# Mixed herb infusion



## Sanguine (Jun 3, 2012)

Hii all, i'm starting to search my way into aromatherapy. Being in a family where our entire female line has rheuma, arthritis and joint and muscles pains all day long. Atm i'm using fentanyll (morphine group) which barely covers 50% of the pain so everything that i can find that might work, we all are willing to try. A few years back my grandfather started using saint johnswroth (if thats the right name) in an olive oil infusion massage oil, which seemed to help for my grandmother, he stopped after a while because it caused a lot of stains on her cloth. Because i started making bath and body products (i thank this whole adventure to shea butter, read somewhere it helps with inflammation) i came in contact with many herbs that help with inflammation, muscle and joint pains, rheuma,....

Long story short ****(you can start reading here if you dont want to read a lot )****:is it possible to mix many herbs (lets say, 5 sorts) into 1 infusion? Are there herbs you're not allowed to be mixed together? Also, can you use fractionated coconut oil for herbal infusions? So it can be used as a massage oil without the stains.

Can someone recommend me a good, thrustworthy book that gives info about herbs, essential oils and oils and butters used in aromatherapy?

Thanks in advance!


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## lsg (Jun 3, 2012)

IMO it would be better just to infuse each herb separately and then combine them in an ointment, salve or bath.   My two favorite books on using herbs are "The Essential Herbal for Natural Health", by Holly Bellebuono and "Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health," by Rosemary Galdstar.  They both have instructions on making infusions, teas, tinctures, decoctions, salves, ointments, and much more.


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## citymouse (Jul 7, 2012)

I second Rosemary Gladstar, she's amazing. 

http://www.sagemountain.com/welcome.html
this is her "home"

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/
This is a trusted herb vendor here in the US, i realize that you are not here but there are great descriptions of various herbs for your reference.

Good luck!


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## Lindy (Jul 15, 2012)

Something else that is helping my mother who has chronic pain is White Willow Bark which you can buy in capsule form at the Health Food Store.  White Willow Bark is the original aspirin and because it is the whole herb it also has properties that help protect the stomach.  Now the same contra-indicators that exist for aspirin is going to exist for White Willow Bark in that if you are on any type of anticoagulation meds this is not a good one to be used.  You can also buy it in its powdered form and add it to lotions, but you will have to add the herb powder to the oil as you are doing your heat and hold or you will end up with mold and bacteria even with a good preservative.  Make sure if you are making things of this nature that you are using a preservative or you will end up with more problems that you are trying to solve.

Something else to consider.  Essential oils are not to be taken orally, they are usually toxic.  Tinctures are different and are safe.

The product you grandfather was using is Saint John's Wort which is often used for depression.

HTH


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## maya (Jul 15, 2012)

i infuse some herbs alone, ones that i use alot of like calendula. others i infuse together, like the salve i make for my moms arthritis. st. johns wort is going to stain clothes if you are infusing fresh, its the fresh plant that turns the oil red and as far as i know the general agreement is that infusing fresh in best with st. johns wort. almost all other herbs i infuse dried. 

i do the simplers method, i take a mason jar that is as sterile as i can get it, add my herbs (for arthritis i use echinacea root, devils claw, tumeric, etc.) and a good oil. i do not use fco for salves, i use olive, almond, walnut, apricot kernel, etc. something that feels good and feeds your skin) then i let it set for a minimum of 6 weeks. if you are gonna do this make two at once, generally the longer they sit the better they are, within reason. 

you can buy white willow bark whole and infuse it your self, a great place is mountain rose herbs. i know some herbs are hard to get in europe. as for books, rosemary gladstar is a fabulous resource. you might try herbmentor.com too, its a great online resource.


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