Dandelion Massage Oil

Master works a physically demanding job and has for most of his life which means he has a touch of arthritis and gets sore from time to time. One of my duties is to massage away that soreness as much as possible. I think we've tried every massage oil and muscle cream on the market with varying degrees of success. Some of those oils can be mighty expensive too. Last year I read that dandelion infused oil was especially helpful for folks suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and figured that since Master wasn't that bad off, perhaps it could help him too.

Master likes the oil says it has pleasant sensation and an aroma he finds pleasing. I find that I enjoy it on my fingers and wrists too when I'm doing the massaging. Besides the obvious massage benefits it couldn't be easier to make and is incredibly cheap.

To make your own dandelion infused oil you'll need:

• A Quart Glass jar (wide mouth is easier but not necessary)
• Vegetable Oil (plain veggie works well, but you could use almond or olive oil)
• Dandelions
• Muslin or Cheesecloth
• Rubber band

Wash your jar thoroughly and let it dry. Once dry fill the jar half full with just the yellow flowers of the dandelions. Just cover the dandelions with the oil and push the flowers down into the oil using a chopstick or a wooden spoon. Cover the jar with the muslin and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a sunny window and leave it for about a month.

At the end of the month the flowers will be brown, but that's ok. Strain the oil and toss out the dandelions. Pour the strained oil into a nice bottle and voila your own homemade therapeutic massage oil.

I think this would make a great gift too for folks who have problems with arthritis or other joint problems.