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Liniment
1 t goldenseal powder
1 t myrrh powder
1/2 t cayenne powder
1 pint rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol

Add the herbs to the alcohol and shake once a day for seven days. Drain off the alcohol into another container and dispose of the solids.

This liniment is good for strains, sprains, bruises, burns, bug bites, and pyorrhea (though I've never tried it for pyorrhea), and so much more.



Rosemary Oil For Neck Pain
Applied externally, rosemary essential oil warms the neck muscles and enhances blood flow (vasodilation). In the palm of your hand, place a small amount of sweet almond, avocado or jojoba oil & blend 5 drops of rosemary oil with it. Next, massage the mixture into your stiff or sore neck. Finally, wrap your neck in a warm scarf for a few hours to extent the healing effect.



~A Wrap and Massage~
· An arnica-essence wrap
o 2 tbsp. tincture of arnica
o 2 cups water
o ½ cup rubbing alcohol

Soak a cotton cloth in the solution. Squeeze out the excess and put the cloth on your neck. Cover with a dry cloth and leave it on for half an hour. (NOTE: To determine whether you are allergic to arnica, first apply a small amount of the solution to the inside of one arm.)



· A relaxing massage oil
o 1 oz St. John's-Wort oil
o 2 drops angelica oil
o 1 drop bay oil
o 2 drops lemon-balm oil
o 7 drops sage oil

Before applying to skin, dilute the mix with a few drops of a base oil, such as jojoba or avocado. Use your fingertips to massage a small amount into your neck. Begin at the bottom and move up slowly.
Afterward, keep your neck warm with a scarf.


A Green Tea Healing Mist
At the beach or at work, get refreshed quickly and easily with this rejuvenating aromatic mist. Not only will it cool you down, but it also nourishes your skin! Combining green tea with these select essential oils will tone your skin, soothe and heal sunburns, and invigorate your skin after sun exposure.

What You Will Need:
4 oz Distilled Water
2 Green Tea Bags
2 drops of Rosewood Essential Oil
1 drop of Lavender Essential Oil
1 4-oz Spray Bottle (cobalt blue, amber, white - but NOT transparent)

The benefits of green tea:
Green tea contains antioxidants that combat free radicals, also called oxidant radicals. Free radicals are by-products of the human body and cause damage to cells and tissues. The antioxidants neutralize free radicals so they cannot cause any harm. Free radicals are one of the causes of many illnesses and they are one of the reasons for our aging. Green tea contains vitamins - particularly a large amount of Vitamin C - minerals (fluoride, in particular), and amino acids.

How to Make Your Healing Mist:
Bring 4oz of distilled water to a boil.
Add the tea bags and allow them to infuse for 15 minutes.
Let the tea cool down to room temperature.
Pour the tea into your non-transparent spray bottle.
Add your essential oils to the tea, and shake very well.
Store it at the bottom of your fridge and shake well before each use.
(Source Unknown)



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Chickweed Salve
2 part Chickweed
2 part Plantain
1 part Comfrey Leaf
Olive oil
Beeswax
Tincture of Benzoin or Vitamin E

Notes - If 1 part equals 1/3 cup then you will need 12 - 14 ounces of oil and about 1 ounce of beeswax. Use this salve to soothe itching caused by insect bites and rashes, and to aid healing of minor skin irritations.

Directions for Making Salve:
These recipes require you to use parts rather than a specific volume of each herb. This technique allows you to easily adapt the recipe.

If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of salve you might choose 1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely cover the herbs, plus an inch of oil above the level of the herbs.

The tricky part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden the salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents. One pint of oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in an ounce.

If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking them to remove dirt then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours (until wilted) to reduce the moisture content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil quickly. To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crockpot. Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs.

Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours (about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer (about 5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crockpot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crockpot then use a double boiler.

After heating, cool your oil for a while. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cloth. Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax.

If you are using essential oils, Tincture of Benzoin, or Vitamin E., you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label.
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Herbal Ointments

A good all-purpose ointment is an essential in any household. You want one that will reduce swollen tissues, fight bacteria, stop bleeding and soothe pain. Here is a list of common herbs that fall in each category:

Emollients to soften and soothe: calendula, chickweed (itching), comfrey, mallow, slippery elm, mullein, plantain.

Antiseptics to help to kill/avoid infection: calendula, echinacea, eucalyptus, tea tree, yarrow, wormwood, violet, thyme

Astringents to reduce swollen tissue: nettle, plantain, raspberry leaf, St. John's wort, sage, strawberry (leaves), thyme, willow bark/leaves, yarrow, witch hazel, yellow dock

Choose a combination of one herb or more herbs from each category. This combination will prevent sepsis, ease pain, reduce the formation of scar tissue, speed up the healing time and can be used anywhere a salve is needed to coat and protect.

Useful single herb ointments are:
Comfrey for use on bruises, sprains, strains and to accelerate healing of fractures, cuts, ulcers and wounds. Calendula as a prime first aid remedy for wounds, cuts, sores, abrasions, sore nipples, ulcers, sprains and to reduce inflammation and pain from measles and chicken pox spots. Chickweed for psoriasis, eczema and itching spots

The Healing Ointment recipe following is a mixed herb ointment for general use. The tincture of benzoin is used for its healing and preservative properties and other tinctures can be chosen for the effect you want.

The first step is to make a quantity of Infused Oil that can be used in massage oils, facial preparations, baths and ointments.

Healing Ointment
10-12 grams (12 level teaspoons) finely grated, firmly packed beeswax 80g anhydrous (no water added) lanolin (from pharmacy) 4-5 tablespoons (80-100ml) infused oils of you choice (see above) 1 teaspoon tincture of myrrh 1 teaspoon tincture of benzoin 2 teaspoons (10ml) tincture of calendula 80 drops mixed tea -tree, rosemary and lavender essential oils or oils of your choice.

1. Melt the beeswax over a very low light taking care not to overheat (I use a double boiler for this).

2. Add the lanolin, stir until melted.

3. Slowly add the infused oil, don't re-harden the wax. Take off heat, cool slightly until the outside of the pan is just a little hotter than hand heat. 4. Mix together the tinctures and essential oil and add slowly while stirring thoroughly to incorporate until there are no drops of liquid to be seen and the mixture is just beginning to thicken.

5. Pour into jars. Place lids on immediately. Leave without moving until cold.


St. John's Wort Salve
1 part St. John's Wort
1 part Calendula
1 part Comfrey leaf
1 part Plantain
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Great all purpose salve. Use for insect bites, itching, wounds, burns and on fungal infections.
(Source Unknown)



Antiseptic Skin Spray
15 drops tea tree or eucalyptus
10 drops helichrysum
5 drops lavender
2 ounces distilled water
1/2 ounce grain alcohol or goldenseal tincture

Combine and shake well before each use to help disperse the oils. Spray as needed on minor cuts, burns and abrasions to prevent infection and speed healing.
April 30, 2003
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Ease Up Liniment
3 T Castor Oil
1 T Glycerin
1 T Cayenne Tincture
20 dr EO Of Ginger
10 dr EO Of Cinnamon
1/2 c Vodka

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed for 2 minutes.
2. Bottle for use.
NOTE: This liniment can help your muscles loosen up. I recommend it for the pain and stiffness of arthritis, for easing the pain of minor strains and sprains, and even for sports buffs to use before or after a run or workout. Apply as needed to the injured area.
YIELD: 5 ounces PREP: 5 minutes


First Aid Ointment

1 c Distilled Or Spring Water
1/3 c Plantain Or Yellowdock Leaves

OINTMENT Ingredients
1 T Unbleached Beeswax
1 Vitamin E Oil 400 IU
5 Drops EO Of Tea Tree
5 Drops EO Of Lavender

[Note: Lisa Maliga @ themestream.com]

If you have skin, you'll need this ointment! The organic ingredients that this healing ointment is comprised of will be most beneficial for insect bites, rashes, and bee stings. Campers, you must have a container of this with you! It's very easy to make, and the simple-to- make herbal infusion is very inexpensive. Whether you use Yellow Dock, which heals rashes and is high in iron, or Plantain, a weed, yes, but known for centuries to heal wounds, is entirely up to you. The two essential oils are commonly used in many skin care products. Tea tree oil, used for centuries by the Aboriginal people of Australia, is a strong immuno-stimulant, a fancy term meaning it cleans wounds fast!

1. Boil water.
2. Put herbs in strainer.
3. Pour boiling water over the herbs, squeezing the last bits with the back of a spoon. Cover the container and allow the herbs to steep for 10-30 minutes, depending upon how strong you want the mixture. Make sure none of the leaves have fallen into the herbal water. Now it's time to make the ointment.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Using a double boiler [beeswax and microwaves DON'T mix!], melt the beeswax. Stir in the herbal infusion. Remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool off. Drop in the vitamin E and the essential oils. Transfer your new batch of First-Aid Ointment to a jar, preferably an amber or cobalt glass jar. Label and date your First-Aid Ointment. Make sure it's sealed tightly. Store in a cool, dry place where it can last up to six months.


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