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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2003 : Jan03
Coming Soon...
Do-It-Yourself Herbal Skin Care
Did you know that our skin is a bodily organ? It's the largest organ we own! Here in Hawai`i, our skin can be harmed by the sun that burns us, the bugs that bite us, the lava that we hike over, and the tools in the kitchen and the garden that can cut us. I always say that "a day in the garden without blood is like a day not in the garden" because I often poke myself with a tool, thorn or branch or get scratched by a kitty enjoying the garden alongside me.
It's important to take care of those little scratches and bites quickly because of the existence of staph (staphyloccocus bacteria) in tropical climates. As soon as possible, wash your wound with mild soap and water, then use an herbal treatment that I'll cover next. Always remember that if your injury is large, if it doesn't stop bleeding quickly, or if there is unusual pain, please visit your doctor as soon as possible... you might need stitches or even an antibiotic. So be careful!
Cuts, Scratches and Bites Respond Well to Aloe and Noni
For simple cuts, scratches and bites, the easiest remedy is to gather a fresh piece of aloe vera (a common non-thorny cactus) or a fresh, succulent Noni leaf.
To use aloe, slit the frond open lengthwise, cut off the small stickers along the sides, and apply the juicy gel to your wound. Careful--it can stain your clothes yellow!
The Noni leaf trick is one that I've started relying on for many ailments. I've healed two boils on my neck with this method, and have seen a man's hand swollen from a bee sting return to its normal size within minutes. Snip off a medium-sized Noni leaf and hold it over a flame for about 10 seconds. You can use a gas stove, or if you're in the jungle, a match or lighter will do. Then fold the leaf to the size of your wound and tape it in place. If you need to, repeat the process the next day, but in my experience this is usually not necessary: Noni is truly a healing plant!
Making a Simple Decoction
A "decoction" is just a strong tea, which is as easy to make as boiling water. I often use Noni leaf, comfrey and plantain in my decoctions. Plantain is considered a common lawn weed, as it grows almost everywhere around the world... it's not the same plantain as the cooking banana, but belongs to the genus Plantago. In Hawaiian healing it is called Lau kahi.
To make your decoction, pick 1 cup of chopped leaves, whether it's all three or just one of them. Put them in a non-metal pan (like Pyrex) and add 1 quart of bottled water. Boil it, then lower the heat and simmer it for 20 minutes. After it has cooled, you can use it in three ways:
Repeat this treatment twice a day. You can store your decoction in the refrigerator for several days.
Herebal Oils Are Easy to Make
Here's a recipe that I use often--it's from my friend Jeanine Pollak's book Healing Tonics. It's a soothing, anti-inflammatory external oil helpful for all wounds. It also helps prevent scarring.
You can make your own oil by placing herbs in a clean glass jar 1/3 full and then filling it with olive oil. Cover it and let it stand in a warm place for 10 days, or cook it at 150 degrees for 3 hours, then strain it when done.. Essential oils must be purchased.
To use your herbal oil, apply it several times a day to wounds--I've used it with great success on several surgical incisions.
Salves Are Handy to Keep in Your Medicine Cabinet
Here's my recipe for Holy Noni Healing Hand Salve.
If you make a pretty label, it makes a wonderful gift!
ON THE WEB:
Visit Jeanine Pollak's web site at botanicadventures.org
Do-It-Yourself Herbal Skin Care
Did you know that our skin is a bodily organ? It's the largest organ we own! Here in Hawai`i, our skin can be harmed by the sun that burns us, the bugs that bite us, the lava that we hike over, and the tools in the kitchen and the garden that can cut us. I always say that "a day in the garden without blood is like a day not in the garden" because I often poke myself with a tool, thorn or branch or get scratched by a kitty enjoying the garden alongside me.
It's important to take care of those little scratches and bites quickly because of the existence of staph (staphyloccocus bacteria) in tropical climates. As soon as possible, wash your wound with mild soap and water, then use an herbal treatment that I'll cover next. Always remember that if your injury is large, if it doesn't stop bleeding quickly, or if there is unusual pain, please visit your doctor as soon as possible... you might need stitches or even an antibiotic. So be careful!
Cuts, Scratches and Bites Respond Well to Aloe and Noni
For simple cuts, scratches and bites, the easiest remedy is to gather a fresh piece of aloe vera (a common non-thorny cactus) or a fresh, succulent Noni leaf.
To use aloe, slit the frond open lengthwise, cut off the small stickers along the sides, and apply the juicy gel to your wound. Careful--it can stain your clothes yellow!
The Noni leaf trick is one that I've started relying on for many ailments. I've healed two boils on my neck with this method, and have seen a man's hand swollen from a bee sting return to its normal size within minutes. Snip off a medium-sized Noni leaf and hold it over a flame for about 10 seconds. You can use a gas stove, or if you're in the jungle, a match or lighter will do. Then fold the leaf to the size of your wound and tape it in place. If you need to, repeat the process the next day, but in my experience this is usually not necessary: Noni is truly a healing plant!
Making a Simple Decoction
A "decoction" is just a strong tea, which is as easy to make as boiling water. I often use Noni leaf, comfrey and plantain in my decoctions. Plantain is considered a common lawn weed, as it grows almost everywhere around the world... it's not the same plantain as the cooking banana, but belongs to the genus Plantago. In Hawaiian healing it is called Lau kahi.
To make your decoction, pick 1 cup of chopped leaves, whether it's all three or just one of them. Put them in a non-metal pan (like Pyrex) and add 1 quart of bottled water. Boil it, then lower the heat and simmer it for 20 minutes. After it has cooled, you can use it in three ways:
1) Squeeze the liquid out of the leaves and hold the wad on your wound. You can tape it on if you want to leave it for extra healing power.
2) Dip a cotton ball into the liquid and swab your wound with it.
3) Pour the liquid over your wound. This works well if your wound is large, such as sunburn.
2) Dip a cotton ball into the liquid and swab your wound with it.
3) Pour the liquid over your wound. This works well if your wound is large, such as sunburn.
Repeat this treatment twice a day. You can store your decoction in the refrigerator for several days.
Herebal Oils Are Easy to Make
Here's a recipe that I use often--it's from my friend Jeanine Pollak's book Healing Tonics. It's a soothing, anti-inflammatory external oil helpful for all wounds. It also helps prevent scarring.
You can make your own oil by placing herbs in a clean glass jar 1/3 full and then filling it with olive oil. Cover it and let it stand in a warm place for 10 days, or cook it at 150 degrees for 3 hours, then strain it when done.. Essential oils must be purchased.
1 ounce calendula oil
1 ounce St. John's Wort oil
1 ounce vitamin E oil
1 ounce Aloe Vera extract
1 teaspoon essential oil of lavender and/or tea tree
1. Mix all ingredients in a clean glass jar and cover.
2. Store it in a cool, dark place--it will last for a year or more. For long-term storage, put it in the fridge.
1 ounce St. John's Wort oil
1 ounce vitamin E oil
1 ounce Aloe Vera extract
1 teaspoon essential oil of lavender and/or tea tree
1. Mix all ingredients in a clean glass jar and cover.
2. Store it in a cool, dark place--it will last for a year or more. For long-term storage, put it in the fridge.
To use your herbal oil, apply it several times a day to wounds--I've used it with great success on several surgical incisions.
Salves Are Handy to Keep in Your Medicine Cabinet
Here's my recipe for Holy Noni Healing Hand Salve.
1. Chop 1 cup of Noni fruit and put it in a quart jar. Fill with olive oil and cover. Let it stand in a warm place for about 10 days or cook it at 150 degrees for 3 hours. Strain it when done.
(You can also make skin oils with echinacea, comfrey, and/or plantain. You can combine all herbs in the same jar.)
2. Add 1/4 cup of purchased aloe extract
3. Heat your oils and aloe in a double boiler, or use a Pyrex measuring cup in a pan of water.
4. Add 1/4 cup beeswax for each quart of oil. Reduce the amount if you're making a smaller batch.
5. When the wax has melted and your mixture is hot, test it by doing the "freezer test": spoon out a small amount of hot salve and put the spoon in the freezer for two minutes. Test the consistency of the salve by rubbing it on your skin. If it's too thin, add more wax; if it's too waxy, add more oil. It's up to you -- there are no rules about how thick a salve should be, but you don't want it too runny.
6. When the consistency suits you, pour your salve into smaller jars, let it cool, then cover the jars and store them in a cool place.
(You can also make skin oils with echinacea, comfrey, and/or plantain. You can combine all herbs in the same jar.)
2. Add 1/4 cup of purchased aloe extract
3. Heat your oils and aloe in a double boiler, or use a Pyrex measuring cup in a pan of water.
4. Add 1/4 cup beeswax for each quart of oil. Reduce the amount if you're making a smaller batch.
5. When the wax has melted and your mixture is hot, test it by doing the "freezer test": spoon out a small amount of hot salve and put the spoon in the freezer for two minutes. Test the consistency of the salve by rubbing it on your skin. If it's too thin, add more wax; if it's too waxy, add more oil. It's up to you -- there are no rules about how thick a salve should be, but you don't want it too runny.
6. When the consistency suits you, pour your salve into smaller jars, let it cool, then cover the jars and store them in a cool place.
If you make a pretty label, it makes a wonderful gift!
ON THE WEB:
Visit Jeanine Pollak's web site at botanicadventures.org
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