There are a lot of over-the counter pain killers, as well as anti inflammatory pills, creams, lotions and salves that you will find at Walgreens, but some of them carry serious side effects, that we are now seeing quantified in scientific research, such as
Ibuprofen for one week reduced egg-producing cells in ovaries by 50%!
In addition to protecting your body, wouldn’t it be nice to make this at home, so that you know what’s in it? You can make a very quick and easy salve at home using arnica, or turmeric (this recipe features turmeric) and replace all of these!!
Here are some of the many benefits of turmeric, which you can utilize by making a salve:
- Anti-bacterial and Anti-viral, as has been shown by many studies.
- Pain-relieving, 28% (J Orthop Sci 2014;19:933-9) – 65% better than placebo (Phytother Res 2014;28:1625-31) & (Arthritis Rheum 2001;44:2531-8), with less side effects (Clin Intrerv Aging 2014;9:451-8), 10% better than ibuprofen,
- Anti-inflammatory, “for rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin is as effective as the powerful NSAID phenylbutazone (Indian J Med Res 1980;71:632-4). When curcumin was compared to the NSAID diclofenac sodium for rheumatoid arthritis, the herb was significantly more effective and safer (Phytother Res 2012;26:1719-25).”
Make your own anti-inflammatory salve! Recipe:
- Crush/chop ~ 1/2 C or so of fresh turmeric root
- Put this and 1C of oil on low heat on the stove, for several hours. The turmeric is infusing into the oil during this time.
- Turn heat off, and strain the turmeric root out of the oil.
To make a salve – add ~ 1oz of beeswax to the 1 C of oil. If it is too thick once it dries, make more infused oil, heat up the mixture, and add more of the infused oil. If it is too thin or oily, heat it up again and add more beeswax.
To make a lotion out of it, add some water while it’s still cooling, and whip. Instead of water, you can also use an herbal tea. Note – if you make a lotion, it must be used in a reasonable amount of time and kept in the fridge to prevent mold or bacterial growth.
Impressions of a Holobiont 