most trusted infant remedies.
Nursing mothers: Safe and beneficial — promotes milk production. Benefits pass to the nursing infant through breast milk.
Pregnancy: Use in food amounts is generally considered safe. Larger medicinal doses that promote menstrual flow should be used with caution in early pregnancy.
Carrot family allergies: Those with known allergies to other Apiaceae family plants (carrots, celery, parsley, dill, anise) should use with awareness as cross-reactions are possible.