chaparral (or any herb for that matter) should not be used continuously for any length of time anyway. use it as a small proportion of the formula....now and then go off it for a couple-few weeks (applies to any herb you take daily). for arthritis issues its hard to beat turmeric, a near panacea for arthritis and joint pain and inflammation in general. sounds like you have an herb store nearby...mix turmeric with either oregon grape or barberry root in equal parts by weight, powder together till very fine in a coffee grinder or something similar and make into a thick paste with honey. stir some of the paste into hot milk (avoid dairy milk if you have arthritis, almond or rice milk works fine) and drink a hot cup or two morning and night. this is an ancient ayurvedic remedy called golden milk, it has been used by yogis for millenia to increase flexibility of joints, ligaments and tendons to enable them to go deeper into yogic postures. start with 1 teaspoon 2x day and adjust dosage upward as needed to get relief....you should notice a difference within a week. a tablespoon or more 2x a day is not too much, can't overdose on this. again, remember to take a break from it now and then. be well!

Summer Flowers Facial Wash In a mixing bowl, mix 1/4 cup each of these dried flowers: elderflowers, white clover blossoms, red rose petals, calendula petals, and chamomile flowers with 1/4 cup dry uncooked oatmeal. Store in a tightly lidded jar. Put a tablespoon of the mix into a reusable teabag and place in a pretty bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and 2 cups boiling water. Let steep and remove herb bag. Soak a soft cloth in the warm wash, and apply to face to tone and tighten pores. Elderflower Face and Hand Lotion Put 8 ounces milk or buttermilk into a small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup honey and a handful of fresh elderflowers on their stems. Stir to incorporate the honey, and warm on lowest heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steep covered for 3 hours. Strain out elderflowers and pour into a pretty lidded jar. Use on face and hands, to soften and clean. Keep refrigerated. Herbal Healing Salve Into a saucepan over very low heat, melt 1/4 cup vegetable shortening. Cut up very small: several fresh plantain leaves, a handful of fresh chickweed and 1/4 cup fresh goldenrod leaves. Add herbs to the melted shortening. Stir to mix well, and allow to heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often to insure herbs will not burn. Remove from heat and strain thru cheesecloth or muslin into a small lidded jar. Cap tightly, cool completely and keep refrigerated. This makes a protective ointment to cover a cut, scrape or other skin irritation. Herbal Beauty Cream This makes a very rich thick cream which must be kept refrigerated. Make only a small amount each time, as it is best used within the week. In the microwave, boil a cup of water in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup rose petals and 1/4 cup elderflowers. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Leave until cool and then strain, reserving the tea liquid. In blender container put 1 egg (at room temperature) and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Cover and blend on high until thoroughly combined. With blender still running, take off cover and slowly add 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Then slowly add 3 tablespoons of the cooled rose petal tea. Then when thoroughly blended, very slowly add 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Blend until thick. Ladle into small covered jar and keep refrigerated. Use small amounts on face and hands. These recipes are from the book I am writing. I have tested them and hope they will turn out nicely for you. How about some more recipes we haven't tried yet? Thanks for trying these out, and I could use some feedback. Jeanine

Here's my 2 cents worth *LOL* : I have two sons who have both had the problems you are describing to a certain extent. Part of the problem was traced to simple skin sensitivity, but the main culprit was pet allergy and dairy allergy. You might try taking milk, cheese, yogurt, etc out of his diet for 2 weeks and see if the skin problems and constipation ease up. You can purchase soy milk or rice milk that is enriched with calcium, A & D if you need to. My kids have since outgrown their dairy allergy, but do still tend to be dry. I agree with other posters to make sure he is getting enough fats in his diet. Little kids need more fat than adults for proper brain development and all that good stuff :). Here is how we handle bathing: Daily: 15 minute bath in water only. Just wash hair at the very end. Pat dry and immediately slather up with "Vanicream" (a dye free, perfume free, lanolin free, alchohol free...etc etc lotion that is available from the pharmacy, but you don't have to get a prescription for...it is what works for us. A one pound tub is around $12 here in Indy)It helps to seal the moisture in his skin. Laundry: always use "Free & Clear" detergents. We *don't* use any fabric softener, although we do put some white vinegar in a downy ball which helps make sure all the soap gets rinsed out and does have a softening effect on the clothes. Clothing: My kids do best with cotton clothing. Haven't noticed a problem with a little polyester in a blend, but wool does make them itch more than usual. Another question that hasn't been asked is: do you have a cat or dog in the house? You could very well be dealing with a pet dander allergy. We used to have housecats, but we had to give them up for adoption because my older one's eczema got so bad it would crack and bleed and then get infected. It could be dust mite allergy too. Anyway, I hope things are getting better for your little guy. Cheers, Carrie

Thank you, everyone! I will definitley try making it with at least semi-dried leaves next time (which will be soon, as it seems to just keep growing up there!) I was following Susun Weed's instructions for making an infused oil in "Healing Wise", which was why I opted for using them fresh. I got out all the air bubbles I could see. And I did take the lids off. I am using canning jars, so I put 2 layers of cheesecloth on top, and then screwed it on with a ring. Yes, everything is submerged, and the oil is right up to the top of the jars. The jars are now sitting on a plate, and hopefully are ready to sit for 6 weeks! I have pretty bad eczema on my hands, and once in a while on my arms. I read a suggestion on the herbalism forum - equal parts of honey, olive oil, and bees wax. I am wondering about using an infused oil for that as well. What would be a recommended herb to use for that? There are so many that I've read are good for eczema - burdock, dandelion, nettle, comfrey, kelp, slippery elm, thyme, chickweed, golden seal, marigold, pansy, and others. Maybe red clover too (though I think was taken internally.) Does anyone have a good suggestion, or do I just need to try differnt ones, and see what works? (BTW, I can't use anything right now that is not safe in pregnancy.) I really appreciate everyone's help! Becki