California Poppy Tincture for Restless Legs

California poppy was one of my Granny's favorite flowers. I remember as a little girl when we were on a drive I would look for them. My Granny was a huge influence on my life. She was my best friend, and spending time with her was my favorite thing to do. She had a very nice yard and my sister and I spent many weekends assisting our Granny with yard work. She taught us so much about plants and caring for them. So you can imagine my excitement when I discover a new use for some of the many plants we grew with her. California poppy has medicinal purposes. It is a safe pain reliever and also a relaxant. I have restless legs, so this is wonderful news. We all need the best sleep we can get. While we sleep, our bodies heal and regenerate. I have Fibromyalgia and it is very affected by lack of sleep. I do not recommend you use natural healers alongside synthetic medicines without consulting a professional. Also, always e sure about the plant you are using, and make sure you do not confuse them with possible look-a-likes. You can tincture poppies or dry them and use them in your tea. I would do both because tinctures take so long and drying does not. Here is a tincture recipe for restlessness.

Ingredients:
2 cups of 100 proof vodka
1 cup fresh California poppy flowers and leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Saint John's wort flower tops, whole
1/4 cup fresh lemon balm leaves, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a quart jar with a lid and ring. Let it sit in a place safe from sun rays, for 6-8 weeks. Strain through a few layers of cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer, into a clean jar. Store tincture in an amber glass bottle with dropper. Use within one year. I can't seem to keep tinctures for that long, but just in case, make sure you don't make so much that you can not use it within a year.

I like to put my tinctures in a glass of water with my liquid magnesium to cut down on the taste.

For adults use 1-2 droppers full every evening
For children 6-12 years of age use 1/2-1 dropper in the evening

Of course, if you are using this in water, remember to not drink too much before bed, or else you will need the restroom in the middle of the night. I am sure that kind of defeats the purpose of using this tincture.

Keep brewing, keep cooking, and most definately keep healing,
Cheers,
MysTorri
Do your best, even when you don't want to.