The Healing Powers of Tea

What better way to enjoy your medicine than a soothing cup of hot tea? A warm mug of chamomile tea to relax before bed. Or maybe a refreshing glass of rosemary and peppermint iced tea to cool off after those hot summer days spent working in the garden.  No matter how you serve it, tea is a wonderful way to access the many benefits of herbs.

A little bit of history

Tea is an ancient art dating back thousands of years to its origin in China, where it was first documented for its medicinal purposes in 350 CE, but legend places it a few thousand years earlier. As more and more plants were discovered it became more popular, and people began to drink it for its delicious taste. Tea eventually made it to Japan, where it was embraced by Buddhist monks, and then spread to the rest of the world and became tea as we know it today.

When speaking of tea for medicinal purposes, there are two types, each with their own preparation:

1. Infusions - a tea made from leaves, flowers, buds, berries, and other soft plant parts
• Steeping - pour boiling water over your herbs and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes, strain and drink
• Use approximately 1 tablespoon of herbs for every cup of water
• The longer you steep your tea, the stronger it will be, both in flavor and in the amount of medicinal properties that are infused into the water
• I use a french press - it makes straining your tea very easy
• For iced teas, I actually allow them to steep overnight. Simply pour your hot water over your herbs, and as it comes down to room temperature, put it in the fridge. It will be ready and waiting for you in the morning.
2. Decoctions - a tea made from roots, bark, woody stems, nuts, seeds, and other hard plant parts
• Simmering - because these materials are much denser, steeping is not strong enough to extract the medicinal properties. Instead, place your water and your herbs, using the same ratio as above, in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes. As with steeping, the longer you simmer, the stronger your decoction will become.
• For overnight preparation, simply simmer your herbs for 20-30 minutes to begin drawing out the medicinal properties, then refrigerate

How much should I drink?

Because herbs are so gentle, and teas in particular are very light concentrations of herbs, you will need to drink tea consistently throughout the day for it to be effective medicinally.

For chronic (long-lasting) symptoms: 3-4 cups of herbal tea per day is a standard dose for an average adult.

For acute (sudden, more aggressive) symptoms: a smaller, more frequent dose is more beneficial. Drink 1/2 cup of tea every hour to total 4 cups per day. A more frequent dose allows it to build up in your system more readily.

For overall wellness: drink 1-3 cups daily (as desired). Many herbs are completely safe to ingest daily, and when incorporated into your diet provide many nourishing benefits depending on the herb.

• My favorite daily tea is nettle leaf, which has been shown to benefit many different body systems, to promote healthy skin and hair, to relieve allergy symptoms, to reduce PMS symptoms (in women, obviously), as well as many other wonderful benefits. 
• It is best to cycle through a variety of herbs (based on your own needs and preferences) to obtain a wide variety of benefits from herbs, much the same way that you would not want to eat the same foods every single day. This adds both excitement in mixing up your routine as well as a wider range of health benefits.
• Some wonderful herbs for your daily infusion include nettle, oat straw, red clover, alfalfa, and the mints, but there are countless others

Did you know?

Teas are not only for drinking. You can brew an extra strong infusion or decoction and use it topically (on your skin) by using the same methods as above, but use a handful or two depending on the herb.

• Compress - Soak a soft cotton cloth in your herbal mixture, hot or cold depending on the ailment, and then wrap the affected area with the soaked fabric for 30-45 minutes and reapply as needed. Try peppermint to relieve a headache, or chamomile for rashes or inflammation
• Herbal Bath - Add your extra strong infusion/decoction to a bath to rejuvenate your entire body with your herbs. Note: This is not recommended if you are pregnant.

I'm currently sipping some warm nettle and peppermint tea to combat those spring allergies. What are some of your favorite teas? Let me know in the comments below  :)

DISCLAIMER: The statements made here are purely educational and have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.