Dandelions are one of those plants that grow all over North America and don’t get enough credit for their health value. People routinely spray their lawns so that nothing grows but grass. Yet dandelions have wonderful health benefits that even people living in urban areas can access and benefit from dandelion oil.
Making dandelion oil for inflammation and sore joints and muscles is a quick and simple process. But before we dive into the how, let’s look into the why.
Dandelion Benefits
Dandelions have a whole list of benefits. This is because the flower, leaves, and roots all have minerals and vitamins that our bodies need. They are high in vitamins A, B, C, D, and K. They also have a lot of potassium, phosphorus, and manganese.
Taken internally as a tea, dandelions can potentially:
- Help dissolve kidney stones
- promote detoxification
- promote functions for a cleaner liver
- help support kidney function
- in larger amounts it can function as a natural laxative
Used on the skin, dandelion oil is:
- anti fungal and microbial for clearer skin
- anti-inflammatory for calmer skin
- anti-inflammatory for relief of joint and muscle pain
Like anything, you can take too much of a good thing. Too much dandelion tea (I’m talking strong daily cups over time) can cause diarrhea or stomach pain. But so can eating too many marshmallows. So just remember, everything in moderation. Like green tea, it is a diuretic. Keep that in mind if you take it internally. I am not a doctor. If you have serious health concerns, please talk to your naturopathic doctor.
Where to Find Dandelions
Dandelions are found in very sunny locations, mainly un-sprayed lawn and grass areas. When harvesting for use on or in the body, always make sure they have not been sprayed by poisons. Harvest the entire plant: root if possible, leaves, and flowers. If they are not in bloom or you cannot dig out the root it is not a problem. The different parts do vary in content, but all work well for this recipe.
Dandelion Oil Recipe for Inflammation and Sore Joints
Dandelion oil is actually super easy to make. I’ll give you specific directions, but don’t get too hung up on exact amounts. As you know, I like to keep things simple and effective.
A Note About the Oil: You can use a carrier oil of your choice (a non-aromatic oil). Evening primrose contains gamma-linolenic acid and is wonderful for skin health, and is also known to help ease pain and inflammation. If you do not have any you can make your own using this same recipe with evening primrose if you have it on hand, or use another oil such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, MCT oil, or apricot kernel oil.
Dandelion Oil Recipe
- 1 cup fresh dandelion leaves, roots, and/or flowers
- 1-1/2 cups carrier oil (olive oil, evening primrose, etc)
Directions:
- Gather dandelion leaves, root, and or/flowers and make sure they are clean and dry.
- Place dandelions and oil in a saucepan over low heat. Do not let boil. Stir and gently mash dandelion to the sides and bottom of the pan on and off for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Strain and keep oil in a sealed jar.
Bonus Tip #1: Frankincense is also an amazing anti-inflammatory. Add 5-10 drops of frankincense essential oil to the jar for an extra boost.
Bonus Tip #2: You can also make this into a salve by using this oil in place of the coconut oil in this herbal salve recipe.
To Use
Apply a generous amount of oil to the joint or muscles in pain and massage into area.
Follow the same method if you are using it for skin rashes or irritations.
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