Wellness Workshop 22.4: Recipes

Period Pal Capsules

Medicinal Actions:

Vitex (Chaste berry)influences dopaminergic transmission. It also regulates prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone (LH), which may regulate testosterone levels, as well as levels of other reproductive hormones.

Cramp bark is an antispasmodic. It quickly and effectively alleviates uterine muscular tension, pain, and the inflammation from which cramps originate

Black cohosh helps relieve menstrual cramps and premenstrual symptoms, such as hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, and sleep disturbances.

Ashwagandha regulates the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body which helps to regulate moods and decreases the overall state of stress, anxiety and irritability. This also allows your body to make more of the sleep hormone melatonin, helping you to get to sleep and stay asleep. It may also improve sweet food cravings. The body typically craves sweet foods when cortisol levels are high as a prehistoric survival mechanism. 

Dosage: 1 capsule 2 times a day one week before menstrual cycle and one week during menstrual cycle

Uterine Bliss Tincture

• Dried plant material of: black cohosh, chasteberry, hops, Eleuthro, Passion flower, smilax
• Alcohol (at least 45%, brandy, vodka or Everclear 80% if using root)
• Sterilised jar and lid

Grind or chop the plant material as finely as possible. I use my juicer to grind the dried plant material.

Add the plant material to the jar: Dried- fill 1/2 of jar

                                                             Fresh- fill the entire jar

Add the alcohol. Fill to the brim. Keep an eye on it for the next several minutes and keep adding alcohol until all the plant material is covered.

Seal well and label with the plant name, date, percent and type of alcohol and the date 6 weeks out.

Shake the jar daily and store in a cool, dark place.

After 6 weeks, strain out plant material and decant the tincture into sterilised bottles for use.

Label bottles with the tincture name.

Whole Plant Tincture

I prefer to make a tincture from the whole plant, thus I combine the root and aerial parts tinctures. This allows for the overall effectiveness of the tincture to be increased simply because different parts of the plant have differing strengths of similar properties.

Medicinal Actions

Vitex (Chaste berry)influences dopaminergic transmission. It also regulates prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone (LH), which may regulate testosterone levels, as well as levels of other reproductive hormones.

Black Cohosh is most commonly used for menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes (also called hot flushes) and night sweats (together known as vasomotor symptoms), vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and irritability

Hops is used for anxiety, sleep disorders, restlessness, hot flashes, vaginal dryness and other menopause symptoms

Eleuthero is used to manage the effects of menopause. Modern medicine has corroborated this as eleutherosides have been shown to bind to estrogen receptor sites. As a result, eleuthero may lessen the effects of estrogen withdrawal in menopausal and peri-menopausal women. In addition, eleuthero can help reduce bone loss that occurs during menopause and can help in the early treatment of osteoporosis.

Passion flower can treat menopausal symptoms, such as vasomotor signs (hot flashes and night sweats), insomnia, depression, anger and headaches, and it may be an alternative to conventional hormone therapy.

Smilax will balance the glandular system and hormones and can be used as a general tonic during menopause and improve debility and low libido, aphrodisiac, testosteronic, progesteronic

Dosage: 3-5 ml twice a day, one hour before bed and right before bed

Immune Harmony Tincture

• Leaves, flowers and seed of E. purpurea (dried or fresh) or root of E. angustifolia, flowers and berries of elderflower tree
• Alcohol (at least 45%, brandy, vodka or Everclear 80% if using root)
• Sterilised jar and lid

Grind or chop the plant material as finely as possible. I use my juicer to grind the dried plant material.

Add the plant material to the jar: Dried- fill 1/2 of jar

                                                             Fresh- fill the entire jar

Add the alcohol. Fill to the brim. Keep an eye on it for the next several minutes and keep adding alcohol until all the plant material is covered.

Seal well and label with the plant name, date, percent and type of alcohol and the date 6 weeks out.

Shake the jar daily and store in a cool, dark place.

After 6 weeks, strain out plant material and decant the tincture into sterilised bottles for use.

Label bottles with the tincture name.

Whole Plant Tincture

I prefer to make a tincture from the whole plant, thus I combine the root and aerial parts tinctures. This allows for the overall effectiveness of the tincture to be increased simply because different parts of the plant have differing strengths of similar properties.

Medicinal Actions:

Echinacea is an immunostimulant, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial. It has an affinity for bronchial and respiratory infections as well as throat and overall oral infections. It has a full complement of polysaccharides, which help protect cells against invasion by viruses and bacteria. Other key constituents are: sesquiterpenes, linoleic acid, tannins, beta-carotene and Vitamin C.

Elderflower is used for swollen sinuses (sinusitis), colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, bronchitis, diabetes, and constipation. It is also used to increase urine production (as a diuretic), to increase sweating (as a diaphoretic), and to stop bleeding.

The berries and flowers of elderberry are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that may boost your immune system. They could help tame inflammation, lessen stress, and help protect your heart, too. Some experts recommend elderberry to help prevent and ease cold and flu symptoms.

Dosage: when exposed to a cold or flu- 3-5 ml 2 times a day

When presenting with symptoms- 1 ml every 30 min to hour

Horrible Hormone Tea

• 1 part Skullcap
• 1 part Ashwagandha
• 1 part Raspberry Leaf
• 2 parts Lavender

Grind the herbs in a mortar and pestle or with a juicer or herb grinder.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

1 tablespoon of tea per cup of boiling water, let steep for 5-10 minutes covered.

Dose:  1 cup of tea as needed

Medicinal Actions:

Lavender: anticonvulsant, antidepressive, anxiolytic, sedative, and calming 

Skullcap is used to reduce inflammation, provide relief from spasms, stimulate blood flow in the pelvic region, help eliminate headaches, reduce fever and induce relaxation.

Ashwagandha regulates the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body which helps to regulate moods and decreases the overall state of stress, anxiety and irritability. This also allows your body to make more of the sleep hormone melatonin, helping you to get to sleep and stay asleep. It may also improve sweet food cravings. The body typically craves sweet foods when cortisol levels are high as a prehistoric survival mechanism. 

Raspberry leaf: anti-inflammatory, mild hemostatic, anti-emetic, nervine, nutritive, galactagogue, uterine trophorestorative, relaxant, tonic/astringent, and parturient.

 

Pain Relief Salve

Warming

• 1 cup Cayenne-infused olive oil Infused Oil Recipe
• 1/4 cup bees wax
• 20 drops clove and 10 drops cinnamon essential oils

In a double boiler (or a pot nestled in a larger pot filled with a bit of water) over medium heat, add the oils and beeswax. 

Stir until the beeswax melts and is fully incorporated.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a moment.

Add the essential oils. Stir.

Pour into clean and sterilised jars.

Safety: Spot test before applying to ensure no skin sensitivities are present

Medicinal Actions:

Cayenne: anti-inflammatory, analgesic (confuses pain transmitters), vulnerary, rubefacient

Clove: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory

Cinnamon: nervine, anti-inflammatory

Cooling

• 1 cup Pain Relief-infused olive oil Infused Oil Recipe
• 1/4 cup bees wax

In a double boiler (or a pot nestled in a larger pot filled with a bit of water) over medium heat, add the oils and beeswax. 

Stir until the beeswax melts and is fully incorporated.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a moment.

Add the essential oils. Stir.

Pour into clean and sterilised jars.

Medicinal Actions:

Wintergreen: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, cooling

Coriander: antibacterial, soothing, cooling, anti-inflammatory

Lavender: nervine, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial

Pink Grapefruit and Coriander Face Cream

• 3/4 cup (180ml) Coriander-infused sweet almond oil 
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Balm of Gilead -infused almond oil
• 1/8 cup (30 ml) Shea butter
• 1/8 cup (30 ml) Coconut oil
• 1/8 cup (30 g) beeswax
• 1/4 cup (60ml) commercially prepared organic aloe vera gel 
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) rose, lavender or orange blossom hydrosol
• 10 drops of Vitamin E oil 
• a few drops of grapefruit and coriander essential oils

Combine the oils, butter and beeswax in a saucepan over very low heat until everything is melted together

Pour into a measuring cup or container and let cool until the mixture is somewhat firm, thick and creamy

Scrape the oil mixture into a blender.

In a separate bowl. Combine the hydrosol, gel and essential oil

Turn the blender on full speed and slowly drizzle the the water mixture into the vortex created by the blender

Continue blending until all the water mixture has been absorbed by the oil.

The blender should “choke” as the mixture thickens and becomes creamy

After turning off the blender, scoop the cream into small jars. 

Store the cream in a cool dark place.

Medicinal Actions:
Pink Grapefruit: high in Vitamin C, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, skin regenerative, affinity for scar-healing and wrinkle smoothing, collagen synthesis

Shea butter: moisturising, anti-inflammatory, aids in skin’s natural collagen production

Balm of Gilead: antioxidant, heals scars, clears up eczema and psoriasis, anti-inflammatory

Coriander: antibacterial, soothing, anti-inflammatory