digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Make a hot macerated comfrey oil by slowly cooking fresh comfrey leaves in organic extra virgin olive oil in a double boiler at 100°C for about two hours, then straining it for external use on musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains and arthritic joints. The speaker presents this as a foundational base oil that can be concentrated further or used to make other preparations, such as a cream.
Key Points
- Comfrey is presented as useful for bones and muscles, with the old name "knitbone" reflecting its traditional use by bone setters to help fractures heal.
- Oily preparations are not suitable for very hot, red, inflammatory conditions because oil is heating; the speaker says they suit dry skin or poor circulation.
- A double maceration (repeating the process with fresh herb in the already-infused oil) is described as a way to make a stronger medicine.
- The speaker notes the oil can be kept as a dispensary item for patients to rub into joints, and that it is a useful base for later preparations.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Wash herbs only if needed: the speaker prefers not to wash them, since introducing extra water is undesirable; if washing, rinse and pat dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel.
- Chop the herb coarsely enough to sit at the bottom of the dish and be covered by oil; a fine chop is not required.
- Place the herb in a heatproof glass (Pyrex) dish and set it in a pan of water so the dish's base is just in the water. This creates a double boiler that holds the oil at 100°C. Never heat oils directly.
- Pour organic extra virgin olive oil over the herb until covered; exact amounts are not critical.
- Heat until boiling, then reduce to the minimum setting to simmer. Do not leave the room, and do not let the pan run dry.
- After about 30 minutes, add a little more water to the pan as needed, carefully lifting the dish with a tea towel or oven gloves, so the dish base stays covered.
- Cook for about two hours in total.
- Strain through a sieve without pressing, to avoid squeezing excess liquid into the oil.
- For a stronger preparation, repeat the process with fresh comfrey in the strained oil (double maceration).
- Let the oil cool to room temperature, cap it, and store in the fridge; the speaker says it should last about two years, and to discard it if it smells rancid.
- Use the oil on dry skin or poor circulation; avoid hot, red inflammatory skin conditions.
- The speaker mentions calendula flowers can be macerated the same way, best for dry skin rather than hot inflammatory skin conditions.
- Fresh herb is preferred for vitality, though dried herb can also be used.
- The speaker chose organic extra virgin olive oil because it is edible and has slight antifungal properties.
Bottom Line
A simple gentle-heat infusion of fresh comfrey in olive oil yields a green, usable topical oil for joints and muscles, provided it is applied only where the skin is cool and dry rather than hot and inflamed.
