COMFREY

     I first heard about the Comfrey over 50 years ago when my mother and I were visiting an elderly gentleman who used to be a shoe maker. He educated himself and started massaging peoples feet using reflexology. He made the decision to switch careers because he noticed different people wore their shoes out in different ways.  He was a practical man. We trusted him. So when he offered to give us a root from his comfrey patch we gratefully accepted it.  That was my first introduction to the healing capabilities of Comfrey.

      My mother planted it in our garden and must of used it over the years but it was only decades later I decided to use it to help good friend.  I was already working as a pharmacist in a big teaching hospital in Winnipeg when a close friend said that her doctor said her sore shoulder was “bursitis” or inflammation of the bursa.  Since it was not healing and she was in a lot of pain the doctor recommended steroid injection into the her shoulder joint.  The idea did not thrill her so she asked if I might suggest something less invasive and less painful.  That is when I remembered Comfrey.  I said we could try wrapping her shoulder in Comfrey. With some kind of Divine inspired authority I told her she would have to do it every night for 2 weeks.  She lived in a condo complex by the Red River in Winnipeg and comfrey just happened to grow wild on the banks. So she had a good source close by.  It was a bit tricky to blend the leaves and roots of the plant into a mush and spread it on a paper towel and fasten it to her should. She did it religiously every night and took it off in the morning showered it off and then massaged the shoulder with sesame oil. She said it was a miracle. Her shoulder completely healed and the inflammation ever came back.

      In the old settler days when doctors were not around every settlement people had to rely on medicine that Nature provided.  Comfrey was known as “Bone Knit” because of it ability to help mend broken bones.

    If you want to try the healing capabilities of this wonderful plant you can use either the leaves or the root. I prefer the root as it is more potent and the leaves are a bit prickly and irritate some people's skin.  Dig up the root. Clean it well. You can scrap some of the black skin off the root but not essential. Blend the root well with enough water to make a jelly like consistency. Sometimes I add Aloe Vera which also works as a wonderful healer. I usually make enough comfrey jelly to last a week or two and keep it in the fridge.  Here is where you creativity comes in. Take enough paper towel to wrap around the injured area. Spread the comfrey jelly on the towel about as thick as peanut butter or jelly on a sandwich. IF too thick it will ooze out.  Place it over the area and fasten it with a tensor bandage. Leave it overnight. Remove in the morning and massage area with warm sesame oil.