Fellow Patriots,
This was submitted by a sister Patriot to share with HFS readers. I had never heard of this plant before now, however Ms. Lucy was familiar with it. A big thanks for the submission.
The story...
"I first learned about comfrey at the 2015 Mother Earth News Fair in Asheville, NC. The claims from the speaker seemed too hard to believe. I kept reading about it and later planted it. It has grown well and not spread too much. On a Tuesday morning, before putting on my shoes or turning on the lights, I accidentally kicked a chair leg. That hurt. I put some ice on it, then continued my day. That afternoon, my fourth toe was dark purple. I didn’t know if it was broken or not, but it did not look deformed. I decided to put comfrey to the test. I removed several comfrey leaves, put them in a tea pot and covered with water. I brought it to a boil, then let it simmer for several minutes. Over then next few days, I soaked my foot in the comfrey tea. Each day, I took a picture on my phone, to keep track of the changes. By Friday evening, the only discoloration was some redness near the toenail, which no one would have noticed without me pointing it out. Comfrey passed my test.
The following is from Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, page 325:
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Parts used: Leaves and roots
Benefits: Rich in allantoin and mucilage, comfrey is highly valued for its soothing qualities and is a common ingredient in politics, salves, and ointments. It facilitates and activates the healing of damaged tissue. It is one of the best herbs for treating torn ligaments, strains, bruises, and any injury to the bones or joints.
Suggested uses: Comfrey root and the leaf have similar properties; the root is stronger, but the leaf is more palatable. Use them both in salves and ointments. When served as a tea, comfrey will smooth inflammation in the tissues. The root is decocted, the leaf infused. Comfrey can also be administered via capsules.
Caution: Comfrey was widely used by herbalists in the 1960’s and ‘70s, but studies a few years ago found traces of PLAs in the plant. However, the studies were never conclusive. I’m so absolutely convinced that comfrey is safe that I continue to use it personally, though I don’t recommend it to others. You must make the choice for yourself.
This seems like a simple prep to make. Plant a little comfrey, in an area that you don’t mind if it spreads. The plant will die back in the winter and should return the following spring. The leaves can be dried to use later.
Do your own research and determine how (or if) you would like to use it."
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
