Deep Tissue Oil

Minnesota is known for its extreme temperature variations, and this spring was no exception.  One weekend I was walking our dog, Rosie on a frozen creek bed and the next Sunday I was wielding the hedge trimmer and weed whacker.  

The finished product in an amber glass bottle.

My gardening muscles have been dormant for a few months and I knew my forearms, biceps, and back would be sore on Monday.  Luckily, my Deep Tissue Oil was finished and ready to relieve the pain.

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I first read about Deep Tissue Oil this past fall when my husband had a cold that progressed to chest congestion.  As I was looking through the book, Be Your Own Doctor, by Rachel Weaver M.H., I read about Deep Tissue Oil and its ability to break up chest congestion.  I also learned it was good for soothing sore and injured muscles. 

Dried pepper powder, ginger, arnica and calendula.

Each spring after trimming the shrubs and removing the top growth from my perennial flower beds, I am plenty sore.  So here was my opportunity to put the Deep Tissue Oil to the test! 

I have found that the fastest way to heal, is treat at the first sign of injury or illness.  So when my muscles started to feel sore, I rubbed on the oil.  The tingling sensation was at first hot, then felt cold, and lasted for several minutes.

I applied it several times a day on both Saturday and Sunday (and took a nice long soak in an Epsom salt bath) and when I woke up the next day I was surprisingly free of discomfort.

A look at the medicinal properties of the ingredients helps explain why it is so effective.

The initial warmth is the result of the wintergreen and peppermint essential oils in combination with the habenero peppers stimulating blood circulation to the treated area.   Wintergreen has a long history of use for alleviating muscle spasms and joint pain.  

In her book; Medicinal Herbs, A Beginner's Guide, Rosemary Gladstar states, "The rich red oil made from the bright yellow (St. John's Wort) flowers is simply one of the best remedies for trauma to the skin.  It is applied topically to soothe and heal bruises, sprains,.... and injuries of all kinds.  It not only relives pain but also promotes tissue repair and speeds recovery". 

Arnica promotes the healing of bruises, ginger root is ant-inflammatory, and calendula soothes irritated tissues.  The menthol crystals are cooling and reduce pain.

Instructions

Deep tissue oil is made in a two step process.  The first is to infuse herbs in olive oil for at least six weeks.  Then the oil is strained and menthol crystals and essential oils are added.

Assemble Your Supplies

Wide mouth pint size jar w/ cover

Small plate or bowl

Jelly straining bag

Glass measuring cup with pour spout

Cooking pan

Scale

Two 8 ounce glass bottles with tight fitting covers

Gather your Ingredients

Step One

1/4 C habenero peppers - dried

1/4 C fresh ginger root - grated 

1/2 C calendula flowers - dried

1/2 C St. John's Wort flowers - fresh preferred

1/2 C arnica flowers - dried

6 oz organic olive oil (or more as needed)

Step Two

1 oz botanical menthol crystals

2 oz peppermint essential oil

4 oz wintergreen essential oil

If you have access to fresh St. John's Wort flowers you can start making this oil in the summer.  If you don't, just used the dried flowers.  

St. John's Wort is a perennial in gardening zones 4 - 9.

Put all the herbs into a pint sized glass canning jar.  Cover with oil using at least 6 ounces.  A wooden stick is helpful to push the herbs under the surface of the oil and make sure all the plant material is coated with oil.

A wooden stick helps get the plant material saturated with oil.

  

Fill the jar right up to the top.

Fill the jar to the top with oil, making sure all the plant material is under the oil.  

Screw on lid.  Label with "deep tissue oil" and the date.

Cover, label, and allow to infuse.

Place the jar in a dish to catch the inevitable drips of oil and allow to infuse for six weeks, shaking daily.

After six weeks it is time to strain the plant material out of the oil.

Place a jelly bag over a glass measuring cup and pour in the contents of the pint jar.  Then squeeze the bag to get out every last drop of herbal goodness.

A jelly bag makes straining easy.

Compost the "marc" (left over plant material).

Put a few inches of water in a cooking pan and place on a burner.

Place the glass measuring cup containing the strained oil into the pan of water and heat gently until the oil is warm.

Botanical menthol crystals and lots of essential oil.

Using your scale, measure out 1 ounce of botanical menthol crystals.

Carefully pour the menthol crystals into the warm oil.  Then heat slowly while stirring (with a wooden stick) until the crystals are completely dissolved.

Warm the oil just enough to melt the menthol crystals.

Remove from the heat and allow the oil mixture to cool to room temperature.

Pour the oil into two 8 ounce glass amber bottles, distributing the oil evenly between the two bottles.  Each bottle will be almost half full.  If you have more than 6 ounces of finished oil, go ahead and add it to the bottles.

Then pour 1 oz of peppermint essential oil and 2 ounces of wintergreen essential oil into each bottle, cover and shake to mix.

Each bottle will now contain about 6 ounces of finished Deep Tissue Oil.   This oil has a long shelf life and author, Rachel Weaver states "It will last for years."

Tips for Use

• Use at the first signs of soreness or muscle pain, making sure to massage the oil thoroughly into the skin.

• This oil is designed for adults and not recommended at full strength for children.  Essential oils are very strong and some are not recommended for children.  Do your research before using this product on children.

• Deep Tissue Oil is for external use on unbroken skin only.  Avoid eyes and mucous membranes as stinging will occur.

• Test the oil by applying a drop to your skin.  If it feels too hot, dilute it with olive oil until it feels comfortable.

Please note: The objective of this blog is to raise awareness of alternative ways to achieve wellness and to empower you to take an active role in your health decisions.  To accomplish this, you will need to explore these subjects in greater depth and then determine what makes sense for your life.  My hope is that this information will inspire you to start your own search into ways to make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilling.