The following information is shared in the spirit of promoting personal health and well-being. It goes without saying you should always do your own research and consult with your health care practitioner for any health concerns you may have.
Some of you may remember my first ‘Kitchen Beautician’ article where I explained how my inspiration for home health and beauty remedies happened years ago when I was reading the ingredients of a popular medicated cream. I realized that the main ingredient in it was from a common ‘weed’ that was growing right outside my kitchen! My interest grew as I experimented with gardening, harvesting and making foods and remedies to keep myself and my family healthy. Many of the things that I consider essential for my pantry I also consider essential for my medicine cabinet.
Well that common weed I referred to was Comfrey and I used it to make my first herbal salve. Over 20 years later I make a variety of creams, scrubs, lip balms, rinses… whatever my family and I need to address a number of health and beauty issues. However Comfrey Salve is something I make regularly and it holds an honoured place in our family’s medicine cabinet.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is one of the most famed healing plants. Its very name Symphytum means, “To heal”. Used externally, part of Comfrey’s remarkable healing power is Allantoin: a cell proliferant that promotes growth of connective tissue, bone and cartilage, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Comfrey also has the ability to breakdown red blood cells, which makes its useful for bruises. One of its common names is Bruisewort. It has been used as a poultice and compress for varicose veins and ulcers. It also helps alleviate and heal minor burns. Other uses include: first aid for cuts and bruises, broken bones, joint and muscle pain (good for osteoarthritis), many kinds of dermatitis and acne.
Salve recipe- using fresh herbs
I like to gather my Comfrey at the peak of flowering (around solstice-June 21st), mid-morning on a sunny day. The dew will have evaporated by then, yet it won’t be hot enough to weaken the herb’s medicinal properties. Let the plant wilt in a warm, shaded and dry place for several hours or overnight before using. This will ensure the evaporation of excess moisture. Moisture=Mold!
- Take a clean and thoroughly dry jar and fill it with the leaves and flowers. Don’t pack it air tight, but you can stuff a lot of comfrey into a jar!
- Next fill the jar again with extra virgin olive oil. You must fill the jar right to the top in order to discourage mold growth. Poke the mixture around a bit to release any trapped air. Place a tight fitting lid on it and place in a sunny window. This is called the solar infusion method. For some magical reason, the fusion of sun, herb and oil keeps the oil from going rancid. Let the oil sit for 2 weeks. You may see some bubbles in the oil while it is infusing. These gases occur naturally within the herb and are released into the oil with the medicinal constituents. If there is excess moisture and air in the jar, it may turn moldy, in which case you must start again.
- Strain the infused oil using a colander lined with cheesecloth. It will take some time, but make sure not squeeze or press the oil out. This will increase the sediment and water content and will lower the quality of your salve. Reserve this oil.
- To each cup of oil add 1/4 cup beeswax. In order to accurately measure the amount, grate or melt the beeswax.
- Heat the oil and beeswax together over very low heat until the beeswax is completely melted. Check for proper firmness by placing one tablespoon of the mixture in the freezer for just a minute or two. For harder salves, add more wax. For softer salves, add more oil.
- When you are satisfied with consistency, remove the salve mixture from heat and immediately pour into sterilized containers.
It is always best to store salves in a cool, dark place. If stored properly, salves will last for a long time. If left out in heat or intense sunlight, the salve will lose its properties and go rancid very quickly. Due to Comfrey’s fantastic ability to accelerate healing processes it is imperative that all cuts and injuries are thoroughly clean and sterilized before applying the salve. For external use only.