We have spent all week talking about medicinal plants, and on Thursday we got to make medicinal salves and creams. For this week, I would like for you to research a plant based medicinal concoction that you would like to make in the future. This can be a different type of salve, or a tea, tincture, poultice, or cream that acts as a remedy/treatment. Please research one that you haven't made before, but would like to make in the future. Tell us about it - what it is made from, and what it remedies. Please post a recipe of how to make your plant based medicine.
-Sam
I would like to make Lemon Balm-Ginger Cream. Ginger has warming properties that help with poor circulation, aching muscles, and arthritis. It is also well known for its ability to sooth the stomach and decrease nausea. Lemon balm helps with anxiety, depression, insomnia, and different symptoms of illness. This will be a soothing, comforting cream.
ReplyDeleteLemon Balm-Ginger Cream ( 32 ounces of lotion)
16 ounces of olive oil
1/2 cup beeswax
1 and 1/3 cup distilled water
2 teaspoons borax
vitamin E oil- 10 drops
1 teaspoon Ginger oil
2 teaspoons of Lemon balm
1. dissolve borax in distilled water.
2. cut beeswax into chunks, then heat until almost melted.
3. add olive oil, then stir until all the wax is melted. remove from heat.
4. Add essential oils, and stir
5. whisk the borax/water solution into the oil and wax.
6. pour into containers, and let cool.
I love to go camping in the spring and summer, but I hate mosquitos! The only thing I hate worse than mosquitos though is commercial bug spray. DEET is terrible for you. It can cause neurological problems, skin irritation, even extreme mood changes (I actually saw these words in tiny print on a bottle of insect repellant). So I would like to make a homemade insect repellant from natural ingredients. Catnip has been shown to be as effective as, and possibly more effective than DEET in repelling mosquitos and even cockroaches! Peppermint and lemongrass have also been shown to be good at keeping insects at bay and the peppermint is cooling to the skin so my homemade bug spray infusion recipe would be as follows:
ReplyDelete1/8 cup distilled water
1/8 cup rubbing alcohol or vodka
1/4 tsp. catnip essential oil
1/4 tsp. lemongrass essential oil
1/2 tsp. peppermint essential oil
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a small spray bottle. Use whenever you want to keep bugs away.
This looks interesting to try!
DeleteAfter a wonderful conversation with our classmate Jessica, I was inspired to further investigate the benefits of the prolific southern "weed" - Dandelion. She described it as a systemic cleanser. It has long been a staple in western folk medicine used to as a general diuretic because unlike many diuretics, it replaces many key nutrients such as potassium rather than depleting the body's minerals. The root has notorious detoxyfying properties that stimulate the liver, gallbladder and kidneys - which are the body's main organs where waste and toxins are removed.I would like to make a tincture out of it for several reasons: one. because I've never made a tincture; two. because dandelions are everywhere!; and three. because tinctures are more potent than consuming the herb fresh or in tea. The basic tincture recipe is as follows:
ReplyDelete300 g of fresh herb, chopped
1 L or quart of 35-40% alcohol (ie. vodka)
I would use the whole plant - leaves and roots. Combine the ingredients in a clean glass jar. Close and shake well for 1-2 minutes. Store the sealed jar in a cool dark place for about two weeks, shaking every other day or so. After that time has passed, pour the combination through a coffee filter or cheese cloth to remove the herb particles and store the liquid tincture in clean dark glass bottles that have a resealable lid.
I looked up the “5 best herbs for an herbal salve,” and calendula caught my attention because it was touted as being “the gentlest of skin herbs.” Calendula is soothing, lightly scented, calming, and anti-inflammatory, and it is great for sensitive skin. Since it’s so gentle, it’s ideal for the delicate skin of babies and the elderly. You can treat the following ailments with calendula salve: rashes, chapped lips, cuts and scrapes, dry skin, and minor burns.
ReplyDeleteThe ingredients for calendula salve are:
1/4 cup dried calendula petals
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup grated beeswax
10 drops lavender essential oil (or more if desired, up to 40 drops)
Instructions:
1– Put olive oil and calendula petals in a small crockpot and heat on low for approximately three hours.
2– Lay cheesecloth over the top of a glass measuring cup and secure with a rubber band. Slowly pour the olive oil through the cheesecloth so the petals are caught on top and the oil goes through into the measuring cup.
3– Pour strained oil into a heavy saucepan and turn the heat on low. Add the beeswax and stir occasionally until melted. Add the essential oil and stir to distribute.
4– Pour into a clean container, leaving uncovered until completely cooled.
5– Cap and label. It’s ready to use!
Recipe courtesy of: http://adelightfulhome.com/how-to-make-calendula-salve-and-why-you-should/
I made that last semester! It didn't smell the best, but it seemed to work well.
DeleteI was always a big fan of the Brain Jacques' Redwall series as a child, and it seemed like every time anyone cut, burned, or scraped themselves there was a jolly fat mouse (if you're not familiar with the series the characters are all English woodland creatures, if that helps make the previous statement any less weird) there to slap a dock poultice on the injured area. Naturally after 15 or so novels of this I'm curious what this is supposed to do for you, so I looked it up.
ReplyDeleteYellow dock (Rumex crispus) is a common weedy plant. It contains anthraquinones, oxalates and tannins. Medicinally it is used primarily for detoxification (often in combination with dandelion, burdock, chaparral, etc.), as a laxative, treatment for skin disorders, venereal disease, and upper respiratory tract infections.
So even though I'm not entirely sure what the mice were doing with their dock since disinfection seems to be the only thing not on the list for dock's uses, I would still like to make a dock poultice, as the detoxifying and skin-aiding effects sound intriguing.
the poultice itself is fairly simple: steam or boil fresh dock leaves (probably available in your local ditch: http://tryonfarm-org.cftvgy.org/share/node/498) and apply them on the affected area, binding in place with gauze, and leave on for up to 3 hours, replacing it as often as needed.
Well I have a terrible cold right now, so naturally I looked for a recipe that would provide some relief. Most of what I read included ginger, so I decided that it would be worth trying. Ginger is a popular motion sickness drug, but apparently it is commonly used for cold relief as well. The most appealing recipe I found was of a ginger tea:
ReplyDelete-Grate a small (one inch) piece of ginger root into a pan of water, and simmer it for about twenty minutes
-Strain the water into a cup
-Add honey and lemon to taste
The honey and lemon will be useful as well as tasty, because they can both be used for sore throat relief.
So I've been looking at what I need to get ready for going to the archaeological dig I work on in the summer. So for this I was thinking about what kind of salve might be helpful for the cuts, bruises, blisters, and sunburn that tend to occur while I'm working. I came across a recipe for a calendula (Calendula arvensis; marigold) salve which is supposes to help with these sort of skin ailments. The recipe I found is this:
ReplyDelete2 Cups Calendula Petals (not the entire flower “heads”)
1 Cup Hemp or Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Beeswax Pastilles/Pellets
10 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
Pour calendula petals into a stainless steel pot, and add oil. Turn on low heat, and stir to combine. Watch for tiny bubbles in the oil to gauge the temperature- it should not get any warmer than the “tiny bubbles stage!” Continue stirring occasionally over the next 2 hours, keeping the oil gently warm.
Meanwhile, begin gently melting the beeswax.
After 2 hours, strain the petals from the oil. Squeeze/press out as much of the oil as you can into a bowl. Then slowly pour the oil into the melted beeswax in the double boiler, stirring to combine. Then stir in the drops of lavender essential oil.
Pour the warm oil into small jars/containers, and allow to cool.
It says that Calendula can be used in a salve for skin issues like I mentioned above, but in tincture form it can also be used to help with acne. In addition, traditionally it has been used to help with abdominal cramps.
I look forward to possibly making this and hopefully it will help, especially with sunburn since I tend to get that really bad at least once every summer!
I'd like to make a chickweed salve for skin irritated by bug bites, rashes, and minor cuts and burns collected from spending time outside. Chickweed can also be made into a tea that supposedly cleanses kidneys and eases rheumatism.
ReplyDeleteRecipe:
Ingredients-
5 parts Chickweed
1 part Plantain
1 part beeswax
10 parts olive oil
1. Place herbs in saucepan and submerge in oil; keep over low heat for 3-4 hours, longer for roots
2. Remove from heat and let cool
3. Strain oil through cheesecloth and combine with beeswax and heat until melted; mix
4. Add more beeswax if too soft
5. Pour into containers
I've bought Arnica salves and treatments before and ever since proving their effectiveness on me I've wanted to make my own. This is especially exciting because the Arnica plant itself is a attractive perennial in these parts so it would be a natural ornamental in my flower garden as well as for its medicinal use.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to begin using arnica is to make an infusion. So one would harvest the flowers and then put them in a mason jar and cover all parts of the plant with the oil so they don't rot but instead fuse the oil with the plants medicinal properties. This process can take about two weeks but there is no harm in letting the jar sit longer, provided that the mixture still looks good. Olive oil is a great carrier oil to begin with. Then you simply use this infused oil in any of your salve or cream recipes!
I'm interested in making some sort of concoction that relieves inflammation of the vocal chords. More specifically, the acute form of Laryngitis known as Aphonia, medical jargon for loss of voice. I'm in a band with two of my best friends, and we will all sing. Some weeks are busier than others and start to take a toll on our voice boxes. I found a couple of seemingly easy remedies that could help:
ReplyDelete- An infusion of the leaves of garden sage, garden thyme or raspberry leaves. Drink three cups daily.
- Herbal capsules made from Lobelia and Island moss
- 1) Steep one ounce of scraped Horseradish root in cold water for two hours
2) Add two teaspoons of runny honey
3) Take 2-3 teaspoons every two hours
I get a lot of respiratory problems, and am almost always dealing with some sort of congestion in my chest or nasal cavities. I was looking for remedies for migraines (another problem I have) and started reading about cayenne pepper, how it is used as a muscle pain reliever, an ulcer treatment, and an expectorant to help clear out chest congestion. As an expectorant, cayenne can be taken in a tonic with water, apple cider vinegar, and honey for flavor. Additional herbs like ginger or garlic may be useful for an added kick when suffering from a chest
ReplyDeleteRecipe:
Mix 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1 Tbs. honey, 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar and 2 Tbs. warm water.
Take 3 tsp. of the mixture.
Oops, did not finish that last sentence: Should say "Additional herbs like ginger or garlic may be useful for an added kick of vitality and immune function when suffering from a chest cold."
DeleteI have always wanted to make a medicinal tea. I sometimes get headaches and I think it would be nice to have a tea to drink for the headaches instead of going straight to Advil. Herbal remedies do not have to be exact. And this recipe can be adjusted to taste. Put a pinch of Lavender, Chamomile, Rosemary and Mint into a coffee filter and make it like you would coffee. Or, you can put the herbs in a spice ball and leave them in hot water for 15 to 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is courtesy of http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/healing/headache-tea.txt
I have very poor circulation, and my fingers and toes suffer incredibly when I am outside for even short lengths of time in colder temperatures. It'd be good for me to make some natural remedies that improved circulation to the hands and feet. I found a few recipes:
ReplyDelete1) To make a decoction, add 15g crampbark (Viburnum opulus) to 3 cups (750ml) of water. Take 3 doses each day.
2) Mix 5g of prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) and 10g of crampbark, and make the decoction using 3 cups (750ml) of water. Take 3 doses each day.
- I also found that adding the herb cayenne (Capsicum frutescens) or chili sauce to your meals will improve circulation over time.
Since I was young I've had digestive issues. Ginger is a great root that helps digestive issues, cold, headaches, and nausea. It also is supposed to help the immune system.
ReplyDelete1. Cut some ginger off of the main root.
2. Remove the hard outer peel.
3. Mince the peeled ginger.
4. Add to water and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the tea and add honey or sugar if you'd like.
Adding local honey will increase the immune system benefits.
When I heard that yarrow Achillea millefolium was used by Roman Legionnaires to heal wounds I became interested in what was with this common plant. Turns out a lot of people have used yarrow for a long time. In antiquity it was known as herbal militaris for its important use by those in the military. It was commonly used to pack wounds, popular because it is analgesic and antiseptic. Next time I have a cut I will try yarrow to stop the bleeding and help with the healing. Luckily I don’t get cut that often. So what else could I use yarrow for? Turns out it was sometimes used as an insect repellant. I thought it would be a good alternative to buying a chemical repellant found in the store. On line I found a simple recipe to make a tincture that can be poured into a spray bottle for your own home made bug spray.
ReplyDeleteStart with fresh yarrow leaves and flowers fill your jar. Once you have enough plant material that it fits snugly fill to the top with vodka. Shake the jar every day for a week. After two to six weeks strain the plant material out. Then pour desired amount into spray bottle, add catnip and lavender essential oils. And that’s it for your own home made bug spray using yarrow.
I have for years been interested in herbs birth control methods. I have heard of them being used as abortifacients but I was wondering if there would be a way to use them as a prolonged alternative to chemical birth controls. I found that wild yam has been wildly used in this way so I would like to make capsules to take daily.
ReplyDeleteTo do so all you would have to do is to take the root of the wild yam plant and ground it thoroughly and put it into capsules.
Cough medicine tastes the absolute worst, so i've heard of people drinking certain teas that are just as effective. I found this pretty cool recipe on wholeliving.com. It has thyme in it, which helps with bronchial or chest congestion. Honey helps to soothe the throat and sage acts as an antimicrobial, stimulant, astringent, and an antioxidant.
ReplyDeletePour boiling (or almost boiling) water over 2 teaspoons of lemon peel, 1 teaspoon of sage, and a 1/2 teaspoons of thyme (fresh). Let steep for 15 minutes while covered. Strain the tea and add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of honey. Drink 2-3 cups daily for cough relief.
I'd like to make capsules to treat general feelings of stress, tension, and fatigue and the toll these problems take on the immune system. I would use equal parts St. John’s Wort, peppermint, cacao, turmeric, and elder. St. John’s Wort is well-known for its effectiveness in treating depression as well as nervous exhaustion, post-menopausal moods, and anxiety. Peppermint helps soothe irritable bowels and cramps. Cacao contains endorphins that act as painkillers, and it contains polyphenols and flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. Turmeric is another great panacea useful for easing stomach pain, and it also acts as an antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Elder is ideal for coughs and flu and acts as a decongestant.
ReplyDeleteI would use Vegetarian Capsules, which I've bought before at Earth Fare, and I would ground up the herbs in a coffee grinder and assemble the capsules by hand.
I get super dry chapped lips in the winter so I thought I would look research some lib balms and I found this one that I really like. I chose it because I am a big fan of anything hunny flavored and I use coconuts oil for a lot of things already so I know I’ll like it and that it will work for me. This was is the recipe:
ReplyDeleteCocoa Honey Lip Balm
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons Cocoa Butter or Shea Butter
3 tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Jojoba Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Castor Oil
4 tablespoons beeswax pastilles
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
You prepare it the same why we did all of the other things in class mixing all ingredients together in a heat proof, glass measuring cup. But you set it in a saucepan filled with a few inches of water this is to create a makeshift double boiler. Then heat over a medium-low burner until everything has melted together. Stir well and pour into lip balm tubes or tins.