herbal preparation
Spring Flora Breast Massage Oil
This is an excerpt from the article Awaken Your Inner Waters: Alterative Plants for Lymph & Breast Health by Katie Glyer featured in the Spring 2024 edition of Botanical Anthology. Our herbal magazine, featuring remedies, recipes and projects with plants for the spring season, can be purchased as a digital version here and as a printed version here.
Alteratives are plants that open the channels of elimination and assist the body’s natural detoxification processes. Violet leaf, calendula, and red clover are lymphatic alteratives, meaning they specifically support the lymphatic system in moving and draining lymph.
A regular practice of breast massage can aid lymphatic movement and support healthy breast tissue as well as offer an embodied ritual for connecting with your own tissues, rhythms, and cycles.
Materials
Pint size mason jar
½ c violet leaf, dried
½ c calendula flowers, dried
½ c red clover flowers, dried
2 c jojoba oil or carrier oil of choice
Clean linen towel or clean, old cotton shirt
Method
In a coffee grinder, coarsely grind the herbs and put them into your jar. Pour your oil over the plants, ensuring that it covers the plant material by at least an inch. Make sure to label your jar with the contents and date. Let your oil infusion sit for 4 weeks, then strain it into a fine mesh sieve lined with the linen or cotton material. Squeeze as much oil out as you can, then bottle and label it.
Notes
· If you do not own a coffee grinder, you can also break up the flowers with your hands.
· Carrier oil suggestions include sunflower, almond, or jojoba oils.
Katie is a mama, herbalist, formulator, and founder of Wild Grace Apothecary where she crafts whole plant botanical skincare. She believes plants have a vital role in our collective embodied awakening and that by rebuilding our relationship with the plants, they can lead us back into relationship with ourselves and one another. You can peruse her journal and Wild Grace products at www.wildgraceapothecary.com
For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.
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