Building a Salve

Tags

herbal remedy, herbalism, salve

One of my favorite herbal preparations is the salve.  A salve is probably best defined as a soothing medicinal preparation that is applied topically and promotes healing and is also known as a balm.  While lotions and cremes are emulsions, a salve is an oil and wax based preparation.  It is easily adaptable to whatever purpose you might desire it.  There is no one right way to make a salve, and the combinations are practically infinite…from romantic aromatherapy to soothing itchy skin, there is a salve for every occasion just waiting to be discovered.

Perhaps my favorite recipe for tinkering, and the best illustration for building an herbal recipe in general, and a salve in particular, is Sophie and Collin’s baby balm, which has undergone several incarnations to get the combination that I am fond of.  When I first started, I had decided I wanted a massage oil for infant massage.  I wanted it to be soothing for the baby, healthy for her skin and relaxing to the both of us.  I initially chose lavender and chamomile, and infused them in olive oil, and ended up adding lavender essential oil to cover up the olive smell.  But it was messy…so I decided on a salve instead, and added beeswax.  Not happy with the recipe, and having read a bit about the benefits of sunflower oil for babies, I made the next batch with sunflower oil.  Eventually, I added calendula and then yarrow to the mix.  I switched around oils…and then one day, while filtering my latest batch, I tested the oil and found that I had found my perfect oil mixture in terms of smell.  At the same time, I played with amounts of beeswax, and adding other things, like lanolin or cocoa butter.   Everything worked…but somethings worked better than others.  Some things smelled better than others.  Some things that worked well didn’t smell as well as things that didn’t work as well…and I wanted both.

For a naturally impatient person (like myself), learning to build a salve was a wonderful exercise in patience.   If anyone is wondering why I call it “building” a salve, its because I see a salve (and many other herbal preparations) as a series of building blocks (the herb, the oils, etc) that can be put together in a myriad of ways.  To build a salve, one first needs a purpose.  What do you want to make?  Something for a baby?  Something for yourself?  Once the purpose is in mind, one needs to figure out what herbs best fit the desired outcome.  From here, one can either experiment with single herbs or they can choose herbs that they feel–either intuitively or through research–would work together effectively.   Once the herbs have been determined, the oils need to be selected.  Like with herbs, each carrier oil has its own pros and cons, correspondences, etc.  They can be used singly or in combination, and the herbs can be infused in them singly or in combination.  I choose to infuse my herbs together.  It could be all in my head, but I find it to be more synergistic…though, when initially experimenting with combinations, working from single herb infusions can be more efficient.  The finished oil then needs to be combined with the wax to the desired consistency.  As with herb and oil selections, there are waxes besides beeswax to choose from (though I rarely use anything other than beeswax and cocoa butter).

If you want to try your hand at a salve, most of the basic ingredients are available at your local grocery store and craft store.  If you are lucky enough to have specialty stores, like for soap making or herbalism or a tea shop, you are off to a great start…and if you have a local source for beeswax (try the local farmers market–if there is a local bee keeper, you can often get a good deal), you really in luck!  There are also quite a few ingredients for every effective healing salves that you can probably find in your own back yard (plantain and chickweed to name a few).  Olive oil, grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, and sunflower oil are probably the easiest oils to find in a grocery story at a reasonable price.  To infuse your oils, you need dry herbs…if you have a local organic grocery, CSA, a tea shop, herbalist, etc, they may carry whole bulk herbs for purchase, but if not there are a few reliable online herb suppliers.  Another option is to use essential oils in the carrier oil (rather than making the infused oil), which are sometimes easier to find– even some hobby/craft stores carry soap and candle making supplies and will have a small selection of essential oils (as well as beeswax).

Basic Salve Recipe

1 cup of oil (infused oil or carrier oil with essential oil)

1/2-1 oz beeswax (start with 1/2 oz and add beeswax depending on the consistancy you want) OR combination of cocoa butter and beeswax

Place oil in double boiler and heat.  Melt in beeswax (or other wax combinations) SLOWLY, testing for consistency.  If you add too much wax, your salve will be too hard.  To fix a hard salve, you can always add more oil, but depending on how delicate your recipe might be, it could throw it off.

My Fave Lip Balm

1/4 c sunflower oil infused with chamomile

a dollop of honey

10-15 drops of food grade peppermint oil

cocoa butter to desired consistency

Baby Balm–great for just about everything from after bath to diaper rash to dry skin

1 part lavender
1 part chamomile flowers
1 part yarrow
1 part calendula

Infuse herbs in equal parts sunflower and grapeseed oil.

Equal parts beeswax and cocoa butter into oil to desired consistency

Snotty Tot Chest Rub

30 drops Gully Gum Eucalyptus Essential oil

30 drops Camphor

30 drops Lavender essential oil

1/4 c carrier oil

Equal parts beeswax and cocoa butter into oil to desired consistency

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Tips for the cold season..

Tags

accupressure points, aromatherapy, cold, congestion, cough, euclapytus oil, herbal remedies, herbal remedy, marshmallow, sinusitis, slippery elm

Colds, Cough and Congestion

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection can be caused by over 200 different viruses and generally lasts 7-10 days.  The only thing that will get rid of a cold is letting it run its course, thought there are options that may lessen the duration or severity of cold symptoms. 

*Some studies suggest that Echinacea may reduce the severity and duration of colds if taken in large amounts at the onset of symptoms. 
*Try incorporating probiotics into your diet.  Some studies indicate that live lactobacillus cultures have been linked to less respiratory infections, including some forms of the common cold in both adults and children.
*Vitamins & minerals–both zinc and vitamin C have long been recommended for a cold.  Studies indicate that individuals deficient in zinc and/or vitamin C are more prone to infections and supplements of these can reduce the number and severity of infections.  Zinc, in lozenge form, may reduce the intensity of the symptoms associated with a cold, particularly a cough. Additionally nasal zinc gel (but not zinc nasal spray) and zinc lozenges seem to shorten the duration of a cold.  Conversely, while a few studies have indicated that vitamin C, taken in large does at the onset of a cold may lessen the severity and shorten the duration of a cold, literature reviews of vitamin C studies indicate that it more than likely has little to no effect in preventing or treating infection….but then again, some studies do show that Vitamin C can help.
*Eucalyptus, is an expectorant that is useful in treating both chest and sinus congestion.  For chest congestion, in both adults and children, the topical application of Eucalyptus oil in a chest rub (either oil, or salve) can be of great benefit (as can steam inhalations).  Eucalyptus leaf tea can also be taken, as the leaf is believed to have additional antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.   To make an infusion from Eucalyptus leaf, take 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoonful per cup hot water and steep for 10 – 15 minutes.  Drink up to 3 cups a day.

Chest Rub:
20 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil
15 drops of lavender essential oil
10 drops of Camphor
10 drops of Peppermint essential oil
1/2 cup carrier oil

Mix together.  Rub on chest for congestion.  To make salve, add beeswax to melt until cooled mixture is at preferred consistency.

*Medicated lip balms such as Carmex or Blistex can be applied to the skin under the nose, as well as on, around and just inside the nostril to help relieve rawness from blowing the nose.  Additionally, as most are medicated with menthol, eucalyptus or some combination, which is also useful as an inhalant.
*Marshmallow, particularly the root, and Slippery elm are both effective mucilage agents and help to relieve sore throat and ease coughs, especially if they are dry and unproductive.  Marshmallow root (and valerian root) is most effectively made as a maceration (cold water infusion).  To prepare, pour 2 cups of cold water over 25 g (volume depends on consistency) of Marshmallow root and allow to sit, covered, overnight.    To prepare Slippery Elm root, pour 2 cups boiling water over 4 grams (roughly 2 tablespoons) of powdered bark and then steeping 3 to 5 minutes.  Both of these you can used as a gargle, throat rinse or “tea” up to 3 times a day.

Garlic-Ginger Syrup with Slippery Elm and Marshmallow Root

Fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic
Marshmallow root (this recipe assumes a shredded consistency…by weight it is about 12 g)
Powered Slippery elm bark
2 c honey

Peel and finely slice 2-3 thumb sized chunks of ginger and 2 cloves of garlic.  Cover with 2 cups honey and allow to “steep” overnight (you do not have to remove the garlic and ginger).  Simultaneously, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tablespoon powdered slippery elm bark.  Allow to cool.  Once cooled, pour this mixture over 2-3 tablespoons marshmallow root.  Sit covered, overnight.  Separate the mucilage and combine with the honey.  Mix. Store in refrigerator.  Take 1-2 tablespoon 3-4 times a day to help with cough.

 

Ginger and Chicken Noodle Soup

*you will need a pressure cooker*

pressure cook together the following (about 10 minutes once pressure has been met):

whole chicken
2 cans chicken broth
several cups water (enough to cover chicken)
1-2 cups baby carrots
1 cup celery, chopped
1 yellow or vidalia onion coarsly chopped
1 pinch ground black pepper

then, remove chicken and debone…put chicken chunks back in liquid and simmer…

sautee and add:

1/3 cup sliced fresh garlic
1/3 cup fresh ginger root sliced
optional…a pinch of curry

also add:

1-2 cups egg noodles  (depends on amt of liquid you have)
bring to boil til noodles done

salt or add soy sauce to taste…optional—add a drizzle of honey to the bowl when serving…adds a bit of sweet to the spicy and salty

*Other herbs that are useful to combat colds and cold symptoms are licorice, peppermint (and other mint family members), garlic, and ginger.

 
*For more remedies, try http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/47/33.cfm

 

 

Sinus/Nasal Congestion

*Drink lots of water.  This should help thin secretions and prevent dehydration.
*Steam inhalation is your friend.  Hot showers, tenting your head with a towel over a pan of steamy water, or a steam vaporizer (not a cool mist humidifier) are all easy ways to relieve sinus congestion.
*Add eucalyptus and/or menthol based essential oils and lavender and/or rosemary essential oils to the steam inhalation reduce the symptoms of nasal congestion.
*Irrigate your sinuses.  A bulb syringe, neti pot, or one of these bottles.  Use ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp baking soda or ¼ tsp salt for 8 oz of WARM distilled or filtered water.

*Saline mist, especially if you can’t stand the idea of irrigating your sinuses (plus it is great for the kiddos)–FAR better than a conventional nose spray, is a newer OTC product that can be found at drugstores…I’ve only ever seen it in the childrens/infant section, sold under a couple of different brands. 
*Try using these pressure points to relieve sinus congestion…