Regulars to my bodywork practice are familiar with the numerous herbal treatments I use during sessions. While I am not currently practicing, I've had several requests for the products for home use. Below are the ones I've currently got on hand, and I have bought some lovely apothecary bottles for home use. I will keep just enough that I can start my practice again, but they might as well be getting used meanwhile. Since this is currently only an offer for clients, I am happy to deliver these personally. I can even deliver out of town via my motorcycle, and can offer careful hygiene and contactless delivery. If you'd rather I put them in the post, we can discuss postage.
Prices are listed per product and vary based on cost and availability of ingredients and in some cases difficulty of preparation. If you aren't sure you want something but are thinking about it, let me know. It may help me know that it's worthwhile to start preparing another batch. Some preparations require up to 6 weeks of infusion.
Included with each product will be an information sheet with a full ingredient list and recommendations for use, and you are definitely also welcome to contact me with any other questions. We can even set up a video call.
Herbal Balms/Salves are semi-solid herbal infusions intended for specific treatment areas. These recipes use beeswax as the solidifying agent, due to its own healing and preservative function, and are therefore not vegan.
Warming balm - This is the yellow balm I often use on necks, shoulders, wrists, and ankles. It's great for relaxing really sore muscles and joints. It is the YELLOW staining one, though. You can wash it out, but it might require extra effort. 20 euros per 125ml pot.
Cooling balm - This is a mildly cooling balm I often use on feet, but sometimes on necks if someone is experiencing too much heat. Sometimes I use it as a lubricant for cupping or scraping. It is green in color, but doesn't stain any more than any oil would. 15 euros per 125ml pot.
Healing Salve - This is a great one for the first-aid kit. It's for healing skin injuries, like sunburns (or other burns), scrapes, and shallow cuts. It is yellow but not nearly as staining as the warming balm, and it's safe for children and pets (it's ok to lick it). 15 euros per 125ml pot, but I also have smaller pots and larger pots available, just ask. I made different sizes so that I could also take it on vacation.
Liniments are herbal infusions in an oil base, usually sesame oil but not exclusively. These can often be used over a larger area, as they spread more efficiently. None of these stain any more than any oil.
Heating liniment - This is my favorite all-purpose massage oil. I actually take a bottle of this with when I receive massages from other professionals. You might be familiar with it as the one that smelled slightly of cooking oil, but that's because I slightly burned that batch. The latest batch doesn't have that smell. It's great. 50ml - 15euros/100ml - 25euros
Nerve liniment - Intended for treatment of nerves and to calm and soothe the senses, I actually use this on just about everyone when I work around your face because it smells so nice and aromatic. 50ml - 20euros.
Drawing liniment - This is the oil that I apply after cupping or scraping to help draw out toxins and stagnation. It's also great for bringing deeper bruising out to the surface. 50ml - 15euros/100ml - 25 euros.
Abdominal liniment - This one is more intensely warming that the heating liniment, but slides nicer on the skin than a balm would. It is kind of spicy, due to the mustard oil in it. 50ml - 15 euros/100ml - 25 euros.
Tinctures are herbal infusions in an alcohol base. They are therefore cooling on the skin and excellent for non-open injuries, as they help relieve inflammation and swelling.
Trauma liniment - This is actually a liniment/tincture. Because it is both, it separates and needs to be shaken before each use. It stains YELLOW, very strongly. It is meant for traumatic injury: breaks, sprains and the like, and NOT for use on open wounds. Those of you who are in full-contact sports probably already have a bottle of this. 50ml - 20 euros.
Cooling tincture - Like the trauma liniment, this one works as an anti-inflammatory. It can be used on milder injuries that have swelling, and heat irritation as long as there's no open wound. I like it on my ankles in the summer (especially if I've been dancing in boots). 50ml - 15 euros.
Herbal Compress Balls are mostly intended to be steamed to heat them. Most should be soaked thoroughly first, then steamed, then applied to the body. The exceptions are in the notes. I am selling these singly, because you really only need one at a time if it's for home use. Each ball will last around 6 applications, depending on how long you wait between applications and how you store it. Recommendations will be provided. Herbal balls are all 10 euros for 200g.
General Warming compress - This is the one I buy from my supplier in Thailand and that I keep steaming all the time. I have plenty to share some. It's great on sore muscles, menstrual cramps, joint pain... it's all over good.
Injury compress - For you always-injured people, it's meant to support tissue and bone healing. You use it the same as the general warming one, but I will make it in whatever old fabric I've got around.
Pre-natal compress - This should be soaked and steamed but allowed to cool slightly before use. It is for relaxing the muscles, but doesn't add as much heat. Also contains ingredients to help soothe nausea and dizziness.
Drying recipe - This one doesn't come in a ball. Instead, you will get the same measurement of herbs and you will need to heat them in a pan on the stove. When they are good and hot, you pour them into something cloth, like a cotton shopping bag or a big sock, and then apply them to the body part in question. This recipe can be used post-natal on the abdomen, or on the chest and upper back for someone who has wet chest congestion/coughing, or on areas of water retention.
Internal recipes are basically herbal supplements, mostly stirred into hot water. Some have been subjected to studies that I can give you references to, but all are common recipes used in Thai medicine. I am not in any way qualified to give you advice on supplements, let alone prescribe them. I simply have enough of these to share and most likely you're only interested in them if we've talked about them before.
Prasaplai - Relieves menstrual cramping. Ideally, you start it up to 2 days before you expect your period to start, and continue during depending on your usual discomfort. I can package it in (generous) 5-day portions (about ¼ cup) for 5 euros per portion.
Triphala - Commonly used in Thai medicine, this is actually an Ayurvedic recipe to balance Fire. ¼ cup - 5 euros.
Tissue-softening infusion - I usually prefer to offer delicious teas to you when you're here, but this is intended as a post-bodywork drink. It is also recommended post-workout. I sometimes give this to people whose muscles and tissues just seem so bound up that I can barely access them, even with heat. These are the same people I'm most likely to give more oil massage to. ¼ cup - 5 euros.
Andrographus - This one is very interesting, and timely. During the SARS epidemic, Thai pharmacies simply ran out of this herb. It is a popular remedy for colds and flus, usually taken when you get it, not necessarily preventative. That said, my teacher's teacher recommended it preventatively in the case of COVID-19, so Matt and I have been taking it every day for about 6 weeks now. It hasn't caused us any harm at least, but I don't believe there are any studies about it. It tastes HORRIBLE, so we gave up stirring it into hot water and switched to making (vegan) gelcaps. Your choice if you would like some. 4 euros per ¼ cup or 6 euros per 50 gelcaps.
Herbal inhalers are herbal mixtures in a container that can be opened and enjoyed. Currently I only have the citrus one available, but am interested to hear if you'd like me to make a new batch of the others. Each inhaler will be a small amount of herbs in a small but much larger bottle. For example, a teaspoon in perhaps an empty vitamin container. I will use what I can find. 5 euros per inhaler.
Citrus Inhaler - for lungs and sinuses, as well as general stimulation.
Musky inhaler - for grounding, increasing appetite, and treating Wind imbalances
Aromatic inhaler - for nausea, easing the mind, calming, and relieving dizziness
As usual, I have a lot more recipes that I can make to meet needs. These are simply the ones I already have made or that I always keep on hand because I use them so commonly. If you've got a question about something else, let's talk.