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Echinacea

Posted July 25, 2010

Echinacea

When heavy snowfalls keep more people home, having tea in the cupboard is a necessity. From apple to zinger, the flavours of tea outweigh the lonely hours of the winter months. Try having a cup of a different variety every two hours to keep your spirits up. Select teas by colour, using our color chart, to help raise your metabolism. Weight loss is not an impossibility when using herbal teas alongside The Rainbow Program.

Echinacea is a bronchial stimulating herb. It helps clear the respiratory system and fends off colds. It can be used for up to two weeks at a time for therapeutic benefit. Combined with lemon, it breaks down flegm, and can be sweetened with unpasturized honey, which is an antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal.

Recipe:

1 c. hot water

1 echinacea and lemon tea bag

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Let steep for 5 minutes

Posted in Tea Column

Rooibos Tea

Posted July 25, 2010

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos Tea has a hearty and warm flavour. Harvested in Africa, it is rich in minerals, particularly iron and is high in vitamin C. It is good for nervous conditions, and strengthens the membranes and bones. Rooibos comes in many different flavours, but is typically brown and can be combined with spice teas. One of my favorites is Moroccan Pomegranate Tea by Celestial Seasonings. This is a good tea in fall and winter. I was at a fair this past weekend and found a whole table full of Rooibos tea in every flavour imaginable. It was quite a delight to behold. I think I will try Rooibos in vanilla as a remedy for insomnia, as it strengthens the kidney meridian, reducing the excretion of calcium.

Posted in Tea Column

Sleepytime Tea

Posted July 25, 2010

Sleepytime Tea

This gentle remedy from Celestial Seasonings contains relaxing herbs and is suitable for daily use. It has chamomile, spearmint, lemon grass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorn berries and rosebuds, a nice combination for before bed or as an after supper tea. Use it to calm hyperactive children or settle a restless mind. Soothing and warm, this combination tea is good to take for anxiety, insomnia, depression, or just nervousness.

Posted in Tea Column

Nettles

Posted July 25, 2010

Nettles

In winter, proper hydration is important. To gain enough liquids, consume a cup of herbal tea every two hours. The darker and more potent the tea, the longer it has been in contact with the herbs, and the more nutrients it contains.

The nettle plant can be harvested locally. It is full of nutrients, and rich in iron. Dried, it can be used in teas and soups for added nutrition. Raw, the nettle plant can be consumed if it is put directly in the mouth, provided you do not touch the leaves. The plant was used extensively by the Native Americans.

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Recipe:

1 T. dried nettles

1 T. spearmint

2 c. water

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Add nettles and boil water

for 10 minutes.

Add spearmint and cover

Posted in Tea Column

Licorice

Posted July 25, 2010

Licorice

There are moments when the grueling pace of life begins to catch up with you. The adrenal glands are particularly taxed during times of stress. Use licorice root to support the adrenal glands, by making a gentle tea. Add peppermint leaf to sweeten. You can buy licorice root in bulk at a health food store or as tea bags. You can also eat licorice candy, although it is typically flavored with anise. Panda bear licorice is a good way to obtain a black food daily which supports the adrenal glands.

Recipe:

2 c. water
1 T. licorice root
1 T. dried peppermint leaf

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Boil licorice root for 10 minutes, then add the peppermint and cover for 3 minutes.

Posted in Tea Column

Snowbud Tea

Posted July 25, 2010

Snowbud Tea

White tea is a subtle variation on the standard, and snowbud is the lightest, most delicate of flavours. In trying various teapots, perhaps a glass teapot works best with white tea. Snowbud includes unprocessed leaves and buds, all gathered and dried in the early days of spring. It is a nice finale to a gracious meal, eloquent when served alongside desert. It is light and effervescent with a clear aroma and has a gentle taste. This white tea comes from the Fujian province of China.

For an airy month, try substituting baking soda for other harsher cleaners in the bathroom, and borax for other laundry soap.

Posted in Tea Column