Weeds to Remedies: Salves

Posted by on July 20, 2013 in Classes & Events, Herbal Medicine

This past Wednesday evening at the Valley Permaculture Alliance office we had a successful night of herbal medicine making. I want to thank everyone who participated in making such a pleasant experience! I loved seeing some returning faces and a ton of new one! I hope to see all of you at my next class on August 17th same place at 10am! This class will be how to make herbal tinctures, glycerites and teas!

For those who were unable to attend or would like to see a sample of what you will be learning keep reading!

Have you ever wondered what to do for those nasty stings, sun burns, or just irritated areas? Do you live in the desert where everything seems to want to hurt you? Or where the sun on any given day is strong enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk?

Here is a wonderful remedy that was discussed in my last class…Larrea trindentata aka Creosote bush or Chaparral.

You may have come across this wonderful herb on a hike or have smelled it in the air of a monsoon rain (if you live in the southwest).

This herb is good for burns, bites, stings, recent cuts or wounds, itchy skin, eczema, psoriasis, general antioxidant for skin. Great hair moisturizer with anti fungal properties for the scalp. It has various anti-microbial properties as well. There are various studies out their suggest it has some anti-cancer properties.

Another herb we made into salve is Artemisia ludoviciana aka Mugwort.

This herb is used for various conditions:

External: Bruised muscles, sore muscles, rib pain, gall bladder colic/pain, ligament/tendon pain or tension, IT Band tension, sore joints, neck tension, shingles pain (combine with St John’s Wort), menstrual cramping, etc.
Also used as a nervine to calm swollen and inflamed nerves such as in stings.

Prior to class I had infused olive oil with these two herbs and by combining them we made a versatile salve which can be used for any of the various dangers one may encounter while working in the yard or hiking in the desert.

If you would like to learn more sign up for a class! Not only will you take home knowledge but you will take home a hand crafted herbal remedy. See www.vpaaz.org for more info!

These are some pictures from my last class!

beeswax prep