Arthritis seems to be everywhere right now. A joint that has become hot, swollen and painful is usually a joint where waste and mineral deposits have built up: calcium the body accepted but never assimilated, settling where it doesn’t belong. Clearing that takes time, but it can be done.
This formula brings together herbs that detoxify; herbs that act as a solvent for those calcium deposits; herbs that relieve pain; herbs rich in organic calcium the body can actually use; and herbs that fight fungus and infection. Relief is not immediate, because there is a long rebuilding job to do. Gradual relief can come, and full recovery, if the program is followed faithfully. Dr. Christopher taught that it should be made both as a salve and as an extract, and we make it both ways.
What a Good Joint Formula Contains
A good formula for arthritic joints might contain these thirteen herbs:
- Hydrangea Root, 6 parts. Dr. Christopher called it the solvent of solvents; there was no greater aid, he taught, for getting rid of stones and inorganic mineral deposits throughout the body.
- Yucca Root, 4 parts. Long used to ease arthritic pain and reduce swelling and inflammation in the joints. See Understanding Yucca, An Herbal Support.
- Mormon Tea, 4 parts. An aid for reducing swelling and inflammation, long used as a blood purifier and for rheumatism.
- Chaparral, 4 parts. A strong blood purifier and anti-rheumatic.
- Black Walnut Hulls, 3 parts. A powerful cleansing herb rich in organic iodine, antiseptic and antifungal.
- Burdock Root, 1 part. One of the best blood-purifying herbs in nature; it increases the flow of urine and relieves congestion in the lymph.
- Sarsaparilla Root, 1 part. A tonic blood purifier, useful in rheumatism that stems from impure blood.
- Wild Lettuce, 1 part. A mild, calming herb long used to ease pain.
- Valerian Root, 1 part. A nervine that calms and feeds frayed nerves and eases pain.
- Black Cohosh, 1 part. A nervine and antispasmodic that feeds and strengthens the nervous system.
- Lobelia, 1 part. Removes obstructions and congestion within the body, especially in the blood vessels.
- Wormwood, 1 part. The most bitter herb there is, a stimulating tonic and antiseptic for the whole system.
- African Bird Pepper, 1 part. Brings fresh blood to the joint and carries the other herbs where they need to go.
“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 6 ounces of Hydrangea, 4 each of Yucca, Mormon Tea and Chaparral, 3 of Black Walnut, and 1 ounce each of the rest.
Putting It Together
The extract: Put the dry herbs in a glass jar and pour in 80-proof vodka. Once the herbs have settled, you want about 60% herb sediment on the bottom and 40% liquid on top. Shake the jar every day. The traditional timing follows the moon, from the new moon to the full moon, about two weeks. I prefer to let my extracts sit a full three months, which makes them good and strong. Then strain and bottle the liquid.
The salve: fully extract the herbs in extra virgin olive oil in a 150-degree oven for three hours, swap the spent herbs for fresh, and do it three times through. Strain and thicken with beeswax.
How to Use It
- The extract: ½ to 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot distilled water, two to three times a day.
- The salve: apply as a pack over the painful, inflamed joint. Spread the salve on flannel, lay it over the joint, and hold it in place with Press’n Seal wrap. Dramatic results often appear when the pack is left on overnight.
- Kidney bean pod tea: 1 to 2 quarts a day.
- Apple cider vinegar: a tablespoon in a glass of water three times a day helps clear uric acid from inflamed joints, and soaking the joint in hot water with apple cider vinegar brings relief.
This formula takes down the inflammation so healing can begin; the bone, flesh and cartilage formula in Knitting Bone, Flesh and Cartilage Back Together knits the damaged joint back together. The two work very differently, and together. Pair them with the mucusless diet and the foundational programs; see Arthritis the Healing Program.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
