My German friend, Dani, told me a story once about how a farmer who wanted to stop school children crossing his field as a shortcut to school. He was a friendly man and wanted to be gentle with the local children. So, one day as they were on their way to school the children noticed a new sign on the edge of the farmers field.

It read:

And, all terrified at this, the children never took the shortcut through the field again!

Of course, all the sign said - was - that this field is growing “dandelions”.

I love this story as it hints to the power of this amazing plant, except, there is no need to run, or to be terrified! Do not fear… on the list of medicinal herbal plants - this is a very safe, effective and multi-therapeutic plant.

In France dandelions are called ‘pissenli’t – literally - ‘bedpissers’, a homage to the plant’s diuretic properties.

Depending on which part of the dandelion you use, there are many different uses for this lovely and plentiful herb (some refer to it as a weed). It is worth mentioning its leaves, which are a wonderful kidney tonic, especially when it comes to flushing toxins and additional fluids out of the body.

In conventional medicine, when prescribing medicine to flush out fluids (such as diuretics), doctors must prescribe potassium, as orthodox diuretics tend to leach the body of this important mineral / electrolyte (essential for healthy a heart, water balance & muscle function).

But, it’s amazing how nature has that covered already - the humble dandelion leaf is full of minerals, such as (potassium and magnesium), and therefore the perfect wholistic, balanced & natural diuretic.

Its roots are a powerful liver tonic by encouraging the production of bile, thus aiding the digestion and breakdown of foods; and fats in particular. This has a really beneficial effect on healthy bowel movement and toxin elimination from the body in general.

So today, we celebrate the dandelion flower top.

Like us, plants are not made with any spare parts; each part having a very specific purpose and role. The dandelion flower, with it’s sunny vibrant yellow colour alone is colour therapy. It speaks of warmth, energy, life - and makes a beautiful yellow ointment, which is lovely to apply all year around, but especially in the depths of winter.

It is like a little pot of sun energy to gently comfort and take care of your body.

It’s lovely to be mindful of the lovely summer day when harvesting, and reflect on the wellness and warmth from the sun that these flowers hold.

So, it appears we can bottle the sun after all!

Dandelion flowers are high in polyphenols, more than its roots and leaves. Polyphenols help in the prevention of degenerative disease, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. It is a favourite base oil for my body ointments, as dandelions grow everywhere, are easy to harvest, and they produce this wonderful yellow oil.

Topically (on the skin), as an ointment or salve, it is good for:

Sore muscles.
Achy and arthritic joints.
Rough and chapped skin.
Skin healing.
Deep moisturiser.
As a massage oil, the direction you choose to rub in the oil can be a wonderful lymphatic drainage exercise. Simply aim upwards towards heart, especially on the legs (which retained fluid).

I describe how to prepare the basic dandelion herbal oil base in my previous comprehensive herbal oil series: Follow LINK.

So, let’s get going now on how to turn this basic oil into DANDELION HERBAL OINTMENT.

The following recipe makes one pot (which will last for about 3 months or so). You can alter the ratio amounts for bigger quantities.

You need:

100 ml dandelion flower top infused oil
15 grams of beeswax pastilles
1 pot to hold 100mls or 2 50ml pots (wide necked if possible)
Optional, but highly recommended:
30-40drops of preferred essential oil
I use spearmint essential oil (30drops) and “archangel Michael essential oil” 20 drops)

Method:

Add the dandelion oil and beeswax to a heatproof glass, or a metal bowl.
Place over a double boiler, or place over a saucepan of simmering water (water and base of bowl holding oil must not be in contact).
Gently raise temperature of oil and beeswax stirring gently, until all wax is melted.

Remove from heat.
Remove the bowl with the oil from the pot of water.
At this stage add essential oils.
Pour into pots.

The ratio of wax to oil will ensure that this ointment sets at room temp and yet, it is still easy to scoop out and sit on skin.

The shelf life is approximately one year, and may even last longer. Basically, there should be a pleasant smell - and if not, discard.

And that’s it!

Why the mint essential oil?

It’s cooling, fresh, & smells wonderful. This combination brings together the warmth of sun, with the cool, gentle tingling of mint.

Why the archangel Michael essential?

Thank you Mary Nolan, who gifted me with her version of this ointment. She recommended the addition of Archangel Michael essential oil (available in most health stores).

Truly, this has enhanced the ointment beyond recognition, in every way: body, mind and spirit.

Stay with me... keep reading :)

Archangel Michael is regarded as the main angel for protection. Whether you are a believer, or a non-believer - that matters not. The true gift of this oil (apart from a beautiful synergy of smells) is the idea that we can combine and set an intention into our body oil.

The body is always listening to spoken - or thought message… nice thought or not. Each time we apply this ointment onto our skin, we can pause for a moment to acknowledge our self-worth, care and protection.

Whether your intention is spiritually (or psychologically) motivated, these intentions are self-healing. It is our way of showing gratitude for the incredible miracle that is our body.

And that is my gift to you.

Enjoy, and love your body with all your mind.

Anny xxx

This post is an introduction to a series of herbal oil formulas for external application, so that you can begin to build up your own natural remedy cabinet.

Hello, my name is Anny O’Neill, and I’d love to share with you all how I take care of my family’s skin.

Herbal Medicine Blog: Lily enjoy foraging with her mum.

Some of the herbal oils mentioned below will feature in a subsequent blog about turning herbal oils into ointments, balms & mixed oils. By the end of the whole series you will know how to make:

Cayenne and Ginger Herbal Deep Heat, for your chronic joint and deep muscle pain.
Calendula, Rose and Dandelion Face and Body Oils and Ointments.
Mint Foot and Lip Balms.
Plantain Herbal Chest Rub, to ease congestion in the lungs.
Chickweed, for eczema relief.
Mullein Ear Oil, a wonderful remedy to cure ear pain - one that has deterred many trips to doctor for antibiotics.

At the core of the Art of Health philosophy is the desire to preserve our ancient Irish tradition of making simple home herbal remedies. Planning is key. Herbal oils can take up to 6 weeks to infuse, depending on the method used. Summer is a great time to harvest and dry your local, homegrown or foraged herbs. During winter and the other seasons we reap their benefits and savour the lovely memory of when we made them.

All of these wonderful herbal oils require good quality procurement. As a herbalist I often simply buy dried cut herbs for my apothecary, but one of the wonderful gifts of Covid19 is that I have time to indulge my passion for foraging.

No matter where you are in the world, nature has ensured that (with correct knowledge) you can find a herb for all ailments very close to where you live (as long as you have some kind of natural environment nearby).

The herbs, plantain, marigold (calendula), chickweed, mint, rose, dandelion are easily found around you if you are living in Europe. I am writing this blog from Ireland. It’s the June Bank Holiday weekend, and our ditches and meadows are bountiful with botanical medicinal healing herbs.

Making your own self-care remedies aligns with the Art of Health philosophy: simple, non-toxic, safe, effective, mood-enhancing, deeply fulfilling and cost effective.

This blog is a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this. Once your herbal oils are made the sky’s the limit.

So let’s get going – and have some fun! Start by choosing a herb. Reflect upon the reason you chose it.

Sometimes it’s because it’s just there - it’s what you need, or you have been intuitively drawn to it. Either way, herbs (like our health) are multifaceted. Think about the influences that shape your life: why you choose what you do, when you do, what blog you read, how your body is feeling, the age you are, the timing. There are so many considerations - it’s all soooo interesting!

My absolute passion is intuited knowledge. One of the things I hope to impart in these blogs is the value of your intuition.

Learn to trust it! Our forefathers discovered these wonderful herbs and their healing qualities long before laboratory testing and conventional pharmacy.

Some Considerations:

Dandelion flowers provide a gorgeous clear yellow oil, which is great for chapped or cracked dry skin.
Plantain is soothing and healing. Good for all skin types.
Rose petals are anti-inflammatory. It is soothing & cools redness on the skin, especially the face.
Comfrey is great for skin healing. It is nourishing and repairs the skin and is fantastic for itchy skin and eczema (see a whole blog dedicated to comfrey here).
Chickweed is anti-inflammatory and is used for itchy skin also (it can even be used on piles).
Chamomile flower tops are anti-fungal, reparative & calms itchy or uneven blotchy skin.
Cayenne pepper is warming and blocks pain receptors. It is good for rheumatic or arthritic pain.
Ginger root is warming and improves circulation, blood supply and healing to an area. It’s great for coldness in the joints or muscles.
Calendula (marigold) is antimicrobial, repairs dry, damaged or broken skin. It is commonly used in nappy rash remedies.

So, after considering the above information, choose a herb to get started with.

If you are foraging, ensure the herb is organic and has never been sprayed, or peed on by our canine friends!

It’s nice to keep the instructions a little loose here - as you may have very little (or large amounts) of a particular herb. As a guide, if you are using dandelion flower tops - or calendula (marigold), pick about 100 flower tops. If choosing the leaves of plantain, chickweed, or comfrey, begin with about 100 leaves. For a rose infusion, use the petals of about 30 large rose heads.

If you have a dehydrator, dehydrate the herbs until dry. They should feel crisp to touch. Other options are to lay the herbs out flat and leave in the bottom of a low temp proving oven, or - if the weather permits - dry on a flat clean surface in direct sunlight. The reason you dehydrate - or remove water - is to significantly reduce the chance of bacteria and mould growth in your infused oil. Dehydration also concentrates the active fat soluble constituents and essential oils from the herb into the carrier oil.

So, now we have a herb - it’s time to choose our carrier oil!

Carrier oil options depend on your preference:

Olive Oil is a wonderful starting point, as it can be paired with all the above herbs and most people have it at home. Olive oil is slow to absorb & rich in squalene. Extra virgin olive oil is high in natural antioxidants, and is useful for normal or weathered skin types. Squalenes are used in skincare products as a highly-effective emollient and natural antioxidant. Over time, using squalane in skincare can reduce wrinkles, eliminate scars, reverse UV damage, lightens freckles and erases skin pigmentation, all while fighting free radicals.
Sunflower Oil. Organic and inexpensive. This little gem has little odour and is a vibrant yellow. It’s lovely with calendula, chamomile and dandelion flower-tops. Sunflower oil is slower to absorb than other oils.
Sweet Almond Oil is wonderful for normal to dry skin types. It protects damaged skin and can help relieve itching. High in vitamin E, this oil pairs really well with calendula, plantain, chamomile, chickweed, rose and dandelion. It is absorbed at a medium rate.
Avocado Oil has properties that are rich and moisturising, and it is high in vitamins and carotenoids. It is slow to absorb, and helpful for eczema and dry skin - great to repair damaged skin. This oil makes a good body moisturiser or ointment. It pairs really well with dandelion and plantain.
Jojoba Oil. This is a liquid wax that is similar to our own skin’s sebum (oils). It balances all skin types, has a long shelf life and is regenerative. It’s a superb oil, which works with all the above herbs, especially chickweed, plantain & rose. One of the great things is that it doesn’t feel greasy on the skin.
Coconut Oil works with all of the above herbs. It is high in caprylic acid, which makes it good for fungal skin issues. It absorbs quickly and makes some ointments less greasy. It works great with cayenne and ginger herbs for joints and sore deep muscles. Coconut helps the healing quality of the herbs penetrate. It pairs well with plantain (later in the series I use plantain oil for my chest rub - a herbal vicks!).
So - now we have our chosen DRIED herb with your oil of preference, let’s make our infused oil!
There are 2 ways to make infused oil: the slow or the fast way.
For both techniques:
Choose dried herb of choice & oil. Use a large pint sized jam jar or kilner jar (or larger - depending on your proportions). Place the dried herb or flowers into the kilner jar. Fill jar 1/4-1/2 way up. Pour oil of choice to cover 2 inches above your dried herbs. Stir.

INFUSING OILS THE SLOW WAY

Cover the jar filled with dried herbs and the carrier oil with its lid. Leave away from direct sunlight, and every day give it a quick swirl to mix the herbs through the oil. After 4-6 weeks, strain the oil from the herb. Discard the plant material and put your oil into a clean dry jar with lid. Label with “herb, carrier oil and date”. If stored in cool dark place it will keep for 1-year

INFUSING OILS THE FAST WAY

Place the herb and oils into a bowel over a double boiler (see video demo). Ensure that there is approximately 2-inches of oil above the dried herb. Place on a low-medium heat for 2-3 hours. Ensure the oil temperature does not get too hot (ideally not above 55-60 degrees C). This gentle heating process speeds up the infusion process. Ensure the water in the base of the double boiler does not simmer off, as direct heat can damage the healing constituents of the herb and carrier oil. Once infused, remove from the heat, strain the infused oil into a clean dry kilner jar. Label and store in a cool dry place for up to 1-year.

So, there you have it!

That’s your herb infused oil. I look forward to building our natural remedy cabinet together over the summer!

PS: Important information. The contents of the herbal oil infusions blogs are guidelines only. The purpose is to invite you to learn about herbal self-care with ingredients that you can find in your environment. The author claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly as a result of use, application or interpretation of the material contained herein.

As with all skin and body care products, do not use a recipe if you are allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients.

The Art of Health is a professional body who prescribes herbs for individuals following a comprehensive in-depth professional consultation by a qualified Master Herbalist. Please seek permission to copy or use content from this post from Anny O’Neill at the Art of Health.

Thank you for respecting the content.