A poultice is a mixture of crushed fresh herbs or dried herbs moistened with water to make a paste. The crushed herbs or paste are applied topically. It is similar to a compress, but plant parts are used rather than liquid extraction.
To make a poultice with fresh herbs, simply crush, chop or mash the fresh plant parts and apply topically. To make a poultice with dried herbs, use a base of mucilaginous herbs like comfrey root, slippery elm or marshmallow and add other herbs to it. Add enough water to form a thick paste. Apply the paste directly to the skin.
Poultices can be covered with a gauze bandage or other dressing. Change the poultice once or twice daily. PIS II is a poultice blend in capsules. Simply empty the contents of the capsules and moisten with water or aloe vera juice to make a thick paste. This can also be done with lntestinal Soothe and Build or Bone/Skin Poultice. Activated charcoal also makes a good poultice, but can be rather messy.
Single herbs to consider for poultices include:
Aloe Vera: good for moistening other herb powders in place of water to bind poultice. Cooling, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory. Calendula: astringent, cooling, drying, styptic, good for deep/ Infected wounds Comfrey leaf: vulnerary, soothing, absorbs, mild astringent, not for deep wounds Comfrey root: binding and drawing agent, soothing, moistening Flaxseed: lubricating, emollient, softening, nutritive, warming. Goldenseal: astringent, vulnerary, antiseptic, good for ulceration Lobelia: antipoisonous, stimulates lymphatic drainage, relaxing Marshmallow: binding, soothing, cooling, moistening Pine gum: very drawing, pulls slivers, disinfectant, warming, drying and astringent Plantain: drawing, anti-inflammatory, mildly astringent, antipoisonous, stimulates lymphatic drainage Psyllium seeds: binding, mildly drawing, absorbs Slippery Elm: binding and drawing agent, cooling, nutritlve White Oak bark: astringent, cooling, drying Yarrow: astringent, drying, stimulating, good for deep/ infected wounds
Non-Herbal Items for Poultices
Clay: drying, drawing and binding Charcoal: draws toxins Instant Potato Flakes: Can be mixed with the juice of a fresh herb (plantain juice or fresh plant tincture) for an instant poultice
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