Considering the work back muscles do, it’s not surprising that so many people develop aches and pains. The homemade recipe for salve calls for cayenne pepper, which produces a warming sensation, and ginger that serves as an anti-inflammatory. It also includes St. John’s Wort infused oil, great for reducing stiffness, improving mobility, and soothing pain.
You can cook the ingredients in a glass measuring cup placed inside a double boiler or in the top pan of a double boiler.
Mixing the first ingredients
Put four tablespoons of store-bought or homemade St. John’s Wort infused oil in a one-cup glass measuring cup. Inside of a reusable tea cloth, add two tablespoons each of cayenne pepper and ginger powder. Seal the cloth and then also set it inside the measuring cup.
Double boiler
Make a double boiler using two saucepans. Fill the bottom pan with two-thirds of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Set the glass measuring cup in the top pan, simmer for 30 minutes.
“Cook” the ingredients
Occasionally, turn the tea cloth and press down on it with the back of a spoon. This helps the powders seep into the oil. And it ensures the right potency.
Cooling process
After simmering, remove the measuring cup from the double boiler. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Place the cloth in a potato ricer, pressing the liquid into the oil. Every drop of the powders count.
The next step
Toss out the powders but keep the tea cloth for later use. Set the measuring cup with the infused oil and powder mixture back into the double boiler. Add two tablespoons each of Shea butter and beeswax. Simmer until melted
Add the essential oil
Add either 20 drops of rosemary or peppermint essential oils. These have natural healing properties. Rosemary essential oil is an anti-spasmodic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory. Peppermint essential oil provides a cooling sensation and pain relief.
Finishing the recipe
Pour the salve into two, two-ounce canning jars or one, four-ounce canning jar. Cool completely before placing the lids on. To use, dip a clean wooden popsicle stick into the salve and apply it to your back as needed.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons St. John’s wort infused oil
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper (powder)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (power)
- 2 tablespoons Shea butter
- 2 tablespoons beeswax
- 20 drops each of rosemary essential oil and peppermint essential oil
Simple instructions
Put St. John’s Wort infused oil into a glass measuring cup. In a reusable tea cloth, add cayenne pepper and ginger powders. By hand or with a tie, seal the opening of the cloth. Place it inside the measuring cup with the infused oil.
In a double boiler, boil water, then reduce it to a simmer. Place the measuring cup inside of the double boiler and simmer for 30 minutes. Throw away the contents of the tea cloth. You can clean the tea cloth for future use.
Last steps
Set the measuring cup back into the double boiler. Add the Shea butter and beeswax. Simmer until melted. Place drops of either rosemary or peppermint essential oil into the mixture.
Remove the measuring cup from the double boiler, set it aside, and let the mixture cool. Pour the mixture into canning jars and add the lids. It’s that easy.
Although the salve recipe in the video is slightly different than the one mentioned, it too works amazingly well for backaches. See how it’s done by clicking on the video below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
