Comfrey

Comfrey was traditionally used to help mend broken bones. In fact, the name comfrey comes from the Latin word Confervere which means ‘to join together, to mend or to heal’ which lead to the common name “Knit Bone”.

Comfrey ointments have been used to heal bruises as well as pulled muscles and ligaments, fractures, sprains, strains, and osteoarthritis.

Topical use of comfrey was said to help bones heal more rapidly. For arthritis relief, try creating a poultice of comfrey with pain-relieving essential oils such as peppermint oil and applying it to the painful areas two to three times a day.

The comfrey plant contains several beneficial compounds which help to revive tired, aged, wrinkled skin. Comfrey Cream helps to nourish and brighten tired, dull skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Topical creams containing comfrey root extract have most often been applied to the skin by adults for up to 3 weeks. Don't apply comfrey products to broken skin or use large amounts on the skin, long-term. The poisonous chemicals in comfrey can be absorbed through the skin.

The plant has deep tap roots, which can draw up nutrients from the soil, so it helps break up tough soil, makes an effective mulch, and is a good ground cover. Best of all, comfrey leaves make a brilliant liquid plant feed - so you never need to spend money on a store-bought bottle again! Mulching with comfrey—also called chop-and-drop—can help to retain moisture and protect beneficial soil organisms. Comfrey mulch decomposes quickly, which activates soil microbes. Comfrey's high potassium content makes it especially beneficial for vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, berries, and fruit trees.

HOW TO MAKE A POULTICE:

Supplies Needed

Gauze: Separate out the gauze pieces. You'll notice one piece has a wider weave which allows more of the poultice to seep through the gauze. Then the other piece is a tighter weave which is great for putting on top of the poultice.

Cheese Cloth/Muslin: If you don't have access to gauze, you can also use cheesecloth or muslin, but you may need to double up on the layers.

100% Cotton Fabric: If you have a 100% cotton sock, tea towel, or even old sheets, you can place some comfrey poultice either into the sock or on a scrap of fabric, then place the sock or fabric over the injured area.

Blender: You'll also need a high-powered blender to blend the ingredients for the poultice.

Ingredients Needed

Comfrey Leaves (1.55 ounces of fresh leaves OR .51 ounces of dried comfrey) – You can use the flowers, stems and leaves for this poultice. I like to have a combination of each. If you don't have fresh comfrey, you can also use dried comfrey.

1 Cup Water – Blending the water with the comfrey helps create a slurry. This slurry will then be thickened with a binder.

1/4 Cup Binder – If you have bentonite clay, that works well as a binder. You can also use arrowroot powder, cornstarch, or regular old flour.

How to Make a Comfrey Poultice

Take the comfrey flowers, leaves and stems and place them into a high-powered blender.

Add water and add the lid.

Blend until you're left with a rough puree.

Add binder and blend again. Check consistency and add more binder, as needed, until you reach a paste consistency.

I do not recommend ingesting comfrey (leaves or root) under any circumstances.

Who should not use comfrey?

Liver disease: Comfrey might make liver disease worse. Don't use comfrey if you have any liver problems.

Common side effects of comfrey include:

abdominal distension.

abdominal pain.

loss of appetite.

lack of energy.

liver enlargement.

decreased urine output.

obstruction of small veins in the liver