If your prone to motion sickness, carry a few sprigs of peppermint with you. Just sniffing it can prevent that feeling of nausea and make your trip so much more pleasant.
Menthol, the active ingredient in peppermint, makes this herb a good one to have on hand when your skin reacts to allergies or inflammations. A peppermint poultice can relieve the burning and itching.
Apply a poultice of peppermint to your temples to relieve a headache. This poultice is also good for muscle cramps.
To make a poultice, simply crush the chopped leaves into a pulp. Once the juices start releasing, the leaves will get soft.. You can do this in a blender or use a mortar and pestle.
Apply the herbs to the skin evenly across the area and wrap with gauze to keep the herb in place. If you're worried about the juice coming through the gauze, cover with plastic.
While fresh herbs are stronger than dried, it's easier to make a dried herb poultice because there is less prep. The herbs are already chopped and you just have to add hot water to moisten them and apply. When using the dried root, use the powdered form.
In a pinch, a quick poultice can be made with a single fresh leaf and a bandage. Just roll the leaf between your fingers until it gets damp, apply and cover it with a band aid to keep it in place. Repeat if needed in a few hours.
Do your use herbal poultices instead of chemical ointments? I'd love to hear about your experience. Please use the comment area below to tell us about your successes and failures.
All written content ©2018 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.
