Wintergreen Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Wintergreen Leaves – 100 g ($15.99), 50 g ($10.99), 25 g ($5.99)

Benefits:
Wintergreen has pain-relieving properties similar to those of aspirin, as well as a refreshing taste. It is good for headaches, arthritis, and muscle and back pain. Regularly applied to painfully swollen, inflamed, or sore muscles and joints, especially if caused by injuries or rheumatic ailments, the essential oil helps to relieve pain. In folk medicine, it has been used for asthma and as an antiseptic.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, sore muscles and joints, and toothache. Wintergreen oil contains almost 98 percent methyl salicylate. Salicylate is the principal component in aspirin. Wintergreen oil relieves pain through the same mechanism as aspirin, stopping the hormonal reactions that cause inflammation and pain. Wintergreen also contains small amounts of astringent compounds, called tannins, and a soothing and softening substance called mucilage. They help indirectly to alleviate soreness in muscles and joints and explain why this herb was traditionally used as a gargle for sore throats.

Pain relief: Wintergreen’s active ingredient, methyl salicylate, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, and can help relieve pain, swelling, and fever. It can be used topically to soothe muscles, joints, and headaches.

Decongestion: Wintergreen can help clear airways and relieve congestion from colds and sinusitis.

Digestive aid: Wintergreen can promote digestion and soothe gastrointestinal issues.

Antiseptic: Wintergreen can help prevent infections and promote healing.

Mental clarity: Wintergreen’s crisp, fresh scent can help improve blood flow to the brain and muscles, which can help you stay alert and boost concentration.

Menstrual pain relief: Massaging wintergreen into the pelvic region can help reduce menstrual pain and cramping.

Hunger/Craving Reducer: The smell and taste of mint can help reduce cravings and make you feel full. You can try sniffing wintergreen oil, gargling it, or applying it to your temples, chest, or clothes.

Deodorizing: You can add a few drops of wintergreen oil to your laundry soap.

Mood: You can diffuse wintergreen oil to encourage a positive attitude.

Recommended Use
Wintergreen is available as a mouthwash and as an essential oil. The essential oil should be used for external use only. It can be used as part of an aromatherapy blend to increase mucus output and clear airways. Wintergreen oil can be harmful if taken internally. If pure wintergreen oil is ingested by a child, 1 teaspoon can be fatal.

Externally, essential oil of wintergreen should be used only for acute pain, since it can be absorbed through the skin and can become toxic to the kidneys and liver. You should not apply the oil to your skin for more than three days out of any month, and you should not use wintergreen oil if you have any degree of chronic kidney or liver disease. You should not apply the oil to the skin of a child under the age of twelve unless directed to do so by a medical professional.

Formulations containing concentrations of 10 to 60 percent methyl salicylate can be applied externally up to four times daily. They should not be used after strenuous exercise or in conjunction with a heating pad, however. Follow package instructions and avoid applying these products after vigorous exercise or in hot weather. Doing so can result in dangerous amounts of certain compounds being absorbed through your skin and into your system.

If you take warfarin (Coumadin) or any other prescription blood-thinning medication, do not use wintergreen, as bleeding problems and other adverse reactions may occur. People taking blood-thinning medication should avoid using any products that contain methyl salicylate.

Botanical Name: Gaultheria procumbens
English: Checkerberry, Teaberry, Boxberry
Also, known as: Thé du Canada, Wintergrün, Tè di montagna, American Wintergreen, Boxberry, Canada Tea, Checkerberry, Deerberry, Eastern Teaberry, Essence de Gaulthérie, Gaulteria, Gaultheria Oil, Gaultheria procumbens, Gaulthérie Couchée, Ground Berry, Hilberry, Huile de Thé des Bois, Mountain Tea, Oil of Wintergreen, Partridge Berry, Petit Thé, Petit Thé des Bois, Spiceberry, Teaberry, Thé de Montagne, Thé de Terre-Neuve, Thé du Canada, Thé Rouge, Thé des Bois, Wax Cluster.
Origin: India
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Leaves

General Information:
Gaultheria procumbens, grows to a height of about 6 inches, has deep-green, shiny, leathery leaves, and small white flowers that develop into red fruits. They bear solitary white flowers, usually below the leaves, followed by the rather generous fruit, considering the size of the plant, which has enclosed the seed capsules and assumed the form of a bright scarlet, edible, mealy and spicy berry. The whole plant is pungent in taste the spiciness being due to the volatile oil. The collection is somewhat difficult in its scattered wild state. Cultivation requires specially constructed shade such as Goldenseal and Ginseng. Wild plants may be used for propagation; divisions of these may be set in the autumn or spring, about 6 in. apart from each way in permanent beds. The soil, which should be thoroughly mixed with a 4-in. depth of leaf mould will give a fairly good growth. The collection is usually at the end of the growing season, around October. Wintergreen’s refreshing minty aroma stimulating and invigorating. It’s a great addition to lotions that are applied after activity.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.