Like most medicinal plants with centuries’ worth of use, there are a lot of ways you can use this, from DIY tinctures to bath brews and more:
Tagetes Minuta/Marigold Essential Oil is extracted from the southern marigold (Tagetes Minuta), a tall flowering plant that was originally native to South America. The southern marigold is now naturalized all over the world, and our Tagetes Essential Oil is derived from plants grown in South Africa. Southern marigold is used as an herb and a flavoring in cuisines in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Bolivia. Both the plant and the essential oil derived from it are commonly used to soothe small wounds, colds, or upset stomachs. The flowers have traditionally been decocted and used also for whooping cough, colic, mumps, sore eyes, colds, and mastitis. Often used for flavoring tobacco. It is also used in chicken feed, to give the egg yolks a brighter yellow hue and enhance the color of the chicken skin.
Marigold essential oil is extracted with steam distillation method of the flowers of Marigold plant. The flowers are bright orange in color which belongs to the sunflower family. The stems, leaves, and blossoms of this plant are used for their medicinal properties in various cultures. It is used to treat various ailments. The tea made with leaves is an effective treatment for indigestion, parasites, and microbes. The flower petals possess anti-inflammatory properties. It is a tonic that aids weeping wounds treating boils, athlete’s foot, calluses, and skin infections. It is also commonly known as Calendula, Little calendar, Aztec marigold, African marigold, and Mexican Marigold.
History
Marigold is inherent to South and Central America (especially Mexico). Then it was spread in the 16th century to various parts of the world. In the 16th century, it got introduced to Spain and was widely known in Southern Europe.
Health Benefits of Marigold essential oil
Marigold scientifically known as Tagetes Minuta belongs to the Compositae family. Marigold essential oil possesses a sweet, strong, fruity, and citrus-like aroma and is widely used to treat foot problems and infections.
Antiparasitic effect
Marigold essential oil helps to eliminate fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, and lice from the human body. It also neutralizes the effects of stings and bites. Marigold oil acts as an anti-parasitic that is useful in removing fleas, lice, bed bugs, from the human body. This medicine is also good for restoring pain due to insect stings or bites.
Prevent microbe growth
Marigold essential oil prevents microbe growth in the body and its infections as well. It also cures dermatitis, skin ailments, malaria, typhus, tetanus, septic, cholera, athlete’s foot, food poisoning which are caused by protozoa, fungi, and bacteria. This benefit is very useful in combating diseases such as dermatitis, malaria, typhus, skin ailments, septic, curing tetanus, cholera, athlete’s foot, curing food poisoning due to protozoa, bacteria, and fungi.
Prevent infectious agent
It prevents the infection caused by Staphylococcus Aureus that could be fatal and dangerous that could lead to the symptoms such as extreme spasms, convulsions, swelling with redness, muscular contractions, insanity, and immobility of limbs. The benefits of marigold oil also prevent infection. The intended infection is an infection due to Staphylococcus aureus. This is a dangerous infection that can even be fatal to the body. Among the symptoms that arise due to this infection are extreme spasms, swelling with redness, convulsions, muscular contractions, immobility of limbs, and can cause insanity.
Disinfectant properties
Functioning as a disinfectant, marigolds contain anti-parasitic, anti-microbial, and anti-biotic properties. For those who have an infection, you can use marigold oil as a solution. This oil can also prevent airborne diseases such as mumps, pox, measles, and the common cold.
Useful to restore inflammation
The calming properties in marigolds are beneficial for curing inflammation. In addition, it also cures nerve irritation, neurotic, digestive, excretory systems, convulsions, afflictions, depression, panic, stress, anger, and hyper reactions.
If you experience any of the health problems as above, then consult with a specialist to use marigold oil. Always follow the best advice from the doctor.
Use of marigold as Antibiotic property
Marigold essential oil is also rich in antibiotics. This content can prevent the development of fungi, protozoa, and bacteria. So, marigold oil which is rich in antibiotics is very helpful in healing ulcers, sores, gangrene, and rot wounds. The efficacy of this oil can also prevent the appearance of maggots in wounds.
Relaxant properties
This oil contains relaxing properties that are useful for relieving seizures. In addition to curing seizures, the content of relaxants is also useful for relieving coughs, diarrhea, and cramps.
Antibiotic property
The antibiotic property in Marigold essential oil prevents the growth of fungi, bacteria, and protozoa. It is helpful for ulcers, open sores, rotten wounds, and gangrene. It also prevents maggots growth in wounds.
Disinfectant properties
Marigold essential oil possesses anti-parasitic, antimicrobial, and antibiotic properties. The external use of this essential oil cures infection of the body. It prevents airborne diseases such as mumps, common cold, pox, measles, etc.
Lower inflammation
It has the sedative property that helps to lower inflammation, irritation in nervous, digestive, neurotic, excretory systems, afflictions, convulsions, depression, stress, panic, anger, and hyper reactions.
Calendula as Sunscreen
The efficacy of calendula as sunscreen was tested in vitro (meaning in a petri dish or test tube). The idea behind this study is that the properties of calendula as a cell rejuvenator may also hold true as a sunscreen. More research needs to be done in this area. Therefore, it’s prudent to use an approved sunscreen for UV protection.
Radiation Dermatitis
There is mixed research as to whether or not applying calendula on the skin can reduce radiation dermatitis (skin irritation) post radiation therapy. It may not be better than petroleum jelly (vaseline), but more research needs to be conducted.
Wounds and Pressure Ulcers
Animals studies have shown a relationship between calendula use and improvement of wounds. What about humans? A recent study published in The Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care examined the effectiveness of calendula ointment on cesarean scars in 72 women.
Researchers found that as compared to standard hospital treatment, those women treated with calendula ointment had a quicker healing time. They reported their incisions to be less red and swollen.
In a 2016 study published in The Journal of Wound Care, researchers used Calendula officinalis extract on people with venous leg ulcers. Their findings indicated that those treated with calendula had a 7.4 percent “healing velocity per week” as opposed to only 1.7 percent in the control group. In addition, researchers reported, “No adverse events were observed during the Calendula officinalis extract treatment.”
Traditional uses
- It helps to treat scars, eczema, rashes, cracked skin, viral infections, and inflammation.
- It promotes respiratory health by facilitating decongestion in case of flu and cold.
- Topically, it is used in baths, diffusers, or directly inhaled.
- Combined a few drops of Tagetes oil to treat corms, bunions and soften calluses.
- The symptoms of flu and cold could be soothed by adding a drop of Tagetes oil to the bathwater.
- Add several drops of Tagetes oil, it provides relief from coughing spasms and also dilates bronchial passages.
- It is used for whooping cough, colic, mumps, and colds.
- It also cures skin ailments.
- Essential oils that can treat scars, chapped skin, rashes, viral infections, and inflammation, including treating eczema.
- Good for breathing, because it gives decongestion if there is a cold or cold.
- Topical use is in the bathtub, or by direct inhalation.
- Mix with a few drops of Tagetes oil, this will provide benefits to corms, soften calluses and bunions.
- Adding a few drops of tagetes oil can soothe cold and flu symptoms.
- Adding tagetes essential oil also adds benefits such as curing coughing spasms and can dilate bronchial tubes.
- Marigold essential oil is also useful for treating whooping cough, mumps, colds, treating colic, and can cure skin diseases.
5 ways to use it in your routine.
- Serums and creams. The most obvious, of course, is to find it in skincare products. It is most commonly found in serums, oils, and creams. Simply look for Calendula officinalis on the label—or several products market it as the active ingredient, which makes your label reading much easier. We are particularly fond of Naturopathica’s Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream.
- Haircare. Because it may help ease dandruff, you can actually find it in several shampoos—including baby-safe ones—to help ease inflammation of the scalp and manage the fungal overgrowth.
- Essential oil tincture. You can make your own EO tincture by adding a few drops of calendula essential oil to a carrier oil like jojoba or argan. Never put an essential oil. directly on the skin.
- Take a bath. If you have the whole plant, you can simply add the flower heads and petals to a warm bath—not only is it beautiful, but the brew will offer some of the skin-soothing qualities as well.
- DIY mask. Enjoy a cup of calendula tea? Great—you can use the herbs inside the bag for an at-home soothing mask. Steep 2 bags of calendula tea for 8 minutes. Remove tea bags from the water, let them cool to the touch, and squeeze out excess. Open tea bags into ½ cup plain yogurt and ¼ cup rolled oats. Mix well and apply to a clean face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Wipe off with a cloth, and rinse well.
Dosage and Preparation
It is hard to come up with a generic dosage of calendula considering it is not approved by the FDA. Depending on the form, and what you are using it for, the dose of calendula will be different. Before starting any new supplement be sure to ask your physician or healthcare provider.
If you decide to grow your own calendula plant, you can get the benefits of the plant by drying the petals. Dried petals (which you can make if you pick a flower and put it on a paper towel away from the sun) can be used to steep tea and make oils. If you are making calendula tea you can also use fresh flowers as garnish. To prepare the tea, you’ll need to:
- bring water to a boil
- add dried flowers (most people use two teaspoons) to a tea infuser or teapot
- pour hot water over the leaves and allow it to steep for 10 minutes
- strain and add any type of flavoring you’d like such as cinnamon, vanilla, honey, (etc.)
Precautions
- Pregnant women should avoid it.
- Use with a consultancy of a health practitioner.
- Perform a patch test for use.
Other Facts
- It is used for manufacturing perfumes.
- It blends well with marjoram, calendula, lavender, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, frankincense, myrrh, thyme, and geranium.
- It is used to treat skin infections, weeping wounds, calluses, boils, and athletes’ feet.
- It is also used in salves, lotions, personal care products, and natural cosmetics.
Other Questions
Can I eat the petals?
Yes, the petals of the calendula flower are edible. Some people like to use them as garnish. The flavor profile is thought to be mildly sweet and peppery.
Is calendula used in beauty products?
Yes, the petals have been used as coloring agents and the oil has been used in perfumes.
Can I use it as a dye for coloring fabric?
Yes, it has been used as a natural yellow dye for coloring wool and other clothes.
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