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Herbal medicine is the medicine of the people. It is simple,
safe, effective, and free. Our ancestors used - and our neighbors
around the world still use - plant medicines for healing and
health maintenance. It's easy. You can do it too, and you
don't need a degree or any special training. Ancient memories
arise in you when you begin to use herbal medicine - memories
which keep you safe and fill you with delight. These lessons
are designed to nourish and activate your inner herbalist
so you can be your own herbal expert.
In our first session we learned how to "listen"
to the messages of plant's tastes. In session two we learned
about simples and how to make effective water-based herbal
remedies. The third session helped us distinguish safe nourishing
and tonifying herbs from the more dangerous stimulating and
sedating herbs. Our fourth session focused on poisons in herbs
and entered the herbal pharmacy to herbal tinctures, which
we collected into an Herbal Medicine Chest. Our fifth session
found us still in the pharmacy, learning how to make and use
herbal vinegars for strong bones and healthy hearts.
In this, our sixth session, we remain in the herbal pharmacy
and turn our attention to herbs in fat bases. We'll explore
fresh infused oils, ointments, salves, and lip balms, essential
oils, and even herbal pestos.
HERBAL OILS: INFUSED VS. ESSENTIAL
I
make and use many infused herbal oils. I use little or no
essential oils. Why?
Infused herbal oils use a small amount of plant material;
essential oils require tons of plant material. Infused herbal
oils are safe to use internally or externally; essential oils
are poisonous internally and problematic externally. Infused
herbal oils are good for the skin; essential oils can cause
rashes, burns, and other skin reactions. Infused oils are
used full strength; essential oils are diluted before use.
Infused herbal oils have subtle scents; essential oils have
powerful scents.
The scent of an essential oil can kill gut flora just like
antibiotics do, according to Paul Bergner, director of the
clinical studies program at the Rocky Mountain Center for
Botanical Studies. He told me that breathing the oils puts
them into the blood stream very quickly and can be a major
disturber of intestinal health and contributor to poor immune
functioning.
Massage therapists are embracing Natural Scent Therapies
such as growing live aromatic plants in their treatment rooms
and using pillows of dried aromatic herbs instead of essential
oils. Their skin and their immune systems are thanking them
for the switch.
MAKING INFUSED HERBAL OILS
To make an infused herbal oil you will need the following
supplies:
• Fresh plant material
• Scissors or a knife
• A clean dry jar with a tight lid
• Some olive oil
• A label and pen; a small bowl
Harvest your plant material in the heat of the day, after
the sun has dried the dew. It is best to wait at least 36
hours after the last rain before harvesting plants for infused
oils. Wet plant materials will make moldy oils. To prevent
this, some people dry their herbs and then put them in oil.
I find this gives an inferior quality product in most cases.
Coarsely chop the roots, leaves, or flowers of your chosen
plant. Fill your jar completely full of the chopped plant
material. Add olive oil until the jar is completely full.
(Patience and a chopstick are useful tools at this point.)
Tightly lid the jar. Label it. Put it in a small bowl (to
collect seepage and over-runs). Your infused oil is ready
to use in six weeks.
Fresh Plants That I Use to Make Infused Oils
Arnica flowers (Arnica montana)
Burdock seeds (Arctium lappa)
Calendula flowers (Calendula off.)
Comfrey leaves or roots (Symphytum uplandica)
Dandelion flowers (Taraxacum off.)
Plantain leaves (Plantago majus)
Poke roots (Phytolacca americana)
Spruce needles
St. Joan's wort flowers (Hypericum perforatum)
Yarrow blossoms (Achillea millefolium)
Yellow dock roots (Rumex crispus)
USING YOUR INFUSED HERBAL OILS
I use my infused herbal oils to heal and ease the pain of
wounds, bruises, scrapes, sprains, burns, rashes, sore muscles,
insect bites, and aching joints. I make my infused oils into
ointments, salves, and lip balms. I use my infused oils in
rituals, to anoint. I use my infused oils after bathing, to
moisturize. I use my infused oils as stunning salad dressings.
I use my infused oils as sexual lubricants. I use my infused
oils to nourish my scalp and hair.
I apply my infused herbal oils directly to the body. I rarely
take infused herbal oils as internal medicines although it
would be safe to do so. I use my infused oils to make salves,
ointments, and lip balms.
MAKING SALVES, OINTMENTS AND LIP BALMS
When herbs are infused into animal fat, they form a natural
salve, without need of thickening. But herbs infused into
oils are drippy and leaky and messy. They need a little beeswax
melted into them to make them solid. The more beeswax added,
the firmer the oil will be. A little beeswax will make a soft
salve. A medium amount will make a firm ointment. And a lot
will make a stiff lip balm.
• Pour one or more ounces of infused herbal oil into
a saucepan or double boiler.
• Grate several ounces of beeswax.
• Put a small fire under your oil.
• When it is slightly warm, add one tablespoon (more
or less) of grated beeswax.
• Stir, preferably with your finger, until the beeswax
melts.
• Test the firmness by dropping a drop on a china plate.
It will solidify instantly.
- Too soft? Add more beeswax, a little at a time.
- Too hard? Add more infused oil (if possible) or plain oil.
• Pour your finished salve or ointment into wide-mouthed
jar.
• Pour lip balms into little pots or twist tubes.
PESTOS
The simplest pesto is green leaves pounded with salt and
garlic. I don't put cheese or nuts into my pestos when I make
them, as these ingredients spoil rapidly.
I use a mini-size food prep machine for the "pounding".
A blender will work too, but watch that you don't burn out
the motor.
The oil in a pesto both preserves the antioxidant vitamins
in the fresh green herbs and also softens the cell walls so
minerals become more available. With the added health-benefits
of garlic, herbal pestos are great medicine as well as superb
eating.
Basic
Herbal Pesto
Stays good for up to two years in a cool refrigerator; up
to five years in the freezer.
• Start with half a cup of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add 2-4 coarsely chopped cloves of garlic.
• Add a good sprinkle of sea salt.
• Add a large handful of prepared herb leaves and blend.
• Continue adding leaves and oil as needed. Perhaps
more garlic and salt? Blend.
• When all is blended to a fare thee well, pack your
pesto into a skinny jar.
• Leave some space between the pesto and the top of
the jar and fill this with olive oil.
• Cap, label, and refrigerate.
Green Herbs for Pesto
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis)
Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Violet (Viola species)
Yellow dock (Rumex crispus)
COMING UP
In our next sessions we will learn how to make herbal honeys
and syrups, how to apply the three traditions of healing,
and how to take charge of our own health care with the six
steps of healing.
EXPERIMENT NUMBER ONE
Make three or more infused herbal oils from different plant
parts, such as leaves, roots, and flowering tops. (See list
for suggestions of plants to use.)
EXPERIMENT NUMBER TWO
Make several infused oils from the same plant at the same
time using at least three different kinds of oils and animal
fats, including ghee. Label carefully. After six weeks, decant
and compare.
EXPERIMENT NUMBER THREE
Make a salve, ointment, or lip balm. Beeswax is sold at farmer's
markets, health food stores, and craft shops.
EXPERIMENT NUMBER FOUR
Treat at least three injuries with an herbal oil or ointment
that you have made. Record your observations. Plantain, yarrow,
calendula, or comfrey are good choices for this experiment.
Experiment Number Five
Make an herbal pesto. (See list for suggestions.)
FURTHER STUDY
1. Buy a small bottle of essential oil. Also buy the plant
the oil is made from. Lavender and mint are good choices for
this experiment. Smell the plant, then smell the essential
oil. How do you feel afterwards? Taste the plant, then taste
a drop of the essential oil? What do you perceive? Put a drop
of the essential oil on your skin; rub the plant vigorously
on your skin. Are there differences?
Extra credit: Make an infused oil of the same plant and repeat
this experiment using your infused oil in addition to the
essential oil and the plant.
2. Use organic animal fat to make an herbal preparation.
Keep the fat barely warm - in the sun or by a pilot light
- until it is infused. No need to add beeswax. The fat will
solidify at room temperature.
ADVANCED WORK
• Read about the production of essential oils.
• How is a hydrosol different from an essential oil?
• Can you make a hydrosol? (Jeanne Rose is a good resource
on this.)
For permission to reprint this article, contact
us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com
Study
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Fax: 1-845-246-8081
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Your studies will be both experiential and intellectual.
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