Yarrow, bulk dried herb

Achillea millefolium

Parts used: flower

per half oz

Yarrow is the plant you want in your first aid kid. It has pain-relieving, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which come in handy when treating fever or treating acute infections. It's also a great herb for the renal and cardiovascular systems, having an affinity for the veins in particular. Its diuretic action helps the kidneys push waste collected in the blood out of the body, thus giving yarrow a mildly hypotensive action. It also has a modulating affect on the blood; it boosts circulation to send blood to areas of body that need (especially periphery), while also slowing the flow to areas of the body receiving too much blood, making it great for clotting issues and injuries with excessive bleeding.

Note: Yarrow has several other functions that will be added to this materia medica so stay tuned!

Actions: anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic styptic, diuretic, hyptotensive, stimulating, tonic, broad-spectrum antimicrobial, digestive, diaphoretic, astringent, antiseptic, aromatic, hemostatic, vulnerary

Energetics: heating & cooling, drying

Constitution: Hot, damp, Cold

Flavor: bitter

Organ & Tissue Affinity: blood, cardiovascular (veins), kidney

GWG Favorite Preparations: tincture, poultice, tisane (short-steep)

Contraindications: may affect those with Asteraceae allergies

Herb-Drug Interactions: consult healthcare practitioner if you’re on sedatives or hypotensive medication or those that reduce stomach acid