St. John's Wort oil has been used for centuries to massage into sore, aching, bones, joints, and muscles. Due to the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties this is a must have in the herbal first aid kit. It can be used as a massage oil, or made into a liniment, salve, ointment or balm. In addition to external use it can also be used internally to calm the nerves, aid in sleep, and work internally on inflammation and pain relief. Use in the kitchen as you prepare your food and meals.
Herbal Oil How To
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Fresh is always best when making an herbal remedy but if you don't have fresh you can certainly use the dried herb. The flowers are where the healing goodies are in this plant but I throw in both the leaves and blossoms because it is easier that way. You want to cut the blossoms right before they bloom or just as they are blooming. A good way to tell if they are ready is to squeeze the bud and if a dark red or purple juice oozes out, they are ready and at their top potency level.
Fill a quart jar 3/4 full with fresh blossoms or 1/2 full with dried, cover with olive oil or carrier oil of choice. I prefer olive oil because it has a longer shelf life than most other carrier oils and has its own healing properties. Fill with the oil until it comes about an inch above the herb. Shake well, label and place in a sunny spot for 4-6 weeks or follow one of the other methods for a quicker infusing time, here.
Fill a quart jar 3/4 full with fresh blossoms or 1/2 full with dried, cover with olive oil or carrier oil of choice. I prefer olive oil because it has a longer shelf life than most other carrier oils and has its own healing properties. Fill with the oil until it comes about an inch above the herb. Shake well, label and place in a sunny spot for 4-6 weeks or follow one of the other methods for a quicker infusing time, here.
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You will notice the oil turns a beautiful red color as the blossoms are infused into it. Strain the herb out, then add 5 drops of rosemary essential oil or benzoin per cup of herbal oil to act as a preservative and prolong the shelf life. Make a label for your oil listing what it is, what oil it is infused in, and the date you strained and bottled the oil. Big Woman is my official label maker because she always adds cute designs and pictures to them. If stored in an airtight, glass container in a dark, cool room your oil could last up to five years. I like to re-purpose my glass jars from the grocery store just for my herbal oils and tinctures.
Where to Get Ingredients for This Project
Costco has organic, cold pressed olive oil, which is where I like to purchase mine from. St. Johns Wort can be purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs, they also carry St. John's Wort herbal oil if you would rather skip the project and just purchase the oil ready made.
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