My Herbs 1

flavonoids, chamazulene, alkaloids, tannins,
nitrogen compounds, furocoumarines,
and the list goes on. The
herb itself has contracting, slightly antiseptic,
anti-inflammatory effects and
significantly accelerates blood congealing.
Internally it encourages sweating
and reduces fever.
Yarrow’s effects associated with digestion
are well known; it promotes the
production of gastric juices, reduces
stomach cramps, and is used to treat
anorexia as well as stomach ulcers.
Yarrow is very often referred to as
a purely female herb, for its tea reduces
menstruation pain, adjusts its cycle and
is added in the mixture of other herbs for
the treatment of urinary tract infections.
Steam distillation extracts a lesser
known essential oil from this plant,
which may have – due to the chamazulene
content – blue-green color. The
amount and mutual ratio of the components
in the essential oil, however, depends
on the habitat, weather
conditions, and so on. A co-product in
the production of essential oils is yarrow
water, which takes pride of place in the
cosmetics industry. Yarrow quality water
is produced with a ratio of 1:1 – 1 liter
(2 pts) of water requires 1 kg (2 lbs) of
fresh leaves.
PICKING
Pick the flowers or leaves during June
through to October. Subsequently dry
them freely in the shade or in an oast at
95°F / 35°C. For cosmetic use it is better
to use fresh flowers, but personally
picked dried yarrow will do just as well.
When picking, take care with regards
to where it grows, for if it’s growing in
rubble, the soil may be unsuitable.
USAGE
Unfortunately, yarrow is quite often
a neglected herb, although its effects on
the skin are undeniable. With its ability
to accelerate blood congealment and its
moderate disinfecting properties, one
can prepare an infusion or decoction in
the form of a poultice on broken skin.
Yarrow salve is also suitable for alleviating
skin problems, rashes and varicose
veins.
Pregnant and nursing women should
take care regarding internal use. Generally,
usage over a longer period of time
isn’t advisable as it may lead to dizziness
or headaches, whereas one has
nothing to fear with external use.
Prepare at Home
Try
YARROW SALVE
This salve can be basically prepared in
two ways. The quickest is by means of
heated maceration (softening) of herbs
followed by immediate use, or alternatively
waiting six weeks. During maceration,
we can use sunflower oil or shea
butter as a heating agent. Use a 1:2
ratio of chopped herbs to oil or melted
shea butter (for dried herbs use a ratio
of 1:4). Macerate the herbs in a bath of
hot water (do not boil) for 4–6 hours.
Then let the maceration cool, filter it
and, if using oil, you can thicken it by
using beeswax – or if using shea butter,
then let the maceration cool down after
filtering, and it will just solidify itself.
We can also use a cold maceration by
soaking the herbs completely in oil and
allowing them to macerate at room temperature
for 6 weeks. Ointment may be
produced from the filtered macerate.
Melt 15 g (half an ounce) of beeswax
along with 75 g (2.5 oz) of macerate,
pour into jars, and let it cool. The ratio
of beeswax and macerate may be decided
according to your preference.
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