What? The common Pawpaw Ointment is mostly petroleum jelly?

Call me naive, but I assumed that the pawpaw ointment I was using was made up of….well mostly pawpaw, not 96% petroleum jelly. Recently I took a closer look – the only ingredient I found on the container is ‘Carica papaya 39mg/g Fresh Fermented Fruit’  and a little note on the side saying ‘Contains Potassium Sorbate 0.1mg/g as Preservative’. Nowhere does it say petroleum jelly. I thought ingredients, especially main ones, needed to be listed. 

(Note: In Australia what most people call papaya, we call pawpaw.)

A-ha – only 39mg of pawpaw for every 1000mg. I should have read closer and delved deeper. Pawpaw ointment has always been put forward as a natural product so I didn’t suspect. When I first started using it back as a teenager, you could only get it in health food stores. Now the little red tubes are available just about everywhere. It’s promoted as a great all round natural healing ointment that is antibacterial and antimicrobial – good for lots of day to day issues.

Australians seem to be addicted to this stuff. So many households have it and I imagine many women (and men) would have a little tube in their bags. 

As it turns out, there are lots of other pawpaw ointments around that do not contain petrochemical by-products –  but I was using the little red tubes and tubs of ointment made close by in Brisbane. 

I know for sure that many you have already discovered this piece of information, but if you haven’t, now you know. I must admit, I’m feeling pretty silly. For 30 years I have used it on little cuts and scrapes, on nappy rash, chaffing, insect bites… I never knew it was mostly petroleum jelly –  a non-renewable hydrocarbon made from crude oil! How did I miss that? 

What is Petroleum Jelly?

Petroleum jelly is a by-product of the oil industry and can contain petrolatum and mineral oil. Apparently almost all skincare products in the US have Petroleum Jelly/Petrolatum/Mineral Oil because it’s a cheap filler. It’s also used in hair care products to give shine.

It coats the skin like plastic. It’s a barrier to lock moisture in or out – preventing the skin from breathing, excreting and absorbing. It slows the skin’s natural development and can contribute to premature ageing. 

Highly regarded scientist and eco-activist, David Suzuki, warns against using petrolatum on his website and explains why the EU restricts its use in cosmetics: (http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics—petrolatum/). His site says that :

‘petrolatum can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies suggest that exposure to PAHs — including skin contact over extended periods of time — is associated with cancer. On this basis, the European Union classifies petrolatum a carcinogen, and restricts its use in cosmetics. PAHs in petrolatum can also cause skin irritation and allergies. ‘

Additional research done by the Environmental Working Group  (www.ewg.org/skindeep/2007/02/04/impurities-of-concern-in-personal-care-products)adds that:

“Many of the cosmetic industry’s chemical safety assessments reveal that common petroleum-based cosmetic ingredients can be contaminated with a cancer-causing impurity called 1,4-dioxane.”

While the pawpaw ointment company in question claims to use pharmaceutical grade petroleum jelly (petrolatum) that is not carcinogenic. They say it is also hypo-allergenic and completely safe for all the family. This said, it still is from the petroleum industry and personally, I would much rather put natural products on my skin given the choice. I ignorantly thought I was. 

What now…?

In actual fact, I most often reach for a big leaf of Aloe vera from my garden for burns, rashes, cuts and so on. I also strap on a chunk of Aloe gel and let it soak in – for animals too. It is wonderful and totally fresh and potent. Not so great in my bag, but my own comfrey ointment is great for this.

Since I’ve been making my own comfrey lotion (using beeswax, olive oil and comfrey leaves from my garden) I’ve not been using the pawpaw ointment that much any more, but I’m keen though to learn how to make it and use some of those pawpaws that are ripening in my food forest.

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This 9 minute film (click link below to watch) shows how to simply make a super delicious cold remedy from easy-to-grow plants in the garden.  I love that my medicine cabinet is in my kitchen garden surrounding my house and that I can just go outside and pluck fresh herbs and leaves with superb vitality to help sooth a cough and cold when I need it for me and my family.

There are so many great herbs to use in each climatic region.   Here at this time of year, some great ones are:

1. lemon myrtle
2. peppermint
3. menthol mint
4. oregano
5. sacred basil
6. turmeric
7. ginger

Today, I also added organic cinnamon and some raw honey to the blend – mmmm ….delicious and very soothing. Just what I need right now.

I’ve written about the brew I made yesterday and listed a few additional plants – lemon, orange peel, lemon balm, thyme. Each brew I make is slightly different which keeps it interesting.

What is your favourite cold remedy from your garden?

[DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or natural therapist. The information in this blog post and the associated film is based on personal research, conversations with lots of knowledgeable people, and years of experimenting. Please make up your own mind about whether you think it is useful.]

The post My Medicinal Garden: 7 Super Plants For A Delicious Common Cold Remedy – Film #13 (9 mins) appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

I brew up a delicious tea from these things and sip it throughout the day.  I find it helps so much.

Today’s ingredients: Raw Turmeric, Raw Ginger, Lemon Myrtle, Sacred Basil, Lemon and Raw Honey

I put the leaves and roots all in together for a gentle simmer (not the honey).

After about 15 minutes, I strain this into my jar (a coffee filter fits perfectly!!)

I like to use these jars because I can put a lid on it and come back later.

I stir in a spoonful of raw honey when the temperature has cooled little. Heating raw honey destroys many of it’s wonderful properties.

THE FIVE PLANTS IN TODAY’S BREW…

Lemon 

Lemon Myrtle 

Sacred Basil / Tulsi

Ginger

Turmeric 

Raw honey

Tomorrow I will try another brew and add these things too:

Orange peel 

Lemon Balm / Melissa

Peppermint 

Thyme 

Oregano 

The post Home Grown Medicine: 10 Common Medicinal Plants I Use As A Natural Cold Remedy appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

The fresh healthy foods eating straight from the garden bring so many health benefits, but so do the many herbs, flowers, fruits and weeds that can be used as refreshing and healing teas.

My edible lanscape wraps around the house – food, spices, teas and natural remedies always at hand.

Two of my favourite garden teas are Rosella and Lemon Myrtle, and Lemongrass and Peppermint. I love their colours, aroma and taste. Uplifting, refreshing and cleansing. 

Maia and Hugh enjoying a cup of iced rosella tea.

Here is a small selection of teas that can be made from plants in a permaculture garden, and a brief listing of just some of the benefits they can bring.  There are of course so many more healing herbs, flowers, fruits and roots – and so many more benefits from these plants…

Chamomile

Chickweed

Dandelion

Elderberry

Ginger root

Gota kola

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lemon Myrtle – many benefits – said to relieve muscle cramps and spasms, rheumatism, headaches and fevers. The anti-oxidants in citral help boost the immune system. It is an refreshing and calming tea.

Lemon Myrtle – an Australian native tree.

Lemongrass cut for tea

Peppermint

Rosella bush

Strawberry leaves – the dried leaves make a great tea that is a tonic and tones up the body’s intestines and appetite. It cleanses the stomach and is good for eczema and to prevent night sweats.

Strawberry leaf

Mexican tarragon

Tulsi tea – also a bee attractor.

Thyme

The post 16 Mighty Homegrown Teas: The Healing Powers of Your Edible Garden appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

• 50 grams coconut oil (I use organic cold pressed fair trade)
• 50 grams beeswax (I use a local organic beeswax)
• 50 grams cocoa butter (similarly, I use an organic fair trade product)
• 15 drops essential oil (in the latest version, I used an organic mandarin oil with a few drops of peppermint)

1. Melt the oil, wax and butter together in a bowl over boiling water.
2. Stir gently until melted and mixed.
3. Turn off the heat and add the essential oil.
4. Pour into forms
5. Allow to set (5-10 minutes)
6. Remove from forms and store.

I used an old ceramic bowl to melt the butter, oil and wax over boiling water.

Pour and allow to set before removing mould and storing.

Today I was having fun today experimenting with various forms to make little samples – little paper cups, big paper cups, waxed paper in mini-muffin pan. They all worked wonderfully.

These paper cups make excellent forms for the lotion. The little rounds pop out and if handle carefully, the cups can be reused over and over.

The post Make your own hand lotion: a silky smooth lotion bar for those who love gardening with bare hands. appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

We’ve been enjoying some family reading and experimenting with vinegar lately…. cleaning the stench of old possum wee out of a yacht, cleaning a tooth for the tooth fairy…

Here are 10 great uses for vinegar in relation to health and personal care that I’m experimenting with or will try soon (there are so many many more too!):

1. Vinegar is a deodorant

Use white vinegar on underarms as a deodorant to neutralise odour, although it won’t stop perspiration – which seems a bit unnatural anyway.

2. Vinegar strengthens brittle nails

Put vinegar directly on nails to strengthen them if brittle. My gardening hands and nails might benefit from this. I have a thumb nail particulary prone to splitting – I will use this as my test case.

3. Vinegar stops chapped skin

Liberally put on sore spots and they will heal quickly. It also helps with those sore little splits at the ends of your fingers.

4. Vinegar heals split heels

Soak your feet in a glass bowl of diluted vinegar (and some coconut or olive oil to moisturise) for 15 minutes. Use a pumice to scrub your heals. Repeat again the following day and your heels should be much softer. Do this at least once a month to maintain your heels.  My heels are a disaster as I mostly do barefoot gardening.  I will do an experiment with before and after shots and post soon.

5. Vinegar heals coldsores

Douse a cold sore with vinegar often and it will dry up. If taken regularly, it should eventually prevent further outbreaks.  (I am going to test this one next time I get a coldsore – this is the first thing that happens to me when I am feeling a little run down.).

6. Vinegar and hair care

Wash your hair with a mixture of vinegar and water to add shine (and remove dandruff). Vinegar removes surplus soap and also neutralises the alkali left by shampoos.  Use a tablespoon to two in the final rinse – the smell doesn’t linger.

With so much hair in this household, some simple ideas for hair health is welcome.

7. Vinegar relieves nasal congestion

Many people who suffer from nasal congestion experience relief simply by adding apple cider vinegar to their diet. I know it has already cleared Maia’s throat tickles in the morning which I think in her case were related to nasal congestion.

8. Vinegar eases nausea

To ease nausea, sip on a small cup of water mixed with one teaspoon of vinegar with some added honey (to improve the taste). Perhaps I should take a bottle of this with me when we drive up our windy mountain roads and see if it helps.

9. Vinegar soothes minor burns

If you burn yourself cooking, splash some white vinegar on a tea towel or paper towelling and put it on the burn. Straight away it stops hurting and if you keep it on it will not blister. I usually reach for the aloe vera growing right outside my door, put I’m willing to give this a go next time.

10. Vinegar stops hiccoughs:

Apparently hiccoughs have been stopped by drinking a teaspoon of cider vinegar straight. Gargling cider vinegar is also effective. Worth a try for a serious case of hiccoughs. Hugh often suffers from hiccoughs, so I’ll offer him a vinegar gargle next time – as well as keep on encouraging him to eat more slowly and mindfully, rather than gulping his food so fast that he takes in too much extra air.

The post 10 Uses for Vinegar for Health and Personal Care appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

I have been singing this song my entire life. I only know these two verses but apparently there were 15 originally. As a kid I often wondered why Jack would want to put vinegar and brown paper on his head.  I also wondered why they went up a hill for water.

Anyway, I’d forgotten about these wonderings until we recently borrowed a book from the library – 1001 Uses for Vinegar. Evan has been reading this to the kids at bedtime and out of the blue this morning, Hugh started singing Jack and Jill. The ‘vinegar and brown’ paper line stuck in my head. Finally I looked it up to appease my curiosity.

The vinegar and brown paper remedy is a type of poultice used for sprains, bruises, bumps and bangs – the olden day version of the ice block.  (Very rarely though can I get them to keep the ice block on their sprain or bump).

The poultice is made out of strong brown paper that can soak up the vinegar and not fall apart. The vinegar was warmed for a few minutes and the paper soaked and softened. Apparently using sage infused vinegar adds extra healing value.

Several strips of vinegar soaked brown paper were applied to the wound and wrapped up with an old cloth to help hold it all in place. This was applied twice a day at least until the swelling and bruising had eased. I’ve read that the beeswax infused wraps (sold as zero-waste food wraps) are excellent for covering these types of poultices.

A vinegar compress is still considered an effective remedy for easing sprains, as vinegar brings bruises to the surface and helps to cool and reduce swelling. I will try this next time and cut up some large brown paper bags into strips to keep in the first aid cupboard. Worth a try.

I’ve been inspired actually to experiment a lot more with vinegar thanks to this little gem of a book. I’ll keep posting about interesting vinegar uses for a little, but for now, about going up the hill for water…. must explore the reasoning for that a little more.

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