How Wildcrafting and Infusing Arnica Makes It More Potent

I was first exposed to Arnica while working on an organic farm in California. It grew on the north facing steep slopes of certain mountain ranges near by. It fast became one of my favorite herbs because of its vibrant yellow flower. Yellow is my favorite color! As well, it grows in the mountains, where I love to hike and explore. So I felt that Arnica and I, well, we liked each other. Really, what makes me love this plant the most is that it's so healing in times of pain, whether physical pain or emotional trauma. It's an important herb to have in your first aid kit!

We used to harvest all our Arnica by hand in the mountains of Idaho. I was drawn to its beauty. It felt wondrous to come across a field of Arnica, it’s bright yellow flowers beaming everywhere. We would bring pillow cases with us in our backpacks, and before harvesting we always assess the area, asking, “How abundant was the herb?” “Was there enough for us to take some without anyone ever knowing we had been there?” If we answered yes to these questions, we would proceed. And we always left offerings and gave thanks for the herbs for all its healing properties. Only then would we harvest.

Why Green Goo’s Pain Relief?

Green Goo's Pain Relief is unique in that we infuse the herb into oil for an extended period of time on a low heat. This process creates a very potent salve, slowly pulling all the medicinal constituents from the plant into the oil. Arnica is effective and healing to any kind of bruises, pulled muscles or ligaments, and arthritic joints and it reduces pain. The combination of sourcing ingredients that have been harvested at their peak and our process is what makes it so effective. We've had many people tell us that our Pain Relief formula works better than any tincture, pill, or homeopathic remedy they've tried.

History of Arnica - Parts used

Typically herbalists use a plant’s “Aerial parts," those that are completely exposed in air.” And plants, such as arnica, are most potent when their flowers are in full bloom. Always remember to leave the roots so the arnica plant will come back every year! Many different species of arnica exist. Arnica Montana, a European species, is the most tested of all species. The mountains of the United States have many different varieties of arnica at higher elevations; few tests have been done with these varieties, but many people believe these are effective. Arnica’s history extends back to the middle ages in Europe. Native Americans called it 'Mountain Tobacco' and used it medically.

Efficacy

There's a big difference in the efficacy of arnica depending on where and how it's grown. The more stressed out plants usually are, the more potent they are. This happens with wine as well. Certain varieties of grapes you want to grow on steep hillside and give just barely enough water in order to get that nice potent rich deep flavor. In the same way, if you grow arnica in your garden it’s not going to be as potent as the wild arnica grown on hillsides.

We ensure the highest potency in our arnica in three different ways:

1. By buying high quality organic herbs;
2. By wild harvesting the herb sustainability in its natural habitat and not taking the root so it grows back every year;
3. And by honoring our process of a long infusion on low heat to extract the most amount of the medical properties of the herb for high potency.

Grab some Pain Relief today and feel the difference for yourself!

By Jen Scott, Green Goo's Master Herbalist

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