SasEz! Simple & Sustainable Living…

Creating Herbal Salves And Ointments

---

When most people think of using herbal remedies, they think in terms of swallowing supplement pills. And while this is a very common way to use herbs for various reasons, there is another lesser known use for them too. Herbs can be used to create topical salves, ointments, and packs which are applied to the body on the outside, and help to speed healing, ease pain, and reduce swelling.

To make herbal salves and ointments, you must start by purchasing high quality herbs. The best kind of herbal supplements to buy, are those which are ground powder or flakes of the actual herb, packed into gel caps. Any kind of herbal supplement which is in hard pill form will not be dissolved easily – in external applications or within your body either. These also tend to have only a small amount of actual herb in them, mixed with many other misc ingredients that may or may not be good for you.

Buying the whole, ground or powdered herb in gelcap form makes it easier for your body to readily absorb and use the herbs when you swallow them. It also makes creating ointments quite simple and easy.

All you have to do is pull the gelatin capsule apart – it’s just two pieces that easily pull apart – then shake the herb powder onto a plate or container of some sort. Then you simply mix a liquid substance with the powdered herb, and you have a ready to use ointment or salve.

The liquid you choose to mix in can vary based on what you have on hand. Petroleum jelly is fine if it’s a good quality, but many commercial versions have additives you wouldn’t want absorbed into your skin. So make sure you buy good petroleum jelly whenever possible. Pure aloe vera gel should be your first choice if you have it on hand, and mineral oil or vinegar often works fine too.

One of the best herbal salves I know of is simple GoldenSeal salve. Open a capsule of goldenseal root, and dump it out onto a small dish. Smear a small glob of petroleum jelly into the powdered herb until mixed well and not too dry. Then rub that salve onto affected areas as needed.

Mixing the goldenseal powder with aloe vera normally stimulates healing even faster, because the aloe vera is able to penetrate all layers of the skin. By doing so, it carries the combined healing power of itself and the goldenseal deep within to start repairing damage more quickly.

This salve is excellent to use for healing cuts and abrasions quickly, usually without leaving any scars. It will make your skin a greenish yellow color, but it washes off easily with regular soap and water.

Case Study:
A young boy of about 8 years old tripped and fell flat on his face at school. The surface he fell on to was rough concrete, and the young boy had a very severe, deep, wide scrape from his forehead to the tip of his nose. The school nurse believed it would take weeks to heal, and the boy would be scarred for life.

The boy’s mother mixed up fresh goldenseal salve using petroleum jelly, gently cleaned the scrape as best she could, the put a thick coat of the salve all over the scraped areas of the boy’s face. She left it on him overnight, then cleaned his face the next morning. The boy’s face was 90% healed from that first night’s treatment. The school nurse was in shock when she saw him the next day, never having seen anyone heal from something that fast before. In less than one week, all evidence of the massive scrap on the boy’s face was gone. And there was never a scar.

Statements made in this article may not be approved by the FDA, and should not be taken as professional medical advice