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Herbal Pillows, Heat Packs, Cold Packs
by Traute Klein, AKA biogardener
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 Herbal packs can be made from homegrown surplus herbs. They are useful for relaxation, for inflammation, and for congestion. They can be used as pillows, heat packs, cold packs, and as pouches on the chest.
Herbs Used Fresh
There is nothing quite as beneficial as having fresh herbs at your fingertips. Growing fresh herbs for distribution to supermarkets has become sparked new business across North America. Unfortunately, by the time that herbs are picked, packaged and distributed, they are no longer fresh and may not be much more beneficial than the dried ones. I prefer to grow the herbs which will grow here in my own garden. I get far more profit per square foot growing herbs than I would growing vegetables. All summer long, we enjoy the herbs fresh in salads, teas, and as snacks. In the wintertime, I will buy certain staple herbs fresh in the grocery store, e.g. onions, garlic, and ginger. The rest of the herbs I use in dried form in the winter.
Home-grown Herbs for Various Uses
Herbs are best harvested throughout the summer. The best time to pick them is early in the morning, just after the dew has dried, but before the heat of the day has dissipated the volatile oils. Pick them regularly, taking off the tops. Do not let green herbs go to flower. Once a plant starts to concentrate on flowering and seed production, the leaves get smaller and lose their aroma.
What can we do with the surplus herbs which are harvested throughout the summer? We all know about saving them for herb teas and cooking. We may even know about making herb vinegars and oils. Here are a few other suggestions of how you can make use of herbs which will produce very expensive items with very little investment.
Herbal Pillows for Relaxation and Congestion
I grow a lot of catnip, because it is one of the mints which do well in harsh climate. It also selfseeds and after a few years, I have enough catnip to keep all the cats of the neighborhood happy. In the autumn, I have a lot of catnip plants which need to be cut off, and I know just what to do with them. After hanging the plants up to dry, I put them into an old pillow slip which I then place at the bottom of a box. That box is guaranteed to be the cat's favorite sleeping place. If you don't have a cat, you can use the catnip pillow for yourself to sleep soundly. You can read more about it in the Catnip article linked below.
Other relaxing herbs can be used in herbal pillows. Lavender is one of the favorites, because of its lovely smell. Hops or chamomile could also be used. It depends on what you are able to grow in the region in which you live.
I like using herbal pillows for congestion, and for those I use mainly mints.
Herbal Packs
Herbal packs are useful for every conceivable use. I have seen them selling commercially for back pain ($35), for neck pain ($35), for eye strain ($18), and any of these were advertised for relaxation. I have seen all shapes and sizes of herbal packs. All of them are filled with some kind of filler to which a smaller amount herbs is added. The filler can be a raw grain like wheat or rice, or the husks of grains, like buckwheat husks. The seeds of cattails are really great, but I have not seen them used commercially. Most of the commercial packs contain lavender, but other herbs are just as useful. Again, I suggest that you use whatever you have in abundance in your garden.
Heat Pack or Cold Pack
Most of these herbal packs can be used as heat packs for relaxation or as cold packs for inflammation. As heat pack, place in the microwave oven for as short a time as possible, less than a minute, depending on the size of the pack. The herbs also will lose their effectiveness faster from the heating. Even without heating, herbs lose effectiveness, especially the mints. If the smell is dissipated and you don't want to make a new pack, you can dab on essential oils which are sold in the aromatherapy department of specialty stores.
The same pack which is used hot can be used cold after being placed in a freezer.
Possible Content of the Packs
Base content:
- Rice and lavender is the most widely used commercially
- Buckwheat husks
- Linseed (=flax seed) for cold packs only, because oil gets rancid when heated
- Popping corn
- Other grains
- Peas or beans
- Cherry pits
Herbal Content
- Lavender for relaxation
- Catnip to help you sleep
- Peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus for congestion
- Garlic for severe congestion, best to be used at room temperature
Pouch for Congestion
Right after World War II, a whooping cough epidemic swept across Germany. When my younger siblings caught it, we found a little booklet which told of a herbal concoction to be placed in a pouch, worn on the chest. It eliminated all breathing problems and allowed the children to recover from this dreaded disease in record time. I wish I knew the recipe. Every spring, when the streets of Winnipeg are being cleared of the polluted winter sand, I suffer the most agonizing breathing problems. I have found out by trial and error as well as by fluke which herbs help open up the breathing organs. I place them in a sock which I hang around my neck. The main ingredients are raw garlic and wormwood. I replenish these herbs frequently to keep them at peak performance. That pack is a lifesaver for me.
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