Earth Blessings!!!
By using only a few herbs you can create your very own herbal first aid kit.
All the recipes listed in this blog will require a few extra ingredients that you can find at most supermarkets or health food stores.
Ouch Salve (replacement for any AAA ointment)
What you'll need:
· ¼ c. fresh or dried Plantain leaves (other good herbs to use in this recipe are Calendula pedals, Comfrey, Yarrow, or Chickweed. Use all or some or one of these herbs and you'll have an amazing salve!)
· ½ c. olive oil or melted coconut oil
· 1 tablespoon melted bees wax
What to do:
1. Make Plantain oil (you can mix herbs together while making your oils)
a. Chop up Plantain leaves
b. Put Plantain in jar and pour over Olive Oil.
c. Heat on low in a pot of water (making sure not to boil) or heat slowly for 10-12 hours on a candle warmer.
d. Strain out Plantain leaves when oil is ready.
2. Once Plantain Oil is ready, heat bees wax in double boiler or on candle warmer.
3. When Bees Wax is melted, pour in Plantain Oil.
4. Pour in small jar or container and let set.
**You can use the Plantain oil all on it's own as well. I like to pour some in a roller bottle, much like these ones and throw in a small pouch for traveling.
Sore Muscle Rub (use after working out, hiking, or anytime you have sore muscles)
What you’ll need:
· ¼ c. fresh or dried Yarrow leaves and flowers (Other Herbs to use in this recipe are Lavender, Feverfew, Comfrey, Arnica, Rose Hip, Chamomile)
· ½ c. of Almond Oil or Olive Oil (you can mix if there isn’t enough of either)
· 1 tablespoon melted Bees Wax
What to do:
1. Make Yarrow oil
a. Chop up Yarrow leaves
b. Put Leaves and Flowers in jar and pour over Almond Oil/Olive Oil.
c. Heat on low in a pot of water (making sure not to boil) for about an hour or heat slowly for 10-12 hours on a candle warmer.
d. Strain out leaves and Flowers when oil is ready. (you can use the oil for a massage oil on its own!)
2. Once Yarrow Oil is ready, heat bees wax in double boiler.
3. When Bees Wax is melted, pour in Yarrow Oil.
4. Pour in small jar or container and let set.
Anti-Itch Salve (replace any type of benedryl cream, calamine lotion, etc)
This salve is PERFECT for poison ivy, bug bite, hives, or rashes!
What you'll need:
Fresh Jewel weed (Other herbs to use for itch relief are Basil, Witch Hazel, Thyme, or Chammomile)
1/2 c. of olive oil
1/4 c of coconut oil
1/4c. of shea butter
2 tablespoons of cocoa butter
3 tablespoons of beeswax
What to do:
1. Make Jewelweed oil
a. Chop up Jewelweed leaves, flowers and stems. The stems are the most potent part of the plant. (quick tip, if your out and walked through a poison ivy patch or are attacked by mosquitos you can crack open a Jewelweed stem and rub it on the affected area!)
b. Put Leaves, Flowers and stems in jar and pour over Olive Oil.
c. Heat on low in a pot of water (making sure not to boil) for about an hour or heat slowly for 10-12 hours on a candle warmer.
d. Strain out all plant matter when oil is ready. (you can use the oil on its own, place in a roller for travel!)
2. Once Jewelweed Oil is ready, heat Shea butter, Coconut oil, Cocoa Butter and Bees wax in double boiler.
3. When all is melted, pour in Yarrow Oil.
4. Pour in jar or container and let set.
Burn Relief Salve (perfect for sunburn relief)
What you’ll need:
· ¼ c. Raw Honey
· 2 Tablespoons Aloe (gel right from the plant is best) (other herbs that work for burn relief are Witch Hazel, St. John's Wort, Lavender or Elder Flowers)
· 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
What to do:
1. Heat Coconut oil until melted
2. Mix Honey, Coconut Oil, and Aloe and pour into jar.
3. Let Set
While the honey helps keep the wound protected, the coconut oil works as an antibacterial agent to kill any invading pathogens. Coconut oil is also rich in nutrients and fatty acids that provide the necessary nourishment to help the skin recoup faster. The aloe gel, another popular skin-healer, contains hormones called auxins and gibberellins that speed up wound healing. It also boosts collagen production in the skin and prevents the formation of scars.
Bruise Salve (perfect for sprains, bruises, or sore muscles that are not open wounds!)
**Do not use this salve on OPEN wounds, only bruises!**
What you'll need:
1/2 c Dried Arnica (other herbs that helps with bruising are Comfrey or Parsley)
1 c Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Bees Wax
What to do:
1. Make Arnica oil
a. Chop up dried Arnica leaves and flowers
b. Put Leaves and Flowers in jar and pour over Olive Oil.
c. Heat on low in a pot of water (making sure not to boil) for about an hour or heat slowly for 10-12 hours on a candle warmer.
d. Strain out leaves and Flowers when oil is ready. (again, you can use the oil for on its own!)
2. Once Arnica Oil is ready, heat bees wax in double boiler.
3. When Bees Wax is melted, pour in Arnica Oil.
4. Pour in small jar or container and let set.
Bug Off Spray:
**This recipe isn't so much an herbal recipe, though you can use a Yarrow Tincture as your base. I generally use Witch Hazel and save my Yarrow for other things. **
What you’ll need:
· Witch Hazel
· Distilled Water
· Tea Tree Essential Oil
· Lemon Eucalyptus EO
· Cedar Wood EO
· Lemongrass EO
· Spray Bottle
What to do:
1. Add 5-10 drops of each Essential Oil to spray bottle
2. Add 1 part Witch Hazel and 1 part Distilled Water to spray bottle
3. Shake
4. Use
I like to make two sets, one to keep at home and one that I can throw in my purse to have on me at all times. I use recycled Altoids containers for the salves at home and I have small 1oz tins that I use for on the go. I also use the roller bottles for any of the oils that I make.
I hope you have fun creating your own First Aid kit! I have been using these remedies for YEARS now and I will never go back to paying for over the counter medicines! Not only is it so much cheaper, but it's the natural way to heal and they work WAYYYY better!
Comments