SKULLCAP

If there is one herb that I grow and forage that I would like to share with this good world right now, it is skullcap. Skullcap is a great ally in anxious times.

SKULLCAP TINCTURE

INGREDIENTS:

• Freshly harvested skullcap - all aerial parts

• 80 proof or higher liquor (vodka recommended) 

Skullcap begins to lose its potency as soon as it is harvested, so it must be tinctured right away. Skullcap tincture made from the dried plant will not have much power. Harvest aerial parts of the plant while in bloom. Cut just above a set of leaves, leaving at least six inches of stem and you might get another cutting later in the season. 

I leave the plant whole and twirl it up, placing it into the jar. Cover the herb with an 80 proof or higher liquor. I usually use 80 proof vodka for skullcap. Skullcap has a nice bitter minty taste (it's in the mint family!). It is also very good in bourbon. Brew for at least 6 weeks. 

SKULLCAP OVERVIEW

Skullcap was first introduced to me by my midwife during my three day labor with my first child. A double dropperful of skullcap with a double dropperful of motherwort tincture every half hour or so allowed me to fall in to a calm, meditative state while my body and baby did what they needed to do. I still remember the vivid dreams and visions that arose after I took that medicine... some days later I was recounting what had happened to my husband and mentioned that I had been meditating for a few hours and he said, "No, darlin, you were up there for twelve hours straight." (Skullcap does not usually produce visions - that was a part of the childbirth process.) 

I give skullcap to family and friends to help with sleep issues. You may start with just 5 drops and often times, that will do the trick (work up to a dropperful as needed). It takes about 20 minutes for it to kick in. Skullcap is a great alternative to melatonin for children (put a few drops in water) or for sleep during travel and jet lag. I find it helps with sleep issues due to both physical pain and emotional pain when that little mind is runnin like a train... 

When our baby has a hard time sleeping, I take a leaf of fresh skullcap and rub it under her nose. Lemon balm or mugwort work well for that too. There are those wise women of old who rubbed whiskey on teething babies' gums... I wonder if they ever tried skullcap-infused whiskey?

During anxious moments, one may take a drop or two of skullcap in the morning - just a couple of drops! - to help ease the nerves into the new day. This amount shouldn't cause sleepiness.

In times of high adrenaline when I can't sleep or nap (e.g. with a new baby or after finishing a big project) I have also added a couple of tablespoons of dried skullcap into my daily nettle infusion, which can be sipped throughout the day to produce calm. 

Skullcap may be safely used in higher doses for acute situations of pain - especially involving the nerves. A big dropperful of skullcap helped me peel myself off of the floor when I threw my back out a few years ago. Taken together with St. John's Wort, it was quite helpful for the ongoing pain. Do check the contraindications on St. John's Wort if you'd like to use the combination.

Skullcap tincture helps ease headache pain if caught in time. 5-15 drops every 20 minutes if a big headache is coming on. Once in battle with a migraine, it can be difficult to take anything in alcohol form, but you might put some in water to see if you can take it later. 

Skullcap can also be a great ally for those quitting alcohol and drugs. For this, you may not want to take the alcohol-based tincture. I make a skullcap oxymel (fresh leaf infused in vinegar and honey) for loved ones kicking habits. One could also add the dry herb to other nourishing herbal infusions like oatstraw and nettle, which would also help rebuild balance and give strength in such challenging times. 

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Skullcap is safe for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and most others. There have been some studies that show possible liver damage with skullcap use, but the studies I have seen were done with supplements containing other substances, so it's hard to say where the liver damage comes from. 

HARVEST & CULTIVATION

I highly recommend growing skullcap because you want the very freshest plant to make your tincture with. I tried seeding it directly in the ground a few times and failed, but have been able to grow small indoor seedlings that became nice outdoor shrubs, providing more than one cutting in a season. Skullcap is rhizomatous so you want to plant it where it won't have to compete too much with others and weed it well. I baby my skullcap like my own little children and they grow pretty well.  

I searched for many, many years for skullcap in the wild and for some reason, could never find it. Last summer I was out on a hike with our new sleeping infant on my chest and I found tire tracks up in our woods. I followed the tracks through a new route and it led me to a very wet area where skullcap was growing out of the moss. Out of the moss! This was the end of the season so I took some of the seeds and sprinkled them around on other mossy areas. This was a very swampy part of the woods. I also grow skullcap at the entrance to our woods in a half shaded area and then also in full sun garden boxes. 

As you'll hear in Adelyne's tale BOSSMAN, skullcap is also good for stressed out workers.  

*Disclaimer*

This material is intended for educational purposes only. This recipe does not provide specific dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. Accordingly, this information should be used only under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner.