EASE MUSCLE ACHES WITH HERBS

Before there were pills for every ache and pain, there were poultices. These warm, plant-based pastes are applied to wounds or sore muscles and are formulated to create a healing response. "Poultices are a very simple way to deliver herbs to the body," says Jessica Hayman, ND, a naturopathic physician in Sedona, Arizona.

Herbal poultices work in the same way as a nicotine or birth control patch: Active compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. The warmth and moisture of a poultice help relax the muscle tissue, while the heat also helps activate the compounds in the herbs, Hayman says.

To make an herbal poultice at home, you’ll need quality herbs. You can find them online or from a local health food store that protects them from harsh fluorescent bulbs. Dried, bottled herbs from the supermarket won’t cut it, because they’re exposed to a lot of light, which can degrade the herbs' medicinal compounds.

Try Hayman’s favorite soothing poultice for aching muscles, made with calendula (marigold) and chia seeds.

Calendula Poultice

2 Tbsp dried calendula
1 handful chia or flax seeds
1¼ c distilled water

1. FINELY GRIND the calendula in a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle; set aside. Finely grind the chia or flax seeds. If you don’t have a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, buy the ingredients pre-ground.
2. HEAT water until warm, not boiling (about 3 to 4 minutes on the stovetop).
3. MIX water and ground seeds in a bowl until it takes on a paste-like consistency. Mix the ground calendula into the paste.
4. APPLY the mixture directly to skin.
5. COVER with a piece of muslin, thin wool cloth, or gauze, and secure with skin-safe first aid tape. Keep some of the cloth’s perimeter untaped so the area can get airflow. Leave on 20 minutes, and remove.