Learn about European Naturopathic Healing Methods


                  
COMFREY  Symphytum peregrinum and Symphytum officinalis
 
Arnica is for injuries, Calendula ist for swellings and Comfrey is for the bones. Especially the Symphytum officinalis. The American comfrey (Symphytum peregrinum) is an old Indian healing herb for the stomach. Blossoms and leaves  of both plants are harvested from July through September. When the blossom time is over, the roots are harvested in fall.

Both kinds of Comfrey should be in everybodys medicine chest. The knowledge about the herb and its efficiency goes back to the Materia Medica, an ancient remedy book . 

TEA
1 tablespoon dried and cut Comfrey roots  are soaked in cold water, then shortly boiled and strained. The daily dose of 2-3 cups of that tea should not be exceeded. A cure with comfrey tea goes for 4 weeks max.

The other way to take comfrey as a remedy ist the


TINCTURE
It takes fresh comfrey roots, (or dried roots from the pharmacy or the drug store)  and 2 pintsof clear schnapps . First the fresh roots are filled into a  glass jar until it is full, then the roots are soaked with hard liquor. This mixture should be left with a closed lid for 3-4 weeks at a sunny place. From time to time the glass should be shaken well. After the 3 or 4  weeks the thus generated comfrey tincture is viscous. It will be strained and filled into a brown glass bottle.
These drops can be taken 3 times a day 10 drops. You got to see that the two different Comfrey kinds have two different indications

Symphytum officinale: for problems with the bones
The diluted tincture canbe used as liniment on painful areas.

Symphytum pregrinum for problems with the stomach

External use
of  of Symphytum officinalis roots is recommended for healing and cleansing of injuries. Cuticle ulcers, hyperkeratosis of scars, phantoma pain after amputations can be addressed well with poultices of diluted tincture of the Symphytum officinalis roots.

OINTMENT
In Germany there is a ready made ointment under the brand name "Kytta-Plasma" available. As you  probably don't get it here, you may as well produce your own ointment. One possibility is to saute  the dried and crushed roots in butter, strain and keep it refrigerated.
If you need it more stability, you may use petroleum jelly as basis.
Self manufactured ointments should be generally stored in the fridge.

BATH
a strong decoction of Symphytum officinalis roots into the water of the bathtub helps alleviate pain in the bones or sore muscles. But you may use the fresh pressed juice from the roots as well.

RECIPES FOR THE BEAUTY
Put the leaves of Symphytum officnalis into the juicer and either dab it onto the face and rinse offafter 10 minutes, or mix the juice with cornmeal and eggyolk and make a mask with it. Let sit half an hour until dry and rinse it off with warm water. That helps against irritated skin.

How to prevent stretchmarls during pregnancy: Gently apply Symphytum officinalis ointment on the whole abdominal area every day.

RECIPES
A versatile herb like Symphytum - no wonder, that it is also edible?

Prepare Comfrey (Symphytum peregrinum) like spinach. Get the young leaves only, wash, saute in butter with onions, put vegetable broth onto the mixture and spice to taste - either tart with lemon and sour cream or conventionally with nutmed and cream (or soy cream)

You also may bake Comfrey leaves into a pancake dough and deep fry with oil. Makes a very unusual fingerfood.