Sweet Yarrow... how do I love thee.
We use Yarrow Oil a great deal here on the farm as it is a reliable "go to" for bruise and sprain. It has stopped bleeding in both small and large bruise areas and supports a very fast healing. We've seen it work miraculously in this way over and over again. It's the herb called for with this type of injury.
Yarrow oil is made into a salve by melting bees wax into the infused oil. This makes it easier to store and apply when needed. Yarrow will speed up healing so fast that one needs to be careful not to put it on a dirty wound... don't want the dirt to be sealed up in the wound. For healing a dirty wound including insect bites, we use Plantain oil/salve. That plant will pull out foreign matter as part of it's healing support. Yarrow Tincture can be used as a wound healer as well.
A very smart plant indeed when in comes to supporting bleeding, it will stop or start based on what is needed.
The benefits of Yarrow are numerous and I want to share some of them with you here but before that, let's look at how to make the tinctures and oils. It grows in abundance on our farm here in Port Alberni, BC (Vancouver Island). And it is extremely easy to make both oil and tincture. Both are infused for 6 weeks as are most of our herbal remedies. Fresh plant (we use flower tops) is put into a quart jar (any size will do), and then either oil or alcohol is poured over the herb and covered completely. After 6 weeks, the herb is strained off and then strained again after a few days and repeated until the product is clear. We use regular olive oil for our infused oils but almond oil or another oil of choice is ok. We use regular olive oil (not virgin) as we learned from our mentor Susun Weed, that this oil seems to hold up longer in terms of going off. We base the shelf life of our infused oils on the shelf date listed on the bottle of oil we are using for that batch. For the tinctures, the alcohol needs to be at 50% (100 proof). You don't need to use everclear for this type of plant matter. We use a 50% vodka for our herbal tinctures.
When I first harvested Yarrow, it was difficult for me to tell the difference between Queen Anne Lace and Yarrow. But my sister showed me the saw blade type leaves to help me distinquish between the two. If you look at the picture in this post, you will see the shape I am referring to here. As well, Queen Anne Lace has a black dot in the middle of the white flower, Yarrow does not.
Now for the benefits:
Yarrow Oil (Yarrow Flowers infused in Olive Oil) For application to the skin
Wound Healer: Yarrow is an excellent wound healer. Helps stop bleeding (or increase it if that is necessary) and knits up wounds quickly. Because of this, use it on clean wounds only.
Nose bleeds: Will help stop a nose bleed/ Put oil or salve on a tissue and place safely in the nostril.
Bruises, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and other stagnant blood situations: Rub oil or salve onto the area to reduce swelling and icrease blood flow. Yarrow is an excellent normalizer of the blood.
Pain relief from arthritis and rheumatism (due to it's anti-inflammatory action): It also help prevent uric acid from accumulating in the joints and muscles.
Digestive problems: like cramps, indigestion, constipation, colic and flatulence can be relieved by yarrow oil.
Yarrow Tincture (Yarrow Flowers infused in 50% alcohol) for external and internal support.
Insect Repellant: A US Army study showed Yarrow Tincture to be more effective than DEET in repelling ticks, mosquitos and sand flies, however, it does not last as long as DEET and therefore needs to be applied more often. But if want a natural product to keep insects away, then Yarrow is an excellent choice. It will need to be applied regularly and so it is good to keep it in a handy spray bottle (either glass or PET plastic). Apply as needed.
Sore throat: Yarrow tichture can help short circuit a sore throat. Just spray some into the throat area.
Pain relief: Spray Yarrow tincture on pain area to help relive pain.
Toothache: Yarrow sprayed directly on throbbing tooth pain can resultin in instant pain relief.
Tired feet: Spray on tired fee to sooth, comfort and refrest them.
Acne: Yarrow Tincture sprayed on the face and back will help kill the bacteria that causes Acne.
Cold and Flu prevention: 10-20 drops taken daily as needed to ward off cold and flu symptome or to prevent an infection during or when exposed to cold and flu infestions. Aso effective for fevers and headaches with fevers. Yarrow has been knw to b effective in killing all manner of bacteria, including strep and staph. Highly effective as a cold preventative.
Mouthwash: Used as a mouthwash, Yarrow tincture will help stop bleeding gums, will help tighten gums and fight bacteria.
Bleeding: Yarrow tincture can help promote or stop bleeding.
Wound healing: Yarrow tincture can be used to heal wounds (clean wounds only as it will knit up a wound quickly) and counter infection. It regulates the flow of blood to and from the surface, in and out of capillaries and venules, thickening and thinning. Through this it curs all manner of wounds, bruises, hemorrahging, and clotting. Like magic.
Gall Bladder: Yarrow tincture is useful as a stimulant for the flow of bile, as an anti-inflammatory agent, and as an efficient, long term liver and gall bladder tonic.
Bladder support: Yarrow not only destroys infective bacteria in the bladder, it strengthens the bladder wall, so repeat infections are less likely, and it doesn't promote viginal yeast, as antibiotics can do. Expect relief from pain in minutes, lessening of fever in hours, and comple remission of bladder infections in a couple of days when using a dropperful of the tincture hourly. To kill all bacteria in the bladder, it is recommended to take Yarrow tincture 4-6 times a day for 7-10 days.
We love Yarrow and it's been great to revisit these benefits myself. It's easy to make and I hope you have a chance to make some yourself as it comes up this season.
Cautions: "Certian people may be allergice to Yarrow; a few others might get a case of contact dermatitis from it. The herb contains trace amounts of thujone, a phytochemical that, in sufficient amounts, can trigger uterine contractions. For this reason, pregnant women might wish to avoid using Yarrow. Escessive doses could interfere with or enhance tha actions of sedatives, diuretics, blood presure durgs, and blood thinners."
Disclaimer: The information here is entirely for eductional purposes only. This information in not intended as a prescription, prognosis, or diagnosis or any diseases or illness, and should not be used as a replacement for any medical treatment you may currently be undergoin. Application of the information provided without the supervision of a licensed medical professional is done so at the individuls own risk.