Comfrey: Comfy for Them Joints

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) has been used for more than 150 years, both externally and internally, by probably millions of folks; it has been hailed as a miraculous herb for healing bones. Unfortunately, this miraculous herb is banned in many places, but you should understand its value and may want to secure some for yourself before it is gone everywhere. For our purposes, we will discuss the external application of comfrey only. If you cannot get comfrey, I will give you some useful substitutes that have also worked well for many. So make yourself comfy, and we’ll talk a little more about this herb.
First, take a look at some of comfrey’s values:

• It helps the body to promote new cell growth.
• It destroys and then prevents amoebic bacteria growth.
• It’s very rich in trace minerals, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins A and C.
• It has also been used successfully for burns, wounds, open sores, ulcers, and gangrene, and has an amazing ability to basically weld tissues together.

Because comfrey seems to accelerate tissue repair, soak your injured ankle or wrist into a large bowel or bucket of comfrey decoction to heal injuries quickly. If you have a hip or knee joint injury, for instance, a fomentation or a comfrey poultice would be more appropriate. For all-over joints (an Evel Knieval type) you can certainly make a tubful and soak in the bath!
Other supplements to consider when comfrey is not available include:

• Glucosamine sulfite and chondroitin are supplements that have been used both together and separately to support the joints, with good results.
• Calcium with magnesium and vitamin D works as a team to help you absorb the calcium and aid in bone healing.
• Uña de gato (cat’s claw) or yucca both may help with any inflammation while you recover.
• Reducing the inflammation usually will alleviate your pain, but if not, use white willow bark in place of aspirin.
• A combination of yarrow (which reduces inner heat associated with injury), mullein, plantain, and rehmannia all have healing properties and support the structural system. If comfrey is not available, a mixture of any of the previously listed herbs will still support your recovery.