West Cork grown Comfrey Cream at Rebel Foods Market Stall

Comfrey Cream

Comfrey cream has got to be my all time favourite cream, lotion, balm, potion or anything else that I make around here. I can’t seem to find an end to all of the ways and means that it gets used.

We use it for everything!

In case you are not that familiar with this herb, it has been noted and used for many centuries for it’s ability to increase cell production, reduce inflammation and soothe irritated tissues. Thus, it can settle things down on the skin and at the same time lessen scarring. 

A few weeks ago I noticed an old scar on my arm from a barbed wire fence that I got years ago trying to help my cat through, away from the neighbours’ dogs. It was just a long thin scratch at the time and healed up right away. 

But it left a long thin, very noticeable scar straight across my arm. Funny how most of the other scars I have tend to fade over time, but not this one. It was still prominent on my arm, at least to me….

So, I started putting some ordinary comfrey cream on it, night after night and low and behold…it has faded to nearly nothing. I love this about comfrey – it is soothing, healing and a skin regenerator all at the same time.

I make my comfrey cream with only the finest comfrey around, ahem…my own West Cork grown comfrey, so I know it is quality, right from the outset. I also use only organic beeswax (my own until it runs out) and organic grade therapeutic oils such as coconut, sweet almond, jojoba and cold pressed olive oil.

For so many years I put nothing on my skin. Only water. And then once I started with my own creams, lotions, ointments, balms and salves – I can’t get enough! My skin is drinking them in.

And not only my skin. 

At least once a week (or maybe more) someone comments on my hair – even when it’s a mess, it’s still shiny or actually, sometimes glossy. Perhaps its’ also because I rub comfrey cream all over my hands and then through my hair once it’s dry or maybe it’s the nettle & rosemary rinse, but then it might also be the fact I am Nightshade free….

Or it’s a combination of all three of the above. But, we do have healthy hair around here – so whatever we are doing, I think I will keep doing it! LOL

Coming back to healing and protecting skin, for far too many years I suffered each winter with dry, chapped hands that would split at the knuckles and around my nails. If you have ever had this happen, you can probably appreciate how painful this is. And how much I would dread getting my hands wet.

But, half of my day is spent with wet hands – cooking, cleaning or making something or other. So steering clear of water is not an option – it is often a key ingredient in the many things I do around here.

Over the years I have used comfrey creams from many different sources (they have far more ingredients then mine do), then finally gave up because they simply didn’t work. That is until I made my own and combined it with body butters or on occasion cocoa butter. 

The bottom line here is that my own creams are so pure and natural they do no harm to delicate and healing skin. I add essential oils to back up the therapeutic effects while boosting their detox and repair properties.

One other area I have been plagued with is cold sores on my lips. For years I have fasted as a discipline and for detox purposes, however, because fasting pushes out whatever toxins, viruses etc. that are hanging around in the body, cold sores would always break out for me.

Until my trusty comfrey cream that is! I kind of don’t want to speak too soon, but this is the longest I have gone without a cold sore in years – all due to using my Fire & Ice Comfrey Cream blend. I think it killed the virus dead the last time it even thought of surfacing. 

Then, my son used comfrey cream to heal up an in-grown toenail, we all put it on minor scrapes, cuts and burns and there is a jar in the barn for the animals which we use when ever someone gets a scratch or sore spot. 

Comfrey is just an all round healing, comforting herb and a must have cream for the medicine cabinet, or next to your bed, or in your purse, on the kitchen window…..

April 

Rebel Foods Market Stall Comfrey Creams

Treating a Cold with Herbs and Common Sense....

As a Mom, it's always distressing to see your little ones down with a flu, cold or worse... I have unfortunately been there with many illnesses (some quite serious) early on, but thankfully once our diets were changed and all use of medicine were halted, everything came right again.

It's been years since myself or anyone in my family has taken any form of chemical medicine - when we have the need, and often even if we don't, our healer's helper of choice is to use gentle herbs. With children there are so many to choose from, but usually there are only so many things a kid comes down with, so we can use the same or similar herbs to great effect.

This week my children are down with late summer colds - a tiny fever, chills, laying low, snotty noses and the usual cold symptoms. I knew a virus was about last week (well, I am an Intuitive, so it's what I do) because they were acting up, frustrated and generally not themselves for a couple days.

All of this 'out of the normal behaviour' usually signals a virus or bug coming into their bodies. So, I was kind of expecting these colds this week. And, with such a healthy diet, they don't often get really 'sick', just feeling a bit miserable for a little while.

I wanted to bring this up because it is always beneficial to have a medicine cabinet - mine might look a bit different from most peoples's (perhaps I should take a photo...hmmm). Because I have very different things in there we use to treat ALL and any thing that might need help.

I am not one for creams, lotions or potions - so my only creams are comfrey and calendula made with natural bees wax and honey. These can be used for bruises, rashes, sunburn, boo-boos and comfrey cream works really well for aches and pains too.

Next I have a good selection of essential oils, mostly these are used in the bath as they can't be used neat on the skin (you can dilute a good many of them with olive or almond oil). Our most versatile oil would be lavender, the tea tree and also melissa which we do use on skin.

Some of the other one's we use are bergamot, clary sage, peppermint, juniper, ylang ylang, rosemary, clove, wild oregano, frankincense and so on. Any of these are lovely in the bath, for anything from infections, detoxing, rashes, relaxation and general well being.

I also love to smell them in the house and often have an oil diffuser burning.

The herbs I am using this week for the children (in very small doses) are feverfew, chamomile, nettle, elderberry, marigold, vervain and peppermint. This is a mild tasting tea made in a pot with fresh boiled water - I try to get them to sip on it throughout the day, but especially at bedtime.

None of these herbs will cure the cold, nor will they take away the fever - using herbs just makes the process of have a flu more manageable, they get some sleep at night (so do we), the fever is not over the top and they probably recover a bit faster.

Marigold in the herb garden 

The entire purpose of using herbs is to work with the body processes. There is often a very good reason for the cold in the first place such as coping with change,  a growth spurt and other stressors. The herbs come in to support your body fully in all it is already doing and not interfere with healing.

In the rest of my medicine cabinet there is a first aid kit with some plasters, a bandage, scissors and the usual components of such a bag. And that is about it. 

Anything else I do in terms of treatment is only common sense - no dairy products (we only ever use goat's or sheeps milk and cheese), lots of water to drink, let them lay low for a couple of days, make some special 'soups' to eat and sleep in my bed if they want. 

The worst of the cold is usually over in a couple of days and then you have it!! LOL

Have a healthy day,

April

Feverfew in the garden