Health Hotline Magazine | March 2024

Find Comfort in Comfrey Root Comfrey is an herb from the borage, or forget-me-not plant family, and has been used medicinally for at least 2,000 years for various conditions, including bone fractures. Comfrey’s original name, “knitbone,” derives from the external use of compresses of its leaves and roots to speed up healing broken bones by stimulating new cell growth. Because it has such a strong ability to stimulate new cell growth, it should not be used on deep or open wounds because it could heal the top layer of skin before the bottom layer is healed, but it is an excellent topical remedy for sprains, pulled muscles, swelling, bruises, and minor cuts and scratches. When it comes to back pain, comfrey also has your back. In a study of 379 patients with acute upper or low-back pain, those using a cream containing 35 percent comfrey root extract on the affected area three times a day for five days saw superiority in the reduction of pain as compared to the other treatment groups without comfrey root extract. In another study, participants with ankle sprains received either comfrey cream or diclofenac gel, a type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Results showed that ankle swelling decreased by 79 percent in the comfrey root group and only 69 percent in the diclofenac group, while pain was reduced by 80 percent in the comfrey root group, and 74 percent in the diclofenac group. Lean On Lavender for Relief Every first aid kit needs lavender essential oil. It’s one of the most versatile oils with benefits ranging from relaxation and sleep to relieving anxiety, depression, stress, headache, and tension. Topically, it is beneficial for itching, pain, burns and sunburn, and even wound healing. One study demonstrated lavender oil’s ability to promote wound healing by inducing expressions of types I and III collagen, accompanied by an increased number of fibroblasts, which synthesize collagen. Data from this study showed that wounds topically treated with lavender oil “significantly decreased as compared to that of wounds of the non-lavender control subjects at 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after wounding.” The study concluded, “The beneficial effect of lavender oil on wound healing may raise the possibility of new approaches as complementary treatment besides conventional therapy.” Lavender is also very effective as an antiseptic—an agent that slows or stops the growth of microorganisms on external body surfaces—and an antimicrobial for burns, insect bites, cuts, rashes, and abrasions. It’s also commonly found in many natural bug-repellant formulas as an effective repellant against mosquitos and ticks, with one study showing it performed as well against ticks as the controversial DEET. Another reason to lean on the benefits of lavender is that it’s generally safe for use on adults and children as well as pets, and unlike many essential oils, it can be applied directly to the skin. It rarely causes allergic reactions and has very low toxicity. While talking about essential oils for your natural first aid kit, I’d be remiss to leave out tea tree oil. This useful oil is antibacterial as well as antifungal and can be used for a variety of irritations, including athlete’s foot, insect bites, and lice; it also acts as an insect repellent. When building your natural first aid kit, there’s no question that these potent plant-powered

Comfrey

Lavender

remedies should be in the mix. They’re versatile, effective, and gentle alternatives as opposed to NSAIDs, antihistamines, or medicated creams that can come with unwanted side effects.

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