About 10 years ago, I started making the First Aid Balms because I saw a need for immediate, fast acting relief and realised that in a single balm I could include herbs, homeopathic remedies and essential oils, all of which work together brilliantly, delivering a comprehensive dose of healing plants.
Balms are also comforting, the action of massaging a little into the skin is soothing in itself, it can help to calm the adrenal rush that comes with pain and discomfort. The action of massaging a balm into the affected area helps to reduce cortisol levels, releases endorphins and promotes relaxation. It helps to make you feel better, that's why I chose the balm route in preference to any other, because you choose instinctively how long you need to massage the area and with what pressure to get relief.
Calm & Tranquil was the first balm I made, I was thinking about anxiety and how often I see it in my work and decided that I needed something that would really take the heat out of those moments of acute anxiety and panic. It is such a good little pot of stress relief. The essential oils I chose have long been used to instil calm, the monoterpenols in Sweet Marjoram help to reduce stress, they are also found in trees especially Pine, Spruce and Fir which is why forest bathing is so effective at calming the mind. The Vanilla and Bergamot signal the release of neurotransmitters like GABA inducing feelings of wellbeing, the apigenin in Chamomile reduces anxiety and has a slightly sedative effect, and Vetiver, a herb of the Ayurvedic tradition, is wonderful for grounding and soothing the mind. To these wonderful oils I added Homeopathic Ambra grisea, Argentum nitricum and Aconitum napellus which collectively are known as AAA, the most effective combination for panic and Gelsemium for those awful feelings of physical weakness and and mental overwhelm.
It can be used by massaging it into the temples and pulse points or rubbing a little in the palms of the hands and cupping them over the nose and mouth whilst breathing slowly. There is another method which is really effective, applying a little to each hand and then massaging down the arms from the shoulders to the elbows in small circular movements. This method combines the effectiveness of the balm but also the deeply soothing effects of activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts stress and promotes relaxation. I often think of it as the hug a mother gives a child, that loving embrace with the associated rubbing of the arms. It is so self-soothing.
Summer & Skin came next and it is this balm that features as the May offer. This is the balm for burns and scalds whether household or from exposure to the sun. We keep a pot in the kitchen and apply it immediately after a burn. It reduces pain and helps the skin to heal rapidly without blistering or scarring. It's also wonderful after exposure to the sun whether the skin is burnt or not, it rapidly moisturises and soothes heat and redness.
The recipe includes our own Calendula steeped in oil over many months until it is bright orange and full of therapeutic benefits. Calendula is the best remedy for calming inflammation, reducing redness and promoting scar-free wound healing. For such a simple little plant it is remarkable in its effects. To that we add Lavender oil and Rose Geranium oil both of which are far more valuable than scenting a drawer or keeping moths at bay. Lavender and Rose Geranium contain, amongst a host of other things, beta-caryophyllene which has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, helping to reduce pain and swelling associated with burns. Rose Geranium also has a wonderfully uplifting scent so it helps you to feel better too. The Homeopathic remedies I included are Cantharis which is a specific for burns, Urtica urens for the swelling and pain and both Calendula and Hypericum to speed up healing and reduce scarring. It is probably the balm I use most through the summer to heal and protect my skin after days out picking or working on the croft.
Then I made Bite & Sting which has offered almost immediate relief from any number of plant stings and insect bites over the years, from Nettles to mosquitos, midges to clegs , bees and wasps to ticks and fleas and even a scorpion sting, this balm has been miraculous.
Made with soothing, calming oils and then Rosemary and Thyme oil to ease pain, reduce inflammation, prevent infection and reduce itching. Lavender for all the reasons already stated but especially for its ability to reduce swelling and ease pain. Then I added the homeopathic remedies that I've used over many years in the clinic and for my own family - Ledum for puncture wounds, Apis for the type of swelling you see especially in bee stings, Caladium to stop itching, Nat mur for the pain and distress of stings and finally Hypericum for rapid healing of the skin. If applied soon after a bite or sting it really does work like magic. It has been used so often over the years and always to really good effect. I wouldn't think of travelling without it. My sister in law was stung by a scorpion in Ecuador and applied it immediately and it offered really rapid relief - that really put it through its paces.
Flex & Extend was developed at around the same time. I see so many people with joint, tendon and muscle pain, it is so distressing for them so I decided to make a balm to help. I think we probably sell more of this balm than any other. It has been used on walkers, cyclists, the young, the elderly and of recent times, quite a few sheep.
It was difficult to make something that was broad enough to treat a chronic joint pain and also an acute pain from overuse but I did it after a lot of tinkering. One of the joys of my work is to allow time for tinkering, it is the beauty of being small and responsive without having recourse to investors. I can take as long as I need to get a product just right before launching it.
The starting point was the infused oil because that both needs to be in season and also needs months of macerating before it's ready to use. Meadowsweet was the obvious choice, when I was in Sussex it was all over the farm and up here in Harris it grows in massive drifts on my croft and it is such a brilliant analgesic, just sweeping pain away. We pick it when in full flower and leave it out overnight to let any little creatures wander away then we pack it into kilner jars full of sweet almond oil and leave it, for months, just giving it the occasional shake when we walk past it.
Once the oil was done I could move onto the essential oils, I chose Juniper because it has a long history of use in the treatment of arthritis. It is strongly anti-inflammatory with rutin, luteolin, and apigenin, all of which help to reduce and prevent inflammation. I also included what you can now see as my favourites for pain relief and inflammation - Rosemary and Lavender.
The really interesting part of this balm are the remedies I chose to complement the action of the essential and macerated oils, they are a combination I have used time and again in clinc and they work so well - RRA or Rhus tox, Ruta and Arnica. Rhus tox is brilliant for pain where the first movement is horrible but it gradually eases as you move more. This is so typical of the joint pain I see. Ruta is for ligament pain and excellent for all the small joints. Arnica is the best remedy for pain from overuse or trauma. Together they are brilliant.
This balm used morning and night or when you feel you need it is excellent. We have people (and sheep) who have used it over years to keep joints moving and pain at bay.
I think one of the things I really love about these 7 (I'll talk about the other 3 next time) balms is that they are so quietly effective, there's no fizz and pop to them, they simply offer comfort when times are difficult, when you need a little more help, they are used sparingly, without drama but they work so well. They draw on European herbal knowledge, Ayurvedic herbs, Aromatherapy through the use of essential oils and the Homeopathic tradition. They are all a true reflection of my therapeutic work bringing together in perfect harmony different but complementary healing traditions.