5 essential healing herbs
Simplify your medicine chest with these herbal stars.
September/October 2002
By Laurel Vukovic
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Calendula
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I try to keep my life as simple as possible, and that includes the contents of my medicine cabinet. Over the almost thirty years that I’ve been using herbs, I’ve experimented with more than 100 different healing plants. In the process, I’ve discovered a handful of favorites that I turn to time and again for treating everyday ailments. These aren’t exotic plants—you can grow most of them and can find them at any health-food store and even at many grocery stores. They’ve all been used for centuries for healing, they’re safe, and they’re effective. Most of them are also multipurpose herbs that excel at multitasking—something I try not to do but certainly appreciate when it comes to my herbal allies.
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Instead of filling your medicine cabinet with dozens of different remedies for common maladies, try simplifying your life with these five herbs.
Calendula
Latin name: Calendula officinalis
Part used: Flower
Medicinal uses: Calendula is one of the best healing herbs for the skin and mucous membranes. The blossoms calm inflammation, are mildly astringent, speed healing, and have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Because calendula is a gentle healer, it’s safe for even the most sensitive skin. Use calendula salve for skin rashes (including diaper rash), minor cuts and burns, bruises, and chapped lips. Calendula infusion makes an excellent footbath for athlete’s foot, a facial wash for acne, an eyewash for conjunctivitis, a mouth rinse for aphthous ulcers (canker sores), and a vaginal wash for yeast infections.
How to use:
For minor wounds, burns, bruises, chapped lips, and diaper rash: Apply calendula salve or cream two to three times daily.
For acne: Use an infusion as a final facial rinse twice daily after cleansing.
For athlete’s foot: Pour 2 cups of warm calendula infusion into a shallow basin large enough to hold your feet. Add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (vinegar increases skin acidity, which inhibits fungal growth) and enough warm water to cover your feet. Soak your feet for 15 minutes twice daily.
For canker sores: Rinse your mouth two to three times daily with a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm calendula infusion.
For conjunctivitis and irritated eyes: Soak cotton balls in warm calendula infusion and apply to your eyes three times a day for 10 minutes, or more often if desired. Or strain calendula infusion through a clean paper coffee filter and use as an eyewash.
For vaginal yeast infection: Use lukewarm calendula infusion mixed with apple cider vinegar as a vaginal rinse several times a day. For easy application, put the infusion into a spray bottle (combine 1 cup of calendula infusion with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar).
How to prepare:
Infusion: Make a strong tea by pouring 2 cups of boiling water over 4 tablespoons of dried calendula blossoms. Cover and let steep until cool. Strain and use as directed.
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