Herbal Summer Recipe: Medicinal
Mountain Rose Herbs is one of my favourite sources for online bulk herbal, culinary and aromatherapy supplies. At the moment, they’re having a DIY herbal recipe contest that can fall in to 3 categories: medicinal, culinary, or body care. In return for a winning entry to one of the three classifications, a $200 gift certificate is generously offered. And the caveat? This contest ends tomorrow, Sunday, May 16. 🙂
It’s interesting to have a diverse blog like mine that not only covers the terrain of our Airstream travels but also offers green-friendly tips and thoughts, recipes for the body, soul and health, travel experiences and advice, plus so much more. I’m curious however. Does this make my blog a bit too confusing and unfocussed? Or do you like the diverse array of topics and articles?
Anyway, enough of my rambling … on with the promised recipes, posted as three separate entities below.
Recipe #1 of the Mountain Rose Herbs Recipe Contest
Medicinal ~ Summer Bite / Sting / Splinter Poultice
Clay is known for its ability to purify and pull poison out of a bite / sting to the skin’s surface, keeping the poison from spreading; Echinacea lessens an allergic reaction and Lavender disinfects.
Yield = 1/8 cup Clay Poultice (paste)
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Bentonite Clay
- 1 tbsp Distilled Water
- 12 drops Lavender essential oil
- 1 teaspoon Echinacea Root tincture
Combine the lavender e.o. with the echinacea tincture. Mix the the water and the clay together, using only enough water to form a thick paste, and slather it on to the wound area.
Let the clay dry for about 20 minutes. There may be a slight pulling sensation as it dries … this is a normal sensation. Rinse the clay poultice off with cool water and reapply, if necessary.
For a more powerful poultice, mix equal parts of bentonite clay with apple cider vinegar until it forms a creamy paste. Apply the paste liberally to the problem area and let it set on the body for about 45 minutes. Rinse as above. Be sure not to use any metal bowls or silverware when mixing this recipe as the bentonite clay could react badly with any metal used.
