Calendula officinalis

Written By Sandra on Friday 1 August 2008 | 14:05

It's not easy for me to think of any smart title because we are talking about one unique yet simple herb which is rich with so many therapeutic characteristics that I’m a bit scared that any title won’t be enough to describe calendula’s real worth.

Calendula (everlasting, calendular) is a herb on which we’ll run more in “old fashioned” flower gardens because it doesn’t suit modern and exotic trends, but it is unfair not to talk about calendula because it is one, indeed, therapeutic herb.

It’s not hard to recognize calendula because whole plant is overgrown with little, soft fluffs and it’s branchier towards the upper part of the plant. Both petals and leaves are therapeutic.

When you pick petals and leaves, dry them in shade. Besides its’ therapeutic and medical features, I’ve read that calendula acts as and “weather man” – if calendula flowers stay closed after 7 AM, then it’ll rain on that day. Everlasting blossoms from June until first frosts. They like sunny places with average drainage which doesn’t have to be too fertile.

Calendula is widely used in popular medicine and it has very high roll among therapeutic herbs. Tea made of calendula petals is to cure jaundice, kidney diseases, anemia, uterine diseases and it helps with urinating dysfunction. It act as diuretic so it is used as an aid for sweating and helps with constipation. It acts favorably in menopause because calendula regulates blood cast. Calendula helps with neural diseases, and in popular medicine it has been used for some cancer treatments.

Everlasting act very well as a cure for external use because calendula’s bandages and dubbings with calendula were used for treating ulcers, acne, wounds, eczema, and as a help with wound healing.

Calendula is used in culinary where grounded dust of calendula petals sustains saffron. In natural cosmetics, you can use water whit dipped calendula petals for shiny hair.

Today, the trend of cancer diseases is growing, so I’ll add here two recipes (from book about “Therapeutic herbs and natural medicine”) that were used for treating breast and uterus cancer, and skin cancer.

Skin cancer and ulcers

Two to three tablespoons of chopped calendula (petals and plant) mix with two tablespoons of beef suet or port grease. Cook it for about half hour. Drain it through sieve or double gauze. Store it in clean and dried pot or box and pressurized it. This grease helps with all kinds of ulcers, or skin cancer. Salve gauze with this grease and cover your wound. Besides that, you can prepare it like tea, in milk. Take one teaspoon of calendula with ½ liter of milk.

Breast cancer and uterus cancer

50 grams of dried calendula petals mix with 60% alcohol or 40% of grape brandy. Leave to rest for 10 days. Drain it. Take 50-60 drops on 200 grams of water and drink through the days. Each day you need to eat 200 grams of scrubbed carrot.

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3 comments :

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Sandra, for your comment on my SWF. Yes it is a lot of fun to post a pic but also to go and have a look at the others....It takes time...) The calendulas are great Phyto therapies. Also lovely flowers. When I have some in my herb arden I use the dried petals in my herb salt. Great post,Sandra, lots of important information not to rely solely on pharmaceuticals.

Sandra said...

Hello Titania, and thank you very much for your comment - yes, there's always an answer in nature cures, and to support that statement, I'll share a short story from my life. 9 years ago my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer (she was 43 then). After operation and chemo therapy (she refused to take rays) she started to drink calendula/brandy twice a year. Well, she is still here, not that she could change her lifestyle in some way (or every while visit a doctor :-)), but...I think nature can help, especially if join it with positive way of thinking

Anonymous said...

I love this plant!