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Calendula - Herbal Wisdom Wednesday

#herbalwisdomwednesday calendula calendula officinalis herbal skin care herbal wound care

Calendula  (Calendula officinalis) is yet another extraordinary plant ally.  Not only does it grow easily, adding wonderful bursts of color to any garden, it has shown great healing & soothing properties for various skin and tissue conditions.  Read on for more about this incredible herb!

Description:

Calendula officinalis is native to southern Europe but has been widely cultivated throughout the northern hemisphere as well as North Africa.  It has been used medicinally and in apothecaries for centuries, hence its Latin species name "officinalis"

Calendula is a bitter, cooling herb renowned for its ability to heal the skin; this herb is helpful to treat cuts, burns, abrasions, bruises, sprains, abscesses, eczema, and varicose veins. Internally, it is considered specific when there are swollen lymph nodes, and calendula here is utilized promote lymphatic circulation and drainage. It is because of this cleansing action that it is not recommended internally for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

A well-strained tea of calendula can be used as an eyewash for conjunctivitis (be sure to use a sterile eye cup or cotton ball, as well as to make a fresh batch of tea daily). The tea can also be used as a topical wash for impetigo and thrush.

Calendula acts as a soothing emollient for skin conditions characterized by dryness or flakiness, including the following: eczema, dandruff, psoriasis, and the final stages of poison oak rash.

Method and Dosage:

How:  tea, tincture, infused oil, topical salve/cream, poultice, fomentation, extract/succus

Tea:  Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 to 2 teaspoons of flowers and infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Tincture:  1 to 4 ml three times a day depending on the condition. 

Oil:  Apply topically as needed.  See recipe for homemade calendula oil below.

Topically: For minor wounds and follow up care of red, inflamed, swollen, "infected-looking" wounds or dry/scaly skin conditions, judiciously apply oil, cream, salve or poultice as needed. Avoid application on or near open wounds.

Recipes:

Basic Calendula Oil

calendula oil and flowers

Folk Method

Although it is not the fastest method, it is traditionally preferred as it is thought to protect the delicate chemical constituents of the calendula flower more than the double-boiler method.

  1. Place desired amount of calendula petals in a clean, dry glass jar (mason, kerr or ball jars work nicely. Pour enough olive oil so the bulk of the calendula flowers are covered by about 1 inch of oil. 
  2. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid (you can place wax paper between the jar and the lid for a tighter fit if needed) and give it a good shake. Place the jar near a warm sunny window to infuse. Give the jar a good shake when you walk by it every day. Some medicine makers prefer to place the jar in a paper bag in the windowsill as they feel it helps preserve the chemical constituents from UV light....this is a perfectly fine option to go with if you choose.
  3. It should take about 4-6 weeks to reach full strength. Open occasionally to smell your oil to make sure there is no molding or rancidity. Strain out the herbs using cheesecloth/muslin and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.

Double-Boiler/Crock Pot Method

  1. Place desired amount of calendula petals in a clean, dry glass jar (mason, kerr or ball jars work nicely. Pour enough olive oil so the bulk of the calendula flowers are covered by about 1 inch of oil. 
  2. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid (you can place wax paper between the jar and the lid for a tighter fit if needed) and give it a good shake.
  3. If you have a double-boiler, use that in place of the crock pot. Otherwise, place a kitchen towel in the bottom of your crockpot and place your jar inside. Add enough water to the crock pot to cover about half the jar and set to the lowest setting for 2-6 hours. Check frequently.
  4. Strain out the oil using cheesecloth/muslin and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.

Calendula Salve:
1 cup Infused Calendula oil
1oz Beeswax
*You can infuse the Calendula oil with other healing herbs if desired.  Use double-boiler method describe above.

Place one cup of calendula infused oil in a double boiler pan. I have a small set that works well. Basically, one pan holds the water and the second plan on top holds the double infused oil (you can use a metal bowl that fits inside a pan for this as well). That way you don’t have the oil exposed to the direct heat of the flame making the oil too hot.

Next, add 1 ounce of beeswax to the oil in the pan. .You only want to heat the oil long enough to melt the beeswax and no longer. Keep a watchful eye! It happens quickly.

If you want a firmer salve, simply add more beeswax. Some folks test the salve consistency by taking a teaspoon of the blend and placing it in the freezer briefly to see how firm it gels up. I generally like my salves firm enough so they “look” solid in the container, but soft enough that I can easily apply it to my skin.

Pour into a container and let cool before putting the lid on. Be sure to label with the ingredients and date.

Calendula & Thyme Shortbread Cookies 

by Colleen of GrowForageCookFerment

Ingredients

  • 14 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice optional, but use 2 more Tbsp butter in its place
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 3-4 Tbsp minced calendula flower petals fresh or dried
  • 1 Tbsp minced thyme fresh is great but dried works as well
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  • Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg yolk, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) and stir to combine. Then add the flour, arrowroot, calendula, thyme, and salt.
  • Gently stir everything together until the dough barely holds together. It will seem a bit floury, but that’s ok.
  • Take the dough out of the bowl and form it into a log shape.
  • Wrap it tightly with parchment paper, twisting the ends to help hold it all together.
  • Put in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm. You can store the dough for several days in the fridge, or for several weeks in the freezer, if need be. 
  • When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°F. Slice the log into 1/4 inch rounds.
  • Put them on a parchment lined baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. They don’t really spread much.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check them closely after 25 minutes, as they will start to brown pretty quickly. Take them out when only the edges just barely start to turn golden. The centers will still be fairly soft. Let them cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will firm up as they cool

 



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