So far, this year Earth’s weather has been rather crazy. It is almost as if its hormones are raging, something akin to a person experiencing menopause or puberty. Each day, we have no idea what the weather will bring. With no warning, one day it can go from peace and tranquility to a day of extreme temperatures, tornadoes or torrential rains. It keeps you on your toes no doubt. The minute the calendar revealed summer, the weather felt more like a beautiful spring day. Perhaps, it might have to do with this thing people call climate change. Just a thought.

Since this affects all living things on our beautiful planet, the herbs are adjusting as well. This year, plants are coming in at a different pace than before. They seem to be delayed and then burst open when the opportunity presents. Therefore, my herbal harvest schedule has adapted as well. Every morning I go out and walk the land to see what is thriving, because I do not want to harvest anything that is struggling, nor do I want to miss any opportunities.

Our growing Arnica bed

On most occasions, I do one big harvest of a particular herb for the year. Except for Arnica (Arnica spp.), I have always done daily blossom harvests. Although, our lovely bed has grown and spread out marvelously since I planted one little plant 5 years ago, there are rarely more than a dozen blossoms blooming at one time.

Every little blossom helps

I simply love the process of going out, picking a few blossoms every afternoon, slowing pulling them apart, and placing them in a jar of organic first cold press olive oil. I start with a small jar and then when it is almost full, I transfer it to a larger jar during the summer and keep filling it. I give all the herbs I am processing daily love and attention with a little shake and check on them to make sure there is no condensation. However, Arnica gets a whole lot more on a consistent basis. I am thanking the plant daily for giving me its blossoms and lovingly pull them apart each day.

It’s full and ready for me to transfer to a larger jar so I can add more blossoms.

During the summer, the blossoms do increase, since the process of removing them stimulates production. Plants create flowers, which in turn develop seeds so it can continue to flourish. As bloom wanes and the flowers shed their petals and form seed heads, their energy transfers from forming blossoms into seed development. By harvesting its blossoms, I am keeping its energy focused on increasing its flowers.

Arnica is wonderful for relieving pain of strains, sprains, and bruises as it works in concert with the bodies own immune response to injury. When tissues are injured, the body’s immune system reacts by dilating capillaries, therefore increasing blood flow to the area resulting in inflammation. Yes folks, inflammation is good. Sure, chronic inflammation is bad but for minor acute injuries inflammation is how the body heals itself. Arnica works by stimulating the flow of white blood cells to the injured area. They process congested blood by dispersing trapped fluid from joints, muscles and bruised tissue. This increased blood flow also brings healing hormones to the area and moves stagnant blood (like bruises). Consequently, there will be decreased swelling and the person will heal faster.

A while back, my Mother fell and hit her head very hard. She ended up with six stitches and two massive black eyes. She looked like a panda bear. She started to take Homeopathic Arnica pellets three times a day and her bruises started to fade. Her doctor was amazed at how quickly her body responded and healed. Arnica assisted her body in removing the dead or damaged cells of her bruises.

I love adding Arnica infused oil to my Pain Begone! salve. It is a wonderful blend of Arnica, St. John’s Wort and Goldenrod; harnessing their medicinal powers to reduce the pain of muscle and tendon injuries, aches, arthritis while reducing swelling.

What do you use Arnica for? Please share and I will continue to share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.