Herbal Tea Recipes

[Marianne]

I did a search and didn't find a comprehensive thread with herbal tea information, so I'm starting one. There was some excellent information posted on other threads, and I'm giving the links here so you can go take a look.

Ruby L's excellent thread on wellness:
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...s-for-Wellness

Rosie's thread on plants for a future, with posts on dandelion and hyssop:
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l+tea#post3309

I'll be back with a post on some herbal tea formulas. Oh, and I'm taking requests -- in fact, encouraging requests!

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FYI, I give amounts in 'parts' which means you can use any amount you want to represent a 'part' -- just keep the ratio the same.

You can make enough for one cup, or enough to store. Keep it away from light and heat and excess moisture.
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My Favorite Herbal Tea
3 parts oatstraw (Avena sativa)
2 parts chamomile (German Chamomile=Matricaria recutita or Roman chamomile=Chamaemelum nobile)
1 part spearmint (Mentha spicata)

This tea tastes really good, even to folks who've never had herbal tea.
Oatstraw helps restore nerves by rebuilding the myelin sheath. It has calcium and magnesium and Vitamin B complex.
Chamomile is relaxing, anti-spasmodic (which helps upset stomach) and anti-inflammative.
Spearmint helps digestion, is cooling, and adds a nice flavor.

How To Make Herbal Tea
Herbs work best when used over a period of weeks, giving them time to support the body’s systems. Herbs are excellent as preventives. For acute conditions such as a full-blown cold or infection, tinctures often work best with tea taken as a support.

To make tea, put fresh cold water in a kettle and set it on to boil. While you wait, take a moment to look at the tea. Notice the colors, shapes and textures of the herbs. Let them nourish your eyes and vision…dark green and crinkly nettles or pale green oatstraw stems, yellow chamomile buds, chocolate-brown chunky cinnamon, beautiful pink rose petals and deep red rosehips.

Become aware of the volatile oils that fragrance the air around the herbs…mellow apple-y chamomile, sharp peppermint, spicy basil, fragrant cinnamon and the green camphor of rosemary.

Notice the different textures and colors – crunchy green lemon balm, strings of lemon verbena, deep green and purple specks of sweet violet, and fluffy bits of oatstraw.

As you spoon out the herbs, feel a connection to these herbs and picture them growing in the summer sun, anchored in the nurturing soil of the earth.

The water’s boiling…finish spooning herbs into your tea ball or teapot, using 1 teaspoon per cup plus one teaspoon for the pot if you’re making a full pot. Pour boiling water into cup or pot, and let steep three minutes. Remove the tea ball or strain the loose herbs as you pour it into the cup. Add honey if you wish.

[shamanseeker]

Thank you so much Junebug for your favourite herbal tea recipe! I have had problems with my nervous system and really appreciate the info about oatstraw; which I had never heard of before :-)

[Marianne]

Posted by shamanseeker (here)
Thank you so much Junebug for your favourite herbal tea recipe! I have had problems with my nervous system and really appreciate the info about oatstraw; which I had never heard of before :-)

You're so very welcome, Shamanseeker! I'm very happy you found something to help you.

[Lucc30]

My favorite foraged herbs for tea: Common fireweed (British eng: Rosebay Willowherb; picture: http://www.dontveter.com/howtogrow/fireweed2000.jpg) leaves (upset stomach relief and 'blood cleansing'/immune boosting properties) and linden blossoms (lime tree blossoms); calming, nerve tonic, mildly sleep inducing and very nice aroma and Polypodium vulgare (picture; http://www.rolv.no/images/medisinpla...olypo_vul3.jpg) root, a kind of fern (don't know the english name for it) with a licorice-ish taste with liver strengthening properties.


"And it's tasty too!"

EDIT: The English name of the fern; Polypody and also apparently used against bodily wind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypodium_vulgare

[Marianne]

Lucc30, thanks for the info on these herbs -- the only one I've used is linden blossom, in a sleep tea, as you say for its calming properties. I'll see if I can find the English and/or common names for fireweed and Polypodium. I recall studying fireweed, but have not used it yet.

I love foraging too. Hunting grounds in New Hampshire were better for me ... I don't always find my favorites here in the south. My teacher used to say the herbs you need will find you (often popping up outside your door). That was forever happening to me in NH, but not so much here. I think I simply forgot to connect and ask.

This is a healing thread for me, as well as others, I hope.

[Ruby L.]

What a great and useful thread!
Thanks, Junebug, and Lucc30, for your recipes-- I look forward to trying them out.

In your post above, Junebug, about making a connection to find the herbs you need, when you need it, reminds me of a tip an herbalist shared with me for when planting your personal, medicine garden.

Before planting the seeds, place them on your tongue (and close your mouth! lol), and make an energetic connection as your saliva coats the seeds. The idea is that both thoughts and the enzymes in your saliva impresses the seeds with your energetic and physical imprint; the plant then grows with its' healing vibrations linked directly to yours.

It's the power of intention, and the idea moved me when I first heard it. (Even now, as I recount it.) So much love energy all around us!

Here's a recipe I fall back on when feeling under the weather and the immune system could do with a boost. It's in the other thread but is just as at home here:

Antibiotic Tea

Ingredients:

• One/two cloves of garlic-- bruised, to let the oils out
  
• A thumb's length of fresh ginger, also bruised
• Juice of one fresh lemon
• 1 tbsp of good quality honey. (Manuka, for example)
• A pinch of powdered cayenne pepper
• Optional: A sprig of fresh thyme (Good for respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis)

- In a pre-heated mug, put in the garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper (and thyme).
- Add hot water, cover and let it infuse for five-seven minutes
- Stir in the honey
- Add the lemon juice, always last as that helps to retain the vitamin C property better

Drink 2- 3 times a day (It's not as bad as it may sound and helps!)


Garlic: A powerful antioxidant, blood purifier, and has potent antibacterial, antiviral properties, too. (Also, good for the heart.)
Ginger: Warms up the body when chilled; lowers fevers, too.
Cayenne pepper: Gives strength to the body; increase pain tolerance and helps sweat fever out.
Honey: Soothing, strengthening, and will make the tea go down easier!
Lemon juice: vitamin C

To your good health!

[Marianne]

Hey Ruby,

Thanks very much for posting, and for the Antibiotic Tea recipe. It has so much good stuff for immunity. And look, you've given the properties of each plant... just reading that list boosts my immunity!

Wonderful idea of imprinting personal energy into the seeds... creative for sure. I'm going to do that next time I plant herb seeds.

[Lucc30]

Thank you Junebug and commends for starting a 'break tread' - much needed when absorbing the 'heavy' stuff in other treads.

[Marianne]

Two wonderful tonic herbs combine in a drink that will bring cheer to your heart, your mind and your body.

Merry Meet Tea

4 parts lemon balm
3 parts hawthorn leaf
2 parts hawthorn blossoms
1 part hawthorn berries, crushed

Lemon balm is known as 'the herb of happiness' because of its soothing, uplifting properties on the nervous system.
Hawthorn is a heart tonic and a cheerful herb.
In ancient Beltane (May Day) rites, hawthorn wreaths crowned the heads of the May Queen and King, symbolizing the marriage of goddess and god.

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!

[Niobe]

What a nice thread! I think I must try the Merry Meet tea- it sounds wonderful and my heart could use the extra support. I have tons of lemon balm growing outside my door. I believe that what you need will be growing near you as well.

For a nice afternoon break, I make one of my favorite green teas, and throw in some oatstraw. Most helpful lately since work has been so busy. If it's really one-of-those -days I might add in a bit of skullcap as well. I usually just follow my instincts and mix up whatever seems right at the time.

Niobe

[Marianne]

Posted by Niobe (here)

my heart could use the extra support.
Niobe

Hi Niobe -- love your crop circle avatar. Thanks for your comments about following your instincts in making tea. I love to work that way too. It's empowering to work from the heart like that.

I wanted to mention that Motherwort is a good heart herb too -- might add some of it into the Merry Meet. You'll know how much ... but if anyone else is reading and wonders ... I would add 2 parts.
If you like a lemony flavor, you can add some lemon verbena (the most flavorful lemon herb) and/or organic lemon peel. Mint would work nicely as well.

Junebug

[Marianne]

Sleep Tea Recipes

When you need to relax and sleep, but are wired or worried or just 'still awake', consider an herbal tea. These teas have a window of about 20 minutes, during which they will relax you, making you drowsy so you can drop off to sleep.

If you make it a little ritual, your body/mind will get used to it and you will have more predictable results. Get everything ready before you do the tea. Have your bath/shower, into PJs, everything in the house taken care of so you can devote yourself to sleep. Put pen and paper near your tea-sipping place ... you'll see why in a minute ...

Begin to unwind as you putter in the kitchen making your tea. Pour a cup and sit down to sip it. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly as you release the day's 'stuff.' Feel it leave you. See it float away. If it has annoyed you today, see it as a balloon that you POP with enthusiasm.

If you still have something on your mind, jot it down and release it to the paper and ink. Make a list if you need to, so your mind is cleared.

Sip your tea and paddle off to bed. Sweet dreams, my friends.

Sleep Tea #1
3 parts chamomile (German Chamomile=Matricaria recutita or Roman chamomile=Chamaemelum nobile)
2 parts lemon balm (Melissa officianalis)
1 part linden flower (lime bloom) (Tilia americana)

Chamomile buds are mildly sedative, a relaxing nervine.
Lemon balm is a good nervine tonic.
Linden flower can reduce anxiety, ease cramps, and studies show it triggers the same benzodiazeprine receptors in the brain that Valium does. Be aware that the synthetic pharmaceuticals can cause vivid dreams and even nightmares. It is possible the same thing might happen with the natural compounds, especially if you are sensitive to it. If you want to study your dreams, begin to keep a dream journal near your bed. But discontinue linden flower if you become tired or stressed by vivid dreams.
If you have heart problems or issues, limit your intake to 1 cup of linden tea a day. Some believe too much linden can weaken the heart. Too much of anything is not a good idea, and remember linden flowers have been used safely for generations.

Sleep Tea #2
2 parts American passionflower (passiflora incarnata) ('Maypop')
2 parts oatstraw (Avena sativa)
2 parts lemon balm (Melissa officianalis)

American passionflower is sleep inducing and mildly hypnotic, and is a mild pain reliever.
Oatstraw is a nervine tonic that helps you relax.
Lemon balm is a good nervine tonic.

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You can also buy a packaged sleep tea, in health food stores and larger grocery stores.

[Ruby L.]

Thanks so much for the Sleep Tea recipes, Junebug, and also for all the good advice on how to prepare oneself before drinking it.

I've been having such a hard time falling asleep lately and, reading your post above, it feels like you've taken my hand and... well, I just had a big and lovely yawn! Thanks, lady. I'm printing your post and sticking it up on my fridge.

Hello, sleep! Are you ready for me?

[Guest]

Hi,

Would like to add that Fenugreek seed is good for wind in the body and also relaxing. Boil water and let the Fenugreek steep for about five minutes. Is good with a bit of maple syrup, unrefined honey or a bit of pine sugar.

Nora

we are all related

[Marianne]

Hi Nora, thanks for that. Fenugreek is so tasty, I often add it to a tea blend just for the flavor. It's a good addition to digestive teas. The fact that it's relaxing (didn't remember that) would make it a good evening tea.

Also, if you take fenugreek powder by mouth (I put it in a gel cap), it makes your skin smell delicious! Like maple syrup and honey.

Love,
Junebug

[DeBron]

I bring a pot of water to boil with dried Hibiscus Flowers. Turns the water a deep purple.

Strain and serve as any tea.

Tastes good without adding anything else

There are studies that show that drinking this lowers blood pressure and I have given it to several people who have high blood pressure and they have seen results.

Personally my wife was taking 3 different pills a day to manage everything associated with her blood pressure. After taking this tea for a couple of weeks she stopped taking everything except the pill that stops her from retaining water.

Shortly after that we wnet to the doctor who asked what had changed, and she was very incouraging, telling us to continue using that natural remedy.

She no longer takes any of those pills.


It has also been called the Jamaica Flower(Hibiscus)

[mahalall]

Thanks junebug,

did you have any "jump out of bed-hit the world running" tea recipes? (without caffeine)

[Marianne]

Posted by DeBron (here)
I bring a pot of water to boil with dried Hibiscus Flowers. Turns the water a deep purple.
Strain and serve as any tea.
Tastes good without adding anything else
There are studies that show that drinking this lowers blood pressure and I have given it to several people who have high blood pressure and they have seen results.
Personally my wife was taking 3 different pills a day to manage everything associated with her blood pressure. After taking this tea for a couple of weeks she stopped taking everything except the pill that stops her from retaining water.
Shortly after that we wnet to the doctor who asked what had changed, and she was very incouraging, telling us to continue using that natural remedy.
She no longer takes any of those pills.
It has also been called the Jamaica Flower(Hibiscus)

DeBron, that's so awesome. I like hibiscus too, it's in several of my blends, but I did not know that about blood pressure. Herbs are so complex that their many uses are not always known. The more people can be educated about them, the better. They are the earth's gift to us.

I've used it for its wonderful taste, beautiful color, and vitamin C. Now you've got me on a quest to find out more about it. Thanks so much!

(I will wholeheartedly reciprocate, BTW - thanks for your signature, I love that)

Posted by mahalall (here)
Thanks junebug,
did you have any "jump out of bed-hit the world running" tea recipes? (without caffeine)

Mahalall, I used to make one -- let me find it for you. But it does not have the kick caffeine does. Just more zing than other herbal blends. Mine has rosemary (which can be contraindicated for HBP but should be ok for 1 cup a day) and I can't remember what else. I'll post it up next.

Thanks for asking!

[Marianne]

Mahalall, sorry to take so long getting the 'jump up' herbal tea recipe posted. I found the list of ingredients but dangit, not the proportions. I will recreate it as soon as I can, this week with any luck. Will PM you when it's posted. Thanks for the request!

[Marianne]

Exactly one year to the day late, here is a Wake Up tea recipe for Mahalall and the rest of us who want an energizing morning drink without caffeine.

Morning Energy Tea
2 parts oatstraw
2 parts peppermint leaf
1 part eleuthero (Siberian ginseng)
1/2 part organic orange peel or lemon peel
1/2 part rhodiola

Oatstraw is a nerve tonic.
Peppermint stimulates the senses.
Eleuthero helps the body cope with stress during mental and physical exertion (like getting out of bed in the morning)
Rhodiola is believed to increase sports performance by utilizing fatty acids in body tissue.
Citrus peels sharpen the mind while reducing stress, bringing a calm alertness.

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An aside from herb tea, certain scents (essential oils) can also increase energy, accuracy, and reduce sleepiness. Be aware there are safety precautions and guidelines for using essential oils. Please read up on these before using them.

This is from http://www.scentshots.com/science.html:

EnergyScent
Scent may also be used to help people increase levels of energy and alertness. Studies have been conducted which indicate that the use of certain scents can potentially boost energy. Studies have shown that scents can enhance athletic performance, and allow athletes to run faster, increase hand grip strength, and perform more pushups.

Another study indicates that the use of specific scents can increase the speed and accuracy of tasks. It is thought that this is due to a general arousal of attention.

Other studies indicate that scents may be able to decrease sleepiness. One study found that when people were kept in a darkened room, those who were exposed to a specific scent became less drowsy than those not exposed to the scent. A study in rats found that animals exposed to a certain scent had shorter sleep cycles than those that did not smell the scent.

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And here's some information on how scents contribute to easier learning and memory recall, from: Essential Science Publishing, Essential Oils Desk Reference.

Frankincense. This oil stimulates the limbic system of the brain as well as the hypothalamus, pineal and pituitary glands. It has also been used to relieve depression.

Rosemary. This helps clarify the mind and emotions.

Peppermint. This is used to awaken the mind and heighten the senses. It is one of the best oils to boost energy, creativity and learning skills.

Vetiver. This oil provides a grounding, stress-relieving and calming action for the mind. It is also used to relieve depression and helps children with ADD and ADHD to focus and learn.

To use these oils, inhale a drop or two from cupped hands or use a diffuser to spread the fragrance through your room or house.

If used topically, put a drop of diluted oil on the back of the neck at the base of the skull. This is the most effective place to apply oils for clear thinking and learning.