The Medicinal Uses of Gumweed

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

I first learned about gumweed (Grindelia spp.) in an off-grid medicine class, the portion taught by herbalist Sam Coffman, when we hiked around the area identifying medicinal plants growing locally.  Gumweed favors growing in disturbed soils right alongside roads and railroads, abandoned croplands, prairies, and waste places.  For medicine, I like to avoid the roads and railroad pollution, so I go a bit further away.  It thrives in dry, salty, sandy soils.  We have a lot growing next to the creek bed behind our church building.  If you're digging some up to transplant at home, plant it in a sunny location. 

Time to harvest: Gumweed can be harvested from the time it starts flowering, about July through September.  The freshly opened flowers and buds that are about to open are the most medicinal.


Medicinal uses:  The Great Plains Indians used it most commonly for asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough; urinary tract infections; and rashes, particularly poison oak and poison ivy.  Gumweed was also employed by physicians here in the US for treating these conditions as well as emphysema until about the 1960s, when Big Pharma gave them other options.

Gumweed works by relaxing airways and opening them up to make breathing easier, and it has a bit of a sedative effect as it reduces muscle spasms and coughing.  All of these actions combine to make it the herb of choice for treating asthma.  If I had someone with asthma in my family, I'd be gathering boatloads of it each year.  Unfortunately, the high oil content makes for a short shelf life, usually one year, but that's enough to get through each season.  As far as everyone else is concerned, gumweed's expectorant properties break up mucus, so it is helpful for treating colds and influenza.  Gumweed is cleared through the kidneys, and it's antibacterial properties make it a good choice for treating UTIs, including cystitis.  It also works well for some kinds of headaches.

Preparation:  The gum resin of gumweed is very sticky and the flowers and buds are almost impossible to dry completely.  Dry it forever and then a little bit longer, and it should somehow last one year on the shelf.

Tincture:  According to Buhner, the fresh flowers and buds that are about to open are tinctured in a 1:2 ratio; the freshly dried herb in a 1:5 ratio, with both in 70% alcohol.  The dosage is 15-40 drops, up to 5 times per day.  Use for treating:

• asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, whooping cough;
• colds, coughs, influenza;
• urinary tract infections;
• headaches.

Infusion:  Steep one tablespoon of buds and flowers in one cup of boiling water for 10 minutes.

• Use internally for:
• asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, whooping cough;
• colds, coughs, influenza;
• urinary tract infections;
• headaches.
• Use externally as a wash for:
• eczema;
• poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac;
• insect bites and stings.

Salve:  Mix some gumweed tincture into previously combined coconut oil and beeswax for calming poison oak and poison ivy.


Poultice:  Apply bruised leaves or crushed flowers and buds directly to wounds to accelerate healing or to prevent a rash due to poison oak, ivy, or sumac, from developing. 

Contraindications:  Not for internal use by those with kidney or heart conditions.  Gumweed is known to slow the heart rate.  Gumweed has not been studied for its effects on pregnant or nursing women, so it should be avoided by them.

Links to related posts:

Parsley 
Yarrow 
Mormon Tea/Squaw Tea/ Brigham Tea 
Gloves and Masks 
Dietary deficiency and consequences--Magnesium
Caffeine
Oregano
Thyme
Honey 
Blackberry
Thyme

For further reading:
(All articles accessed 13 May 2019)
http://naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/g/grindelia-robusta=great-valley-gumweed.php
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/curlycup-gumweed-grindelia/
https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/grindelia-herb.html
https://blog.mysanantonio.com/samcoffman/2010/10/poison-oak-and-gumweed/ (salve for poison oak)
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/grindelia_squarrosa.shtml
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1505&context=greatplainsquarterly
Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, p 371.
Dr Patrick Jones, The HomeGrown Herbalist, pp 135-37.

 

 2 september 2019

30 august 2021

Top 10 Favorite Herbs That I Never Use

As I noted last week, Exile 1981 requested a list of my top 10 or 20 herbs in response to an article I posted last month.  I realized in putting that list together that there are herbs I use all the time, and others that are favorites, but that I never use.  That begs the question, how can they be favorites if I never use them? 

Well, they’re for special occasions.  You know, like cholera and smallpox.  Or broken bones or appendicitis.  Dread diseases that we strive to avoid in our everyday living.

Juniper.  This top antibiotic, especially for urogenital infections, probably doesn’t belong in this list.  True, I don’t ever use it.  I still have the usnea tincture prepared, and because usnea doesn’t grow right here, it’s more exotic.  More desirable.  (Yes, I know that’s ridiculous. I’ve got juniper growing right up the hill.)  The next time I develop folliculitis (I think my dad had it often) I will try a juniper tincture or salve to see if it will work as well as the usnea tincture.  Juniper is also used for tuberculosis, numerous gastrointestinal complaints, venomous bites, and so much more.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the most commonly used herbal antibiotic in TEOTWAWKI.

Pomegranate.   It’s been used in developing countries for treating cholera, Shigella, and typhoid fever.

Blackberry.  The root decoction of blackberry is the only herb I’ve found for treating norovirus.

Black pepper/piperine. Whole black pepper tincture is not as effective as piperine, but will work if you run out of the latter and can’t replace it.  You just have to use a lot.  Basically, piperine facilitates getting medications where they need to go, like getting penicillin to penetrate into the central nervous system for treating meningitis.  It synergizes with juniper in treating urinary tract infections.  And so much more.

Arrowroot.  I want it for teething babies (grandchildren!).  In addition, it can also be called into service for snake bites, spider bites, food poisoning, and dysentery.

Catnip.  This herb self-seeds everywhere, worse than a dandelion on steroids, but has so many uses.  I always harvest it because it’s here and it’s easy.  It’s just not my go-to for the common stuff.  Catnip has been historically employed in treating many communicable diseases—smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, liver stress, worms, and much more.  Its superpower is that it’s very safe for children. 

Chrysanthemum.  So easy to grow and harvest, and prepare the tea, chrysanthemum helps manage liver injury, headaches, arthritis, and insomnia. 

Comfrey.  Comfrey’s claim to fame, and the primary reason why I have it, lies in its reputation for speeding the repair of fractures.  It also helps heal superficial wounds and gastric ulcers.

Dandelion.  Obviously, my reason for not using dandelion is because I don’t have access to it.  Thanks to the first settlers in this country, we all have nearly immediate access to it.  The greens make a great salad addition.  The roots are primarily used to manage stomach and kidney issues.  However, since it’s the second year roots that are more potent, I don’t use them.  I just haven’t been able to let them grow that long.  My plan this year is to transplant dandelions to a dedicated bed downwind from the rest of the garden.  Maybe I’ll be able to let them grow then. 

Gumweed.  Gumweed grows prolifically here, it’s easy to harvest, even if it has to be gathered each year, and is used in managing smallpox, malaria, tuberculosis, poison oak, ivy, etc.  As well it has lots of uses for common issues like colds and skin problems.  I don’t like the tea much. OK, at all.  I mean, it could be worse, but there are at least a dozen teas I’d rather drink for dealing with a cold.

Tumbleweed.  Unlike many other medicinal herbs, tumbleweed doesn’t have a wide array of applications.  However, Native Americans used it to treat smallpox.  We’ve got so much here that I could become the national distributor for tumbleweed smallpox treatments.  Well, not that you ever want to even think about something like that.  OK, I have to admit, I failed to gather these last year.  They’ll start appearing in a month or so and be ready for harvest and preservation shortly thereafter. 

So there you have it.  Even if you have medicinal herbs you don’t particularly care for, for whatever reason, you want to be aware of what’s growing around you and the potential uses.  Even if you don’t need them now, someone close to you may need them in the future. 

Links to related posts:

Medicinal Uses of Arrowroot  

Medicinal Uses of Black Pepper/Piperine  

Medicinal Uses of Blackberry  

Medicinal Uses of Catnip  

Medicinal Uses of Chrysanthemum  

Medicinal Uses of Comfrey

Medicinal Uses of Dandelion  

Medicinal Uses of Gumweed

Medicinal Uses of Juniper 

Medicinal Uses of Pomegranate  

Medicinal Uses of Tumbleweed 

Good Eats at the (Utah) TEOTWAWKI Café—Fry Sauce

Professor has always been the most adventuresome and outgoing of my children.  Unlike many toddlers, he never displayed any apprehension about being dropped at the nursery in church on Sundays, visiting grandparents he hadn’t seen in months, talking to complete strangers.  I’m confident he could have taken Pedo Joe by the hand and waved goodbye with a smile on his face. 

And the complete opposite of his brother, King of the Picky Eaters, he would eat absolutely anything—as long as it wasn’t moving. (At least he draws the line somewhere.) No fear, no reservations at all.  Some of us would say he has no standards at all.  He eats some pretty sketchy stuff at times.

So naturally, we’re a little wary of his food recommendations.

He’s been extolling the virtues of fry sauce for the past several years.  I finally decided to do some research on the subject.  I don’t know if I’d call it fascinating, but it was interesting to me. 

The birthplace of fry sauce was a little Arctic Circle (small fast-food hamburger franchise in Utah) hangout in Provo, Utah, where two of the employees experimented with the food.  They thought their sauce was pretty good and began offering it to customers, who then began requesting “that fry sauce” when they ordered their fries.  Eventually, someone from the corporate offices paid a visit and asked to take a sample back.  (Incidentally, that little hamburger joint was half a block down the street from the Russian house where I lived my last year of school.  By the time I got there, it was no longer part of the Arctic Circle franchise.  And I never ate any fry sauce there.)

I still hadn’t tasted any fry sauce anywhere.  Even if it has been finding its way to grocery store shelves, it sounds a bit sketchy to me.  I figured maybe it was time to step outside my comfort zone.  Probably because I was going on day 3 of a nasty cough and was a bit sleep-deprived.

Searching all over the ‘net revealed that everyone uses the same base:  a 2:1 ratio of mayonnaise to ketchup.  Beyond that people have their own little seasonings they add.  Most agree that a little pickle juice is necessary.

Fry Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup ketchup

½ teaspoon dill pickle juice

Whisk it all together and serve immediately.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Family reviews:  I’m not going to lie to you.  Nobody—KOTPE, Buttercup, Blueberry Girl, Aaron, and I—likes it.  It’s not like it was horrible.  But it tasted mostly like dipping perfectly good French fries into slightly sweetened mayonnaise.  Who wants to do that?  We clearly do not possess the refined palate that appreciates fry sauce.  So this recipe is for Professor and the other fry sauce lovers out there. 

Links to related posts:

Making Mayonnaise in Challenging Circumstances 

Expanded Food Storage:  Ketchup 

Refrigerator Pickles 

Home-Canned French Fries  

References:

https://magazine.byu.edu/article/provo-origins-of-fry-sauce/

Calcium Deficiency and Hypocalcemia in a Collapsed Society

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on nutritional needs and deficiencies that you might wish make sure you have covered in your food storage supplies and plans.  No medication or supplement, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.
 

Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth.  Most of us remember that from grade school.  Lack of calcium will result in osteoporosis and other things as horrible as the zombie apocalypse.  We remember that from watching all those commercials on TV.

Not only does deficiency in calcium cause osteoporosis, but it also results in poor blood clotting and stunted growth and rickets in children.  A severe deficiency, hypocalcemia, manifests with symptoms such as confusion and memory loss, depression, hallucinations, muscle spasms, numbness or tingling in the hands and/or feet, weak and brittle nails, and, of course, brittle, easily fractured bones. Calcium regulates blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart rhythms, and muscle contractions.

The risk for calcium deficiency increases with age, due to a variety of factors:  insufficient dietary intake, medications that prevent the uptake of calcium, hormonal changes (primarily women), and intolerance to calcium-rich foods, mostly dairy products.  Consuming too much protein can also cause a calcium deficiency (so that plan to live off what you can shoot may not work out so well).  Insufficient vitamin D consumption also plays a role.  If vitamin D intake is inadequate, calcium cannot be absorbed either.  They work together.

Risk factors for calcium deficiency include hypoparathyroidism, malnutrition, malabsorption, low levels of vitamin D, pancreatitis, celiac disease, chronic kidney disease, gastric bypass surgery, and veganism.  Being a post-menopausal woman is the greatest risk factor of all.  Women need to increase their calcium intake as they age, especially before menopause begins, because decreasing estrogen levels cause bones to thin faster. And along those lines is having amenorrhea, when body fat levels drop so low that women cease menstruating.  This happens with extreme athletes and women who do not get enough to eat.

Yeah, you need to consume calcium every day.  However, you won't see signs of deficiency if you miss a day or two or five.  The body maintains proper calcium levels by taking calcium from the bones.  But if the bones become depleted, then you've got troubles, real troubles. 

Unfortunately, calcium deficiencies are best diagnosed with lab tests, which are not likely to be available post-collapse.  Great care needs to be taken if you suspect a calcium deficiency, because over-treating with supplements may cause kidney problems.  Calcium deficiency solutions include taking calcium, vitamin D (increases the calcium absorption rate in the body; getting in the sun, without sunscreen, is also helpful), and/or magnesium supplements.

Calcium supplements work best when they are taken with food, with the maximum dose per meal being 500 milligrams.  If more is needed, take it with another meal.  Calcium supplements are available in three forms:

• Calcium carbonate, which has the most calcium and is the least expensive;
• Calcium citrate, which is the most easily absorbed by the body; and
• Calcium phosphate, which is easily absorbed and does not cause constipation.

Foods rich in calcium are dairy products, canned sardines in oil, canned salmon, almonds, pistachios, white beans, black beans, wheat grass, cooked collard greens and broccoli, kale, dandelion leaves, okra, and eggshells. Eggshells can be washed, dried, ground into powder, and then mixed into food or water, if necessary.

There are a number of medications that can have a negative consequence when taken with calcium.  Calcium is essential to basically the entire operation of most every cell in the body.  It's just not something to be messed with, however minor you think your problem is.  You really need to consult with a physician, even if in a grid-down situation.  These medications include, but are not limited to, the following:

• some antibiotics, especially the tetracyclines (anything that ends in -cycline) and the fluoroquinolones (anything that ends in -floxacin), as their absorption may be decreased by calcium;
• diuretics, which may increase or decrease calcium levels in the blood, depending on which particular diuretic is being used;
• antacids containing aluminum;
• digoxin;
• estrogen medications;
• blood pressure beta blockers.

Links to related posts:
Dietary Deficiency and Consequences--Vitamin A
                                                                Vitamin B1
                                                                Vitamin B2
                                                                Vitamin B3
                                                                Vitamin B5, B6, B7
                                                                Vitamin B9
                                                                Vitamin B12
                                                                Vitamin C  
                                                                Vitamin D
                                                                Iodine  
                                                                Iron
                                                                Magnesium
                                                                Potassium  
                                                                Zinc

For further reading:
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/two-types-of-calcium-deficiency/
https://www.doctorshealthpress.com/general-health-articles/calcium-deficiency-symptoms-causes-and-treatments/
https://draxe.com/calcium-deficiency/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-calcium#1
https://www.healthline.com/health/calcium-deficiency-disease

 1 march 2020

20 march 2019

Managing Styes at Home

(The spelling of this word is enough to drive a person crazy.  Apparently, sty, stye, sties, and styes are all correct.)

Over the last semester or so, it appears Becky has been plagued by styes.  She finally went to the health clinic and was given some antibiotic eye drops.  But she hasn’t been impressed.  Her condition hasn’t improved much.  And so I figured it would be a good topic to research. 

From The Ship’s Medicine Chest and Medical Aid at Sea:

A sty is an abscess of the small oil glands along the margin of an eyelid.  There is usually a painful red lump in the eyelid which may increase in size, finally open, and drain pus.

Treatment

Treatment for a sty consists of (1) frequent hot moist soaks )at least four times daily, for 15 minutes each time); (2) antibiotic eye drops as polymyxin B–neomycin-gramicidin four times a day, following a hot soak; and (3) antibiotic eye ointment as polymyxin B-neomycin-bacitracin at bedtime for one week after the sty drains.  A sty should not be squeezed or lanced.  After the infection subsides, a small lump occasionally remains which usually disappears slowly in a period of several weeks.  The lump may persist and if it is large enough will require drainage by a physician.

[This concludes the information from The Ship’s Medicine Chest.]

RISK FACTORS

Poor hygiene, either by rubbing eyes with dirty hands, or by not washing hands well before inserting or removing contact lenses, or sleeping with contact lenses, increases the risk of developing a stye.[1]

Chlorine and sweat can also increase the risk of a stye.  People should wash the face and eyes well after swimming and other forms of exercise.  Chlorine-resistant bacteria can cause a stye, while sweat and oil can clog the eyelid’s oil glands and result in infection.[2] 

Makeup and lash extensions attract a lot of dirt and bacteria, both of which can clog the oil glands.  Makeup should be replaced every 3-6 months.  If you have a stye, don’t use makeup at all.  Purchase new makeup to use after the stye is resolved.[3]

Certain medical conditions like rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and uncontrolled diabetes may all contribute to an increased risk of developing styes.  With Meibomian gland dysfunction (which is probably what Becky has), the Meibomian glands (the tiny oil glands that line the margins of the eyelids) become clogged and do not secrete the oil necessary to lubricate the eyes properly.  The eyelids become irritated and more susceptible to infection.[4]

TREATMENT

Warm moist compresses will help bring the sty to a head and allow it to drain.  Do not lance the sty.

Conventional

Tobramycin antibiotic eye drops, per directions on bottle, making sure to keep the bottle 2-3 inches above the eye to avoid contamination.[5]

Alternative

Chamomile or goldenseal tea bag applied to the closed, affected eye, 10 minutes every 2 hours[6]

Chamomile or eyebright tea, cooled, used as eyewash, 3-4 times per day[7]

1 teaspoon baking soda in 2 cups cool water, used as an eyewash, 3-4 times per day[8]

1 tablespoon honey dissolved in 1 cup hot water, cooled, used as an eyewash, 3-4 times per day[9]

Boil 2 teaspoons rosewater and add 1 drop of chamomile essential oil.  Strain through paper coffee filter and let cool slightly.  Put 1 drop of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and wipe it into the cheekbone, under the affected eye, keeping the eye closed to prevent irritation.  Soak a cotton ball in the rosewater-chamomile liquid and apply it to closed eyelid.  Leave until cool.  Repeat process 2 times per day for 3 days.  In addition, blend together the following essential oils:  5 drops each rosemary and geranium, 2 drops eucalyptus, 3 drops peppermint in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil.  Use 5 drops of this combination and massage it in around the neck and ears and over the cheekbone, nose, and forehead.[10]

PREVENTION

Future styes may be prevented by regularly cleansing the eyelids with a warm, moist cotton ball and a little baby shampoo.[11]

COMPLICATIONS

If a sty spreads to the face, it may develop into cellulitis and should be treated as such.

Links to related posts:

Cellulitis  

Colloidal Silver  

Erysipelas  

Medicinal Uses of Baking Soda  

Medicinal Uses of Chamomile  

Medicinal Uses of Honey

Medicinal Uses of Lavender  

Medicinal Uses of Peppermint

Medicinal Uses of Rosemary

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[1] MK Manoylov, What causes a stye and the best ways to get rid of one featuring Singh, Duke Ophthalmology, 20 April 2020, https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news-events/what-causes-stye-and-best-ways-get-rid-one-featuring-singh (accessed 5 April 2022).

[2] MK Manoylov, What causes a stye and the best ways to get rid of one featuring Singh, Duke Ophthalmology, 20 April 2020, https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news-events/what-causes-stye-and-best-ways-get-rid-one-featuring-singh (accessed 5 April 2022).

[3] MK Manoylov, What causes a stye and the best ways to get rid of one featuring Singh, Duke Ophthalmology, 20 April 2020, https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news-events/what-causes-stye-and-best-ways-get-rid-one-featuring-singh (accessed 5 April 2022).

[4] Meibomian gland dysfunction and treatment, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, https://www.aapos.org/glossary/meibomian-gland-dysfunction-and-treatment (accessed 5 April 2022).

[5] Joseph Alton, Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease, 2018, 39.

[6] Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 430.

[7] Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 430.

[8] Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 430.

[9] Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 430.

[10] Valerie Ann Worwood, Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, 1991, 40.

[11] Joseph Alton, Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease, 2018, 40.

 

 4.6.22

Armageddon Pharmacy...

...is finally done and available for sale on Amazon.

Many days it felt like it would never happen.  The constant research and re-writing are part and parcel to compiling an herbal reference.  I did not bank on the guy I selected to do the formatting introducing more of his own errors into the manuscript and adding in typos along the way.  And then expecting me to correct them.  And messing with the indexing.  And making excuses all along the way for why a project he promised to deliver in two weeks took a full eight weeks.  For the first three deadlines he missed, I agreed to extend the delivery deadline.  I finally realized that these extensions were important to him maintaining a good online image.  When I finally refused to extend the delivery deadline any further, progress magically began.

Anyway, Armageddon Pharmacy covers all the herbal and other natural remedies that have appeared on the blog over the past six years.  The previous three books have basically been lifted directly from the blog, with much blog-gy stuff deleted (because you don't need my family details in your references), while retaining all the information you do need.  Armageddon Pharmacy differs in that I had to go back and do a lot more research.  In the beginning of the blog, I didn't document well because I was only writing for my family and close friends.  Thus I needed to research many of the early herbs in much more depth and document sources.  And then there are the herbs that I researched a bit later after I began documenting better.  And then, when I began compiling the manuscript and had questions, I'd do more digging and find that so much more research had been conducted.  New studies, new findings.  So there was more to add.  All this new material is not on the blog, only in the book.  Maybe someday I will post them back on the blog.  

In addition, the early herb articles weren't standardized at all.  Formatting varied from one herb to the next.  In the book it has all been standardized.  Another thing that differs is that the sources appear as footnotes at the bottom of each page.  I really wanted to organize them in a much more efficient manner, but it just wasn't possible.  In a future edition (if we last that long--I'm not holding my breath!) when the self-publishing programs improve, that will change.  The formatter just wanted me to list the references at the end of each section, but I refused.  When I am researching, I want to know the exact source for each individual fact so that I can check for myself.  I think many of you feel the same.  

I hope you like the cover.  When my family said they didn't like the other covers, I decided to go for a different look.  If you don't like it, let me know, and I'll go with my original guy for the next book.

And finally, Armageddon Pharmacy is a bit more expensive than the other books, and I apologize for that.  It's over 700 pages, so of course it's going to cost more.  

Don't forget to file your tax return.

Three Basil Balms for Healing

It’s been a couple of years since I first posted on the medicinal uses of basil.  I have to admit, medicinal uses of this herb aren’t my favorite.  I mean, just inhale the delightful aroma of basil fresh from the garden.  How can you not want to just eat it?  Maybe this will be the year that I have such an overabundance that I can make some medicine as well. 

For the most medicinal basil salves, begin by making an oil infusion with freshly dried basil.  You can use the slow method given here, or either of the faster methods provided in the article on making oil infusions (link below).

The Slow Method

The most traditional way of infusing oil, the way our grandparents did it, takes longer and requires more patience. 

1. Fill a half-pint canning jar halfway with freshly dried, crushed herb.

2. Then fill the jar nearly to the top with oil.  Olive is often a better choice than coconut for infusing the oil well.  Coconut solidifies at 76°F.

3. Put the lid on the jar, shaking the oil occasionally, and store it in a dark cabinet to let it infuse for 4-6 weeks. 

4.  Strain out the herbs and pour the infused oil into a clean jar.  Label and date.

Basil First Aid Balm

Use this for abrasions, irritations, bug bites and stings, and inflammation.  Basil essential oil exerts potent antibacterial effects.[i]

¼ cup basil infused oil

1 ½ teaspoons beeswax pellets

2 drops lavender or tea tree essential oil

 

In a wide-mouth ½ pint canning jar (or similar vessel to use as a double boiler), combine the infused oil and beeswax.  Place the jar in a saucepan with 2 inches of water over medium-low heat.  Watch carefully and stir occasionally until the wax is completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in essential oils.  Pour into dark glass jars or salve tins.  Replace lid.  Store in a cool, dry place.

 

Basil Headache Balm

Ideal for those sinus headaches.  Topical application of basil essential oil (diluted in a carrier oil, such as this balm) has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.[ii]  Do not apply close to eyes and don’t get it into your eyes or nose.

 

¼ cup basil infused oil

1 ½ teaspoons beeswax pellets

25 drops eucalyptus essential oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

 

In a wide-mouth ½ pint canning jar (or similar vessel to use as a double boiler), combine the infused oil and beeswax.  Place the jar in a saucepan with 2 inches of water over medium-low heat.  Watch carefully and stir occasionally until the wax is completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in essential oils.  Pour into dark glass jars or salve tins.  Replace lid.  Store in a cool, dry place.

 

Basil Joint and Muscle Rub

¼ cup basil infused oil

1 ½ teaspoons beeswax pellets

25 drops peppermint essential oil

5 drops juniper berry essential oil

4 drops rosemary essential oil

 

In a wide-mouth ½ pint canning jar (or similar vessel to use as a double boiler), combine the infused oil and beeswax.  Place the jar in a saucepan with 2 inches of water over medium-low heat.  Watch carefully and stir occasionally until the wax is completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in essential oils.  Pour into dark glass jars or salve tins.  Replace lid.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Links to related posts:

Three Methods for Making Oil Infusions

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[ii] Ahmadifard M, Yarahmadi S, Ardalan A, Ebrahimzadeh F, Bahrami P, Sheikhi E. The Efficacy of Topical Basil Essential Oil on Relieving Migraine Headaches: A Randomized Triple-Blind Study. Complement Med Res. 2020;27(5):310-318.