Sunday, August 22, 2010

A Cabbage Poultice for Arthritis Joint Pain




 I was surprised to learn that cabbage leaves have been used for centuries in medicine. They make wonderful poultices and are used for swelling , skin ulcers, sprains and strains. 

In fact, rheumatoid arthritis patients in a Swiss hospital routinely have their inflamed joints wrapped with the leaves at night to find relief from swelling and pain.

How to Make a Cabbage Poultice

It’s quite easy to make a cabbage poultice. Savoy cabbages seem to work the best.

Things you need:

·         Savoy cabbage leaves
·         Sharp knife
·         Cutting board
·         Rolling pin
·         Gauze bandage


Step 1
Cut the center rib out of the cabbage leaf.

Step 2
Lay the leaves out flat on the chopping board.

Step 3
Pound the leaves with the rolling pin until the cabbage juice start to come out of the leaves.

Step 4
Wrap the juicy cabbage leaves around the painful joint.

Step 5
Cover the cabbage leaves with the gauze bandage to keep the leaves in place and prevent the juice from dripping.

photo by morgueFile free license