How to relieve menstrual cramps or hot flashes

Yarrow is a sacred plant to many cultures. Yarrow balances emotional upsets, and is a frequent addition to treatments during menopause.

PROPERTIES
Yarrow is bitter, pungent, astringent, cooling, and drying. It acts as a diaphoretic, antispasmodic, antiinflammatory, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, and tonic. Yarrow is carminative, alterative, sedative, vulnerary, and emmenagogic.

Part of Plant Used
Leaves, stalks, flowers, and fruit.

Conditions Treated
Used for hemorrhages, ulcers, measles, colds, fever, nosebleeds, abscesses, vaginitis, varicose veins, headache, menopause, hemorrhoids, gout, cellulite, acne, sunburn, smallpox, and chicken pox.

Form Taken
Skin patches, lotion, bath, compress, massage oil.

Used with Other Herbs?
Angelica, cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, lavender, lemon, licorice, myrrh, myrtle, sarsaparilla, St. John’s wort, turmeric.

HOW TO USE
• For wound treatment, simply press fresh leaves and flower tops into cuts and scrapes on the way to washing and bandaging them.
• Place the seeds in a pot and add boiling water.
• As an infusion to relieve menstrual cramps or hot flashes, steep 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Add honey to taste, and drink warm.

CAUTION
• Do not administer yarrow to children under two years old.
• Those with sensitive skin may be irritated when exposed to the sun while using yarrow.
• It should not be used in cases of high vátha.