How to Use Yarrow Medicinally

There are some herbs and flowers that I fall in love with and become utterly obsessed with. Yarrow has become that herb lately. As always with herbs, the energy that it radiates is what I need at the time. In what I call the love language of flowers, yarrow brings forth healing, inspiration, and love.

Yarrow is popular for its ornamental beauty but its healing powers take precedence. The flowering perrenial is part of the family called Asteraceae and is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. On my many foraging trips, I have discovered yarrow in fields, meadows, and on the side of the road. Yarrow also is called bloodwort, witch's herb, and snake's grass. Little fact, it was once used for soldiers so it was once referred to as military herb or herba militaris. In the military, it was used to stop bleeding or the pain from battle wounds.

So, how is it used medicinally?

Yarrow is highly valued for its medicinal properties. It acts as a diaphoretic so to treat diaphoresis and its medical definition is excessive sweating. It is also a sedative, astringent, and antiseptic. It is really good for breaking fevers because it makes you sweat. Its astringent properties help treat minor bleeds and wounds.

Yarrow can regulate menstrual cycles and ease stomach discomfort. It is applied to the skin for wounds and minor bleeding. It can also be taken by mouth to lessen inflammation. Besides, it is used as a sedative for anxiety or sleeplessness.

Yarrow has hypotensive properties. Therefore, it helps with lowering blood pressure and improves heart health. For those looking for natural options to heart health and overall support, yarrow could be an effective choice. I am sharing a relaxing and heart healthy tonic using yarrow.

Relaxing Heart Tonic with Yarrow

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

-1 to 2 teaspoonsful of dried Yarrow Flowers and Leaves

• 1 to 2 teaspoonsful of lime flower

• 1 to 2 teaspoonsful of hawthorn

• 1 to 2 teaspoonsful of valerian

1. Infuse all fo the combined herbs in 6 to 8 ounces of boiling water.

2. Drink 3 times a day.

Yarrow Bath

Fill a muslin bag or washcloth with fresh or dried yarrow flowers, close the bag, and secure with a rubber band. Suspend the bag or washcloth from the bathtub's faucet so it soaks in the bathwater as the tub fills.

Yarrow Poultice

Just crush or chop yarrow leaves into a pulp and add enough water to make a paste. I use a muslin bag to hold the mixture together. Apply directly to the wound or bruises and leave it there for 20 to 30 minutes. You can also use a blender to make a paste. It is best to make when the herb is fresh. 

If you want to use the power of yarrow the whole year and use its other medicinal benefits for skin, you want to make yarrow oil. 

There are things you need to consider because of yarrow's medicinal effect of thinning the blood. There are some situations in which it should not be used. Pregnant women should avoid it because it might cause miscarriage by relaxing the uterus. If you are on medicines like blood thinners like Warfarin and high blood pressure medications, you should not use yarrow.