Calendula - Calendula officinalis

Who would have thought that the common garden Marigold could be so beneficial?  Easily grown in your garden, Calendula will attract and benefit the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.  You can harvest the flower heads in the morning when the dew has completely evaporated and the flowers are dry.  (Or, if you're like me and are still trying to learn how to keep plants alive, you can buy dried Calendula.)  Let's look at how we can use this cousin of Chamomile.

Skin. Wounds. Mucous membranes. Skin. Immune modulating.  Skin.  Antimicrobial.  Vulnerary.  Lymphatic.  Anti-inflammatory.  Skin.  Antispasmodic.  Astringent and slightly demulcent.  Liver support.  Skin.

You get the idea -- Calendula is great for moisturizing and healing the skin.  Used on small wounds, it can help them heal without getting infected.  It can help take the sting and itch out of bites, stings, burns, rashes (including diaper rash and eczema), and other skin irritations.  It's even showing positive results in protecting the skin post radiation treatment. Its ability to heal mucous membranes fits right in with its skin benefits.  (Think of mucous membranes as slimy skin on the inside.)  Taken as a tea, Calendula can help heal digestive tract issues like ulcers and leaky gut.

One of my favorite ways to use Calendula is to infuse it into oil, then add it to topical products like Total Knot Out and Joint Candy for its antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties.  With these properties, it may help with reducing varicose veins and hemorrhoids when used both internally and externally.

​I've discussed just a few of Calendula's many therapeutic properties here.  Watch for my membership section to open to get in-depth information on this beautiful and beneficial herb!