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The idea of making a facial healing creme AND an ingestible medicine all in ONE is incredible! Thank you for it!

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Nov 20ยทedited Nov 20Author

thanks I put a lot of research and experimentation into making it. I will have a more fine tuned recipe in my next book with new ingredients and specific quantities but I am confident you can use your own herbal knowledge and the info here to make a spectacular topical (as well as edible) cannabis based salve that will serve you well. The one I make is made with about 2 oz of powderized female flowers per 500 ml of oil so it is very strong (both for topical pain relief and when ingested). I eat one teaspoon if I am in pain or need a good nights rest and immune system boost (and do not need to work the next day) and it puts me out like a light (or if I was to try and stay awake, I would end up being very intoxicated due to the high THC).

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Thanks Gavin for such a super fast response!

This year I only got 3 hemp plants, all females somehow. Just quickly (predicted rain tomorrow) harvested 3 partly dried, still little bit green flowers, and those can go directly into the oil for further processing? Unfortunately do not have all the ingredients you have, but maybe still will be good.. Did you try the salve on somebody with psoriasis??

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If you want the topical pain relief effects of the salve to be strong you will need to decarboxylate (aka decarb) the plant material at 240 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 45 minutes in the oven (to turn the THC-a into THC) before infusing into the oil. Here is a basic recipe https://www.veriheal.com/blog/infuse-anything-with-this-simple-cannabis-coconut-oil-recipe/ (though I would skip the tinfoil suggested and instead opt for another covering material to preserve terpenes as aluminum is toxic).

I have not in person though people have written me to describe great results for treating psoriasis. Here is some additional info and pertinent research on that:

Cannabis has shown to be an effective treatment option for many, both as a primary and secondary option.

Reducing Inflammation

A symptom of both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. An early 2009 study found that some cannabinoids in the cannabis plant can help regulate the immune system and reduce on-site inflammation. Another research study from 2016 suggested that some cannabinoids might benefit people with psoriasis by affecting the interaction between the immune and nervous systems. The use of medical cannabis to regulate inflammation has become more common as ongoing research studies utilize CBD as an effective anti-inflammatory.

Slowing cell growth

For those with psoriasis, the skin cells reproduce too quickly. In 2017, a study found that cannabinoids may slow the growth of skin cells and reduce their accumulation on the skinโ€™s surface. While much more research needs to be done on the topic, cannabis has shown in preliminary studies to be effective at slowing the growth of tumours whose cells replicate rapidly.

Controlling pain

Cannabis, especially THC, can help reduce pain signalling and provide pain relief in some patients. A 2015 article in JAMA noted there is significant scientific evidence to indicate cannabinoids can help with pain. Apolloโ€™s own published research study of over 700 chronic pain patients found both a large reduction in perceived pain and a reduction in the need for opioid use to manage said pain. For psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients, cannabis may help them manage their pain and discomfort.

Reducing itching

A 2017 review noted that cream containing palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), which has an incidence on cannabinoid type-1 receptors, appeared to reduce itching. More research is needed here, but positive results may be tied to the reduction in inflammation and cell growth.

Improving mental health

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are chronic conditions that for now, have no known cure. With that said, it can have a negative impact on a personโ€™s mental health. As we know, stress can be a trigger for psoriasis flare-ups as well as depression and inflammation. Medical cannabis has been shown to assist with anxiety, stress, and sleep issues in patients, and provides a great alternative to pharmaceutical options that are often more harmful to the body and include more unwanted side effects.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11193997/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9920113/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/52457

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316757

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320086

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27164964/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2338256

https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/cbd-for-psoriasis-and-psa/

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Boy, not only you and your wife have everything hand and home made and every of your posts can make one immediately hungry, but you can replace a scientific writer of the corrupted health agencies:) THANK YOU for every link you researched and put out here as an answer! I just noticed one important compound for that skin condition, it is zinc, BUT have no horsetail here, difficult to grow......

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Jun 6, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

Thank you for this! What an incredible recipe and such thorough research! Do you happen to have this in printable form? The instructions and recipe? I'd love to make it for myself and am curious about sourcing ingredients as well. I won't be able to grow everything. Any suggestions on product companies or sourcing? Thank you advance, what a treasure!

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Jun 12, 2023ยทedited Jun 12, 2023Author

Hey Heather, I am glad you appreciate the time I put into creating this recipe.

I do not have it in printable format currently but I am willing to whip something up when I get a chance.

I am working 7 days a week right now at my day job (have been for well over a month) so it may be a while before I have time to catch up in my house, the garden and with my loved ones and then, after that, am able to allocate time to tasks such as making my recipe above into a printable format, but I will add it to my list for sure :)

I will also endeavor to share any links I can to trustworthy sources for ingredients when I have time.

Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

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Mar 2, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

I really want to make this! I'm feeling a little daunted though at this list of ingredients and the process:( I think you should sell this ๐Ÿ˜‰

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Mar 2, 2023ยทedited Mar 2, 2023Author

It is totally worth it! Also if you missed one or two (non-cannabis) ingredients it would still be a powerful medicine. :)

I only really make enough for my wife, myself and a little bit to share as gifts with our close family and friends.

Considering I prioritize cultivating and/or accessing the majority of the ingredients locally (and/or regeneratively/respectfully cultivated/harvested when they cannot be accessed locally) I do not see selling it as financially feasible given we only have a small urban suburban lot to grow medicine plants we can trust in a backyard garden. Also, selling anything that has cannabis in it (even within Canada where its legalized) means cutting into government profits and so they want you to jump through a whole bunch of licensing and taxation hoops that there is no way I could afford or have the time to deal with.

There is also the fact that one of the reasons I shared this recipe was as I mentioned above, to help people be able to increase their health sovereignty, so if I was producing it in large quantities and shipping it to people that would mean they are dependent on me (instead of big pharma) to have access to their medicine, and though that may be an improvement for some, it still defeats one of the central intended purposes of my formulating and sharing this recipe. I have a feeling that there may come a time in our future when one will only be able to access what is physically available locally, and so I am trying to encourage people to begin to take steps to cultivate and be capable of creating all they need to survive and thrive at home so they are ready.

Thank you for the candid and thoughtful comment.

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Feb 27, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

Fantastic list! One more herb that is quite fantastic for wound healing is comfrey. ๐ŸŒฑ

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Feb 27, 2023ยทedited Feb 27, 2023Author

Yes! How could I forget the bone healing, connective tissue regenerating super mineral rich comfrey!!? :)

We have a patch of comfrey growing around the base of our Malus sieversii trees (which you can learn more about here if you are interested: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/the-wild-apples-of-the-tian-shan )

Now that you have my gears spinning, I can think of at least three other healing herbs I will also add to my next batch. Thanks for the inspiration!

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

So, to be clear, the herbs must be FREEZE-DRIED, and not simply dehydrated, aside from the de-carbed cannabis? Where does the pressurized steam extraction come in?

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Feb 26, 2023ยทedited Feb 26, 2023Author

Hey Lisa,

Thanks for noticing that part about steam extraction! I worded that part of the post poorly and accidentally left out part of the instructions. I was running low on steam after writing all day (no pun intended lol).

I deleted the part about stream extraction and I'll change the other instructions to be more clear when I have time.

The part where I mentioned steam extraction was to make the Frankincense essential oil if one was extracting it themselves from frankincense resin pieces but that is not a necessary step if one has a trust worthy source of premade frankincense essential oil.

With regards to freeze drying vs dehydrating, the difference is the fact that freeze dried plant material retains a higher potency of the medicinal compounds but I still think you could use dehydrated and still make a very good quality salve.

Based on my research, I have found that many plants retain up to 70% of their essential oils when airdried/dehydrated at a low temp in a dark place. The dehydrated plant material can retain those essential oils for at least 6 months (if they are stored in an airtight container, with a desiccant, in a cool/dark place). Freeze drying preserves approx 97-98% of the essential oils (and other beneficial compounds). So it is not that huge of a difference and I think a version of this salve made with dehydrated plant material (rather than freeze dried) would still be very effective and worthwhile.

Another option would be to add essential oils or premade extracts of some of the plants listed (such as mint, sage, tulsi, lavender etc) that were made using high quality equipment which you purchase (as locally as possible). I like to use the raw plant material because there are other beneficial compounds, minerals and nutrients that are lost in the steam distillation processes used to make essential oils and so I find doing the extraction from the plant material directly into the oil offers a more broad spectrum healing effect.

Hope this helps! :)

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

Thank you!

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Gavin Mounsey

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